The Deacon's Wife

My phone rang just as I neared the door to exit the doctor's office outside. Brenda walked out in front and suddenly we saw a commotion. I could not concentrate on the phone call because an older man slowly collapsed to the ground just as he reached the same door. I quickly got off the phone just in time for the man to sink all the way to the ground on his stomach. Thankful he did not fall and break anything or hit his head.

His wife panicked. She started using a stream of profanity best left unrepeated. If you can think of the vilest foulest language she said it. A steady stream of filth poured from her lips. The man wanted to get up. The wife wanted him down and I felt caught in the middle not knowing for sure what to do. Brenda offered to call 911 at which the wife balked. She kept repeating I am a nurse.

All the while, the man kept trying to get up. He did get up as far as resting on both his knees but his wife begged me to hold him down and not let him get up. The man said, "This is embarrassing. Just let me get up.  Especially right in front of the door. Let me stand up." She sta?ed another steady stream of profanity.

We finally got a plan for Brenda to get their car and pull it up to the front door. I helped the man to his feet and then into the passenger seat. The wife ran inside to cancel the doctor appointment. I went around to the driver's side and told the man I was a pastor. I prayed with him. Afterwards, he told me he was a Christian and a deacon. Then he told me they had driven from Witchita Falls to Fort Worth that morning for the doctor visit.

The wife scurried out the door and into the car shouting thank you as they drove away.

What went on in that lady's life to cause her to talk that way? What stress was she under besides the immediate issue of her husband falling? What had her so frazzled she cussed like I have not heard since in a football locker room.  It seemed apparent that was not the first episode the man had fallen. I don't know what it was. It was not a seizure. That lady appeared very stressed because it happened before. .

She made everything worse. Her husband was embarrassed because of her behavior and falling in the first place. He rebelled against her frustrated and fighting against her at her instructions. Brenda and I were caught in the middle.

Jesus is still our peace in the worst storms of life. He proved that to the disciples. Maybe it would be a good reminder for all of us today. I most likely will never see that lady again. I had no time to witness to her. All the focus was on her husband. How I pray she will find the peace and that comes from knowing and walking with Jesus.

Mark 4:35-41 (NASB)
³⁵
 On that day, when evening came, He *said to them, "Let us go over to the other side."
³⁶  Leaving the crowd, they *took Him along with them in the boat, just as He was; and other boats were with Him.
³⁷  And there *arose a fierce gale of wind, and the waves were breaking over the boat so much that the boat was already filling up.
³⁸  Jesus Himself was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they *woke Him and *said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"
³⁹  And He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Hush, be still." And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm.
⁴⁰  And He said to them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"
⁴¹  They became very much afraid and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey Him?"

Falling From Revival

One of the saddest stories I have ever read from history about of God's choice vessels in revival, is the story of Evan Roberts. God used him powerfully. Yet after the Welsh Revival, Roberts was taken in by a lady and her husband with some extreme theological views. They had a profound influence of the young preacher. Roberts felt he should give himself exclusively to prayer and became a recluse. When he died many years later, he did so in a hospital alone without anyone even knowing who he was or what God used him to do in younger life.

He battled depression and a nervous breakdown. The revival took a great toll on him. I have written many times that revival is costly. Maybe that is why we have not seen more revivals. Few are willing to pay the price.

God brought a powerful, but short lived revival back in history. You have heard about it I am sure. It is a famous account. One fiery preacher stood his ground prayerfully and powerfully against wicked forces. God honored his courageous stand and manifested HIs presence in such dramatic fashion no one could doubt God showed up.  The impact was far reaching and immediate. That is not where the story ends.

God's vessel received criticism and threats, because the revival definitely upset the status quo and exposed wickedness across the land in high places. That man of God went from revival to suicidal depression quickly. How? How is it possible to go from experiencing revival to depression in just days?

Just like Evan Roberts the revivalists got tired. With the fatigue the enemy had room to cloud the mind with sinister thoughts. Depression settled in like the dew on the ground overnight. If the story ended there it would be as sad as the Evan Roberts story. Thankfully, God intervened.

The man of God made his way to an isolated spot to hide from people. He could not hide from God. God met him in his isolation and asked him a simple question. He asked what he was doing in isolation. In those quiet moments God met His servant and spoke to Him.

After that, he lived a long time and history records that he had a very fruitful ministry. He never seemed to battle that defeating depression again.

That man of God was Elijah and you read that story in I Kings 19.

In the summer of 2010 God graciously reached down to kiss the little west Texas town of Seminole and the Frist Baptist Church. I got a front row to see all of it. It didn't just start there. I carried the burden for that revival for months. I did not sleep well during that time. The burden never left. I felt it continually. I prayed and prayed. When it started God enabled me to preach 27 times in 23 days. When it ended I was exhausted. I took one day off. We ended the revival on a Monday night. I took Tuesday off and then we gathered again for our regular meeting the following Wednesday.

I did not realize the toll that revival took on me spiritually, physically and emotionally. From 2011-2017 I suffered the worst depression of my life. I felt alone. I tried to hide it unsuccessfully. I could not see any hope. I had little to no peace of mind at times.  Prayers went unanswered at least in the way I prayed for them. Nothing worked. I could barely preach in those years. I preached to myself. I had nothing to offer anyone. I preached often amazed during the sermon God used me.

It is not as uncommon as you might think for people to fall from revival. Pray for revival. Believe God for it. Know for certain revival is costly and often that cost is extremely high. Be warned.

