Books

 Two of the greatest days in my childhood were the day I learned to read, and the day my grandmother took me to the Kurth Memorial Library in Lufkin, TX to get my first library card. Those two days brought me into a five decade love affair with books. I'm a helpless bookaholic. 

I remember reading my first words. "See Pug run." Pug was a dog character in our little primary readers. I also read about Ted and Jan. As the years passed and my reading skills increased, I recall a day that I became so engrossed in reading a book during some free time in class, I missed my change of classrooms for the next period. I loved reading the Hardy Boys detective series, Little House on the Prairie series and any sports books I could find. 

When my grandmother took me into that library, I was overwhelmed with the sheer volume of books. I stood in awe. She escorted me to the children's section where I found several selections of fictional sports books. Later, I learned to love biographies and autobiographies. I currently have seven shelves devoted to those books alone. 

As much as I try, I am not a fast enough reader to read all that I want to digest. I have several thousand books in my study. I have not read most of them, though I try. So much information. So much theology. So many lessons to learn. 

This got me curious today. I wondered what is the largest library in the world. I did a search and found out what I suspected. The U.S. Library of Congress. That library contains 70 million books in addition to other materials. Next, I wondered what the largest libraries in the U.S. were after the Library of Congress. Once again, my suspicions were true when I guessed the New York City Public Library containing 65 million books, periodicals, and reference research materials. 

As a native Texan where everything is bigger and better, I was surprised to find that the Dallas Public Library is only number nine of the largest in America with 5.1 million books. Houston did not make the list until number twenty-three with 3 million books. 

All this information whetted my appetite to know more. When I did a search for the largest bookstore in the world I came up with two answers. The Barnes and Nobles on Fifth Avenue in New York City has the largest floor space. Powell's Books in Portland, OR is considered the largest because it has the most shelf space, shelving an estimated 1 million books. Powell's takes up an entire city block. 

One more question popped into my mind. How many books are in the world? In 2010 a research group came up with the number of 129,864,880 unique books. THAT IS A LOT OF BOOKS!

Another group did another study on the topic of how many books are in the world in 2023. They came up with 158,464,880 unique books in the world. A more recent study estimated that about 2.2 million books get published every year. 

I am sure this information has bored you. I promise it is leading to something spiritually significant. No. This is not a plea to get people to read more books, though I believe that is a good thing. I have written several and Brenda has not read one of them. Her famous line is, "I lived them. Why do I need to read them?" 

Of all the books I love to read, none is more valuable to me than the Bible. Many years ago I committed to see how many times I can read the Bible through from Genesis to Revelation in my life. I keep a record of each time I finish. I set a lofty goal for myself that keeps my nose in those pages in the wee hours of the morning. That is when I came across a verse I have read numerous times before. That verse served as the catalyst for this blog. What did I read? 

[John 21:25] And there are also many other things that Jesus did which if they were written one by one, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.

In the four Gospels we only have a small summary of the miraculous things He did. Just a fraction of those works were recorded in scripture. He did much much more. More than could be written and housed in the Library of Congress, New York City Library, Powell's Books, and even more than the entire history of books in the world at over 159 million of them. John wrote the world could not contain enough space to hold all the books of all the things that could be written that Jesus did while on earth. 

What about everything He has done since walking on the earth in person? It is mind boggling. We live in an age when people try to shrink the Savior so they can better understand Him or relate to Him. He is not just Jesus. He is the LORD JESUS CHRIST! The fullness of God dwelt in Him. The scripture only scratch the surface of what Jesus Christ did in those 33 years He walked among men. I am awed. Bewildered. Stunned by His Sovereignty and Supremacy. What a Savior. I bow in awe of Him and devote my life to know and serve Him anew. 

He Stinks

 People have problems. Those problems come in all shapes and sizes. People cope with them in various ways. Some people pray. Others escape through exercise and physical fitness activities. There are those who turn to substance abuse to dull the pain and try to escape reality. Some try to ignore the problem until it exasarbates. 

Some problems are bigger than others. A common headache is not as serious as cancer. A flat tire is not as serious as a bad car accident. Not having the children visit or call in a few days or weeks is not as bad as them dying like Job's children and never talking to or seeing them again this side of heaven. 

I don't know what you are up against today. I know from personal experience and three decades of pastoral ministry, that everyone has something. Everybody has to deal with some adversity from time to time. How do we get through the tough stuff? How do we persevere when so many things are going to against us. 

There are two people who inspire me. One many will never heard of before. The other will be more recognizable. Let me introduce you to Charles Simeon. Charles served as a pastor back in the 1700s in England. He was appointed to his position by the previous pastor. Charles served as an assistant under this pastor for many years. When that guy retired he appointed Charles Simeon. 

Here is where the problem arose. There was a second assistant pastor and the people wanted him. Charles knew this. He got wind of how the people felt and tried to turn down the appointment. The retiring pastor informed Charles that even if he refused to accept the position the other associate would not get the position. Charles accepted. 

The people revolted. Their first revolt was to refuse the open the gated doors on the ends of the pews. They kept them locked so anyone who attended had to stand. Charles brought chairs into the house of God so people could sit in them. One morning he awoke to find all of those chairs thrown outside on the church lawn. People had to stand to listen to him preach. It was not uncommon for sermons to last up to an hour. This did not last for weeks or months. This lasted for 12 long years! Simeon persevered. Even after those 12 years, things were not smooth sailing. How many would have given up in just a few short months? Not Simeon. Simeon remained in that church for 54 years serving faithfully!

He said something one day I read in a book that hit home with me. He talked about trying to crawl through a hedge and feeling the pokes and pricks of the bushes. This is what he said next.

My dear brother, we must not mind a little suffering for Christ's sake. When I am getting through a hedge, if my head and shoulders are safely through, I can bear the pricking of my legs. Let us rejoice in the remembrance that our holy Head has surrounded all His suffering and triumphant over death. Let us follow Him patiently; we shall soon be partakers of His victory.

Simeon's example has inspired me since I first heard and read about him decades ago. He personified perseverance and how to overcome and outlast problems. 

My other example can be found in John 11:1-44. Lazarus' problem? He got sick and died. What did Jesus do? Called him back to life. Let that sink in. Lazarus died. There is no physical problem any person will ever face bigger than that. Now I get it. For children of God death is not the end. It is an open door to everlasting life. People still die. Sometimes prematurely. Some times through old age. Other times death comes through much suffering or tragically. 

Maratha and Mary grieved the death of their brother. They both told Jesus if He had been there Lazarus would have lived. They did not know what they were about to witness. Jesus spoke about being the resurrection and the life. He then commanded that the stone be rolled away from the tomb. Martha responded, "He has been in there four days. He will stink." 

That is what happens to dead and decaying bodies. They start stinking as they decompose. If you have ever smelled the dead carcass of a deer on the side of the road, you know it is not pleasant. After four days, Lazarus would have been rank with a foul stench. 

Jesus gave a simple command, "Lazarus, come forth." To everyone's astonishment Lazarus walked out of that tomb still wrapped in grave clothes. What a miracle. 

For the rest of Lazarus' life I can picture him listening to people whine about their problems. Lovingly I can just hear his gentle reminder, "If your problem is not bigger than mine, rememberI died, then Jesus can handle it." How true. 

So whatever you are facing, whatever waves are pounding you at the moment, whatever adversities are getting the best of you, and whatever menacing mountains stand in your way, I just remind you God is bigger than your problem. He is stronger, wiser, and mightier than what you are up against. I hope that offers a small measure of comfort and a large dose of hope. 

I am thankful for Charles Simeon. He may not have felt his life made much of a difference. I can tell his ministry and example are still paying dividends in my life. I am also thankful for the glorious example of Lazarus. Just when it seems all hope is gone, everything is lost, and you are at a dead end Jesus can still perform miracles just as big as resurrecting the dead back to life. If He can do that, I know He can handle whatever problem you are facing. Press on weary soldiers of the cross. We must not mind a little adversity for Christ's sake. Our resurrection miracle might just be around the corner. 

Increase Our Faith

 Most translations of Luke 11:1 include the phrase, "Lord, teach us to pray." That is not the wording I read this morning from the Holman Christian Standard version. The wording in it is, "Lord, increase our faith." I love that. It made me pause and pray that prayer right on the spot. 

On more than one occasion, Jesus commented that it did not take much faith to see big moves of God. I think all of us would admit we could use some more faith. I know I certainly can. If we want the Lord to increase, build, grow, and multiply our faith, we had better get ready. God will take us on a crash course of faith growth. 

That will involve some real life laboratory experiments. You could call them tests. Each one meant to stretch our prayer lives and examine what we really believe about God and His promises. There is no way around it. If we want our faith to increase, then we are going to face numerous tests along the way to exercise that faith. 

God loves to stretch His children to believe Him for impossible things. You do not have to look any further than Abraham. To be told to uproot from his country and that one day he would be a father of the great nation of Israel seemed pretty outlandish at first. As the years ticked by and and Abraham and Sarah did not have an heir, the pressure started mounting. Finally, the strain caused them to make a foolish choice. To bring an heir through Hagar. Their faith did not increase then. They took matters into their own hands and the nation of Israel has suffered for that choice ever since. 

Romans 4:18-21 describes how Abraham's faith increased during the two and a half decades he had to wait on Isaac to be born. Faith was forged in the fires of this trial. Pay attention to some of the words and phrases in those verses. He believed. In hope against hope he believed. Without becoming weak in faith. Did not waver in unbelief. Fully assured. 

