Looking Back

I know that Paul wrote for us to forget what lies behind and press on to things that lie ahead. I can't help but to take a moment and reflect on where I've been. I'm closer to 60 than 50. Inside my mind I feel like a young man. Looking in the mirror tells me a different story. Thinning hair, achy joints, and eye glasses all indications that this mortal body is aging. 

I recall growing up in east Texas where towering pine trees are in abundance. I've grown to appreciate those tall trees. I hated them as a child. Anybody who has ever had to rake pine straw knows what I'm talking about. I spent many an hour raking pine straw off the roof and off the grass. I grew up riding bikes, playing in the woods, having sleepovers, and playing whatever ball was in season with other neighborhood boys. We didn't need organizations or fancy uniforms. We got up a game as soon as we got out of school. 

I took those games seriously and played for blood. I was and to some extent still am fiercely competitive. I hated to lose at anything. My fourth grade teacher named me "Bull Frog." She said one look at me after P.E. told her whether my team won or lost. When I lost she said I swelled up like a bull frog. Life seemed simpler. We thought punishment was being kept from going outside to play. Now days you can't hardly get kids out from in front of a screen of some sort watching or playing a game. 

We didn't go to church much. I liked it when we did. I had a great aunt who attended a Methodist church. She was always trying to get us to come. For some reason she took a shine to me. She often got me to pray publicly in the worship services. I don't recall the old Kelty's Methodist Church being a large congregation. They did help form a foundation of some basic Bible stories. Next, we attended the First Nazarene Church in downtown Lufkin, TX before they relocated. We didn't attend frequently, but I did go to a children's camp with them. I even won a trophy for memorizing the most verses that week. It did not mean I was in right standing with God. 

Football was my life. I read football books. Started lifting weights at 12 years old and have not stopped all these years later. I played imaginary football games in my backyard setting up obstacles and treating the pine trees as defenders to avoid. My dream was to play in college. I knew I would have to work for it. I was not blessed with height. God did give me strength. I worked feverishly at getting stronger to make my way to the starting line up for the Lufkin Panther football team. I wore the purple and gold with pride. It meant something to me back then. 

To improve my chances at playing in college I pushed my body. I skipped lunch after my senior football season ended and went to the weight room to get in extra work. I climbed the fence at the football stadium so I could run bleachers. I ran in the hottest part of the days. I pushed my body until the muscles burned from the stress. 

My whole life changed one Thursday night in October of 1983. I have written about it and talked about it numerous times. I will not go into great detail. I sat in Abe Martin football stadium when a man shared the gospel with me. It was during the junior varsity football game that I asked Jesus to save me. He did and my life has not been the same. 

A friend from church told me about Howard Payne University and their football team. My youth minister set up a visit and I was offered a football scholarship. God had much bigger plans that I knew. It was after I graduated high school that God called me to preach at a youth camp. I did not even know Howard Payne had a Bible department. I did not learn that until I was standing in line to register for classes  as a freshman and overheard two students talking about Bible classes. I connected the dots and enrolled as a Bible major. 

Two years later I met a brown haired brown eyes beauty. One date later and I knew I met the woman I wanted to marry. Brenda loved Jesus. Her heart was even more beautiful than her physical features. She is one of the greatest followers of Jesus I have ever met. Brenda said yes to become my wife on June 29, 1991 at the FBC Hurst, TX. That was 35 years ago and we are still madly in love. God has blessed us with four sons and one daughter in law. 

I never dreamed God's path for me in ministry would take so many twists and turns. I have served as a youth minister, evangelist, church planter, and a pastor. We have moved more than I ever thought we would. In the early days I chased success. It led to a lot of heartache. In latter years, I have learned to chase God and let the results fall where they fall. We have met and loved so many wonderful people over the years. We have seen moves of God that humbled us and left us awed. We have also endured some heartaches and ministerial failures. Our faith has been tested and proved. 