The Only Life That WIll Last

He fell from this life to death way too fast,
When he should've had decades to pass,
Once a vibrant life now dead and gone,
Silence left where once there was a song,
Left behind parents drowning in their grief,
Crying out to You for some kind of relief,
A bitter funeral and burial soon to follow,
A hard pill for any parent trying to swallow,
All the questions of "what if?" that haunt,
Satan to ask "Where was God?" in taunt,
The tears pour like passing rain showers,
The worst those long dark night time hours,
The grief coming with numbing soul shock,
A reminder when brevity of life gets unlocked,
A sorrow far too deep for words put on paper,
The memory that life is just a passing vapor,
Those left behind to cope with the mourning,
There will be joy promised in the morning,
Until then grief ushers in nights of weeping,
When the eyes burn from continued leaking,
There is help, a refuge in the troubled seasons,
God knows best and trust He has His reasons,
He fell from this life to death way too fast,
Eternal life is the only life that will last,

A Prayer For The Overwhelmed

Jesus,


I lift up those overwhelmed this morning. Those covered up with various trials, heartaches and stress. I lift those to Y,ou who are at their wits end and do not know what to do. I ask You to meet with them, to console, strengthen and to renew hope.

Jesus, I ask You to be their refuge. When they have nowhere else to go for peace and help may they find both of those tings in You. When they are underneath heavy loads they cannot bear, I ask You to do the heavy lifting and smooth their paths.

For those who cannot see light at the end of the tunnel, I ask You to send a timely word, a reprieve, miraculous provision, some good news and show Yourself faithful to them. That is who You are. You have always been, still are, and will forever be faithful. I ask You to remind Your overwhelmed ones of this truth.

For those who feel like giving up, I ask You renew their resolve to plod forward. For those who grieve with the deepest of sorrows, I ask You hold them closely until the tears dry. I ask You to send the Holy Spirit to comfort and remind of helpful truth.

I lift up the ones under tremendous financial stress. The ones who cannot possibly see a way out of the pit of debt they are in. I ask You to reach down with help in one hand and provision in the other. No financial need is beyond Your ability to meet. You know the needs and the addresses where to send the help. I ask You to connect Your provision with those who need it most.

I lift up those overwhelmed by life and the constant barrage of trials. I ask You to remind them, that while weeping may last for a night, joy comes in the morning. Please help them through the difficult nights of weeping. Please let them see a shimmer of hope. Please show up in their lives and do not be silent to those who desperately need You most.

I ask You to raise those who once also felt overwhelmed, but You brought them through. Please use them to testify, to encourage and to pray for overwhelmed brothers and sisters.

Lastly, I lift those who grieve the death of a loved one. Those whose hearts are ripped to pieces. Those who ache to the core of their being. What could I possibly pray that would help them. I don't have fancy prayers filled with meaningless clichés. I only have a faith filled plea for You to help. You know what they need far better than me. You feel the weight of their grief. You have sustained millions of people through grief throughout history. Some in tragedies. Some in old age. Some seemingly prematurely. Others lingering past their mental and physical health. You say You are near to those who are brokenhearted and contrite in spirit. I trust You are near at this very moment with those overwhelmed by grief.

I ask all this in Your name Jesus, amen.

The Witching Season

As the day Halloween approaches, real life self identified witches are making a spiritual assault against the President of the United States. Thousands are planning on a ritual in which they "bind" President Trump on Friday October 25, 2019 night at 11:59 p.m. I just read this on Christian Broadcast News.

Reading that reminded me of election night back in November of 2016. I was not at home that night. I was out of town on ministry business. I did the ministry at hand and returned to my host home as they watched the election results. I felt a deep burden to go to the bedroom to pray. Throughout a large portion of the night I pleaded with God to have His way.

I kept getting this picture of witches gathered by the thousands offering chants and casting spells. The same with atheists and Satanists. I wondered what the church of Jesus was doing that night. Did they pray as fervently as the witches cast spells. That was just about three years ago.

To read that article tonight brought the real spiritual war we are in to light. This season witches are celebrated as parents dress their daughters up in witch costumes and little boys as warlocks and wizards. Satan laughs. Parents take no thought to what they are introducing their children to. Witches are made out to be pretend. That is not the truth.

We are in a real spiritual war. The stakes are high. Not just the freedom of our nation. The very soul of a nation as millions are deceived into hell. I actually saw a recent commercial where a guy said he was an atheist and openly not scared of of hell. He actually said those words out loud. I read another headline where a judge ruled that a dad had to allow his son to be medically prescribed treatment to become a girl despite the father's resistance but his divorced wife's insistence.

While the church gathers for the next church social diner on the grounds, witches cry out to the powers of darkness for evil to win the day. How will the church respond? Will we pray fervently? Will we pray persistently? If not I wonder how much further we can fall.

May it never be that a witch is more devoted to the Prince of Darkness than followers of Jesus are to their King.

A Pastoral Prayer

God,

Sitting here this afternoon, my heart floods with gratitude for Your goodness. I do not have enough thanks to give You. I sit here in this beautiful office surrounded by books I love and my heart is moved. Thank You. Thank You for choosing me to sit in this seat. Thank You for making my nealyr three decade old dream come true to pastor this church. I cannot even put into words how that makes me feel. To serve as pastor at Spring Creek Baptist Church is one of the greatest honors and privileges of my life. You made that possible.

Thank You for these great people. A loving supportive flock. Friendly to newcomers. Caring to long standing members. Thank You for them accepting my family. Thank You for them praying for us and seeking You with us. Thank You for their devotion to You and to grow in You. Thank You for their sacrifices in money and time. Thank You for their work.

Thank You for these wonderful facilities to meet You in. Thank You for the ones who came before me to dream this dream and to pray it into reality. I get to be a beneficiary of their dreams and again I'm filled with gratitude. Thank You for letting me stand behind that pulpit where I have felt at home since the first Sunday. My family belongs here and I thank You for it.