Do those things describe our faith journey? Do they fuel faith filled praying for each of us? When we have tests we often bemoan them. These tests are the proving grounds for God to do extraordinary things that glorify Him. Trouble is we do not often see Him doing extraordinary things. Our faith withers a little more. If this happens long enough, we can get to the point where we may offer the religious duty of prayer, but have a small faith fueling those prayers. The cycle repeats itself. 

We need God to increase our faith and teach us how to really pray. Not repetitious prayers we heard others pray around us. We need to learn the truth of praying the promises of God with conviction. Really believing that God is faithful to what He says. That He is a promise keeper. Abraham believed because God promised he would be the father of a great nation. Abraham just stood in faith on what God said. Year after year and decade after decade. He prayed a long time. He believed a long time. He waited a long time. God came through in the end. With two worn out bodies approaching the century mark. God worked a miracle. 

Do we really want increased faith? We must embrace the challenges. The bigger the challenge the more faith is needed. The more faith exercised the stronger that faith becomes. The stronger the faith the greater answer to praying happens. The more answers that come the more glory God gets. This is the way faith is increased. Then, it starts all over again. We face a new challenge, often bigger than the previous one. This bigger challenge will require a greater level of faith. Our faith is growing and increasing in effectiveness all the while. Before long, we have a long list of testimonies of how God showed Himself faithful. This in turn will help inspire and strengthen the faith of many others. 

God has set some new challenges before me. I am not shrinking back in unbelief, but rather stepping to the plate and taking my prayer cuts with the bat of faith. I am prayerfully swinging for the fence. I am believing God to knock these challenges out of the park. I'm not shying away from these tests. I look at them as the next courses to increase my faith. I hope you will enroll right beside me. All for the glory of God. All to increase our faith. 

Sent With Authority

 Jesus sent out 70 people in pairs in Luke 10:1. Later in that chapter He told them that He gave them authority over serpents and all the power of the enemy. The word authority in that passage means "charge or dominion." 

Did Jesus give that authority only to the 70 He chose to send out? Is that same authority available for His followers today? In your opinion, do you believe that the modern church operates with the authority of Jesus in this dark world? Are we effective in our ministries?

Earlier in the chapter Jesus commented that the harvest was plentiful. He then exhorted people to pray to the Lord to send more laborers into the harvest. Can you recall a time in recent memory that you or people you know prayed for God to send more laborers into the harvest. We often pray for lost people to be saved. I cannot recall a time recently when I personally prayed God would send more laborers into the harvest or heard anyone else pray that as well. 

I asked some believers the last time they had baptized anyone in their fellowship recently. They estimated it was about six months ago. I think the majority of churches might say something very similar. We recently went nearly a year without baptizing anyone. We do not seem to see many saved. Many churches report decreases in baptisms in recent years. How do we square that with Jesus saying the harvest is plentiful? Current reality does not seem to reinforce that idea. Are fewer people being saved or are many being saved? 

One simple explanation is that the church is content to sit and have lost people come listen rather than willfully going to share His message on the streets. The first word in the great commission is to go. Matt 28:19-20 Jesus is still sending people out on assignment for Him. He still invites people to live on mission for Him. To take the gospel outside the walls of the church. 

It seems like some in the church follow Jonah's example and refuse to go and tell. That is a whole other matter. Fewer people appear to go. I do not believe it is because Jesus is no longer sending people out for Him. Less people are heeding that call. Therefore, the gospel is not always getting to the ears of those who need to hear it most. 

To play any role in a person meeting Jesus as Savior is an awesome experience. It is a thrill I cannot describe. The best word I can come up with is rejoicing. Seeing people saved brings unbridled joy. It is our assignment. Our mission. There are Christians who do not do this and have never done this. They have never opened their mouths to give a gospel witness even one time. They will use excuses like they do not know enough, or that they are scared, or even that they are not gifted to do such a thing. 

I still believe the harvest is plentiful. I experience this regularly sharing the love of Jesus with hardened alcohol and drug addicts. I watch God open their eyes, soften their hearts, and win them over. Paul was right when he wrote Romans 1:16. I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greeks. 

I hope we are not ashamed to be sent with His authority on us to do the work of evangelism. God is still doing His part. He is still saving the lost. He is looking for willing messengers. Will you be sent and go?

The Rains Descended

 I woke up before dawn and sat at this computer to write after reading my Bible. In the middle of that writing, I heard a distant thunder. Time elapsed and I heard the thunder again only much closer. The thunder shook the windows right where I sat. The rains descended. It seemed like God opened the faucet and the torrential rains poured down like a waterfall. It is now nearly four in the afternoon. It has rained much of the day. Heavy downpours followed by drizzle. 

Even as I write this the thunder is still rolling and still rattling the windows where I sit at this computer. I am not sure how much precipitation we got today. Forecasts predicted between one and two inches. It certainly seems like we are way past one inch. 

All this rain made me think about some scriptures. 

Matthew 7:24-27 (NASB)
²⁴  "Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
²⁵  "And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock.
²⁶  "Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
²⁷  "The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall."

Please note in verse 25 Jesus said, "the rain fell." That is true for all of us. The rain, winds, and floods come. Not far from where I write this, millionaires live. They live jet set lifestyles. Down the road the other direction people live in old mobile homes that have seen better days. The fact is true that no matter the economic status people who got outside today got wet. The rain fell on everyone. 

Substitute trials for rain. The fact is still true. Everyone faces adversity. Storms come to people. I talked to a man last night who recounted how he had been sick for three days. I talked to someone else about a family member that is in the middle of some storms. Brenda came home sick from work yesterday afternoon. I had a touch of the same thing earlier today. I know a professional under attack at work as people seek to replace him. Another is recovering from a severe car wreck. Storms come. 

The point of Jesus' teaching is what happens to people in the storms. Those who build their lives on the shifting sands of anything else but God will find there is no firm footing. Can our lives stand the test of time through deaths of those we love, unexpected health issues like strokes, tragedies, betrayal, and hundreds of other things that blow into our paths unexpectedly bringing heavy rain with them. We cannot escape this reality. Money cannot buy enough protection. We cannot surround ourselves with enough security. The rains still descend. 

Many a life crumbles when the rain of trials fall. People grasp for anything to help. They dull the pain with alcohol, drugs, illicit sex, and other vain things that cannot help. Nothing can insulate us from disease, death, disasters, and the deluge of sorrows. They come to all of us. 

What is the foundation of your life? Is it God and His word? Many times, in the toughest seasons of life I've turned to God and His word for strength and comfort. My Bible is highlighted with passages that remind me of God encounters that helped me in the toughest seasons. Scriptures like [Ps 46:1], [Ps 50:15\, [Ps 55:22\, [Is 40:30-31\, [Is 41:10], [Matt 6:25-33], [Matt 7:7-8], [John 5:17], [John 16:33], [Acts 16:25] and many others. I have found God a faithful and firm foundation. Stable. Reliable. Trustworthy. Rock solid. He has been a refuge when the rains descended. He has been strength. He has been comfort. He has also been wisdom, healer, provider, and a host of things needed in critical hours of crisis. 

There comes a time when people hit rock bottom. Where they have no other place to turn but to God. Everything else is hollow. Some of the strongest people I know have suffered much from the storms of life and have leaned on God. They are resilient. They are joyful even while suffering. Such people are an inspiration to me. They do not pout in bitterness in their trials. They stand strong like a tree deeply rooted. They do not crumble nor topple. They bend with the winds and sway back and forth. They do not break. They have built their lives on the faithfulness of God. I hope we will do the same thing as well. 

Sweetly Surrenderd

 You say take up the cross and to come follow, 

Sometimes that is hard to stomach and swallow, 

A call to chase hard after You on this highway. 

Surrendered to Your will not having it my way, 

An invitation to adventure beyond imagination, 

Leading to numerous unknown wild destinations, 

A call to take leaps of faith requiring much belief, 

Finding You always catch when I leap, to my relief, 

The cliffs are very high and jumps are still frightening, 

When You reveal Your will through divine enlightening, 

How can I refuse to follow my Lord Jesus Redeemer, 

You cannot stomach luke warm living inbetweeners, 

So, this day anew I choose resolved to sweetly surrender, 

Because Your death fuels to not forget but always remember,

My life is laid down on the altar to You offered crucified,  

It is in following You consecrated that I'm truly satisfied. 

In the Margins

 I love books. No matter how hard I try I cannot read as many as I want to. At any given time, it's not unusual for me to read more than one book at a time. Currently I'm in the middle of three. When something I read impacts me, I jot down notes in the margins. There is no book more meaningful to me than the Bible. 

I am working my way reading it again from start to finish. I'm in the book of Luke, more specifically in the fifth chapter, when I came across a couple of notes I jotted down in the margin back in 2011. I recall the context of my written notes. 

For months I kept sensing Jesus was calling our family to follow Him. I did not know what it meant. He pounded that message into my head like a jackhammer. At that time, we lived in Seminole, TX. We had recently come off the 23 days of consecutive revival meetings. The church had grown. Attendance doubled in the two years we served there. I had the largest salary of my entire ministry. I worked on a dream team of other ministers each gifted in unique ways, and we all complimented each other in our gifting. People loved us. It made no sense to even consider leaving there. Yet the message to follow Jesus persisted. 

