What If I Told You?

What if I told you God has been speaking to me? What if I told you His plans are bigger than we can imagine? What if I told you something very big is on the horizon? I dare say bigger than any of us has ever seen before.

What if I told you it is imperative that you get spiritually ready? What if I told you a mighty move of God is coming that will engulf all of us like a tidal wave making landfall and pushing inland? What if I told you there are about 250 days to prepare for this mighty movement?

What if I told you many will repent? What if I told you many will be saved? What if I told you this move of God will not be harnessed? What if I told you it will be more costly than you can fathom? What if I told you things will change, you will change, the church will change? What if I told you unexplainable things will happen? Extraordinary things. Awesome things. Bewildering things. Glorious things.

Would you believe any of it? Would you dismiss this as the ramblings of a dreamer? Would you take it seriously and prepare? Would you take this to heart? Would you seek God all the more for what He is preparing? Would you ask Him to reveal these things to you as well?

What if I told you God has been speaking to me? Would you believe me?

Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV)
3  Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Rural America

I drove across rural America yesterday. I went through small Texas towns like Olney, Seymore, Benjamin, Dickinson, Ralls, Crosbyton, Lorenzo and Idalou. Some so small even the Dairy Queen did not make it. I stopped at a convenient store called Ranchland.

I drove between several huge ranches. I saw cafes more than restaurants. Cows more than cars. I snaked my way down two lane highways taking in the scenery. Vast pastures. Rolling hills. I saw cattle pens, horses, cattle trailers and ranchers out in their trucks. I drove past cotton fields ripening. Harvest will be coming soon. I drove where it is so flat you can see as far as the eye can visualize. Land so remote nothing stands between you and your neighbor but a barbed wire fence. I sure saw a lot of barbed wire fence.

My whole pastoral ministry has been spent in small towns or in country churches outside of town. I prefer it. I prefer blue jeans than fancy slacks. I prefer a ball cap than a fedora. I prefer boots than high dollar slip on dress shoes. I prefer cafes than fancy five start eating establishments. Whataburger is considered five star dining to some of the folks I get to shepherd. I prefer a handshake and a hug than a formal contract. I prefer Bible preaching than giving a talk. I prefer pews, stained glass, a baptismal, a pulpit and good old fashioned friendships than crystal cathedrals. I prefer cottage prayer meetings than big productions.

I grew up in three places as a youngster. I spent a very short time in Houston. I spent some time growing up in the country. When I say the country I mean you had to drive down a dead end dirt road to get to the collection of houses my family and extended lived in. I have experienced an outhouse because there was no indoor plumbing. I witnessed the butchering of a hog as a child. The image of my grandfather and uncle dropping that dead pig into a boiling cauldron to peel the hide off is something I can still remember. I helped my grandmother milk the cows and gather eggs. I have enjoyed the delicacies of butter beans and cornbread. I have drunk sweet tea from a mason jar. I have feasted on blackberry cobbler from blackberries I helped pick. I helped them plant seed in the garden. I saw my grandfather behind a mule driven plow turning up the soil. I have known the indescribable joy of eating a vine ripe tomato right out in the garden with a salt shaker. I enjoy my trusted handmade wooden horse and galloped all over those dusty lanes. I played hide and seek among the hay bales in the barn. In college I gathered and worked cows on a few occasions but proved a green hand at best. I even attempted to rope once unsuccessfully. That is another long story. I have hauled hay. I have used a rock bar and, yo yo sick, post hole diggers and worked on fence. I've enjoyed a fall hayride as well as bobbing for apples.

The majority of my growing up years were spent in a neighborhood in town with my grandparents. Our neighborhood was not fully developed and we had plenty of pine tree thickets to play in. We took our BB guns into those woods to hunt like Davey Crockett and Daniel Boone. We built secret forts to get away from it all. As a teenager, I enjoyed mud-hogging in my Jeep, hunting with friends and tubing on the lake. I actually took my prom date to a place called The Red Barn. I thought that place was pretty fancy.

I never heard of waiting to get into a restaurant to eat until I met Brenda and she took me somewhere in the Metroplex. They made fun on me in college for some of my talk. People would warsh the clothes instead of wash them. You went to Walmarts instead of Walmart. It did not rain it came a gully washer. We carried people places instead of driving them. We ate turnip greens, fried green tomatoes, stuffed bell peppers and onions. Mama and Mama made everything from scratch. I never heard of pleats on pants until I met Brenda. Growing up I thought there were only two kinds of blue jeans. Tough Skins from Sears and Roebucks with reinforced knees when I was a boy. Wranglers when I got older. I own a pair of Levis now but prefer the Wranglers and cannot remember the last time I wore those Levis. Loose fit Wranglers mind you.

I love rural America. The salt of the earth kind of people. Simple folks big on love and small on pretense. I love people who have wisdom enough not to judge others based on where they live, what they drive or how they dress. I love people whom you can count on in a jam. I love people who will kick you in the pants if you are doing wrong as well as pat you on the back when you are doing right.

I thank God He has chosen to plant me in rural America to minister His word and shepherd His people. I am content around the country folks. I guess when you break it all down, I am just a country preacher and that's fine by me.

The Smile of God

I left long before sun came up on a ministry trip yesterday. I had hundreds of miles to travel alone in a car. Not too far out I caught a glimpse in my eye up in the sky. A rainbow. Beyond that on the horizon I could lightning illuminating the clouds. Soon the rain fell.

My trip went perfectly. It seemed to me God went before me every step of the way. That's what God does. I made good time. I got to do my ministry appointment at the perfect time. Unexpectedly it worked out for me to eat lunch with some former parishioners. A great day.

God had something extra special in mind when I made the trip back home. When I got twenty minutes from home, it started raining. Then I saw it again. The most picture perfect rainbow I have ever seen in my 53 years. Vibrant colors displayed in the full bow. I could make out all the colors as one faded into the next. It felt like God smiling on me and the ministry trip I made.

I had to worship in my heart. I thanked God for His safety. I thanked him for the car working perfectly. I thanked Him for provision to make the trip. I thanked Him for the schedule working out to minister like it did. I thanked God that two families just happened to be in the town where I went, both for doctor's appointment to the same doctor near the same time, so we could all enjoy lunch together. I thanked God for the blessing of them treating me to lunch. Both families lived over an hour from where we met. Only God could have orchestrated that. God blessed keeping me alert for the trip home. I felt the smile of God from the start to the end. The rainbows served as bookends of that smile at the beginning and the ending of my travels. I do not take such blessings for granted.

May His smile fall on you today wherever you are and whatever you are doing. May you be in tune with Him enough to take notice when you receive it. His mercies are new every morning.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
22  The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;
23  they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

The Sin Of We

Moses walked with God in a way no other man ever did. The Bible has much to say about Moses and how God felt about him. God said that He spoke to prophets through dreams and visions but with Moses He spoke as a friend face to face. We also learn that Moses lived more humbly than any man on the face of the earth. Moses interceded repeatedly for Israel when God wanted to blot them off the face the earth because of their rebellion. Moses did not choose to be a leader but God chose him at the boring bush.

Israel complained. They did so a lot. They complained about not having meat and God sent them quail. They complained about not having food and God sent them manna. They complained about not having water and God brought them water.

On one such occasion in the Wilderness of Zin the people could not find water. They started complaining against Moses. They accused Moses of leading them there to die. Moses and his brother Aaron left the people and went to the Lord's presence at the tabernacle. God met them and spoke to them.

Numbers 20:6-9 (ESV)
6  Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them,
7  and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
8  “Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle.”
9  And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him.

So far so good. Once again God was about to do a miracle for Israel. Only something is about to happen. It may seem like a small thing but small things can be big things in the eyes of God. Let's keep reading.

Numbers 20:10 (ESV)
10  Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?”

There! Did you see it? Did you take notice? Moses in his frustration sinned. He sinned with one little word. The word "we." "Shall we bring water for you out of this rock?" Moses did not say, "Shall HE bring water for you out of this rock." The difference between "we" and "He" is immense. It also proved extremely costly to this devout servant of the LORD.

Moses did not have the power to make water come from a rock. Moses and his staff were used in several miracles going all the way back to Egypt. Huge miracles like the 10 plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. God did them. Not Moses. Moses was a prophet. An intercessor. NOT A MIRACLE WORKER. God did the miracles. In this one instance, Moses took His eyes off God and took some of the credit for the water coming from the rock. He did not give all the glory to God. He did not put all the focus on God.

You and I might say, "That is a little thing. Moses was just frustrated with the people. It was a slip of the tongue. No big deal. So he made a mistake."

God had other ideas. The miracle still came and the water flowed from the rock when Moses struck it with his staff. But read what God said to Moses afterward.

Numbers 20:12 (ESV)
12  And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.”

God's indictment to Moses. "You did not treat Me as holy in the eyes of the people.You did not uplift Me in the eyes of the people." In other words, you did not give me all the glory. You did not point the people to God as the source of water coming from the rock. You wanted to take some of the credit. You tried to exalt yourself subtly before the people instead of humbling yourself and exalting Me. It was the sin between "we" and "He."