Thank You for a flock that loves You and hungers for Your word. These are no tickle the ears kind of folks. They want Your truth and I delight to share it with them Sunday morning and evening and Wednesday night. Thank You for that privilege.

Thank You for sending new faces, new members and most importantly new converts. Hallelujah for all of them. Thank You for the ones driving from as far as Paradise and Crowley. Thank You for the ones who drive a short distance to get here. Thank You for sending children to this church. Thank You for their smiles, their enthusiasm and their infectious joy.

Thank You for filling this church with genuine servants. Not just people who hold a title, but for those who serve and labor without titles and the desire for recognition. Thank You for a beautiful people I am so proud to talk about braggingly, and to associate with. They are down to earth simple people. They are not pretentious. They are not fools. They can smell a phony. They can see right through professional preachers and spot the difference in God called pastors. Please help me be a God called pastor to them.

Thank You they chose me to be their preacher. I plead with You to help me earn the right to be their pastor. Thank You again for choosing me to sit in this chair. Thank You for this chair that showed up on my first day in this office. You know where it came from and I rejoice You loved me enough to answer that exact prayer for an office chair before ever officially taking my post. What a joy to get to come and work in this space. You know I often find it hard to leave as I bury myself in prayer, study, writing and planning. It is such a git from You to get to serve HERE!

I ask You to help me give You my best and the Spring Creek flock my best. I ask You to renew my energy day by day so I can work effectively for You. I ask You to expand my vision for what You want to do. I dare not come asking You to bless my plans for the future. I humbly submit to Your leadership here. Spring Creek is Your church. You alone are the Head. I bow before You and ask, "What do You want to do here?" Help us as a church body to all do that.

There are thousands of people around us. Many of them do not know You. I ask You to penetrate the darkness and allow us to reach out to love and tell Your good news to them. I ask You to move in this country church in ways that astound the uptown churches. I ask You to bless the uptown churches too.

I lift up these people to You. Some are aging and do not feel well. I ask You to sustain their health. Some are on the mend. I ask You to help them in their recovery. Some carry heavy burdens for their loved ones. I ask You to intervene and lift the load. Some need a miracle. I ask You to send it. Others need Your provision. I ask You to meet their needs. Please show me how to be a faithful shepherd. To love with more than just words. To love in deeds and truth.

God, thank You. Thank You for answering a prayer I long held in my heart and before You to get to come back here and serve one day as pastor. Thank You for making that come true. May I never lose my joy for being here, my increasing love for these people and my desire to not take any of this granted.

I ask it all in Your name, Jesus. Amen.

Unlikely Vessel

God often chooses unlikely vessels to work for Him. In the latter part of the 1800's and early part of the 1900's He chose a former slave. Not only that, but a one eyed slave. A childhood disease cost this chosen vessel vision in one eye. This African American man was not even allowed to sit in theological classes when God called him to preach. Because of segregation, he had to sit outside and listen to the lectures. He was not actually allowed in the classroom. It did not make him bitter.

Someone said about William Seymore, "He was the most humble man I ever met." The story goes someone from a very small church in California heard Seymore preach and told her pastor he should invite him to come to their small congregation. They raised money for the train fare and Seymore arrived in California all the way from Texas. He had not preached there long before the pastor told Seymore he no longer wanted his services. Seymore felt stuck. Another pastor took in him and they began praying at night. Often they prayed all night. The host pastor had another job during the day, but Seymore devoted his time to seeking God. Little did Seymore know God was about to use him more than he could ever imagine.s

Out of those prayers a revival came. It is known at the Azuza Street Revival. It is most famous for what theologians call the birth of the Pentecostal movement. That is not my focus. My focus is that Seymore, during the height of that revival, gave himself to prayer seven hours a day! God heard and answered in dramatic fashion.

They say that revival lasted for years and millions trace their origins as a churches or denominations back to Azuza Street. Seymore did not even have a pulpit, but preached with some wooden boxes stacked on top of one another. Historians report that Seymore spent much of his time on his knees behind that makeshift pulpit with his head in one of the openings of the box.

That little church band, in that small simple building saw a powerful move of God that spread around the world. God used an unlikely vessel to lead that movement. Can God do that again where you are? Can He use you to be catalyst, a spark to ignite a move of God that sweeps through a church and a community?  I believe He can because He has done this numerous times through history. Maybe you are one of those unlikely vessels.

[I Cor 1:26-29]

Fall

What is your favorite season? I know many people love Spring. They love when the flowers bloom, the weather warms and the grass greens. Most people do not like Winter. They do not like the bitter cold temperatures, the snow, ice and the bone chilling winds. There is Christmas to break up the doldrums. Students love the Summer. They love no school, swimming, baseball but Summer has some down sides. The heat. Droughts. Summer jobs. Mowing the lawn.

Not me. I take the other seasons in stride, but I love Fall. I love the changing of the leaves colors. I love the opportunities afforded churches to attract new people in the Fall. I love when the first cold front hits and the air gets brisk and cool. I love fall colors. Many find it odd that I actually love the color brown. I also really like orange. Red is a great color as well. Mix in some yellow and those colors together give me sensory overload. I love Fall Festivals. I have since my childhood. I love the games, the food and the smiles on a child's face. That's not what I love about Fall most of all.

Nope. I love Fall and Fall Festivals most because it is the one event for churches where I am sure lost and unchurched people will show up and attend. I enjoy rubbing shoulders with irreligious people and getting to know them. I enjoy seeing the children and watching them get excited when they win a game. I love the wonder in a child's eyes when they see the decorations and the fun games. They can hardly contain themselves. Of course I enjoy watching the parents smile watching their children get so excited.

In the end, my goal is to connect parents and children to Jesus and His church. I hope they will stay a long time and not want to leave. I hope a child leaves begging their parents to bring them back to that church. I count it a blessing that I have seen God use a Fall Festival to lead families to a saving relationship with Jesus in time.