One morning on April 21, 2011, I read Luke 5:11. "Then they brought their boats to land, left everything and followed Him." CSB There the message was again. A call to follow Jesus. It was during this same time period I was reading a book by Greg Laurie Upside Down Church. That is when the call to follow Jesus began to come clear. It was a call to start a church. 

In the margins of that same passage, I wrote something else six months later. Here is what I wrote. "This is exactly what we did. We left FBC Seminole, our home, and salary to start Faith Community Church on July 22, 2011. Here we are. The church has grown to 100 in six months." 2-21-12

I remember that July 22, 2011, date. That was the day I officially drove out of Seminole, TX headed to Paradise, TX to begin the work of starting a church. I took Taylor with me. I left Brenda and the three youngest sons to try and sell the house before school started. It was the longest period Brenda and I were apart from one another in our marriage. I did not see her again until just before school started so we could register our sons. 

That first Sunday July 31, 2011, we gathered in a day care for our first official service. We had no music. More people showed up than we anticipated. We ran out of chairs and people stood against the wall in that small room. The smell is deeply engrained in my memory. A mixture of urine, dirty diaper residual odors, and cleaning agents all combined to produce an unpleasant stench. None of that mattered. We were riding high on the euphoric call to start a church. 

We only met in that day care for one Sunday morning. A member of the school board who attended that first service secured our meeting in the junior high school cafeteria for the next Sunday. Within two weeks, God added a man to lead our worship and his wife headed up the children's ministry. We would eventually move our services to the high school cafeteria and ultimately to an old warehouse we remodeled for our purposes. 

Our teenagers met in the stands of the football stadium in the beginning. They sat in the stands and I taught the Bible to them. It is kind of comical when I think back to all those walking on the track and getting a Bible study involuntarily. Our adults met mid-week in the day care for several months before we moved to the warehouse starting out. God saved people. We baptized in a swimming pool in the summers and a hot tub in the winter months. I lost count of how many were baptized in that first year. 

There were sacrifices. When I left Seminole that day in July, I had no set salary. I followed Jesus in blind faith. I drove east thinking that I would get a job to pay the bills and plant the church bi-vocationally. I received a phone call from the lady who served as the treasurer informing me that the core group met and came up with a figure they thought they could pay as my salary. It was $28,000 less than what I made in Seminole. That did not matter. I had the call to follow Jesus. 

Somehow God made it work. I lived in an RV of some of the people who helped us get the church off the ground. They owned the daycare we met in those first few months. They did not charge me to live in that RV for three months. Somehow God made it work. He honored our faith. We never asked anyone for money. We never communicated our financial needs. Over the next six years, those wonderful generous people from FBC Seminole sent our family over $120,000. Not the church. We never asked the church to support us financially. Private individuals sent us money. One time a family traveling through the area stopped to see us. They brought us $8,000 from several families. We were overwhelmed. God sent the right money at the right time all along the way. One person felt led to send us a monthly gift of $1,400. This gift came for years as we worked at that church. In large part that is how we paid our mortgage when we were able to purchase a home. 

Six years to the day we started that church, once again I felt God's call to move on to the next adventure. That is how we ultimately ended up in Weatherford at Spring Creek. 

I'm thankful for those little notes in the margin. I come across them from time to time. Want to know something interesting? I did not even read from the Bible I normally use this morning. This is a spare one I keep on my home desk. Kind of feels like it was providential for me to pick it up and read this morning not only the words of Jesus but the words in the margin. 

I have all kinds of notes in Bibles and books. People who borrow books from me say they find the notes in the margins just as interesting as the books. I seldom read without a pen in my hand. I have argued with some authors in the margins. I've penned prayers in the margins of Bibles and books. 

When I turned the page of Luke 5 this morning, I found another note in the margin. This time the note was written 11-1-23. The note was written next to Luke 5:27-28 which is very similar to Luke 5:11. "After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the office, and He said to him, 'Follow Me.' So, leaving everything behind he got up and began to follow Him."

Here is that note in the margin, " You know I will leave everything and follow You wherever you call me to go." 

That should be the prayerful desire of every single follower of Jesus. To follow His lead wherever He calls. This has been a theme in my personal Bible reading and writing lately. That phrase "Follow Me" is repeated multiple times. I read it twice just this morning. It is a way of life. A mentality. A mindset of availability. 

If you would have asked me three years ago if I would be coaching professionally, I would not have believed it. If you would have also asked me if I would teach the Bible in a substance abuse rehab facility weekly neither, would I have believed that. To be honest as a wet behind the ears teenager this time of the year back in 1985, I had no idea that I would be a preacher or that I would be writing things that go out all over the world. My whole life was in the margins. I was not popular. I was not a gifted student. I was not the greatest football player to come from my high school. I lived in the margins. Not part of the real story. 

That is until Jesus reached me in 1983. I asked for His salvation. He asked me to follow Him. That would lead to His invitation to preach. I know I was born to preach, shepherd, to lead, and to write. If the 18-year-old me could have seen the 57-year-old me, I don't know that I would have believed all God has done. 

I was willing to follow Jesus at 18. Am I still willing to follow Him to new adventures at 57, or 67, or maybe 77. That is what He demands. He demands that for all of us. Chuck Swindoll is still doing that in his 80's. So is Jack Graham in his seventies as well as David Jeremiah. George Mueller followed Jesus into his 90's. Hudson Taylor served Jesus in China into his twilight years. 

There is no retirement age for following Jesus. Abraham was 75 when God called him to his great adventure. Noah was well past the century mark when God called him to build an ark. John was an old man when he received the vision of God that became the book of Revelation. 

I am thankful for God's reminder from the margin today. It serves as fresh fuel to keep following. I hope it might do the same for you as well. 

We Left Everything

 Peter made a comment to Jesus in Mark 10. He told Jesus, "We have left everything to follow You." That was a true statement. Peter and Andrew left their fishing business and their homes to come after Jesus on the greatest adventure they could ever imagine. Something got Peter to thinking to make this statement. 

The preceding verses deal with Jesus' conversation with the rich young ruler. The guy wanted to know what he had to do to inherit eternal life. After telling all the commandments that he did keep, Jesus told this guy he lacked one thing. He told him to go sell all his possessions and give to the poor. The man left grieving because he was wealthy. 

In that context, Peter made his statement that he left everything to follow Jesus. He is not the first nor will he be the last. Following Jesus is not an easy thing. Following Jesus often leads to sacrifice and hardship. When Jesus called Peter, Simon back then, he simply said, "Come follow Me." [Mark 1:18-20]. He did not make any false campaign promises. He didn't try to rally financial support. He invited them to come follow even though they did not know where He was going. Jesus always knew He was going to the cross. He also knew some of His disciples were marked for martyrdom. Jesus knew all of this and still invited them to become His disciples. 

Following Jesus is not always easy. We try and make it easy. In this easy believing watered down discipleship church age, where compromised convictions and casual comfortable commitments are the norm, His invitation to sacrifice can hardly be stomached. 

To tell a rich man to go and sell all his possessions and give it all away is not natural. The natural thing is to be greedy and hoard it for yourself. Generous people might give a portion away, but keep the majority for themselves. Jesus said give it all away. 

I wonder if that got Peter to thinking. He gave up a business to follow a Teacher who lived a nomadic life. Jesus said Himself that He had no place to lay His head. He slept in borrowed rooms or in open fields. He was always on the move. Constantly serving, giving away, rejecting the popular ideology of becoming an earthly king. Peter watched, listened and contemplated all of this. 

I can almost hear Peter saying, "Jesus, look at all we gave up to follow You. What is in it for us? What is our reward?"

Does Jesus really call people to sacrifice? Does He really invite people to follow down difficult roads? Does Jesus still call people to surrender their comforts for lives of fearless faith in far away places? The answer to every single one of those questions is yes! He still does. 

Jesus' response to Peter is both challenging and encouraging. Jesus said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who left house and brothers and sisters and mothers or fathers or children or farms for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and children and farms along with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life." [Mark 10:29-30]

The encouraging part is that Jesus assured that whatever sacrifices that are made can be made up in His economy. When God called me to Howard Payne, I left home not knowing a soul on that campus. That first semester was very lonely. I knew the pain of leaving my mother to follow Jesus. I did not even get to say goodbye to her. Once I moved things into my room, I was whisked off to a football meeting and team dinner. My mother left without us getting to hug goodbye. I would not see her again for months. 

That was just the first time. Next, came when Jesus invited me to follow Him to Florida for the summer to work as a ministry intern instead of coming home. I never did return home to live after that summer. I only came home to visit infrequently. The next summer I did the same thing in Georgia. 

Brenda and I met in college and got married after graduating. We have followed Jesus all over the state of Texas in all sized churches. I even spent four years in full time traveling ministry where I had to leave Brenda and our four sons often. Those were painful years. 

At the invitation of Jesus, we have given away vehicles, thousands of dollars, and walked away from our dream homes on several occasions to follow Him to our next assignment. We truly know what Jesus meant. Each time He called us to sacrifice He gave us something to replace the sacrifice. Special relationships, parsonage homes, other vehicles, and untold financial provision. We have a track record of listening for the Lord's call to follow and understanding that sacrifices may be required. Many times He has required us to go backward from larger churches to smaller ones with smaller salaries. One time, He called us to give up a dream home to live with a single family and her children for several months as we worked to plant a church. The local school classified our family as homeless when the boys registered for school. That was a difficult blow to our pride. While we waited on our home to sell in the previous town, we were forced to rent a tiny home. We were crammed in like sardines. Somebody bought us a sign that read, "Love grows in little homes." Our house did not sell for a year and half. We learned to be content in all circumstances. 