Do we do that too? Do we try to take credit for the things God does? I hear pastors say all the time, "My church. My people." That has never set well with me. It is not their's. The Spring Creek flock is not mine. It is God's entrusted to me to watch over. It is His church. Not mine.

We like to get the applause of men. We enjoy being highly esteemed in the eyes of others. We want to be recognized for our accomplishments. It is God who deserves the glory. Let me illustrate. Perhaps you boast in your education. You worked hard to achieve a degree. You are proud of that degree. What did you do at birth to be blessed with the ability to reason, think, formulate ideas. That was a gift from God that had nothing to do with you. You had no say in the matter. At any given time your heart could quit beating. You don't think about it during the night or much during the day. It just ticks one beat after another. Another gift from God. You breathe. You inhale oxygen keeping you alive. That's God again. You are protected from bacterias and diseases. Who keeps harm away? God. On any given day your car could malfunction or someone driving near you causing an accident ending your life. Who protects you? God again. You boast in your accomplishments at work and yet God gives you wisdom, creativity, skill and leadership abilities. Need I go on?

I have pastored numerous churches in my ministry. I have seen this repeatedly. There have been ministries God blessed. He worked. He drew people to Himself. He grew the churches. He saved the lost. He provided abundantly. I have also seen ministries where His hand seemed withdrawn. Where the people did not come. Where the church did not grow. Where the finances dried up. In both cases I prayed. I studied. I worked. I know it is God when it is blessed. It is not me. Any ministry God blesses has nothing to do with me, and, therefore I can take none of the credit. NONE. It is not my preaching. It is not my praying. It is not my teaching. It is not my writing. It is not my leading. I practically killed three churches in my 30 years of preaching. The ones that have grown have been blessed of God. I just got to the vessel. He did the work not we. 

We versus He. Because of that one sin Moses did not get to enter into the Promised Land with Israel. God let him see it from a distance but refused to let him enter. God takes stealing His glory seriously. May we not offend Him by doing likewise. 

16,12,11

I sat around a round table with serval men in a home last night. We gathered for a prayer meeting. Also seated around that table with us were two 16 year olds, a 12 year old and one 11 year old. The prayers those young guys prayed moved me deeply.

One prayed for a sick man in our church. Another prayed for missionaries. They prayed for the church and other churches in our area. They prayed for our country. Mixed in with the seasoned prayers of those men my heart rejoiced to be in such a meeting.

Not very often you can go to a prayer meeting and see youngsters there. It is even more rare to attend a meeting where young men are present and are bold enough to pray out loud right along with the other men. That is a sign of some spiritual maturity.

That's what we're after. Seeing young men and women develop into spiritually mature followers of Jesus. We are not just trying to entertain and fill them fun without faith. We are not trying to show that they are totally isolated from the rest of the church. Sure we can do age appropriate things with them, but the whole church should come together to pray. We can come together to worship and to serve others.

I asked a question recently, "Who taught you to pray?" The answers were, a mother, father, aunt, grandmother. It's our privilege as adults to teach the younger generation how to pray. In order to do that successfully we must know how to pray ourselves.

People do not learn how to pray by reading about prayer anymore than a person learns to hit a baseball by reading a book on hitting. You have to actual do it. The baseball player has to spend time in the batting cages perfecting the swing. The person praying must learn to pray by practicing prayer privately and corporately.

Corporate prayer meetings are becoming extinct. Especially among the younger generations. In two days students will be encouraged to gather around their flag pole at school or a courthouse to pray. I remember when that movement started close to 30 years ago. It was designed to be students gathering to pray. A simple concept. Youth pastors got their hands on it. They added bands, worship songs, speakers, and hand picked students to go up before the group and pray while the others listened. Typically donuts or some other type of breakfast food was offered to gather a crowd.

I question how much praying really takes place. Youth pastors added to the hype by calling into Christian radio stations promoting how many attended their See You At The Pole event. The more numbers the bigger the success everyone touted. What about the effectiveness of the praying? Isn't that the measure of success in praying. That God hears and answers the prayers for His glory.

Only what turned out to be a movement to get students to pray seems to be sidetracked. Prayer is not the main thing anymore. In theory you would think having millions of students gathering to pray for their schools in September around the world each year would produce some radical results. Eery imaginable social evil still plagues schools. Suicide. Sexual Immorality. Alcohol abuse. Drug abuse. Bullying. Sexual orientation issues. Homosexuality. Things get even more bleak when you look behind closed doors in homes. Evil spreads. The darkness permeates. Wickedness prevails. I recently asked a young high school student what it was like in her school. She replied, "Just the opposite of Christian."

It is going to take more than one prayer meeting at a flag pole event each year to stem the tide of darkness sweeping over our land like a fog. It is going to take many more prayer meetings in small gatherings where young men and women learn how to combat the forces of darkness in spiritual warfare. I am thankful for those four young men. May God multiply them around this county and country.

God Did It Again

If you have followed these posts for anytime, you are familiar with the occasional testimony about God's miraculous provision for my family. There have been numerous such interventions. I am about to share another.

Last weekend the Wayland sons (our three oldest sons who all attend Wayland Baptist University and play football) had a bye week and came home. The timing was perfect since Tucker (the third son) had a birthday on the 17th. We have a birthday tradition in our family where you get to choose the restaurant when it is your birthday. Typically one is selected we mighty only eat at once or twice a year. It is special.

We enjoyed a great weekend celebrating Tucker's birthday and just being together as a family. Because of the location of our house we do a lot of driving. Suffice it to say that by the end of the weekend, after our celebration and paying car insurance for six vehicles, we had $7 in the bank. By midweek we were figuring out how to ration gasoline in the vehicles. I knew I would run out before Friday and began making excuses what I would say about coming in the office.

Out of all the trials this one seemed pretty minor. I prayed about a special provision as did Brenda. No big deal. We knew we would just have to cut some corners and make it to the weekend if there was no miracle. God offered us a miracle on Sunday at lunch by from a man in our church, but pride got the best of me and I refused it. By Thursday afternoon I came to grips that I would not be able to go to the office on Friday. I also knew Brenda and I would get paid on the weekend and that eventually it would all even out. No big deal.

God had something else in mind. While packing my office yesterday, Thursday afternoon,  I got startled by a man standing in the doorway I did not see. He spent the whole day mowing the church lawn. He is always serving in some way along with many others in our church. He reached down and sat some folded money on my desk saying, "This is a little gas money to help you chase the boys around playing football." He did not know about our $7. Nobody knew but God and Brenda and I. Nor did he know that Turner's game is out of town tonight and the Wayland sons play at home meaning we will drive to Plainview on Saturday.

Initially I resisted but he persisted. I stopped in my tracks realizing God used this man to provide and to answer our prayer. How could He have known unless God put it on his heart.  I had to tell him the story of our $7 and how God used him to answer a prayer. The next thing I know he reaches into his wallet and pulls out some more money and tries to hand it to me. I told him I didn't want it and he shoved it inside my shirt. With that he went back to work. Just like that we went from $7 to $207!

When he walked out I cried. I mean tears welled up and I prayed out loud, "Hallelujah! Thank You God for coming through again." When I told Brenda later that night she teared up. This is the way we have lived for 28 years as a couple. When we have needs we take them to God. Somehow God communicates those needs to others and uses them to provide. It has happened hundreds of times.

We never know how God will do it. We never whom He will use. God is creative and continually astounds us. We face financial mountains over and over again and over and over again we watch God move them. Like we had a tree uproot in a storm and fall into a neighbor's tree. A friend came yesterday and cut it down and stacked it all on my woodpile. There is nothing left where that tree stood except a small hole. My only payment is to do something kind for someone else. To pay it forward.

This summer I had two wrecked cars and three that needed mechanical work. We had no way to pay for it. God came through. In ways I can't go into now He provided every penny to get both wrecked cars repaired plus another car I hit without having to file it on our insurance. All three cars with the mechanical problems have been repaired because of the generosity of two of his servants, a loving church and a deacon who gave up free time to voluntarily repair our vehicles. He did it out of love for his pastor and family.

All I can say is GOD DID IT AGAIN!

Philippians 4:19-20 (ESV)
19  And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
20  To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Thank God For The Nook

I heard a horrific story that is still troubling me. A story of sexual abuse. Abuse by a father. Not just any low life father. A father who was well respected at church. He even went out visiting with the pastor weekly and then came home to abuse his daughter.

The door into that room was situated in a nook. Just wide enough so that precious one could sit with her back against the wall and her feet against the door to keep her father from getting in. Night after night she slept that way. Years later ,my friend who relayed the story, told me he led her to faith in Christ for salvation.

There are over 150,000 people living in this county with another 100,00-150,000 coming. I have not been able to shake the thought of how many little ones are living a nightmare in these custom designed brick homes and shanties. How many cry themselves to sleep each night because they are being harmed by the very ones who are supposed to love and protect them. How many feel violated, worthless, like a worn piece of trash to be discarded like a napkin. How many church members pretend publicly and abuse privately.