Fall is my favorite time of the year. There is something fresh and exciting about back to school. About the weather changing. About fun events. About opportunities to reach new families. I only wish Fall lasted longer.

Listen

God spoke one simple word to me this morning when I prayed. Listen. How does a person listen to God? While He has the ability to speak in an audible voice, He has never chosen to speak to me that way. He has chosen to speak to me numerous times.

Nobody likes to be in one sided conversations where one person dominates all the talking. Neither does God. I promise you what He has to say is always more important than anything we have to say. Look at our prayers. Who does most of the talking? We rarely take time to listen. To read His word looking for Him to speak to us.

So I sat back putting my prayer concerns aside and listened. It is hard to still the mind and the still the heart to be quiet before the Lord. There is great value in this. Just read Ps 46:10. We are told to be still, or to put it another way, to cease striving. It is in those moments we come to know the Lord and hear from Him.

I sat before Him for several minutes when a scripture popped in my mind. A very familiar scripture. I felt impressed that I should read it and read it slowly and examine it closely. I knew the scripture by heart. God has used that passage in my life many times before. I read it. I reread it. I read it a third time to see if there might be something I missed. I squeezed that verse like a sponge to get every drop of truth out of it. I didn't see anything new.

David developed this habit of listening. In I Samuel 30 his wives were captured along with the rest of the men who served him. He inquired of the LORD what he should do and Jehovah answered him. David did this same thing many times. He inquired of God and God answered Him. Is it really that simple?

I forgot a lady's name this morning and asked God to remind me. A couple of hours later it came to me out of the blue. Coincidence?

I asked God what to preach this Sunday night and not long afterward a text settled in my mind along with a peace that was God's intended message for Sunday night. Am I making these things up?

We have trained ourselves not to listen. In all your study and the messages you have heard how much emphasis has there been on listening to God? How to practically listen? Do you practice the discipline of listening to God in your private times?

When I listen for God to speak I do a few things. I seclude myself. I want to be totally alone with just Him. I remove all distractions. No music, no video and no television. I keep my Bible close and my journal. Then I get still before God. Sometimes this doesn't happen quickly. My mind wants to race away with thoughts about the day and planning for the future. It is like pulling the reins back on a team of horses. I pull the reins back on my mind and heart.  When I do this long enough, God speaks. He primarily speaks through His word. That is why cultivating the habit of reading God's word daily is so important. When He speaks, I record those things in my journal.

I started asking questions this morning. What did God want me to see? What was I missing? I went through the verse word by word and phrase by phrase. Here is the passage.

Acts 16:9-10 (ESV)
9  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night: a man of Macedonia was standing there, urging him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.”
10  And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

The only visions I could say I've had in recent days are all related to Spring Creek, as I have shared in previous posts. I am already at Spring Creek  serving, so they are not the ones asking for help. Nobody has called me for help from anywhere else. Then it hit me. I remembered all the visions I had about Kermit, TX and Winkler County. They started back in 2014. I thought about all the trips I made out there. The prayer meetings. The Bible studies. Eventually the tent revival, or I should say the lack of a revival. We set up that tent and met for those meetings two and a half years ago. Since then, I've not thought about Kermit and Winkler county much except to wonder what all that was about.

I prayed for Kermit and neighboring town of Wink this morning. I even texted a couple of the contacts I have from that area. It did not make sense. I believe God planted me at Spring Creek. I have never been anymore content anywhere I've served. God has given me tremendous vision for the church. I love the flock. I am blessed to serve there. This whole Macedonian call made no sense to me this morning.

I was praying again not long ago when one of those dreams and visions came to me. It is like God turning on the television on in your mind. Only these mental pictures are not meant for entertainment. They are meant to reveal His heart and mind.

I see two bottle caps on the ground. Next to them are two green glass bottles of olive oil with no caps on them. Beside the bottles is a map with the words "Winkler County" on it. Two hands pick up the two bottles and pour the oil on the map. Then, a match is lit and thrown onto the map starting a fire. In the fire, the words "Winkler County" stand out in bold blazing red letters. One of the hands reaches into the fire and pulls out a hot branding iron with the words "Winkler County" on it and presses it to my chest near my heart. The map burns up in the fire and turns to ashes. The wind blows the ashes into the air and when the black ashes settle they form the words, "Unfinished business."

I don't know what all this means. Perhaps I am to preach an evangelistic meeting in Wink. Perhaps Spring Creek is to start a church in Winkler County. I don't have any details. So I keep listening. I trust God to show up and reveal the meaning of all this. It has been a very interesting day with the Lord thus far. It all started with listening.

Spring Creek Dream 9

I received this October 9, 2019.

I walk up to a river bank. The water is flowing rapidly. There is a yellow canoe on the bank. I put it in the water and get in. I have no need to paddle for the current is strong. I just have to use the paddle to steer the canoe. 

I float into a jungle area. I see multiple snakes in the trees and a pride of lions on each side of the river. The lions roar at me as I float by. Then I hear a roar louder than all the other lions put together. Out walks a massive lion with a flowing mane. When the other lions see and hear him the each lie down.

I float down the river until the sun sets and the temperature drops. In the distance I see the flickering light of a fire. I see a sandy beach area and steer the canoe there so I can get out. 

Though the fire burns there is not another person around. I wonder who started the fire and how it continues to burn without fire wood around. I walk up to the fire to warm myself. The only sound I hear is the crackling of the fire. Though alone I feel God's presence and am content to remain by the fire all by myself. I feel at peace and content that I belong there. 

After a long while, other canoes start arriving at the same place. Many come and gather by the fire to warm themselves from the chill of the air. 