Following Jesus has led us down some unfamiliar paths, ministering to complete strangers, to some challenging things, and to exercise a fair amount of faith over the years. It has not always been easy nor pleasant. I can say in hindsight, it has all been worth it time and time again. He has been faithful even during the seasons of testing. 

There is a definite cost to discipleship. We are even told to count the cost. If you sit in a comfortable church enjoying an easy life, and never called to give sacrificially, serve sacrificially, or to follow sacrificially I question whether you are really listening. 

There is definitely reward in following Jesus. Souls saved. The kingdom of God built. Ministries started. Impossible dreams fulfilled. The rewards are not always financial, or material. Sometimes they are spiritual. In the end, is it worth it to follow? That is what I hear Peter saying. 

The life of faith is an extraordinary journey. A life like no other. The life of faith is not a spectator sport. It requires getting in the game. Fighting the good fight of faith. Heaven will be reward enough. According to Jesus there will be some other rewards in the present time as well. So follow on faithful stalwarts of the cross. No sacrifice goes unnoticed or unrewarded for His followers in this life or eternal life to come. 

Don't Stop Believing

 The hit single by Journey titled Don't Stop Believing sold about 18 million copies in the United States alone. People everywhere seem to know this song. If they hear it on the radio the volume goes up. If the song is played at a sports arena, people in the crowd will spontaneously begin singing. It is an epic song. 

That is not my focus. My focus today came from reading [Matt 21:22] this morning. Here it is. "And all things you ask in prayer believing you will receive." In recent days, I have spent much time reading in the Gospels. The power and authority of Jesus to deliver from demons, to heal, to teach, and change lives has captured my heart anew. My eyes locked onto this verse today and when I meditated on it I asked myself a hard question. Why am not experiencing the truth of this verse more often when I pray? 

I am not talking about any name it and claim it theology. I am talking about praying effectively. I researched every key word in that verse to discover where I might be failing. I will share those with you. 

The phrase all things mean everything. Most of us just glance over those two words. Those two words are game changers. All things encompasses every conceivable thing you could pray for. Now I understand that according to [I John 5:14-15] that we must pray in the will of God. In other words, we must pray according to the things God desires and intends to do for us. 

That having been said, all things is still a broad range of things God is capable and willing to do for His children who cry out in prayer. I don't know what that is for you. I listed six things in my prayer journal. All of them serious requests. Ones that I am burdened to ask repeatedly, seek relentlessly, and continuous knock on the doors of Heaven. Six things I am resolved to see answered. Six things that have gripped my soul like a vice and will not go away. Some of those six would appear to be impossible. They are included in the all things category. 

The word ask means to beg and or request. Anyone can ask. Even a child learns at an early age to ask. The key in prayer is learning to ask believing. The word believing means to trust and have faith. This is where I paused in prayer to ask God if I really believe the things I ask Him for. Am I praying in faith or am I just mouthing words hoping by chance that He might listen and grant my requests. 

Only God really knows the level of my faith. I think I have faith. I do not think I doubt when I ask for these six things, but God knows the truth. Some of them I've asked repeatedly for a while. No changes yet in any of those circumstances. Is it denied because God's answer is no? Is is delay because the timing is not right yet? Is is  due to my lack of belief? I don't know the answer. I know I want more faith. I want faith to match my requests. 

Faith can grow or shrink. The way to grow it is continually have to exercise it in various situations. This includes prayer challenges like the six things I am facing. To have a growing faith means God will continually stretch me to believe Him for more things and at times difficult things. 

The word receive is the most interesting of all the words in this passage. It has a passive connotation and an aggressive one too. The passive meaning of receive is to accept. I ask and then wait for God to give. The only other thing I do afterwards is accept His answer. The other meaning of receive means to take or seize. 

Don't get me wrong. When we pray we are in no position to demand or snatch anything from God He does not intend for us to have. To take and seize means praying with authority. It means taking a more aggressive approach to prayer by standing in faith on the promises of God. 

I do not understand why the church does not pray more authoritatively. It seems like we have conditioned ourselves not to expect answers. Doesn't receiving involve expectation. What is the point of asking God for something that we do not expect He will answer. That is like playing a game of random chance. 

It is my conviction that God is a promise keeper. That is the confidence I have in praying for such bold things as the six on my list. Jesus spoke the words of [Matt 21:22]. I did not conjure them up. Am I wrong to expect Him to do what He said? I think it must please God when we pray what He said. It demonstrates faith. It moves us way past wishful thinking, or random chance like wishing upon a star. 

I refuse to live as a believer who stopped believing. I choose to live as a person of faith who doesn't stop believing. To keep asking and expecting. May God be glorified by the results of those prayers. 

The Invitation

 From time to time, you may receive an invitation in the mail. Perhaps to a wedding, a graduation, or even a birthday party. Some invitations come glimmering in the light to celebrate a special wedding anniversary or a retirement party. Brenda will hang such invitations on our refrigerator door so that we do not forget the date. There are times when I receive invitations to special pastoral luncheons. 

By nature, invitations are both inclusive and exclusive at the same time. Back in grade school I found out a friend of mine had a birthday party. Everybody who was anybody in our grade got invited to that party. All the popular people. The athletes, cheerleaders, the national honor society people. It was the social event of the year. People talked about that birthday party at school all week. I did not get invited to the party. I was on the outside looking in. Excluded. Devastated.

That Saturday morning just hours before the party began, I hatched a plan. In hindsight I would say a brilliant scheme. I called Mark's mother. Mark and I were not best friends, but I spent time at his house. I even joined the Boy Scouts because of Mark for a short season. I called Mark's mother and did not ask to speak to Mark. I called her to ask if Mark could go to the movies with me that afternoon. I knew full well what Mark would be doing and what I hoped I would be doing too. She was such a sweet lady. She replied, "Well no Matt, Mark is having his birthday party today. Did you not get invited?" 

With those words the door cracked open slightly. I took full advantage knowing exactly what I was doing. I pretended that I did not know about the party. SHE INVITED ME TO COME. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. I wish you could have seen Mark's face when I walked into his backyard. His face said, "What are you doing here, I did not invite you." The party was a swimming party. I threw my gift on the table and jumped into the pool with all the cool people. I am not proud of what I did that day. Part of me grins still at my genius. 

That is still not the kind of invitation I have on my mind today. I would say the invitation I am thinking about few willingly accept. You do not have people dialing up the phone pleading to be included in this group. Most are content to be excluded. Here is the thing. It is an open invitation. Meaning the invitation is extended to whoever will. 

What invitation am I talking about. I read about this again recently. The words were as fresh as they were the first time I read them decades ago. Matthew 16:24 (NASB)

²⁴  Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

If anyone. That includes you and me. This is not an exclusive club. This is no country club for members only. It is for people who confess that Jesus is Lord and Savior and believe that He died for their sins and rose from the grave on the third day. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord in faith will be saved. [Rom 10:13] That is millions of people on this planet. 

Here is where the invitation starts weeding people out. If anyone wants to come after Jesus. That means Jesus occupies the lead position. He sits in the captain's chair. He is the lead fiddler. He drives while we sit in the passenger seat. He is the Commander in Chief. He calls the shots. He is the boss, Master, Lord, and King. 

Many want Jesus to save them. They do not want to come after Him. Truth be told many people want Jesus to come after them. They want Jesus to bless their plans, to help them succeed at their agenda. This is totally backwards. Some treat Jesus like a genie in a lamp to grant their wishes and be available to their beckon call. It does not work that way. Jesus is never subservient to any of us. He must increase and we must decrease. [John 3:30]

Do we wish to come after Jesus? To follow His lead? To let Him direct our paths? Control freaks find this hard to do. They refuse to relinquish the reigns. They have a hard time yielding. Seriously, do any of us think that we can manage our lives better than Jesus? Actions speak louder than words. I am just saying. 

The next thing Jesus states is that a person must learn to deny themselves. We are all born with a sin nature and a selfish nature. We want what we want and when we want it. People who come after Jesus must learn to deny selfish desires. That might include sin. When the carnal nature surfaces and we are enticed by unholy desires those must be suppressed. It also includes learning to put the needs of other people before our own. 

Brenda enjoys shopping. I DO NOT. I do love her, and time spent with her. There are times when I have to deny myself and slowly shuffle from one clothes rack to another, in the women's section, trying patiently to persevere to the end. I have done this many times and we came away with nothing. She did not buy anything. I at least want to feel like I accomplished something. Sometimes she wants me to take her to a romantic movie. One Saturday morning she woke up and told me she wanted me to take her to see a movie called The Lucky One. I replied, "Why do I have to be the unlucky one?" We still laugh about that. That is just part of me learning to deny myself when I had rather watch a football game than doing the slow shopping shuffle. 

Taking up your cross means be willing to suffer. The cross was a cruel torture device for executing criminals. Not a decoration to hang on a necklace or a wall in your home. The cross meant suffering. It meant death. A person who accepts Jesus' invitation will be lead down some unpleasant roads from time to time. It is the intention of Jesus to lead us away from comfortable lives that are always safe and secure. Sometimes He leads us to sacrifice. Taking up our cross is a reminder that if Jesus endured and embraced suffering, we might be called to do the same from time to time. 