It breaks my heart. I don't know their names or where they live. I do pray. Often. Pleading with Jesus to protect them. Pleading for Him to rescue them. Pleading for the opportunity to introduce them to Jesus ,who alone, can make them whole.

I think of that young lady I wrote about above going to bed each night in sheer terror of when her door would open next. I think of the numerous nights her father tried to get in but could not because she wedged herself between the wall and door to keep it shut. I think about all the sleepless nights she endured and all the tears she cried. I think about how those abusive actions impacted her life negatively for decades. I think of her praying thanking God for the nook that served as her protection.

Now I think of that young lady set free in Jesus. Now a mother herself. I pray God use her testimony to help other survivors of abuse. I pray Jesus will be introduced to hundreds and thousands of those who need Him most.

Jesus, I plead with You to use whatever means are necessary to protect Your abused and vulnerable ones. I pray You rescue them. I pray You are a refuge for them. I ask You to deliver them and show them the way to salvation and wholeness. In Jesus' name, amen.

I Lost A Friend Yesterday

I got a message just about the time I headed home from the office that I lost a friend yesterday. The message read, "We lost her today about 6:30 p.m."

Let me give you the backstory. About a year and a half ago I was in my office at Heritage Baptist Church when I heard a car pull up outside. When I looked out the window the person could not find the right door to get in the building and was about to leave. When I opened the door a middle aged lady stepped into my office saying she needed to talk to a pastor. She was saved. She was also burdened for her once lesbian sister who had terminal cancer. She was unsure if her sister had accepted Christ.

So began a friendship with Shirley and her terminally ill sister Cindy. I recall the first time I met Cindy. I made an appointment to go by and meet with her and Shirley. I am sure none of us really knew what to expect. Cindy was small in stature and looked frail. We sat around the dining table and talked. We got to know one another. Trust was slowly built. We had prayer and I assured them I would be back. Things did not get too heavy during that meeting. Over the months I visited at other times, called and texted her consistently. I texted Cindy scripture and kept praying for her.

They came to Heritage one Sunday morning. I got so excited when I saw them. It made my day. I don't remember what I preached that morning but Cindy came forward for prayer. Tearfully she shared her heart. I treasure that time. She talked to me about baptism. They never attended again because her health declined rapidly after that.

One day I felt impressed to go visit with her. I did not know it at the time, but it would be the last time I would ever see Cindy. God orchestrated it where Shirley was gone so Cindy and I got to talk surrounded by all their dogs. In the course of our conversation, I got to clearly present the gospel to her. She listened intently. In the end she said she had trusted Christ years ago.

Both sisters had some baggage. They were abused repeatedly as little girls. Horrific abuse I don't care to go into. As little girls they were drug into bars by alcoholic parents. They became addicted to alcohol and drugs in later years. Shirley got saved and delivered through a local church and recovery program they sponsored. Cindy told me that last day I visited with her the only way she could have ever gotten off drugs was through Jesus.

The next thing I knew Shirley and Cindy informed me they moving to Corpus Christi where they were both from. Cindy knew she was dying and wanted to be closer to friends. For the last several months the only contact I have had with her is some phone conversations and texts.

Cindy struggled with God's forgiveness because of all she had done. The last verse I ever sent her was II Cor 5:21.I prayed she would rest in the sufficiency of Christ and His atonement for her. I think it was hard for to believe that God would forgive her.

When I heard the news I was saddened for a moment especially for Shirley. I got to talk to her briefly on the phone. I asked if Cindy found peace in the end. While her death was not an easy one, she did say Cindy had peace and now has it forever.

Getting to befriend Cindy and Shirley is something I treasure. Our friendship never was based on whether they would come worship with us or not. We loved one another. We developed trust over time. I had the chance to share God's liberating truth with them. No pretense. No sugar coating the truth. Mutual love.

I talked to Cindy right after she moved back to Corpus Christi. They were at the beach taking in the sun and the waves. She said it made her feel alive. The last time I talked to her she could barely speak.

I titled this, "I Lost A Friend Yesterday." That really is an incorrect title. She is not lost. Shirley and I both know where to find her. Her righteousness and forgiveness are wrapped up in Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV)
21  For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

20,000

Sometime yesterday we celebrated a milestone. Some one clicked on this blog site making the 20,000th visit. In that time people have visited and read these posts from countries like; Spain, Portugal, Russia, Ukraine, France, Philippines, Canada, Germany as well as the United States.

I started this blog in August of 2018. In just over a year God has seen fit to direct over 20,000 visits to this site. How I pray people have been encouraged, challenged, renewed, drawn closer to God and repentant along the way.

This writing will make the 435th post.

When I walked into Bible study last night someone asked me, "Have you been taking some time off? You haven't written anything since last Saturday." I admit I was guilty as charged. I allowed myself to get too busy going in too many different directions.

Now that I took some time to write again I am awed and humbled by the goodness of God to allow me this platform. It was always meant to be a ministry. Another way to help others. I have not preached to 20,000 people collectively in my whole ministry. Most of my ministry has been lived out in off the beaten path obscure places. I prefer it that way. I like the slower pace of life to give me time to do just what I'm doing now. Writing is an extension of my ministry.

I often write thinking of certain people I believe it might help. It never crossed my mind in the beginning, that people from foreign nations might stumble across these writings. It is a blessing. One I do not take for granted. I thank God for  the gift of this well worn computer. I praise God for the gift of the technology that allows me to make these posts available internationally.

I often pray that God will so use this, and that it will spread by word of mouth. One will tell another and then another and so on. I pray for the day hundreds of people will read these posts and pass them on to others on any given day rather than just dozens. I look forward to the day we surpass 30,000, 50,000 and by God's grace 100,000 visits. I look forward to the day I write the 500th post and then down the road surpass 1,000. One day at a time. Today I celebrate 20,000. Praise God.

The Gift Of Words

I thank God for words. I also thank Him for thoughts that float around in the pasture of my mind. They start with a single word or small collection of words forming a thought. Those thoughts turn into ideas. They are lassoed and drug to the corral of the printed page. Those words will be shaped and reshaped, separated, and shipped off to be consumed by readers literally all over the world.

People work with tools. The carpenter uses hammers and saws. The plumbers works with pipes, wrenches and shovels. The cook uses grills, knives and spatulas. The medical professionals use needles, IVS, and stethoscopes. The mechanic uses screwdrivers and wrenches. The cowboy uses cattle pens,  ropes, ear tags or branding irons.

I work with words. I am blown away how words can inspire. They can sadden us. Words can be used to challenge, rebuke and to encourage. Words can cast vision which motivate people to action and purpose. All of that God has put at my finger tips as I peck away on these keys typing.

With words articles are written. Devotions are compiled, Books are authored. One word. One sentence. One paragraph. One chapter at a time.

As a follower of Jesus, I am most appreciative that He preserved a record of His revelation through a book of words. Not just any words. God breathed words. Divinely inspired words. Inerrant words. Written words. I hope we treasure His word. I hope we find it more delightful than honey. I hope His word gets in us so God can live through us.

The gift of words is something I highly value. I recall, with great excitement, learning the alphabet and those first words. While others begrudged taking home our readers to practice reading, I loved it. I read about Spot and Pug the dogs. I couldn't  get enough and at times reread them. I still love reading today. I also love and am humbled that God chose me to be one of those people to author things to help other people. I got a call from someone wanting to promote a book I wrote aback in 2011. They asked, "What is your goal as an author." I think it surprised them when I replied, "To help people. I don't care about making money from writing." I could not write except for the gift of words.

One word can spin a person's mind in several different directions effecting several different emotional responses. Take the word Jesus. To some they will adore Him, praise Him, thank Him, serve Him and live for Him. At the name of Jesus others will be enraged, hostile, resistant and oppose Him. Just one word, one person, can do all of that.

Not only do I thank God for the gift of words. I also thank Him for the gift of The Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. He is the everlasting Word. He is the greatest gift.

John 1:1-2 (ESV)
1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2  He was in the beginning with God.

John 1:14 (ESV) 

14  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 

Psalm 119:160 (ESV) 

160  The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. 

People Matter

People matter to God. So much so He went to great lengths to make a path for us to be reconciled to Him through the death of Jesus. All people matter to God. I saw a combat veteran today. He had 9-11-01 tattooed on his forearm. He also had both legs gone below the knees. He walked on prosthetics. He matters to God.

The older couple who sat in front of me matter too. They barely spoke a word to one another as they munched on their burger and fries. They moved a little slower than the youngsters around them. They still matter even if society does not value senior adults like they should.

The people working behind the counter who took my order matter too. I invited one to church for our high attendance day. She stayed busied through the whole lunch hour. The one who served our food matters as well. He hustled and bustled delivering order after order. God knows them by name. He knows their unique personalities, interests, hurts, needs and secret thoughts. They matter to Him. He loves them. He offered His Son Jesus for their forgiveness and salvation. They matter.