A man says, "The Holy Spirit drove us all to come here."

Then a pillar of fire hovers over my head. it follows me wherever I go. I feel compelled to lay hands on the people and to pray for them. 

The massive lion walks up. Nobody is afraid for we know he is there to protect us. An eagle flies down and lands on my shoulder. He whispers, "I've come to anoint you and set you apart. I will guide you in what to do. There is much work to be done and you are the chosen vessel to do it." 

More and more people show up all with the same story. They say the Holy Spirit led them to come as they gather by the fire. 

Nobody adds wood to the fire, but it never dies. It is sustained by some other fuel source. 

Maiden Voyage

Old faithful served me well for many years. I hammered out work and used that tool everyday. Today I semi-retired it. It helped to put out over 400 posts. I used it to study for thousands of sermons. It started showing its age. I couldn't consistently receive or send emails. At times I could not log onto the internet. So I asked the church for a new clap top.. They supported the need and today my new computer came in. This is my maiden voyage with it.

The keys are placed a little differently. For the past six years I grew accustomed to the keyboard on the MacBook Pro. Now I have a Dell laptop. It has a larger monitor. It is a PC rather than a MacBook. There will be a learning curve, but I couldn't wait to get home and try her out. I am extra motivated to write.

There is a never ending supply of things to write about. When God is your subject, there is always another post to put down. When the Bile is the source of your material,, there is always something else to share with the hopes it will help someone.

On this maiden voyage, I can't help but be grateful. Grateful to God for His continuing provision so I can keep ministering through the preached and written word. I am thankful for a loving supportive church willing to provide me with the best tools to make my job easier. They are a supportive bunch. I am humbled and thankful that I get to serve them. Spring Creek serving as your pastor is one of the highlights of my life and brings a joyous delight I cannot put into words. At least not yet. In time I will probably try.

On this maiden voyage, with this new computer, I know it will take a little time to get my fingers accustomed to the keyboard. It will take some learning to gofrom an Apple product to a Dell. I know in the end this computer will help me study for messages, write blogs, write books, and stay connected and informed.

Stay tuned. There will be much more to follow in the days, months and years ahead.

Lesson From A Blue Ball

On an errand into town recently, I saw and unusual sight. When I pulled up to the signal light to stop, I noticed a blue ball rolling down hill on the road I would soon turn onto. I watched that ball pick up steam rolling down hill hugging the curb, and then the ball hit a break in the curb and bounced out into one lane, then the next, and eventually into the turn lane and underneath a car. It might have made it between two cars. I could not tell for sure because I lot sight of it.

It made me wonder where the ball started it's unusual journey. Did it start in some back yard with a kid kicking the ball over the fence? Did it start at a daycare with an overzealous child's throw that cleared the confines of a fence? Did it roll out of a car or the back of a truck? I will never know. It did set me to thinking.

Just like the blue ball rolling down the hill, so is the movement of God through His Spirit picking up momentum. He is moving right into our paths. He works in unusual and mysterious ways. Sometimes you may miss Him if you are not looking for Him. He doesn't always come in a blaze of glory. Sometimes He comes in a still small voice. How He comes is not nearly as important as is recognizing that He does come and when He comes.

In the fast pace of life in Parker County, that simple blue ball seemed way out of place. I couldn't tell for sure, but it looked like a blue dodge ball. Such a simple little ball. Rolling and bounding down a five lane busy thoroughfare. It rolled where it pleased. For all I know, it may still be rolling. I didn't see it on my return trip.

The movement of God is often simple. So simple people can overlook it. It may start with an impression, a burden, a single verse, an inner prompting, or a random act of kindness. God's movements often swing on little hinges of obedience. A prayer. A step of faith. A text. A phone call. A visit. A word of witness. An act of service. A step out of the safe and secure boat.

His movements build momentum. Don't despise the day of small beginnings. I'm sure the initial roll of that ball was much slower than when I saw it coming down the hill. You may be rolling slow in your ministry and service to God. It may not appear you are making much progress or difference. Don't despise the day of small beginnings. Don't just look at the way things are now. Look through the eyes of faith and what God intends to be. Believe Him for it. Trust Him to get the ball of His movement rolling and then trust Him to pick up the momentum.

If a blue ball can roll down a busy five lane road without anyone guiding it, God can do whatever needs to be done in your situation. Give Him time to work. Trust Him to move mountains and build momentum as He's building His kingdom right where you are planted. Roll God roll.

Does Doctrine Matter

Does doctrine matter? Before we try to answer that question we need to define what doctrine means.

doctrine | ˈdäktrən |
noun
a belief or set of beliefs held and taught by a Church, political party, or other group

In Acts 2:42 we learn the early church devoted themselves to the apostles' doctrine. Meaning they devoted themselves to their teachings.

So, back to our original question, does doctrine matter? I am sure there are a wide range of opinions on this. Many grew up in churches where preachers preached and taught exclusively on doctrine. They used words so big few knew the meanings. They exegeted lofty truths hard to comprehend. They did not bring those lofty truths down for the common people to be able to grasp.

Things are different today. Preachers often preach to felt needs. They craft messages based on what they perceive people need. If they struggle with anxiety, a series will be offered to help a person deal with anxiety. If a person struggles with financial woes, a different sermon series will be offered to help that person learn how to manage money. You get the drift. These series are topical in nature and always very practical and helpful.

Still, the question remains. Does doctrine really matter? We live in an age where doctrinal distinctives are not clearly defined. Congregations are made up of  hodgepodge of theological beliefs and convictions.

At the risk of losing you before I try to answer my first question, I pose a second. Really a second and a third question. WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE? Theologically speaking. That is just a fancy way of saying what do you believe about God. My third question is WHY DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU BELIEVE?