Those willing to accept this invitation are few and far between. Taking up our cross is opposite of living the American dream. Everything about the American dream is centered around us surrounding ourselves with more comfort. Taking up our cross is uncomfortable. Being willing to suffer and even die if needed is not comfortable. Christians do it all over the world in a very real way. They actually sacrifice their lives for the cause of Christ. Martyrs of whom the world is not worthy. I think the day is fast approaching when this will become a greater reality even in the United States. 

Finally, Jesus said in that verse, "Follow Me." That literally means go in the same way as Me. Accompany Me. I found myself on an assignment yesterday where following Jesus had me out of my routine. I even thought to myself at one point, "Are you really doing this?" I have learned over four decades of serving the Lord that He can lead to some unconventional places, unexpected assignments, and to meet complete strangers that can be divine appointments. All of that happened to me yesterday. 

Those two simple words, follow me, have been on the forefront of my mind for decades. Following Jesus has lead me to preaching assignments high on the mountains, near sandy beaches, on lake shores, preaching under the canopy of stars, and in large and small sanctuaries alike. I have met important people and been honored to meet obscure people nobody has heard of before. The forgotten little people have touched my heart deeply over the years. Following Jesus has led me to preach to homeless people, drug and alcohol addicts, skaters, and wealthy millionaires. 

In the years I have followed Jesus, I have slept in strange beds, left my family for weeks at a time, isolated myself in a prayer cabin to seek His face, been roused out of bed in the wee hours of the morning, frequented hospitals from Lufkin to Lubbock, from Panama City to Fort Worth, and taken more steps of faith than I can recount. 

The invitation is not to follow Jesus for a season. It is not to follow until you reach the age of retirement. Following Jesus is an everyday for the rest of your life invitation. I am just as devoted to following Him at 57 as I was at 37. 

Churches used to sing the old song, Wherever He Leads I'll Go. As a young believer those words captured my heart. As an older believer now, those words still bite into my soul, and I mean them even more. Phrases like, "Though none go with me I still will follow, the world behind me the cross before me, my cross I'll carry until I see Jesus, no turning back, no turning back," really grab my heart like a bear trap. I do not want to be guilty of just mouthing words and not meaning them from my soul. I want to live what I sing. 

That is a little more daunting at 57 than 37. At my age, people start settling in, looking toward retirement, planting roots, looking forward to a life of leisure. I do not have that luxury. I accepted His invitation decades ago. I never know what He will do or where He will lead next. Following means surrendering. It means saying yes to His invitation for all my days. 

I talked to a pastor friend of mine last night. He told me he had two different businesspeople entice him with lucrative financial offers to leave the pastorate and to come into business. He told me passionately, "I can't do that. I have a call on my life. I am called to pastor for life." In essence he voiced that he was called to follow Jesus. 

Let me be honest. Following Jesus takes guts. Raw courage. Real substantial faith. I can write these words, I can preach that verse, but am I willing to live it out? If I am, if you are, we cannot be surprised when God holds us to it. Following Jesus is the adventure of a lifetime. Some find it scary, and I guess at times it is. Others think it is foolish to throw common sense to the wind to follow an unseen voice. Many might even say it is irresponsible and irrational to surrender everything for the sake of His call. I simply say it is biblical. It is the Master's invitation. Not to a golf tournament. To a life that matters for eternity. I accept the invitation. Will you do the same?

The Chair

 For two decades I had a black office chair that survived moves from Lufkin, TX all the way to Seminole, TX and eventually in my little home office nook here in Weatherford. I sat in that chair to write prayers, sermons, blogs, and books. It served me well for these past twenty years. 

I loaded that chair and took it with me when I frequented the prayer cabin. I was seated in that chair when God inspired me to write the book 40 Days To Shake The City. We used that devotion book to prepare for the Shake The City Revival in Seminole that lasted 23 consecutive nights resulting in over three dozen people getting saved and baptized. 

I sat in that chair to write literally thousands of blogs since 2004. It served me well. 

I noticed over the past couple of years that the hydraulic left mechanism was compromised. It wouldn't stay in the highest position. Recently I tried to readjust it when it bottomed out. I could not get it to lift again. It felt like sitting in a kid chair at a grown-up table. I knew the time had finally come to replace it. 

I sat in multiple chairs at the store looking for the one that would serve as my captain chair for moments like this. I settled on a brown bonded leather one that we got a really good deal on thanks to Brenda's retail genius. We got the chair way below retail price. I wheeled it in the door yesterday afternoon. Due to a busy preaching schedule, I did not sit in it until this morning. 

Around 4:30 a.m. I perched myself in it, wheeled up to this home desk, fired up the computer and wrote my first blog from it about an ink pen. Now I am firing off a second one about this chair. If this chair lasts two decades like the last one, and if God graciously allows me to live that long and still be productive, I would be 77. What can God do in me and through me sitting in this chair over that span? 

My imagination begins to run wild. It is not about the chair. It is about the God encounters that await while seated in this chair. Private moments in the secret place. Fresh revelation from the Lord of Hosts. Inspiration upon inspiration to write in hopes to glorify God and help people around the world. 

This chair is more than a chair. It's command central for a ministry that has the capability to reach around the world. From this chair, seated before this computer God enables me to fulfill the Great Commission. [Matt 28:19-20]. I might not be able to travel around the world physically, but I can travel there in these writings. In the past few days, people have visited this site from Hong Kong, China, Switzerland and several other countries. Through the internet God is able to take His message around the world while still seated in this chair. That is an amazing thought. 

From this chair God can send out gospel messages that reach people I will never meet. Maybe someone will be Heaven because of something they read written from this chair, and they asked Jesus to save them. That is an overwhelming thought. From this chair, God can expand His ministry far beyond my lifetime. You see, this is more than just a chair. It is a captain's chair to jet me around the world to help people far beyond the sanctuary at Spring Creek. I can only imagine what God can do from this chair. 

Hundreds and possibly thousands of hours will be spent in this chair, praying, studying, researching, and writing. The thing that most excites me is the profound God encounters that await seated right here. The thrill of those moments defies my ability to describe. Holy moments. God ordained moments. Seasons that will be too profound to share. Other of those moments will spark my imagination into a world of wondrous words expressing ideas I could never come up with on my own. Those thoughts will lead to adventures that excite me all starting right here in this chair. 

This was more than just a purchase of some office furniture. This chair is a door into God's glorious unknown. The mystery and majesty of another world. From this chair perch God will give me a front row seat to behold His miraculous might, His creatively crafted plans, and His power permeating through heart and mind. Many of these moments will be indescribable. Some will be too profound for the printed page. Others will be preached and written. 

This morning from this chair God has inspired two blogs. May thousands more flow and follow from the throne of God into my heart and mind written and sent around the world to help countless others on their journey. May God get the glory for all of it from this brown bonded leather chair. 

The Miraculous Pen

 I really like old fashioned Bic ball point pens with the clear casing so you can see the ink levels. It gives me a great sense of accomplishment to completely drain one of those pens dry. I use them to write in my journals and I still handwrite my sermons and Bible studies. I find handwriting those sermons and studies helps me to remember them better than typing. 

Over the course of several weeks, I could see the depleting ink levels in my pen. The day eventually came when I could not see any ink left and yet the pen kept writing. Each day I thought would be the last day. The pen kept writing day after day. No visible sign of ink and yet the ink kept flowing and writing. Days turned into a week. One week turned into two weeks. Each day I picked the pen up to write and found mor ink flowing onto the printed page. This fascinated me. The life of the pen extended far longer than expected. 

I determined to keep using that pen until it bled dry. There are days when I write a couple of pages of prayers in my journal. There are other days when it might be four pages or more. Like clockwork, that pen kept doing its job. The ink kept flowing and yet I could not see any visible sign of ink still left in the pen. I questioned how I could still write with it. I marveled at this little wonder. 

It finally happened yesterday morning midsentence. I wrote out a prayer before a busy day of worship. Suddenly I noticed the ink fading and then it quit flowing altogether. I kept thinking the whole time that pen kept flowing that I would write about this incident. I get it. In the bigger scheme of life this little miraculous pen is NOT a big deal. What possible lesson can we take from it? It is almost comical the random things, places, adn experiences that God uses to inspire these writings. Today it was simple, cheap, plastic pen. 

That pen was created for one purpose. To write something for someone. I am guessing that the manufacturer of that little Bic pen had no idea it would end up in the hands of this pastor and scribe. I also am sure the person in the factory never dreamed this little pen would last longer than thought possible. The person assembling the pen had no idea that on this day I would be writing about them even though I do not know their name. That pen lifted up lofty prayers, fueled faith to move mountains, cried out to God for direction, and captured inspiration for sermons and Bible studies. 

That factory worker probably went to work thinking their life and work really did not have much significance. I am sure assembling those pens is a monotonous job with low wages. That person touched eternity by assembling that pen and they are most likely not even aware of it. Putting the ink container inside the plastic casing and capping the top is not a high end yield job. Today I am thankful for that person. Because that person showed up for work faithfully, did his or her job, it helped me to do their job. They helped me to capture moments in time on a printed page. They helped me jot down the revelation of God to be shared with congregants in my little corner of the world in Weatherford, TX. 