The person forgotten matters to God. The homeless one strung out on drugs matters. The immoral is not beyond His sight, love or reach. The one who works feverishly to oppose and resist God at every turn is still a candidate for God's grace.

How easy it is to forget people really do matter to God. The obese woman I saw at an eating establishment a couple of days ago, who looked miserable, can find love, purpose and meaning in the grace of Jesus. The abused can find healing and wholeness in Jesus. To the overworked homemaker chasing kids and trying to maintain some order Jesus offers peace. To the overworked and overstressed employee who feels undervalued and under appreciated Jesus offers worth. To the incarcerated Jesus offers spiritual freedom. To the condemned and shamed Jesus offers forgiveness and another chance. To the divorced Jesus offers healing for broken and shattered hearts. To the child who is confused Jesus offers direction. To the lostwith no purpose and direction Jesus is the Great Shepherd to protect, lead and nurture.

If people matter so much to God, then they must matter to us as well. All kinds of people from different walks of life. If we could learn to see them as He sees them, we would not be so quick to judge and spurn. I pray God give all of us His heart for people. To let us see people through His eyes. To love with His heart. To embrace with His hospitality. To forgive with His grace. To have mercy with His compassion.

Matthew 9:35-36 (ESV)
35  And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.
36  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Time

Time is ticking. Even as I write this the seconds tick by methodically. Time does not stop for anyone, except God, and time is irrelevant to Him. For us mortals time takes its toll. We age. The hair thins or turns grey. The joints ache a little more. We lose stamina. We become a little more forgetful. The signs of aging creep up. The skin sags and wrinkles. The muscles atrophy. We lose some of our vision requiring eye glasses. We frequent doctors offices more often.

All the while time keeps on ticking by. Each of us at some point will face our own mortality. There is not enough cosmetic surgeries, medical procedures, workouts or diets to keep a person young forever. Right across the street from where I sit writing this a cemetery. Many people who used worship in this very facility are now gone. They used to be vibrant, active, workers and devoted servants. Now they are gone. They died of natural causes, cancer, tragedies and more. Grave markers and memories remind us of their lives.

 Some are born and start their journey called life. Others die and are carried to the cemetery or their ashes are collected. Nobody lives forever in this mortal body. It does a person good to contemplate their own mortality and think about eternity. Time continues to tick tock right on.

With whatever time you have left what sort of person do you want to be? What do you want to be remembered for? What do you want the preacher to be able to say honestly at your funeral? We are either going out of here in caskets, the rapture or a container of our ashes. Someone will take our place at work. Someone will sit at our familiar spot at the cafe. Another will take our pew. It is the cycle of life.

While most of us have no idea how much time we have left, it would be wise for us to redeem that time. To invest our days in things that matter for eternity. To live for causes greater than ourselves. The dash on the grave marker cannot tell the story. The story of lives wasted or the stories of lives that mattered and made a difference.

While there is still time, it would be wise to live for that other unseen world that awaits the children of God. It would be wise to make adjustments in our priorities for the things that really matter most. To really live while we can instead of just existing and mindlessly marching through our days.

One day time will run out for all of us in one way or another. I'm thankful for another reminder about how fragile life can be and about its brevity. While we still have time, let us make the most of it for God's glory.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 (ESV)
1  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2  a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

Waiting For Breakthrough

How many people out there are waiting on God for some kind of breakthrough? They pray until they don't have anything left to pray. They fast. They groan. They travail. And still the long sought breakthrough has not come. Some go to their grave still waiting.

Waiting for healing. Waiting for restoration of relationships. Waiting for provision. Waiting for an open door. Waiting for a mountain to be moved. Waiting for a miracle.

I don't pretend to know the ways of God and why He makes one person wait and intervenes for another immediately. This is perfectly illustrated in John's Gospel. In chapter five a man waited at the pool of Bethesda. He waited for a long time and Jesus showed up and healed him on the spot. In the ninth chapter of John Jesus encountered a blind man. He spit on the ground and made some mud. Then He told the blind man to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. A good distance down a steep hill from where the they were.

Why didn't Jesus just heal him on the spot like he did the lame man at Bethesda? Why did He make the blind man wait a little longer? Those are answers none of us have except Jesus later said it was to show that the glory of God could be displayed in that man. How can your waiting season be used to display glory? How can He use what you are going through and your waiting on Him to further promote His power and goodness?

You have your situations. Your crisis and trials. You also know about waiting. For days, weeks and months. Some have been forced to wait for years and decades. One of the definitions for the word "wait" is 2 (cannot wait) used to indicate that one is eagerly impatient to do something or for something to happen: I can't wait for tomorrow | [with infinitive] : I can't wait to get started again.

Are you feeling impatient today waiting on God? Do you wish He would hurry up and intervene in your life? Do you wish He would get on with whatever you need?

You, like the blind man, may be forced to wait a little longer and have to walk your breakthrough out by faith one blind step at a time. You may lose heart along the way. You may stumble. You may feel like your answer will not come. Many have waited before you. They can testify about how God broke through. More will have to wait after you.

I've been forced to wait on God. And now on the other side of the Master's touch I can say the wait was worth it. God used the waiting seasons to teach me, shape me, purge me, break me, heal me and make me more useful. God does not waste waiting seasons. The long test produced a testimony. I can proclaim from experience and with conviction the Master touched. He came through. What He did for me He is more than capable of doing for you.

Isaiah 40:30-31 (ESV)
30  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;
31  but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Walking The Tightrope Of Faith

Here we go again. It is the same familiar routine. I seek God. He one day lays a heavy burden on me and follows that burden with a new assignment. Predictably, these assignments ALWAYS call for stepping out on the tightrope of faith with only His call and promises as a safety net.

Here I am again. Standing on the platform looking out into the adventure of God's call. So many unknowns. So many fears to overcome. Now I am still secure on safe and sure footing. God is nudging me to step out to the point of no return. Right now His call is a small embryo in my spirit. Nobody knows about it except for my wife and two trusted friends. It is such a small thing at this point, but daily this past week I feel it growing and consuming more of my attention and prayers.

You would think after two decades of faith walking I would be more accustomed to it. There is a dread in me to have to make this new assignment public. It is BIG. It is audacious. Right now it is safe and it is unknown. God wants it public. That means at some point I will have to take the risk of looking foolish in speaking about something out of the ordinary. He wants me to speak about something that only exists in His mind and in my heart. It will sound outlandish. Many will scoff and doubt. They always do. I will be standing out there alone, exposed, vulnerable and yet with firm resolve it is what God wills.

And, if I am honest, I have fears. So many times I have stepped out in some assignment from God and it failed. I always question if I heard God correctly. It makes me much more cautious. I don't want to fail. Two times Brenda and I tried to start churches. We labored at the first one for four years. We put everything we had into that church only to watch it die. We were left picking up the pieces of a shattered dream and shattered hearts.

We worked at planting the second church for six years. The longest I have served any church in my ministry. During that six years I went through the worst spiritual warfare of my life. So horrific that I can't even write about it. Suffice it to say I lived in spiritual darkness much of those years. That church no longer exists. Many were hurt along the way.

Now, let me ease any concerns Spring Creek. God has not called me to start another church or to even entertain leaving Spring Creek. This new assignment does not conflict with my ministry there. I am not able to say more at this time. I soon will be able to share more details.

For now I have one foot on the tightrope and the other on solid ground. Soon I will have to take the second step and take each successive step in faith. I could fall. I could be wrong. This may not be from God. I am believe it is, but I have been wrong before. I could fail again. I've crashed and burned many times in walking the tightrope of faith.

I have no choice. You see years ago I promised God I would go anywhere to do anything at any time He asked me. I meant that 20 years ago when I prayed it and I still mean it today. That one prayer has guided much of my life these past 20 years. God has also called me on it. Just thinking about the things He has called me to do makes my pulse quicken.

Jonathan Edwards made 70 resolutions that governed his life. After reading about him and his resolutions I thought I would make some. I sat down with pen and paper and prayed about my resolutions. I only came up with one. Here it. "I resolve to live by faith and when God calls me to a risky assignment to run toward it and leap trusting Him all the way." 

Like I said. I had no choice. Whether His call means getting out of bed at 2:00 a.m. through a leg cramp wake up call for the second time this week, or something bigger I have committed to obey. I have pledged my life to walking the tightrope of faith all my days.

Each time I pray through the assignment. When I became fully convinced it is from God I take a deep breath and step out to the point of no return. Here I am again. It would be easier to stay on the solid ground. The miracles are on the other side of obedience walking the tightrope of faith. Here I go again.

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)
1  Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
6  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Shameless Solicitation

I am shamelessly soliciting prayer partners. To be more specific, I am looking for people who will pray for me consistently for the remainder of 2019 and through this time next fall of 2020.

God has called me to believe Him for something larger than anything I've done before. I am not at liberty to share what that is right now. I will be able to soon.