What do you believe about God when He came into existence? What do you believe about His role in creation? What do you believe about His powers and limitations? What do you believe about His knowledge? Why did God sacrifice His Son? What role does God play in contemporary culture? Does God have anything to say about the end times?

What do you believe about the Bible? How essential is it for daily life? Does the Bible have any place in secular society?

What do you believe about salvation? What does it take for a person to be reconciled with God? How did Jesus get to Earth? Why did He die on a cross? What happened to His body?Where is He now? What is He doing? What are His future plans? How was He conceived? Where was He born? Why did He come in the first place? What kind of life did He lead? What did He teach?

What do you know about the Holy Spirit? What role does He play in our world today? Is He necessary for Christians? How can the Holy Spirit practically help the Christian church?

I suspect more than one of you could not answer all those questions. Maybe a great deal of you. That series of questions made some of you come to the conclusion that you do not know what you believe on a wide variety of subjects. Others believe what you believe because somebody told you to do so. Your convictions may be compromised and your doctrine is on shaky foundation.

Issues like transgenderism, same sex marriage, abortion, governmental rights and limitations, salvation and religious liberty are addressed in the Bible. DOCTRINE MATTERS! Doctrine produces conviction. Convictions backed up by courage are what the church has stood on for centuries.

Only today, doctrine is nearly extinct. We live in an age of anything goes in church. People are encouraged to believe what is true for them. Truth is truth. Truth is truth whether I believe it or not. God's standards have not nor will they ever change. We need to discover what He thinks about the social issues of the day and side with Him rather than the politically correct prevailing winds of the day.

Doctrine matters and more preachers should preach it. Sure, they should preach doctrine empowered by the Holy Spirit with power and life. It should not be an endless series of boring lectures. People should be taught the meat of the word. To have the Bible expounded. To learn powerful doctrinal truths to help them stand in these troubling and turbulent times. Yes, doctrine matters. Learn for yourself. Study the Bible for yourself and form your own convictions.

Spring Creek Dream 8

I received this on September 17, 2019.

An eagle is perched high above Spring Creek looking out over the horizon. He is waiting for something. I the far distance he sees a plume of smoke and to flies to investigate where the smoke comes from. It is coming from my home office. 

A trail of fire comes from inside spreading toward Spring Creek. This is not physical fire. It is invisible to everyone but the eagle. 

The eagle follows the trail of fire back toward Spring Creek. The wind drives it southward. It stops at the front porch of the sanctuary. It smolders for awhile before the winds blows and reignites the flame. The flame engulfs the facilities. Again, this is spiritual fire and not physical fire. 

As people walk through the refining fire, their clothes are burned and replaced with clean white robes. I hear the people singing, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." As they do, I hear the clanking of shackles opening and chains falling off people. 

The chains are piled into a heap until the flame comes and melts the iron until it is molten. Two large hands appear shaping the molten iron into an Old Testament altar. Only on this altar people offer their bodies and lives. 

Spring Creek Dream 7

I received this on September 11, 2019.

Father' Day 2020 I see the back doors of the sanctuary fly open with a mighty rushing wind bowing papers everywhere and knocking over plants. The wind blows right into the sanctuary rekindling fire in the hearts of those gathered. The crowd is sparse. 

People are moved to tears forming a river flowing all the way to town. Everywhere it flows it cleanses and refreshes. 

I see a steady line of car headlights driving up Hwy 51 and turning into the church parking lot. There are so many cars they have to park near the tabernacle. 

I've never heard worship like this before. Celebratory. Joyous. Loud. People clap. Some raise their hands. Most sit weeping in God's presence. 

When it comes times for me to preach, I go behind the pulpit and open my Bible. The words come off the page forming little black lariat ropes. People are caught in the loops from their seats and drawn to the altar. Some are ushered into the side rooms with counselors where they get saved. I see many baptized, but I am not doing the baptisms. The joy is contagious. Nightly people testify about how Jesus changed their lives. Each person who testifies unleashes a fresh wave of wind blowing into the hearts melting rebellion, and drawing many more to salvation. 

I open the door to the prayer room and immediately feel a blast of heat from the room. Inside I hear the wails and groans of intercessors. The more they pray the more the wind swirls through the sanctuary. By this time, there are no more seats. A few chairs are brought in but the room is full. 

While all this happens, I fall to my knees and bow my head to the carpet saying, "Thank You God. Thank You for using an unworthy vessel like me. Please do it again. I ask You for more."

Spring Creek Dream 6

I received this on September 4, 2019.

I walk outside on a bitterly cold winter day. The skies are overcast, the ground is covered with snow and everything is coated in a blanket of ice. 

I start down a path in a forest. The path has been unused and is overgrown with entangled vines covered in ice making the journey difficult. Slowly I make my way through. 

I come to a clearing and see Spring Creek. The hedges are covered in snow. The roof is completely blanketed in snow. The trees are barren but the weight of the ice on the branches makes them bow low. 

I look down at my feet and see a black leather Bible buried beneath the snow and ice. I dig it out and force the frozen pages open. the Bible opens to Ezekiel 37 and my eyes land on verses 3-10. I pray, "May it be LORD."

Suddenly a warm wind begins to blow and the clouds break as the sun shines through. Rapidly everything thaws out and the temperature rises. Beautiful leaves bud and blossom on the trees. Vibrant multi-colored flowers sprout and grow. The grass turns green. 

Spring Creek Dream 5

I received this on August 29, 2019.

I'm seated in a Jeep covered with mud. Ahead of me I see a muddy road as far as I can see. I start down the road slinging mud everywhere. I navigate ruts, potholes, and the slippery road. 

Ahead I see a steep hill. I have to press the accelerator harder to creep up that hill. When I reach the top, I'm surprised to see a smooth blacktop highway with freshly painted lines. Houses line both sides of the road with lush green lawns. 