The person who packaged it also touched eternity as the pens were packaged and boxed to be shipped. Probably not an exciting job offering a bright future of promotions. It is a job that needed to be done. Someone showed up for work to get that little pen in a package with nine others just like it. That plastic package was then boxed along with other packages to be shipped all over the world. I am thankful that man or woman showed up for work so that one day I could do my work. 

 The truckdriver who delivered that pen to the retail store had no idea their work on that day would transpire time and space in getting that box to its final destination. They delivered more than just a box of pens. They delivered a tool of my trade. A sword in my hand to try and make a kingdom impact. Miles were driven away from family and friends to do a thankless job that I am thankful for today. 

Then there was the person who uncrated the pens and put them on the salesfloor to be purchased. A pretty thankless job by most accounts. Putting that pen on the shelf helped touched the souls of people who were saved over the past several weeks when I jotted down notes on a tablet and in the margins of my Bible. Souls were saved because that person did their job faithfully. They have no idea how their simple task of putting that box of pens on the shelf rippled through eternity.

 Finally, there was the person working the cash register. Yes, I still wait in line for a real cashier. I avoid self-checkout. I want to interact with a real person. That real person took my payment and helped me to legally secure the box of 10 Bic pens with blue ink. I was just one of dozens of customers that day purchasing random items. Did that person even contemplate that sale would have profound implications beyond the physical realm? Probably not. Just a person scanning bar codes and taking payment without any thought that little purchase would change lives. 

Each one of those people played a vital part in getting that little miraculous pen into my hands. By all accounts, it is just a common ordinary cheap Bic pen. Through the power of the Holy Spirit that pen became a mighty weapon in my hands. Like someone once said, "The pen is mightier than the sword." There are pages and pages of ink-stained prayers that still linger in the ears and sight of God. Only Heaven can record what the final outcome of those prayers will be recorded in the chronicles of eternity and in simple spiral notebooks that serve as journals. 

Who would have ever thought such a simple thing as a pen could make such a big difference? It is just like God to use ordinary vessels to do extraordinary things. I must confess that I would never even have noticed that pen if it had not kept flowing long after the ink was no longer visible. I would have just discarded it and reached for a new one. 

I don't know why, but I did not throw that pen in the wastebasket. I set in my desk drawer along with dozens of other assorted pens I have collected through the years. I still go back to those plastic Bic ball point blue ink pens over the rest time and time again. I might just hang onto that empty pen as a reminder. A reminder that God can use simple things to accomplish difficult tasks. God can use ordinary vessels to accomplish extraordinary things for Him. 

That is just like me. I'm just a guy from deep east Texas raised among the towering Pine trees. I was an average student. A slightly above average football player, and a below average preacher and writer on my best day. One thing that sets me apart from the others is that I try to give God my all down to the last drop just like that pen. He has opened doors I could never have opened for myself. He has worked in me and through me to preach the gospel to thousands of people and has been pleased to save many over the past three decades. He has inspired me to write thousands of the blogs and a handful of books. I am just an ordinary vessel. One that wants to serve my King down to the last drop just like that miraculous pen. I hope that is your desire as well. 

Maybe you feel like your life and job do not matter. In God's hands, your life has purpose far beyond what you know. Whether you are assembling pens or writing your signature on a document worth millions of dollars, your life has divine design. You were created with purpose. You never know how God might use your ordinary talents, on your ordinary job, on an ordinary day to touch eternity. 

The next time you feel like your life does not matter I hope you will remember that little pen, its usefulness and all the people who played a part in getting it into my hands to inspire this blog that at the touch of a button will be read around the world from Weatherford, TX to as far as Hong Kong. To God be the glory. 

They Don't Have Shirts On

 It was an unusual event like I had never experienced before. Many of the small gathering of people were complete strangers to me. We gathered for the same purpose. We made some initial small talk as we waited for everyone to arrive. 

When the final people arrived, we gathered for a few last minute instructions. I taught and challenged a short devotion before we got down to business. The purpose of our gathering was very unique. It goes back nearly two years ago. 

An opportunity was presented that I felt God might just be nudging us into. It was definitely not in my comfort zone. It was just the kind of thing Jesus would lead His people into. A bible study at a substance abuse center we named 1 Way. 

For close to two years we have met on Sunday afternoons to tell people from all across the United States about Jesus. We recently had a man who was born on the continent of Africa but migrated to the United States. We have talked to people from multiple states and from varied religious backgrounds including those disenfranchised from the church, atheists, agnostics, born again believers, embittered, and those who never have read a Bible. Week after week we show up and teach the truth. We also give away Bibles for those who want one. We try to answer questions. We continually point people to Jesus. We have been there on Christmas Day, New Years Day, Easter, Mother's Day, and Father's Day and all Sundays in between.  

Fast forward to this past Resurrection Sunday on March 31, 2024. Fresh off the exhilarating worship service we had that morning when we baptized 5 people, we went to 1 Way not knowing what to expect. God worked wonders saving three men. That is when things took an unusual turn. We have celebrated the salvation of dozens of people at 1 Way. This time was different. One of those men asked if I would baptize him. Before we knew it all three saved men wanted to be baptized. 

That brings me to the purpose of our small gathering this morning. We secured permission for those men to be shuttled to the church for a private baptism ceremony. Right before I mounted the steps to go into the water the men realized they had not brought a shirt to change into. They asked if they could be baptized without a shirt on. The Spring Creek sanctuary was built 41 years ago. In the history of this building, I do not think anyone has ever been baptized without a shirt on. Well that is until today. I gave them permission and we commenced the celebration. 

The only people watching were the techs who work at the detox center, three fellow clients who came to support their friends, and two of our church members who are involved in 1 Way. One of the church members looked over at her husband and commented, "He does not have a shirt on." The husband just smiled and we all rejoiced to celebrate those men being born again. It made the day even more meaningful because it was so simple and pure. 

Buried with Christ in baptism and raised to walk in a brand new life. Each of the men thanked me afterward. Are you kidding me? They thanked me for baptizing them. That is a thrill that revs up my spiritual engine. Two of the three guys hugged me. They each were beaming. What a day of rejoicing. 

It was a beautiful time. It makes the lack of a Sunday afternoon nap, adding another teaching on top of jam packed Sundays, and forsaking family time all worth it. What a delight to see souls saved. May that not be the last time we get to do that for people at the detox center. 

Do I Snatch Her Dream

 The mother was distraught when she walked into my office. She carried a heavy burden for her youngest daughter. Not because the daughter is lost or in rebellion against God. No. She is burdened because her daughter is an elite athlete at 14. I know some parents think that their child is good, even if the truth is they are average at best. This girl is elite. A rising star. An injury required her to stop competing and have corrective surgery. I watched that young girl each step of the journey. Her attitude is stupendous. She is a girl after God's own heart. 

She has patiently rehabbed for months and was just starting to get back into preparing to compete again. She began having pains in her hip which was surgically prepared. She went back to the surgeon. The news was not what anyone wanted to hear. There appears to be internal damage which could potentially require another and more extensive surgery. 

The distraught mother told me, "I either snatch her dream away, have her compete with the pain for the next six years, or have the other surgery which will put her even further behind." I knew exactly how she felt as five times I sat with my sons in doctor's offices hearing the news that surgery was required to fix knee issues. I watched my sons tear up. I watched their dreams snatched away from them. It seemed cruel. I still do not understand it for my boys anymore than I understand it for this 14 year old phenom. 

When she told me about the options, I mentioned that there was another one. We can ask God for a miracle healing. That is exactly what we did over her daughter in Bible class today. We asked God for a miracle boldly. Not wishfully thinking. We prayed with fervent faith. It is in God's hands. 

I know all too well that there is life after sports. Bodies break down. I feel it in my knee, hip, and shoulder joints all the time. I love sports, but sports can take a massive toll on the body. If you have ever had a dream snatched away, you know the pain that causes. It brings grief. You mourn the death of a dream much like you mourn the death of a person you love. 

What then? I read about a guy today who suffered the death of a dream. He was devastated. He wrote in hindsight how many valuable lessons he learned from that experience. I too have suffered the death of some dreams. They were crushed to powder sifting through my fingers until I had nothing left. It was heart wrenching. I still carry the grief of one of those in particular. I am not fully whole after that dream was savagely snatched from me. 

Here is the truth. Do we love our dreams more or the God of our dreams more? If we love God more, sure we grieve the loss of dreams, but we stand on the firm foundation of God. We are able to press through the pain onto the path of healing and God's redemptive purposes. 

I have watched this young elite lady for the past nine months looking for cracks in her faith, an angry attitude, a bitter belief that God failed her. I did the same thing today watching her. She appears to be solid. So did my sons outwardly. I did not learn for years the private mental, spiritual, and emotional battles they fought. They kept those things private. They put on a brave act. Is this girl doing the same, or is she of such solid character and so in love with the Lord that still stands strong in suffering. 

Paul wrote some very tough words in [Phil 3:7-8]. He wrote that the things that were gain for him he counted them as loss. How and why did He do this? He did it for the sake of Christ. Paul put all the things that he counted as gains in his life on an imaginary scale and the surpassing value of knowing Jesus on the other side of the scale. He wrote that there was no comparison. Jesus won out every time. Paul considered his gains as refuse in comparison to knowing Jesus. That is much easier to write and say than to live. 