What I can tell you is that as part of that calling is to write two books. I have not written a book for publication since 2014. I have not even had the desire to write a book since then. I've contented myself writing these posts. God is compelling me to write these two new books. On top of a new pastoral ministry, in addition to this new task He has called me to, writing two books looks very ambitious. I specially need prayers concerning three areas of these books.

First, I need His anointing. I am not interested in writing books that are here today and gone tomorrow. I want to write books that God will allow to stand the test of time. That can help people no matter when they live. I want His supernatural enabling to complete these two assignments. I also want the books to be effective.

Second, I need God's inspiration to write sentence by sentence and chapter by chapter. It is a daunting task but I feel called to it. I trust Him for the words to write.

Third, please begin praying now for the provision that will be needed to get both of these books into print. I will publish them through a print on demand publisher. That way I do not have buy a bulk of books up front and have them siting in boxes in my garage. This way people will be able to order the books online as many or as few as they want. I can still order copies to use when I travel and preach.

I also need your prayers for protection. The task God has called me to will assuredly lead into some intense spiritual warfare. I covet your prayers more than ever for me and my family. Some of you already pray for us. I ask for others to join shamelessly. In a way it kind of feels selfish asking people to pray for me and my family. If you knew what I know you would shamelessly solicit prayers too. More information is to come when God releases me to share it.

C.P.R.

Over a century ago a man got an idea and had a burden. He wanted to start a noon day prayer meeting for business people at lunch. They could come and go as they needed. He made arrangements for an upstairs meeting room and set a date. He waited anxiously for the noon hour on the appointed day. Five minutes later still no one showed up. At 12:15 no one attended the prayer meeting. Finally, at 12:30 he heard the lone footsteps of someone coming up. Before it ended that first day half a dozen people made their way to that prayer meeting.

A national crisis happened soon after. Soon dozens and then hundreds were filing up that noon prayer meeting. Locations had to be changed. Other prayer meetings sprang up all over the city and then across the region. Historians say those prayer meetings were the catalyst of the Second Great Awakening that swept across the United States.

It started with one man named Jeremiah Lamphier and a burden to start a prayer meeting.

Joyce Dw started a similar prayer meeting in Seminole, TX. Each Thursday from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. people gathered to pray. At first they had an actual prayer room in the community. By the time I arrived they were alternating churches each week. Prayer request cards were laid out and people came and went as their schedules allowed. I looked forward to those meetings. It never seemed to me they were highly attended. That did not matter. God attended and I met Him there frequently.

I'm thankful for people like Jeremiah Lamphier and Joyce Dow. True prayer warriors with a heart for their communities. I don't know of such a prayer meeting in Weatherford, TX Perhaps the Lord will lead me to start one here. There are certainly needs to pray over in this community. A little more prayer has to be better than no prayer. I would be honored to follow in the footsteps of Mr. Lamphier and Mrs. Dow. Their simple acts of obedience had an impact that will not be fully known until eternity.

Why

He did exactly what God told him to do. He obeyed promptly and completely. Things could not have turned out worse. Not for him. Not for those he tried to help. It all blew up in his face. This servant of God asked a question that many of us have asked at times. "Why God?"

I know that feeling. In the summer of 2017 I followed through on what had been a several year adventure. It all started with a dream. A dream about a little west Texas town called Kermit. I had only been there twice. Over the course of the next several years dozens of more dreams followed. A burden for Kermit developed. I wrote about it. Someone from Kermit read what I wrote and invited me to come out to investigate what God might be up to. That meeting was followed up with another meeting with a small group of people in a community center. I did not any of them. All they knew of me is I was a pastor who had several dreams about a revival in Kermit.  That led to me driving six hours one way weekly to hold a Bible study in a bank, all the while praying.The miraculous ways God prodded for me to make those trips is a whole other adventure and story. The Bible study ended and so did my work in Kermit. Or at least I thought. Not to be. Eventually I felt called to pitch a tent and hold a revival meeting there. I prayed about it. I drove back and forth for prayer meetings. I solicited support from local churches not asking any of them for money. We prayed for all the money needed for tent, folding chairs, a location, sound equipment,  hotel lodging for me and the music evangelists. God provided for every single bit of it.

I have rarely felt more humiliated. Under a tent that could seat hundreds we barely had a dozen people for six nights. It was not what I prayed and planned for. I kept asking God why? To this day I don't have the answers.

I don't think God is offended by our why questions. He is big enough to handle them. He is also not obligated to answer them. He doesn't owe us an explanation for what He does and how He does it. It is our job to trust Him and to obey Him even when it doesn't make sense. Even if we are left with a list of why questions.

That is exactly how Moses felt after obeying God and going to Pharaoh and telling him to let the Israelites go. Pharaoh treated the people of Israel more harshly afterwards and even the people Moses wanted to help turned against him. Moses asked God why.

You may find yourself in that same situation today. You can't understand what God is doing. It might appear He has failed and forsaken you. Let me state a hard truth at this point. The ways of God are mysterious. God Himself is mysterious. We can't always understand what He does or doesn't do. Many times we may be left scratching our heads in confusion because of the ways of God.

That does not alter one bit His faithfulness. Nor does it threaten His sovereign rule. He knows what He is doing even if we don't. So buckle up and take this scripture to heart the next time you do not understand and ask God why.

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV)
8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD.
9  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Thank You

I am still giddy about serving Spring Creek Baptist Church. More so than when I began a month and a half ago. I walked through the sanctuary several times today. I kept praying, "Thank You Father for calling me to this church." I still get moved when I walk in that sacred place. At times I walk in disbelief at God's goodness. At one point I walked through with our music minister's wife. I stopped and asked her, "Do you feel that?"

She responded, "What the hea?" We don't keep the a/c running during the week. It does get warm in there on hot days.

I replied, "No. The excitement and joy of getting to be a part of such a great church. I don't take that for granted."

She attributed my enthusiasm to  serving there nearly three decades ago. That is not the reason. I sense God working in me, in others and when we gather in that room. He is building something. He is drawing new people. He is saving the lost. He is restoring hope. He is renewing people. In essence, He is reviving His people.

I'm still giddy about it all. So humbled God chose me to serve there. Others were more qualified and more talented. They could not have loved those dear people more than Brenda and I do. We are so  blessed to get serve such a supportive flock. We overjoyed to call Spring Creek home for the second time.

I don't take God blessing us for granted. Neither do I forget to say thank you often. Thank you to God for His favor and blessings. Thank you to the Holy Spirit for moving so powerfully among us. Thank you to the people who serve. Who do the jobs behind the scenes, like working in the kitchen for fellowships. Those who clean the restrooms. Those who work in the nursery. Those who teach. Those who decorate the rooms and communion table. Those who keep the Sunday school records and ring the bell. Those who pray. those who play instruments for worship. I cannot forget those who pray for their new pastor. They pray for the church and the community as well.

After the message Sunday night we divided into groups and prayed. In my opinion there is no sweeter sound in the world than God's people crying out to Him on behalf of their community and country. I love hearing the people of God praying. I prefer that sound over a thousand anthems sung by the best music talent in the world.

The sound that keeps coming from my mouth as I walk the 38 paces from the back of the room to the front is, "Thank you God. Glory and hallelujah to Your name for the great things You have done."

Psalm 100:1-5 (NKJV)
1  Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
2  Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.
3  Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
4  Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
5  For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

War Zone

I have never been in war. I have seen the movies and news clippings. It looks horrific. I have visited historic battlegrounds. Places where thousands lost their lives in the cause they fought for. War is brutal. You see the scars from those come back. Some have missing limbs. Others lost an eye. Some lost their minds in war zones. PTSD troubles many combat veterans and impacts every facet of their lives.

It appears  to me increasingly the United States is a war zone. The news reports I read are hard to believe. A Satanists recently killed two people and buried them in his backyard because he was convinced he was a demon. A young teen confessed to killing multiple people. Mass shootings barely raise an eyebrow unless you have political aspirations. People kill or harm one another because of the color of their skin or their religious and political views. Adultery is pandemic at this point. Sadly, many who fall into this trap of Satan are professing Christians. They justify their sin with phrases like, "I am no longer in love with you. Now I love this other person." Or, "This person makes me happy." As if those things change the law of the LORD.

Confused teens and children are encouraged to turn to transgender and the LGBT community to solve their identity issues. For me to even write such a thing could be considered hate speech. I could get banned from social media if I did not ban myself years ago. A former homosexual who met Jesus and was delivered told me himself the homosexual community is immoral. He reported some homosexuals have hundreds of sex partners. He even told me about a friend who, knowingly with the AIDS virus, intentionally has sex with as many men as possible so as to infect them. In essence, with each of those acts, he is committing murder. He doesn't care and his multiple partners are so in lust they throw caution to the wind.

I just heard about another teenage suicide. This one barely a teenager. One recent report I read said suicides are up in rural communities. How do these young people get to the point where they have no more hope? They choose a permanent solution to temporary problems.