A rain shower comes and washes all the mud off me and the white Jeep. By this time the sun sets, and way up ahead I see bright lights. When I arrive at the lights it is Spring Creek Baptist Church with several cars in the parking lot. I can hear music coming from inside. I see the words on the marquee, "Revival Continues." I step out of the Jeep wearing black slacks and a white dress shirt.

Spring Creek Dream 4

I received this on August 28, 2020.


I am sitting in a large clearing at night in a forrest huddled over a smoldering fire. I blow on the embers and fan them to ignite the flame. When the flame ignites, I put leaves, twigs and eventually limbs to enlarge the fire. As I keep adding wood to the fire, it grows into a bonfire lighting up the dark area.

One by one people show up carrying firewood. Some bring one log and others bring several. Written on the firewood  are words like; fear, depression, alone, addiction, broken, rejected and abused. These are the issue people struggle with. One by one each is tossed into the fire setting the people free and enlarging the flame. 

Neal, David, Damon, Gary and I all take torches and stick the ends in the fire to light them. Then we go different directions to cold dark homes. We use the torches to light candles, lanterns and fires in the fireplaces. 

Then, I see these words on the church marquee, "Revival Continues."

Spring Creek Dream 3

I received this on August 24, 2019.

A group of people are praying fervently. As they do, little earthquakes go out from all directions from the epicenter of that prayer meeting. 

Dozens of little streams form all flowing to Spring Creek. Dozens of boats float to the church carrying families. Multiple children get out and run and hug me. 

When I go into the sanctuary, it is so bright I can hardly see. I have to shield my eyes as I make my way to the pulpit. I cannot preach though. I'm overwhelmed in God's presence. All I can manage to say is, "Come." Multitudes come to the front falling on their knees. Some come to get saved. Some come to repent. Some come to unload burdens. 

Outside the message on the marquee I see the words, "Revival continues."

Spring Creek Dream 2

I received this on August 5, 2010.

I see a large eraser come out of the sky and start rubbing out the name Ichabod over the doors of Spring Creek. The residue of that erased word is scattered by the wind. 

I see a pen come from the sky and write the word,Kwah-yah, meaning alive, revive and recover over the doors of the church. The letters are written in red ink. The winds pick up and blow away all the scattered debris around the church leaving it clean. 

The wind shifts direction and in the distance I see multiple sail boats being driven by the wind toward Spring Creek. The boats dock and several people come up. These are people being driven by the Spirit of God. Whatever they touch comes to life. Khaw-yah is the banner flying over Spring Creek now. 

Spring Creek Dream 1

On July 30, 2019 after praying I dreamed the following.


I see Jesus with a megaphone and a crowd assembled around Him. He shouts, "I will send one more great awakening before the end." 

I see myself alone hunched over a dying campfire. I'm trying to fan the flames. Slowly the flames grow. As I add more wood to the fire, the flames grow and people gather gather around he fire. 

God speaks, "As the campfire, so is your heart. As you fan the flames and burn, people will gather to the fire. Preach on prayer. Read about prayer. Devote yourself to prayer. To the degree you do this, I will bless you and revive Spring Creek. I will revive the church."

Introduction To Spring Creek Dreams

Several years ago I began having dreams. Not your run of the mill dreams. These were vivid. Filled with imagery. Many of them had a similar theme. Revival. In most of them I either prayed or preached for revival. Some of the images changed. The message seemed consistent. God wanted to use me in revival.

They started in 2014. I never had one of those dreams before that. They always come during or right after time spent in prayer. For years the Lord awakens me several times a week anywhere between 2:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. It is time to pray and seek the LORD. I usually go back to bed afterwards until time to get up for work. During that second sleep, the dreams come from time to time. Most often they come during prayer.  When I pray, it's like a television screen comes on in my mind and a movie starts playing. Sometimes the images are congruent. At other times, they appear disjointed. The message is undeniable. God has a plan and He wants to include me in it.

This happened so often that Brenda bought me a book about dream symbols. Over the past five years, I have found that book extremely helpful. I talked to some individuals about the dreams. Three counselors told me they definitely thought God used those dreams to communicate with me. A handful of others were concerned that demons planted the dreams in my heart to influence me. Caught in the middle I felt confused.

I learned over time whom I could trust to share these dreams. Some might call them visions. Paul had a Macedonian vision in Acts 16:9.

Acts 16:9-10 (NKJV)
9  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us."
10  Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.

Joseph had and interpreted dreams in Genesis. God spoke through dreams and visions to the prophets. He warned Joseph in the Gospels to take Jesus and Mary to Egypt to protect them. Some believe God communicates by this method and others don't. I am past trying to explain it or convince people. I devote myself to seeking Him. I do not abandon reading His word. I have read it more this year than any other time in my life. If He wants to communicate to me in this way I am open. I don't seek them. I seek Him.

The dreams still come and always after prayer. In subsequent posts I am going to share some specific things God has shown me for Spring Creek Baptist Church. I'm sharing this more for them than anyone else, but hope the Lord will use them to speak to others. Like Paul I'm open and ready to receive whatever God wants to share with me.

Out Of The Boat

Matthew 14:22-33 (NKJV)
22  Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
23  And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
24  But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.
25  Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
26  And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear.
27  But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid."
28  And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
29  So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30  But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
31  And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
32  And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
33  Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, "Truly You are the Son of God."

I prayed for days about the message God wanted me to preach Sunday night. Sometimes through the night. I felt a mandate to preach about getting out of the boat and confessing a sin. For days I prayed and in a way dreaded what I had to do Sunday night. It would be a turning point. I prayed all Sunday afternoon. Over and over again I asked God to prepare the people for they would hear that night. As the hour approached, I felt apprehensive. It would be a big step of faith. God called me to step out and I resolved to do so but felt unsure as to how the people would receive it.