When Jesus is our gain, we can endure other losses. Loss of loved ones. Loss of jobs. Loss of financial security. Loss of health. EVEN THE LOSS OF DREAMS. Are God and Jesus enough when our dreams get snatched away. I found out the hard way that they were not in my life a few decades ago. Today it is a different story. 

I am asking God to heal that young lady. I am trusting God not to snatch her dream away. I am praying with all that is in me pleading with God for miracle for His glory. He is a dream giver. He is also a dream taker sometimes. Only, He does not take a dream without leaving a different one. A better one. God does not waste pain. He uses it for His purposes. My son's injuries helped me have great empathy for this mother. I could identify with what she is going through. We entrust her daughter into the loving hands of a Heavenly Father who can do immeasurably more than we can think or think. [Eph 3:20]. That is where I leave it. In His capable hands and wise mind. 

Turn on a Dime

 Following God is a great adventure You never know when He will show up and do something new, call you to something new, or reveal something new. Abram never expected to leave his home country until God showed up and called him to move to a land God would show him. [Heb 11:8] It did not make sense. It could not be explained. Everything in Abram's life turned on a dime with that one God encounter. 

Mundane days can turn on a dime when God reveals Himself in a fresh way like He did to Moses in [Exodus 3:1-12] at the burning bush. Moses watched sheep for 40 years. Not one time before that ordained day had he ever seen a bush burning, but the bush not being consumed It got his curiosity up. When he turned to look closer God revealed a greater purpose for his life than watching sheep. 

David was also a shepherd. His whole life turned on a dime when Samuel showed up to anoint the next king. [I Samuel 161-23] He was not even invited by his father to be considered. When he was summoned to the house his whole life changed when God told Samuel David was the one. David most likely never dreamed in his wildest imagination of being the king of Israel. His whole life turned on a dime when God chose him. When he did become king eventually, he reigned on the throne for 40 years. 

The disciples whole lives changed when some of them had an encounter with Jesus on the beach. They left everything to follow Him. Jesus had a new calling for them. A new destiny. A new path that would lead to adventure, pain, and for some even martyrdom. Everything changed for those men the day Jesus showed up. [Matt 4:18-20]. Now those men are renowned throughout the whole world. 

I could give other examples of Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Paul, Timothy, and others down through the ages. Everything can turn on a dime when Jesus shows up. Look at the demoniac, woman with the issue of blood and Jairus' daughter in [Mark 5]. All experienced the transformative power of Jesus in unique ways and everything changed that day. 

God encounters can change everything. You may be trodding through your day oblivious to the power of God. Without warning, suddenly, unexpectedly, and powerfully He can show up to answer a prayer. Many weeks ago I received an email from a lady who read one of the books I wrote about prayer. She asked me to join her in prayer about three different things. One of those was restoration of her children with whom her relationship had been estranged for some time. We prayed and asked God to intervene. He did in a powerful way. Her daughter reached out to her asking for some help. She communicated that she wanted a relationship with her mother. Hallelujah. Everything can turn on a dime. Nothing is impossible with God. 

God alters the course of your life with one encounter. He can transform a life with one encounter. He can answer a prayer in dramatic fashion when He chooses to reminding us that everything can turn on a dime. 

I don't know what you are facing. You may be in one of the worst seasons of your life. Things may be horrible, confusing, disorienting, and even disillusioning. It may feel like God abandoned you. It may feel like you are forgotten. I remind you that each of the characters I mentioned earlier were going about their days unaware everything was about to change. Some were suffering. Some were facing critical needs. Others had suffered for a long time. Some were just living boring predictable ordinary lives before God turned everything on a dime. I cannot promise you when it will happen. I offer no magic formulas. I know from experience that when you seek God enough, pray long enough, and stay the course enough until the divinely ordained moment, everything can turn on a dime. I mean everything. 

It could be an email. A phone call. A divinely appointed conversation. A Bible verse. A song. A private God encounter or an encounter with God in a public worship service. It might be a check in the mail, a gift vehicle, a gift home, a new purpose or new direction. What looks impossible can turn on a dime. Closed doors can open inexplicably. Dead ends can open up into highways like in [Exodus 14]. Rivers can flow in a desert and roads through a wilderness like in [Is 43:18-19] I exhort you not to give up and lose heart. EVERYTHING CAN TURN ON A DIME WHEN GOD SHOWS UP. 

The Slow Ride Home

 So many people live fast paced lives. There are schedules to keep, places to be, people to see, to do lists to check off, and important things to accomplish. Our calendars fill up. We no more than get one day completed when we have to wake up to another jam-packed day. It can be a little overwhelming. 

There are little margins built in for mediation, reflection, and contemplation of the things of God. We are constantly in a rush. If you have young children, things only escalate getting to all their school functions and extracurricular activities. Things never seem to slow down. Maybe once a person retires. I have heard many retirees say they are just as busy now as they were when they worked. 

I had a trip to watch Turner compete in his first ever decathlon. He has worked very hard to get to this point. He ran all summer in the hottest part of the days. He trained to compete in field events he had no experience in. It brought me great joy to watch him give him best in ten different events. He was the youngest person competing by far. One of the contestants was 35 years old. The older guys encouraged Turner. When it was all over, Turner commented he had never been more exhausted in his entire life. 

When it came time to go home, I experienced something I never had before. I woke up the next day to make the drive back home. Brenda was at a women's conference, so I had no reason to rush. I decided to take my time going home. I intentionally set the cruise control on my car 10 mph slower than the speed limit allowed. I drove in silence for a while. At other times I listened to the radio. I was even fortunate enough to not have heavy traffic around me as I snaked the back roads back to Parker County. 

I felt peace. I thought and prayed about many things. I took my sweet time. When traffic did pull up behind me on a few occasions I pulled over on the shoulder to let them pass. I enjoyed the beauty of God's creation. I saw creeks, ranches, little towns, places I had never driven before, cattle, horses, and blue skies. 

I have travelled all over the state of Texas to watch my sons play football or run track. I have travelled all over the United States and to three countries to preach. I am no stranger to road trips. Each one my ultimate goal is to arrive at my intended destination as quickly as possible. Not that time. I took a slow ride home. I enjoyed every single hour and minute of that slow trip. I was a little sad when I rolled under our car port. 

I cannot explain it. It did my soul good to not be in a rush. Something about slowing down soothed the soul. I found myself at greater peace. I watched as others zoomed past breaking the speed limit. They were in a hurry to get somewhere to do something. I took my sweet time. I enjoyed my time with God rolling down the backroads. 

I thought about so many of the early pioneers and preachers I've read about. They were forced to live at a slower pace. They travelled by horse or horse drawn wagon. They had time to think. Time to meditate on the things of God. I hear farmers tell me they do that on their tractors when they work the fields. That is not true for a lot of us. Just yesterday morning, I spent the first half of my day on the phone and answering emails. Finding time to pray and enjoy God has to be built into our lives. That is hard to do when your calendar is plum full of appointments to keep. When do we make appointments with God. 

I recently talked to a young man who works a lot of Sundays. I asked him when the last time he had been able to attend a worship service. It had been months. I then asked if he had quiet times. He confessed that he did not. I told him that was not good. It was not good for his soul. In fact, it is dangerous. He is susceptible to temptations. His soul is shriveling. I think he got the message. 

Each of us needs to slow down and take extended time with God. I can almost hear some of you shouting through the computer, "Are you kidding me. I am burning the candle at both ends and you are asking me to put another thing on my plate. How do I have time in my already crowded schedule to take extended time with God?" 

Time alone with God is the most important thing you can do on any given and every given day. Everything else is secondary. Taking time to slow down is therapeutic to the soul. It relieves stress. It resets our priorities. It recalibrates our mental health. It forces us to get out of the rat race for a season. 

I am looking ahead to this week. Today is already filled with commitments taking me well into the night. Tomorrow has several things on the calendar. The same for Thursday. Friday is still a little up in the air. Back to reality. Long will I treasure that slow ride home. I need to build more days into my life like that. Maybe you do too. 

God Is Able

 For people who have been around church for any length of time there are many cliches. Things people say that we all agree with theoretically, but may not experientially. Things like nothing is impossible with God. Only believe. Mustard seed faith can move a mountain. All things are possible with God. Believe and receive. 

There are many others, but I think you get the point. We talk big, but often pray small. I have made the study and practice and of prayer a focal point for forty years now. I have written numerous articles about it. I would say next to writing about how to be saved there is no other topic I have written more about than faith and prayer. I have written two books on prayer. After all of that, I think I understand prayer less than I did twenty years ago. I still struggle to distinguish the voice of God any other way except through scripture reading. There are things I have prayed for decades on end and still do not have the answer I hoped to get. There are even things that I believe God promised me that I have not received. Waiting on God has never been my strong suit. 

Abraham knew exactly what waiting on God felt like. The struggle is to keep asking for something God keeps delaying or denying. Sometimes it is hard to know the difference between when God is saying no to our prayers, and when He is just delaying answering until the timing is right. God promised Abraham an heir. A son to be more specific. Two and a half decades passed. Abraham kept praying. God kept delaying. 

[Romans 4:21] and being fully assured that what God had promised He was able also to perform. The word able means strong, mighty, and powerful. Abraham believed God was strong enough, mighty enough, and powerful enough to answer the prayer of his son through Sarah. He was tested though as was Sarah. As they both aged and their bodies began to change, did it become harder to believe? What their eyes told them and what God promised them seemed to be at odds. Do we ever experience the same type of thing? Our physical eyes can deceive us. We must learn to pray with spiritual eyes of faith. 