The church goes on business as usual week after week and year after year. How few times the church gathers to pray. I mean to really pray. How few times the members fast and pray to combat the evil in their communities and families. It is easier to plug in another program to put behinds in the pews. It's much harder to take on a war zone mentality.

For weeks I have been praying for God to share His heart with me for the church I serve, our community, county and country. To feel what He feels. To love like He loves. To fiercely oppose evil the way He opposes it. Those kind of prayers do not take place in five or ten minutes. He is requiring more prayer from me than every before. I don't want God to ever be able to say He could not find someone to intercede in a place I serve or live. It does happen. There are places where the intercessors cannot be found.

Isaiah 59:16 (NASB)
16  And He saw that there was no man, And was astonished that there was no one to intercede; Then His own arm brought salvation to Him, And His righteousness upheld Him.

Why doesn't the church take spiritual warfare more seriously? Why do we bury our heads in the sand and call for another self help sermon series? Why do we neglect fighting against evil through spiritual war.

I received an interesting text today that inspired this post. My friend wrote, "I have been fighting in the spirit realm against evil for the past 5 days. Committed to 7!" I think that possibly means my friend is fasting for spiritual breakthrough.

What am I doing writing about this? Enough already. Back to the prayer closet.

Fervent In Zeal

apathy | ˈapəTHē |
noun
lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern:

Which describes your relationship with Jesus? Fervent in zeal? Apathetic? Some churches are alive, dynamic, passionate, enthusiastic and fervent in zeal. Others are disinterested, unmotivated, distracted, cold, indifferent with little to no enthusiasm.

I think it is clear from scripture what kind people we are to be.

Romans 12:11 (NASB)
11  not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

Revelation 3:15-16 (NASB) 

15  'I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot. 

16  'So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. 

The people of God should be boiling over in our fervor for Him. Yet so few spend adequate time with Him fueling the flames of a fervent spirit. Apathy abounds. It is harder to get church members to even gather more than once a week much less to serve. 

God is calling His people to be fervent in zeal. To put that another way we are not to be slothful in zeal. That means we should work with passion. We should put forth earnest effort and do due diligence to Kingdom of God matters. That requires a little extra effort. It means going the extra mile. It means doing your best. 

Some churches excel at this. The ministries they offer are done with excellence. There are others who offer shoddy programming and facilities. You can tell very little preparation is put into it. We give our best to other less important institutions. Like civic organizations, community volunteer projects and our children's activities. Shouldn't we offer God our best. 

1 Corinthians 10:31 (NASB) 

31  Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 

Colossians 3:17 (NASB) 

17  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. 

Colossians 3:23 (NASB) 

23  Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, 

There is no doubt God expects His followers to be fervent in their service. Passionate. Working with their whole hearts. Zealous. Passionate. Boiling over hot in fervency. 

Contagious Servanthood

Many years ago I attended a Christmas party for pastors from all over the county. Many gathered. There were pastors, youth pastors, worship pastors and their spouses in attendance. We ate good food and enjoyed the program.

Most of us had to drive a good ways to attend that event. It happened on a weeknight and when it ended people stood around visiting before making the long drive home. All the while the wait staff started the arduous task of cleaning up. I joined in the conversations until I noticed one pastor helping the wait staff clean the tables. Soon I saw the rest of his church staff joining in helping clear tables of dishes and decorations. When I asked that pastor about it later he commented, "We are supposed to be servants. Those on the wait staff have families they want to get home to just like we do." It did not take long before I noticed another pastor helping out.

I learned a valuable lesson that night. Servanthood is contagious. It is caught as much as it is taught. I am blessed to serve in a church where servanthood is on display regularly. Behind the scenes. I serve with deacons who actually serve. Most people never know the work they do. They don't do it to be seen or recognized. They do it because they love Jesus and they love people. I am thankful to be around a group of people who are always looking for ways to serve. They sacrifice their time to meet people's needs.

It is inspiring. It makes me want to be a better servant. It makes me want to work a little harder, stay a little longer, do the jobs that need to be done but others don't have time to do or don't identify.

Just yesterday I got a front row seat to see servanthood in living color and high definition. One man gave up his morning to paint stripes on the church parking lot. This job had not been done in ten years. The other man came and vacuumed my office, the foyer and church sanctuary because the church vacuum cleaners are in the shop being repaired. He saw the need and offered to help. Both men worked up a sweat. Both of their example inspire me to serve more. May this whole congregation be infected with contagious servanthood.

Church Aflame

In the late summer of 2010 I saw God do something extraordinary. There were many who experienced it and witnessed it also. Nine years later I look back and can scarcely believe what God did. He set His church aflame over the course of three weeks.

He saved people who had been church members for decades. He called His people to repentance. He ministered help to the hurting. Night after night I watched those people show up in droves for worship services that lasted between two to three hours and they kept coming back. Some of them could not get enough.

We rejoiced when night after night we celebrated the new birth of recent converts being baptized. We wept and rejoiced over testimonies publicly spoken. We sang like I have never heard a church sing before. It did not matter whether we sang a hymn or a more modern song. People sang with their hearts. Two of the anthems from those days were the songs, I Will Never Be The Same Again and Days Of Elijah. They poured out their souls to the Lord in song and prayer. God's move became the talk of the town. Soon it went far beyond our little town. One man heard about it from a town an hour away and drove several times to see if it was true. When he experienced God's move for himself he went back and told others.

It is 2019 now. I live in a different town and serve a different church. I believe God has assured me He desires to set Spring Creek aflame like He has done to many other churches and communities throughout history. I hunger for it. I seek Him for it. I plead for it. I wait for it. I expect Him for it.

Lord, I ask You to set this pastor, this church and the other churches in this county aflame. I ask You to set churches all over this nation aflame. May the flame spread to other nations until this old world sees a spiritual awakening that dwarfs what You did back in the First and Second Great Awakenings. Please set our souls afire. Let Your church blaze for You in the white hot flames of revival.

Pray Out The Hindrances

In my previous post I wrote about how much character counts. The church is struggling today in many areas. Apathy abounds. The love of many has grown cold. Hypocrisy is more frequent than holiness. Religious gatherings are soiled with gossip and character assassination.

I talked to a minister today who has been beaten down by liars and rumor mongers from his congregation. It sucks the joy and life out of ministers. Some churches repeat the same cycle one pastor after another for as long as anyone can remember. They destroy lives and gain a terrible reputation in the very town they supposedly exist to help. That minister told me today numerous times he will talk to people and as soon as he mentions the name of his church people will say, "I will not have anything to do with that place or those people."

I read the title of this blog in a book about the 1904-05 Wales Revival. The author wrote that in the revival, "They prayed out the hindrances." He specifically referred to disobedience and unforgiving hearts. These two sins still plague churches. How did they deal with it? They prayed them out. God blessed a pure and purged church.

We need to pray out some hindrances still today. It seems we would rather meet, plan, discuss endlessly about problems instead of praying them out of the church. If I have learned anything about prayer over the past 33 years it is that real praying is hard work. When you pray with all your heart, soul, mind, and spirit it is taxing. Fervent prayer is still effective.
James 5:16 (NASB)
16  Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

 Prayer is the belief that God can still move mountains.
Mark 11:22-24 (NASB)
22  And Jesus *answered saying to them, "Have faith in God.
23  "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him.
24  "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.

That includes hindrances. Sometimes those hindrances can be people. Troublemaking people. Yes, even people can be prayed out of the church. I have witnessed it. Truth be told I have asked for it on more than one occasion. In each case, once God removed the hindering people He blessed mightily. I have seen Him remove them to other churches or communities. On one occasion He removed someone by death. Once the hindrances were removed God poured out His Spirit on those congregations.  They worshiped and worked together in harmony.

Do you need to pray out some hindrances in your church? Before that do you need to pray out some hindrances in your own life? That is where we all should begin. To pray out any and all sin holding back God's blessing. Perhaps there are people you need to pray out because they continually stir up strife among the congregation, which God hates by the way.
Proverbs 6:16-19 (NASB)
16  There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17  Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
18  A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,
19  A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.

 Sometimes you have to pray the hindrances out. ALL THE TIME WE HAVE TO PRAY TO KEEP THE HINDRANCES OUT! Satan is always striving to gain a foothold in individuals as well as churches. May God cleanse, renew, revive and restore His church to His intended purpose. Let us pray the hindrances out.

Character Counts

In this day of compromising living character still matters. It still matters in the home where a husband and wife trust each other because of the covenant marriage vows they exchanged. It matters with the children so the parents can trust them whey they are out of sight. It matters in business when employers lead with integrity and take care of those who work for them. It matters in government when politicians get elected and work to keep the campaign promises they made.

It also matters in the church. Sadly there are plenty of charlatans, swindlers, deceivers and showmen who prey on innocent unsuspecting followers. Money is embezzled. Adultery is committed. Secret take over schemes are planned and orchestrated. Lies are fabricated, told and believed.