Now we find ourselves living in the Texas Panhandle. Sometimes it is hard to believe we live here. The church we serve has grown moderately. The people have embraced us. Brenda and I both work hard. We start our days early and usually go to bed early. We try to give our hearts to the congregation and community. We hope and pray this is the last stop until we get to heaven. We have much to believe God for ahead. 

It is good to look back at all the ways God has worked. It is also good to have God ordained dreams to pursue for the future. There is much work to do in this community. We dedicate our lives to serving our Lord Jesus and this flock. I am honored that I get to share this life with Brenda. Next to Jesus saving me, SHE IS THE BEST THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED TO ME FOLLOWED BY OUR FOUR SONS. I can't say life has turned out like I thought as a child. I can say God has been faithful and for that I give Him thanks. 

The Trustworthiness of God

 In a world of suffering, can it be said that God is trustworthy? Every day 1,700 people will die in the U.S. of cancer. Many, if not most of those people, either prayed for healing or someone who knew them prayed for healing. Still 1,700 die. Millions are diagnosed with Alzheimer's each year. It is a very cruel disease. 116,022 people died of this disease in 2024. Prayers were offered and thousands upon thousands died. 

There are people starving and living below the poverty line in the U.S. 36 million to be exact. Add to that another 17 million living in deep poverty. How many pray for provision. Pray for the next meal. They plead with God to help and yet children cry themselves to sleep in hunger pangs. Like a man once told me, "Sometimes I just have to eat sleep." 

In all of that suffering, can it be said that God is trustworthy? O, I know that is easy to say. Can it be defended to those hurting and hopeless? That is the point. I know God's word declares that He is faithful in [I Thess 5:24]. The word faithful in that passage can be translated trustworthy also. Is that true? 

I admit approaching this topic with bias. I'm a preacher and author constantly pointing people to God and His word. Would I still believe God is trustworthy if I did not write religious material or did not preach? Many think my views are slanted because that is my job. Not so. I decided long ago to set out to prove the Bible true by living by faith and standing on the promises of God. It has not been an easy road. It has been an adventurous one. If it weren't true, if God was not trustworthy I would have walked away. He has proven Himself trustworthy to me and my family. 

I do believe God is trustworthy. Here are my reasons why:

1. I believe the stories in scripture and the promises are true. [II Tim 3:16]

2. I have tested scripture promises in the laboratory of life and found God  trustworthy repeatedly. 

3.I've read biographical and autobiographical accounts where others testified of God's trustworthiness in their lives and ministries. 

4. I have ministered to people in intense sufferings. Some were facing death due to incurable disease. I have witnessed many of those people face their suffering and death valiantly and triumphantly. They found something mor substantive in God than earthly comfort. People battling incurable diseases facing impending death hang onto something real. They found God real. They found Him trustworthy. I tend to listen to them and put great stock in their witness. 

Let's get real. There is a lot of suffering people in the world. Where is God? Why doesn't He fix it? Tap the brakes. This is not the plan God had originally. Go back to Genesis. God created a perfect world. Adam and Eve opted for temptation and ate the forbidden fruit. The consequences of that act has followed us to this day. You hate cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, and all the others. Don't blame God. He didn't choose this for us. We chose sin. I say we chose it because we are still choosing it. The curse of sin brought along with it suffering and death. 

Even with that in mind, God is trustworthy in that He sent Jesus to take the punishment for people's sin. It is totally illogical. Perfection suffering for imperfection. Sinlessness dying for sinners. This world of suffering is the best heaven people who do not follow Jesus will ever experience. On the other hand, this world is the worst hell Christians will ever experience. For anyone who repents of their sins and asks Jesus for deliverance and rescue, everlasting life awaits. God will prove Himself trustworthy as we are ushered into eternity. 

I don't always understand the ways of God. [Is 55:8-9] I have learned to trust Him over and over again. Even in the hard times and the confusing times. He has come through time and time again. Even when I stood at the graveside of my mother in 1998 the day after Mother's Day and years later Brenda's mother. I put His trumpet to my mouth to sound forth the anthem that God can be trusted.