Abraham was fully assured God would come through. He didn't just think that God COULD do it, but he believed that God WOULD do it. There is big difference between the two. I am convinced that many of our prayers fall into the God could category. We believe God is capable of doing anything. We just do not always believe that He will do it. Abraham believed God would do it. 

Where did he get such assurance? Because God made a promise to Him. In other words, God made a proclamation. A declaration of honor. God gave His word. He made a vow. He made a covenant. He guaranteed Abraham that He would answer that prayer. If we really want to pray effectively, we need to pray scripture. Pray the promises of God. 

25 years is a long time to wait. Most would give up or least quit praying with assurance. People may mouth the words of a prayer after two and half decades, but are they still able to pray fervently. [James 5:16] After being denied and delayed that long, it is easy to accept the status quo. To stop really believing even if we do not stop praying. 

God is able. I have no idea what you are facing today. I do not know how long you have waited on God for an answer. What burden weighs you down? What pierces your soul with anguish as you cry out for God's help? What hopeless situation confronts you? What impossibility screams in your ears to give up? I challenge all of us to pray like Abraham. To be fully assured. To pray the promises of God. To pray believing God is able. We may have to wait a long time for the answer like Abraham did.  If we pray in God's will, pray long enough, and pray confidently enough, God will come through for us just like He did for the father of the nation of Israel. God is able. 

Compressed Glory

 I read [John 1:14] today and the phrase "The Word became flesh and dwelt among men," really grabbed my attention. I thought about Jesus being present at creation. I thought about Him as the object of worship in [Revelation 5:11-14]. I thought about the passage in Luke 9 where Jesus is transfigured before 3 of the disciples. 

In the moment of transfiguration, it was like Jesus unzipped His humanity for a moment to let His glory, majesty, and splendor shine brilliantly. It was always within Him. On that occasion, He let it come out for others to see. A reminder that He was not just another man. He fully God and fully man at the same time. That might have been easy to forget if you lived with Jesus everyday. Even if you saw Him do some miraculous things it might have become old news. We have a tendency to forget. 

So how did the Father compress all that glory into the tiny package of a fetus and then a baby? How did all the glory of the Son get compressed into the form of a man. Even a grown man. Every cell of His earthly body must have tingled and abounded with supernatural restraint to hold the glory back. Did the splendor not try to splash through the pores? Did the radiance not have to be restrained from beaming through His eyes? Did His majesty not have to be held in check every time He opened His mouth to speak so that it would thunder down frightening all the listeners?

It is miraculous. God's Son leaving heaven. Leaving the throne. Leaving the center of attention. Descending into greatness. Willingly living with the limitations of needing sleep, food, and water. Being limited to working in one place at a time. Setting His divine feet on the very planet He created and could use as footstool from His throne. [Is 66:1] The Creator rubbed shoulders with His creation. Perfection lived among imperfect people. Holiness personified pilgrimed among hypocrites and the defiled. The Lamb of God submitting to being born in a manger. 

Glory squeezed down, compressed, and shoved into humanity. It is nothing short of a miracle. Tragically the religious experts totally missed the miracle. They were blinded by their own selfish agendas and expectations. God literally walked among them, worked among them, taught among them, healed and helped people among them, and the religious rulers totally missed it. They only focused on the fleshy body. They were blinded to the glory beneath. 

Do modern day Jesus followers do the same? Do we nonchalantly enter devotions forgetting the glory? Do we sashay into the sanctuary unsanctified ignoring His holiness? We half heartedly read and listen to His word without heeding the warnings contained within. 

Throughout history God has let His glory loose. Those seasons changed the course of history. Millions were transformed. A little over a year ago God decompressed His glory on the campus of Asbury College just like He had done several other times over the years. For three weeks God had His way among those students and serious seekers. Similar moves swept across the nation. Many missed it. Some of the experts wanted to explain it all away. 

How easy it is to forget the power of God, the majesty of the Messiah, and the tempest of the unbridled Spirit released among people. We live in days of compressed glory. We are used to it. We expect it. We have forgotten the power of God and His Son Jesus. We prefer the religious routine even when it produces spiritual ruts and rot. We half heartedly go through the motions of worship and service. We forget the all seeing eye of God is watching. We never know when He will let the glory out. When He pass by us like He did Moses in all His glory. Exodus 33. We never know when God will shake up the routine, rock the boat, do the unexpected, and remind us of His glory. 

Repent

 The word repent means to express sincere regret and remorse over one's sin. It also means to turn around and change the mind. In our soft church age, a person may hear multiple sermons about improving their marriage, how to maximize finances, how to overcome character flaws, and ways to be successful. On rare occasions, you may hear a message on repentance. I would add that on very rare occasion you may hear that message. 

Repentance does not put people in the pews. Repentance does not sell. Repentance will not endear the preacher to the flock. Repentance is a foreign concept in the modern church. Messages of repentance will not be tolerated by this church age any better than it was tolerated in the days of Old Testament prophets. 

Jeremiah was imprisoned for proclaiming the message of repentance. John the Baptist was imprisoned and eventually beheaded for preaching that same message. People will not listen to that message for long without one of two reactions. The biblical reaction is for people to turn away from sin and to turn back to God. The more common reaction is to ignore and rebel against the clarion call to repent. 

Why do people refuse to repent? The answer is very simple. People love sin. They hate the light of truth to expose their evil deeds of darkness. [John 3:19-21] Any preacher who comes bee bopping along proclaiming for people to repent will most likely have a very short lived ministry. History is filled with the names of martyrs who gave their lives calling people to turn from their sin and to turn to God. PEOPLE LOVE THEIR SIN AND WILL DO ANYTHING TO PRESERVE IT INCLUDING MURDER. Herod's wife did. So did the Pharisees. Muslims do as well. 

So what does the church do? In a time when society has drifted far from God. In a time when society is coming apart at the seams. In a time when the majority reject the truth of Jesus. What does the church do? They put on dog and pony shows with well crafted circus like entertainment to attract a crowd. The church will not boldly stand with conviction courageously calling this callused age to repentance. 

The church will blame everyone for the evils of our day. Politicians. Pop culture influencers. Big Tech companies. Celebrities. We should turn our attention onto ourselves first. Read [II Chronicles 7:14]. Where does that verse start. Addressing pagans? No. The church is called to repentance first. Read [Joel 2:12] Again the people of God are called to return to God. The message is consistent. The people of God must turn to God first. Then and only then, will God come and heal the land. 

Our land sure needs healing. We are on a cataclysmic crash course with God's judgment if we do not repent. God judged His covenant chosen people Israel. Do we honestly think that the United States will be spared for our transgressions? I think not. 

It is time for judgment to begin in the house of God. We can throw all the stones at the pagans we want to. It does not alter the fact that the blood of this age is on our hands because we remained stubbornly silent about the good news of Jesus. We refused to bow our knees privately in the prayer closet or to make God's house a house of prayer. We embraced hypocrisy and shunned holiness. We will be held accountable for not calling people to repentance. Preachers and teachers will receive an even stricter judgment. [James 3:1] IT IS PAST TIME TO REPENT BEFORE WE PASS THE TIPPING POINT. Repent while there is still time before it is too late. God can still come and heal the land if the people of God turn to Him and turn from our wicked ways. We need to repent. 

Hallelujah Hands

 I had the privilege of baptizing five people yesterday on Resurrection Sunday. It does not get any better than that unless you are baptizing more than five. I went back today and watched the end of the service on video to see the baptisms. One by one each was plunged underneath the water. The church yelled and clapped in celebration. It fired me up. 

The very last person was the lady who has cut my hair for the past three years. She does a fantastic job. Three years ago she had much more to work with as I had more hair. As my hair started receding more I decided to take action. I was not about to be one of those men who grow their hair long on top and part it down the side flopping the rest over to cover up baldness. I am an official member of the chrome dome fraternity. I have a little bald spot in the back and thinning hair on top. She cuts it short. Down to the skin on the sides and back. She is an expert in her field. 

She thanked me recently for asking her one day where she would spend eternity sitting in her chair. That led to further discussions, a visit to the church, and eventually a phone call for a visit that ended with Jesus saving her. She works most Sundays and was not able to follow through with baptism until yesterday. She was the last person to be baptized. She was a little nervous but also excited. 

I chuckled when she came up and wiped the water from her face. She turned to go up the steps and then lifted both hands up in a little hallelujah rejoicing moment. I did not see that yesterday. It blessed my heart today. I had to text her and tell her I loved that spontaneous praise. 

Why not celebrate for all Jesus has done and is doing in her life. Why not all of us celebrate for Jesus dying on the cross, rising from the dead, pursuing our hearts, saving us, and helping with the journey of life. Surely all of that deserves hallelujah hands lifted high. I am not writing about something contrived, forced, manipulated, or even done for attention. I am taking about the praise and adoration of God filtering from heads to our souls and then through our arms into our hands. A little hallelujah hands is good for the soul. 

Dennis Jernigan wrote a song once with this line in it, "With our hands lifted high to the sky and the world wonders why, we will tell them we are just loving our King." I love that. Soaking wet in the baptistry that lady just loved her King. She did not even know it, but she inspired me to write this and perhaps thousands will be inspired to worship and love their King also with hallelujah hands.