Character matters in the church. Over the years hypocrites have done their harm to the church. Often they go unchecked until it is too late and the damage is done. A long trail of destruction is left for someone with integrity to clean up. Many get hurt and disillusioned in the process.

It is easy to make promises and tell people what they want to hear. It is much more difficult to speak truth in love. I thank God for all those faithful pastors, deacons, teaches, choir members, elders, and those who served on committees with character and integrity. I am thankful for those God put in my life to speak truth, at times hard truth, to keep me on the straight and narrow.

I recall a group who served on one committee I sat in on. I later found out that six of the seven people on that committee all struggled with pornography. The sins might be different but the church is in crisis because so many people are living hypocritically. Sins like gossip, stirring up strife and division in the church, falsehood, deceit, immorality and much more are all listed in the Scripture. How can reasonably expect God to bless and be pleased with a dirty bride. A blemished bride.

I wish we could all live with this thought before us. There will be a day of accounting. A day of reckoning. Read it for yourself. I need not make any further comment. See if God thinks character counts.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (NASB)
13  The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.
14  For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

The Night Shift

Father,

I thank You for working the night shift. You never weary or slumber. You are as strong tonight as You have ever been. Your power is not limited. Your compassion is as full as the ocean. Your love is grander than any mountain. Somehow You know what we all need though You are bombarded with requests from all over the planet at every possible hour.

Thank You for listening and caring enough to act on our behalf. Thank You for lifting the heavy burdens that weigh us down. Thank You for being strong enough to move our immovable mountains. Thank You for still healing when it pleases You. Thank You for comforting us in our sorrows. Thank You for faithfully meeting our needs.

Thank You for working the night shifts. When our frail bodies hit the wall and in exhaustion and we can do no more, You enable us to do all things through Christ who strengthens us. When our hearts are broken You are near to us and bring healing. When our dreams get shattered into a million pieces You are there to comfort and redirect our steps. When our needs overextend our financial means You still have ample supply in Your storehouse. When the enemy assails us You are our strong tower of defense. When our resolve weakens You renew our courage for You never forsake us. When sorrows drown our faith in puddles of pain You hold us close to comfort and to soothe our wounded spirits.

You are mighty. You are the God of the impossible. You see with a different perspective. You rule completely in control of this chaotic world. You are not panicked. You are not worried. You are not distraught. You know what You're doing and You have earned the right to be trusted by thousands of generations. You do not fail. You do not forsake Your own. You test us in trials. You prove our faith. You do not abandon us. You do not allow us to be tempted beyond what You give us strength to endure.

In this night watch I praise You for watching over the new borns as they sleep. They are without a care in the world except a wet diaper or when they get hungry. I ask You to give even adults that peaceful sleep tonight. I lift those to You who are living in a shattered world of death or divorce. I ask You to hold them tight in bed and whisper songs of love and hope for the future. I lift those to You who are weary. They work hard and wake up exhausted most days. I ask You to use sleep to renew their muscles and minds. I ask You to awaken them refreshed and let this night of sleep be healing and renewing. I lift up those at their wits ends trying to overcome financial setbacks. As You sent Elijah provision through the ravens and I ask You today to send Your provision through the mail. For those who feel rejected after being turned down by job after job I ask You to reach down to Your key ring and turn the right key in the right door unlocking a brand new opportunity. For those stressed by the demands of life I ask You to give them Your peace in place of their anxiety.

For those incapacitated by fear I ask You to triumph fear with faith. For the lonely I ask You to send a phone call, a visitor a letter, a text and a word to remind You have not forgotten them. For the abused I ask You to deliver them and to bind their physical, emotional and psychological wounds. For the hopeless in the hospitals watching their loved ones suffer I ask You to show up in this night watch to remind You are still there. I ask You to will to turn things around for them. For those who live in chronic pain and who can barely sleep through the night I ask You to speak a word of healing like You did for the leper, the lame and the blind. For those being strangled to death by depression I ask You in Your mighty name to break the grip and let hope resurface. For the burned out pastor tired of hitting his head against the wall and seeing no change I ask You to encourage him today someway and somehow. For the ones inching ever closer to temptation and the devil's snare I ask You to wake them up. I ask You to bring them to their senses. I ask You to move those to flee flirting with sexual immorality. For those who have already failed and now live in condemnation I ask You to bring them to repentance and restoration.

I lift up this sin sick nation. Hell bent on moving further and further away from You. Please move us back to You. Please call us to repentance. Please convict and  call this nation to accountability. I ask You to demolish pretense and hypocrisy. I ask You to revive Your sleeping church. I ask You to awaken apathetic pastors and stir them and their flocks back to the prayer closet. I ask You to awaken the intercessors to stand in the gap in the night watches. I ask You to rekindle fire in the hearts of Your people. I ask You to sweep a wave of conviction over Your compromising church and bring the masses to repentance. I ask You to sound the alarm to wake up Your sleeping church while the enemy runs rampant stealing, killing and destroying. I ask You to rescue every prodigal wandered far from You and home. I ask You to break the chains that bind people to destructive sin.

As I see the Terrible Day Of The Lord approaching I am sobered. There is so much at stake. The souls of billions on this planet who do not know You. One day it will be too late. Please weigh this on the heart of Your people. I ask You to send a fresh wave of boldness on Your church again. Please open our eyes to distractions and to the things that do not matter. Help us to live in light of eternity. Help us care about the things You care about. Help us not lose heart when the going gets tough. I ask You to send another great awakening around the world. One where millions come to know You as Savior. One where Your church is purged and cleansed. One where true worshipers arise without fear or shame.

For as long as it takes, as often as You want I ask You to keep calling me to work the night shift. So much is at stake. Please do not let me flitter away this fleeting life in sleep. I trust You to give me what rest I need.

I ask all this in Your name O Jesus, who works the night shifts. Amen.

When Sleep Will Not Come

I toss and turn but sleep will not come,
The hours tick closer to dawning sun,
So I get up to prayerfully seek You,
To ask for Your help for all I can't do,
There are mountains I can not move,
In these tests as my faith You prove,
There are big burdens I can not lift,
As my sure belief You constantly sift,
I toss and turn but sleep will not come,
For all the battles I still have not won,
For the broken I bring to Your throne,
For the community I now call my home,
For the heavy laden, sick and bereaved,
For the weary, worn and the diseased,
You don't need sleep through the night,
You never tire or weaken in the fight,
You keep the night watch working late,
Helping with all the things  on my plate,
So I don't have to toss and turn in bed,
And can rest in You peacefully instead.

The Truth

John 14:6 (NKJV)
6  Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

There are many many people in the world who do not believe that. They do not believe Jesus was or is the Son of God. They do not believe He is the Messiah. They do not believe He was born of a virgin or that He rose again.

Many believe Jesus was a great teacher. They believe He was a humanitarian. They believe he was also a  non violent revolutionary person like Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr. His name is tossed about. He is rejected. Ignored. Criticized. Debated. Denied. Forsaken. He is also embraced. Praised. Worshiped. Followed. Proclaimed. Exalted.

In a world where everyone clamors for truth, truth telling doesn't always happen. The news media alter the facts and at times fabricate stories. Politicians are certainly not known for telling the truth. Social media is now censoring truth if it differs from the truth as they see it. Every religion claims they have a hold on the truth.

Jesus went far beyond that. He proclaimed He was the truth. You will notice in the John 14:6 passage the exclusivity to His declaration by the use of the word "the." The way. The truth. The life. Nobody gets to God except through Him. Very narrow minded. Very exclusive. Because He is alive He still emphatically declares that He is the truth. So let me drop a few facts to back this up.

If you did an exhaustive study of the Old Testament in the Bible you would discover over 300 prophesies about the coming of a Messiah. Those were made hundreds of years before they ever happened. Jesus is the exact fulfillment of those prophesies. How can it be that He perfectly matches what was predicted about Him centuries before they happened? That's easy for me to answer. God. God the Father orchestrated all the Old Testament and the predictions about the birth of His son Jesus. He orchestrated the prediction and fulfillment of all of them.

What if a person decided they wanted to be Jesus. So they set out to study the prophesies and one by one to fulfill each one of them. They couldn't do it. What control would such a person have over where they were born. The predicted Jesus would be born in Bethlehem in Micah 5:2. There is record of his birth there. I was born in Lufkin, TX. I had zero control over that. You had not control over where you were born either. Jesus perfectly fulfills the prophesies.

Micah 5:2 (NKJV)
2  "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting."

If a person had an open mind and did a serious investigation of what the Bible predicted about Jesus and what historically can be proven about Jesus there would be no doubt. The evidence is overwhelming. That is the truth because Jesus is the truth. He embraces all atheist, skeptics, agnostics, Muslims, Hindus and any other group who will investigate Him for themselves. He is not scared of your hard questions.

Then there is the whole resurrection thing. If the disciples came and stole his body, as the soldiers who guarded the tomb got paid to say, where was the body. You know the government turned Jerusalem upside down to find that body to put a stop to whole movement. They looked everywhere. Surely one of the disciples could have been bribed and bought off. After Judas hung himself the other elven remained devoutly steadfast. Pilate and the soldiers never produced a body because the resurrected Jesus now sits at the right hand of God the Father. There was and still isn't a body to produce.

Jesus also appeared to many. Some former cowards. They testified to seeing Jesus. Their convictions were so strong they held onto their belief even when most of them were tortured to death. They did not waver in the fact that Jesus raised from the dead and was the Messiah. Jesus was their truth.

Lastly, there are multiple reports in gospel hostile countries where Jesus appears to people in visions and dreams much like the Apostle Paul experienced on the Damascus road. Former Muslims are turning to Christ for salvation despite the harsh consequences they will experience as a result. Lives are being transformed but the truth of Jesus in a way other religions cannot produce.

Jesus is the truth. People see what they want to see. Some will say that is exactly what I have done. I know what Jesus has done in me and for me. You can't take that way. I know the person I was before I met Jesus and I see the person I am becoming since I met Jesus. He is the truth. More personally He is my truth. Is He yours?

Forgotten

Have you ever felt forgotten? I did so as a young child. My entire family, including cousins, all went hiking in some small mountains. We came to a very narrow pass with a very sharp drop off. My older cousins helped each lady across and each cousin across until they came to me. I stood at the end of  the line and my heart sunk when they all took up without me.  I was probably between eight and ten. For some reason they all took off walking before I got helped across. Either they did not see me or they thought I was old enough to cross by myself.

Fear gripped me. I hugged that mountain with my back like a magnet to medal. I inched forward barely shuffling my feet. I don't recall any other event scaring me like that one episode from my childhood. I felt forgotten.

There are others who feel forgotten. Great grandparents and grandparents. Widows and widowers. Orphans. Retired pastors and pastor's wives. Aged teachers. Each of these lives wondering why they are forgotten and forsaken. Why nobody remembers them or takes time to check on them. Retirement homes are filled with such people.

Joseph from the Old Testament got falsely accused of sexual assault from Potiphar's wife who trumped up all the whole charges. She had seduced Joseph day after day and he resisted her advances day after day. One day she grabbed his garment to seduce him but Joseph ran away leaving his garment behind. She made up a story and Joseph ended up in prison.

It was bad enough to be sold into slavery by his brothers. On top of that to be falsely accused and thrown in prison only added insult to injury. As fate would have it two officials from Pharaoh's court were thrown into the same prison. Both had dreams and the following morning they did not what the dreams meant. Joseph told them God interpreted dreams. When both relayed their dreams God gave Joseph insight. He then pleaded with them when they got out to remember him. He told them his whole story.

Read what happened.

Genesis 40:23 (NKJV)
23  Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

We learn in Genesis 41:1 that the chief butler forgot all about Joseph for two whole years. Some translations put it for two full years. 730 days to be forgotten. You know for the first several days Joseph held out hope. He must have prayed the butler would remember him. He didn't. Not for two long whole years. He forgot him. He did not remember. Joseph never crossed his mind.

God didn't forget Joseph. He had a plan. In those two long years God kept everything right on course. He did not lag behind for even a moment. Everything progressed just as God planned. When the time was right Pharaoh had two dreams. Nobody knew what they meant. The butler suddenly remembered Joseph. Pharaoh summoned Joseph to interpret the dreams. With that Joseph went from prison to the palace over night. He got promoted to second in command of the whole country.

God does not forget His people even when others do. He keeps an eye on you. His ears are attentive to the prayers you offer. He works behind the scenes in ways you may not be aware. He reassures of His presence in several ways. You are not forgotten beloved. While others forget, you are on His mind even as I write this. He knows your thoughts. He knows your name. He knows your fears. He knows your every need. He remembers. You are not forgotten. I hope you take comfort in that truth. You are neither forgotten nor forsaken by your Heavenly Father. Not now. Not ever.

Under The Shadow Of The Steeple

Under the shadow of the steeple,
Sit hurting and broken people,
Woundedwith lives filled with pain,
Cheeks with signs of tear stains,
People broken, battered, bruised,
Children neglected and abused,
Families being ripped apart,
Spouses enduring broken hearts,
People held in the grip of sin,
Unable to get free again,
Hard hearts in need of grace,
Unwanted in a holy place,
Jesus offers His love galore,
Where there is sin - grace is more,
He redeems all kinds of people,
Who live in the shadow of the steeple.

Ministry Off The Platform

I love preaching and teaching God's word. I feel like it is what I was born to do. I never feel more alive than when I am delivering God's message to God's people. While that it true, some of the most memorable moments in ministry happened off the platform over the years. In other words, it happened after the sermon.

I count it a privilege to minister off the platform. Whether that be listening, praying, leading repentant sinners to Christ and salvation or sharing a word of counsel. It is all ministry. Jesus taught. Jesus also remained accessible to people afterward. Just read Matt 8:1-3 after Jesus finished the Sermon on the Mount. What happened next?

Matthew 8:1-3 (NKJV)
1  When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him.
2  And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."
3  Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

This past Sunday we had the chance to do some ministry off the platform. Ministry of such that it moved me to tears. I prayed for a sick man to be made whole. He simply reached behind to his shoulders where I had my hands and squeezed mine. Prayer for another man in desperate need brought him to tears. One lady we prayed for not only wept. She waled. Her anguished cries for help, her pent up frustrations, her pain all came out which moved me to more tears. 

All over the sanctuary people were praying for one another. One told me about praying for his wife and barely got a few words out before he was overcome with emotion. Some of the best praying is the kind that comes out in tears and groans rather than words. Many tears flowed this past Sunday. God made His presence felt among us. It was a tender sweet service. There are so many broken people needing a touch from God. Broken people are everywhere. 

Isn't it interesting after an intense message Jesus did not try to go and hide like some preachers do. He kept a divine appointment with an outcast that changed that leper's life. So much ministry can happen off the platform if you are sensitive to God's leading and if you look for it. Yes. Maybe you'll get to lunch a little later. Yes. Maybe you have to remain behind and are one of the last one leaves. So what? Isn't that what we are there for? Don't we want people to be touched by Jesus? Or do we just want that when it happens between the time constraints of ministry on the platform? 

Here is another truth. Every member of the body of Christ is called and capable through the indwelling Holy Spirit to minister to other members of the body. God never intended for all the ministry to take place on the platform. The early church in Acts did not even have a platform much less a building. Any child of God can go to another broken and hurting person and pray over them. That should be common place. It should happen often in our gatherings. Not just by the hired staff but all members of the body. Lord, please do that again and again here. May every member see themselves as a minister. May You lead all of us to look for ministry off the platform. In Jesus name I ask it. Amen.

Revival Team Reunion

I met Sherman and Tammy Aten the eve before the Shake The City revival in Seminole, TX. They came highly recommended. Many in the church already knew them as they had ministered through song there before. I am sure I did not come across as overly friendly. God had me so focused on preaching that revival and what He wanted to do I walked around in a daze for weeks. My days were spent in prayer, message preparation, preaching and capturing those moments in my blog that can be found at www.nocompromisefbc.blogspot.com. Just scroll through to August of 2010 and you will find them.

We had home prayer meetings. I met with a group of men called "The Mighty Men of Prayer" early on Friday mornings. I devoted a lot of time to personally praying for that revival. The week prior to the meetings beginning we signed up to read through the entire Bible starting the first revival service with the reading of the last chapter of Revelation. We even feasted in preparation.

Expectations were high at FBC Seminole. Looking back I do not think they were high enough. Those meetings lasted for 23 straight days. God revived His church. 36 people were saved and baptized. My family befriended the Atens during those days. Holy days. Special days.

The Atens are in full time traveling ministry. I am just a pastor. A pastor called to preach a revival in his own congregation. Unusual. The Atens rolled with it. God honored it.

We have ministered together on two other occasions. A revival meeting I preached at Spring Creek about three years ago and at another Shake the City Revival in Kermit, TX under a tent in the blistering summer west Texas sun. Neither of those meetings had the same impact as our late summer of 2010 in Seminole,

This past Sunday God reunited the revival team. Damon, our worship minister, was on vacation and he invited the Atens to come and fill in for him. They were anointed. God moved powerfully. Especially in the morning service.

Sherman told me they were headed to the Ukraine on Sept 9th. That weighed on me throughout the afternoon. During the worship time that evening I felt an old familiar feeling. Like I needed to change the message and direction of the service. I followed what I sensed was God's leadership preaching from John 3:16 and Matt 28:19-20. I concluded with interviewing Sherman about their upcoming trip. This will be their fourth trip to Ukraine. On one of those trips they saw 600 people saved. Yes. You read that right. 600! I asked how we could pray for them. We circled around to lift them before the Lord. I also challenged people to seek God whether they should give financially to help them go.

These Spring Creek people are wonderful. They prayed. They listened. They dug deep and gave the Atens $1,000 for their trip.

The revival team reunion brought back many wonderful memories. I hope the Lord will allow us to do it again in the future. The Edwards love the Atens and are big fans.