It has been a long time since I felt so nervous and uncomfortable in the pulpit. Especially at Spring Creek. Though we have only been there a short time, I have felt at home there since the fist Sunday. Like I belonged. Not on this occasion. God had me way out of my comfort zone and I had publicly shared beforehand that I would confess a sin that night. A sin that affected the whole church.

At the point in the message where I had to come clean, I took a deep breath and shared. My sin. Twos sins really. Fear. Unbelief. Some may say, "That's it? You made a big deal out of doubt and unbelief? I thought it would be something more juicy and sordid." I assure you the sins of fear and unbelief in my life offended God and I believe hindered God's blessing on Spring Creek which I could no longer live with.

As far back as July, God began revealing His plan for Spring Creek to me. He painted a picture in my mind and heart I found, and still find it hard to believe. Over these past two and half months that vision has increasingly come into focus. His burden has kept me up seeking Him more than I ever have at any point in my life. It is a vision so large that I dared not share it publicly. I tried sharing with a few people privately. Each time I could tell it was hard for them process. So I kept it mostly to myself.

At one point God chastised me that I could not share it publicly until I became fully convinced the vision was from Him. So I held my peace. Prayer consumed me but I dared not go public with the vision. I refused to share the dream to Spring Creek or on this platform. I sat in the safety of the boat  curled up like a scared child unwilling to even look at Jesus on the water. For months I did this.

Then Jesus convicted me in the cab of my truck last Thursday. He called out about my fear and unbelief. I could no longer hide in the safety of the boat. He called me out of the boat. To take a huge risk so early in my new ministry at Spring Creek. Well do I remember having to do the same ting at Seminole. I felt the exact same way the Sunday night I shared the vision about that revival. Scared. Nervous. Convicted and convinced I had to do it. That is what I did last night. I went public with the vision and stepped out of the boat. The point of no return before a new flock I love.

Here is the vision.

God has continually put in my heart that He is going to send revival to Spring Creek Baptist Church. A real revival. Repeatedly He has impressed on me that it will start on Father's Day, June 21, 2020. He has also impressed on me that many will be saved and that it will last longer than any of us think. I am to immerse myself in revival culture and to lead the church in that same culture over these next eight months. I am also to write a 70 day devotional book to prepare Spring Creek for what God is about to do. We will start those devotions on Easter 2020. They will lead us up to Father's Day.

What I did not share last night, is over these past two and a half months God has given me several specific dreams or visions about this revival. I will share them throughout the rest of this week. I've only shared those with two trusted friends. On top of that, God has spoken very specifically about things He is calling me to do in preparation. He is requiring me to pray for a certain length of time each day. He is requiring fasting. He is calling me to write this devotion book titled, Shake The City Prayer Guide: A Prelude To Revival. He's impressed on me a specific friend to come and lead the revival meetings in worship. I am called to preach those meetings.

I'm out of the boat. When I finished sharing this last night, I called the congregation to a prayer meeting. I went down to the front pew in the middle section. I sunk to my knees in exhaustion from unloading this burden. As soon as I knelt, I knew the dam of tears I had fought back were about to spill out. They did. They formed a puddle on the pew. I kept praying through sobs, "God I obeyed you. I stepped out of the boat. I obeyed you." I also pleaded for Him to capture the hearts of the people. Most of them have never experienced genuine revival. How could they understand and believe unless God put the same burden He has placed on me in them.

I have put my hands on the side of the boat and stepped over the edge. I am looking at Jesus and out on the water.

Why the fear and unbelief? I have been through this before two other times. Once in Seminole. God ushered in a true revival that lasted 28 straight days and 36 people getting saved. I had to step out the boat to cast vision for that revival months before it ever came to pass. The second, in the small town of Kermit, TX. I had dreams and visions about that town. In them I felt called to go there and set up a tent and preach a revival. God orchestrated all of it. We secured a piece of land to hold the meeting. God provided to rent a tent and chairs. He also provided for the worship team to have hotel rooms and food for the week. We entered the week with expectations. I failed miserably. Under that big tent we never had more than a dozen people show up. I felt humiliated. I never want to go through something like that again.

When God first began putting these things in my heart about the revival at Spring Creek, I immediately thought about Kermit and shrunk back in unbelief. When He persisted in calling me to believe Him for this revival, I sat back in fear refusing to go public with it. I do not want to make a fool of myself again.

Like Peter seeing Jesus walk on the water, and seeing the potential to do the same, I hear Jesus simply say, "Come out of the boat." In faith I have and will. I believe Him for revival. Spring Creek will never be the same again. I will never be the same again.

Now, there are eight months to prepare. Eight months to pray. Eight months to write. Eight months to fast. Eight months to cast vision for revival. Eight months to believe. Eight months to keep my eyes on Jesus as I step out and stay out of the safe, comfortable, secure confines of the boat. Will you join me?

On The Eve

The new series is set to begin. Studies have been made. Prayers have been prayed. Notes have been jotted down. Now there is waiting for the clock to tick down. At this writing, the service is about 15 hours and five minutes from starting. I wait. With anticipation I wait. Soon there will be sleep. Then there will be more prayers.

On the eve of another worship gathering and anther opportunity to deliver God's word I wait excitedly. After 23 years of pastoral ministry, you might think it gets old, the routine, the same old same old grind. Truth is, I'm more excited about my ministry now than I've been in a very long time.

First, there are people who really long to hear the word of God. They want the meat. Solid food. Such people make up Spring Creek Baptist Church. I am honored and blessed to get to feed them spiritually with the life giving truth of God's holy word.

Second, they are praying people. Multiple times I've prayed with them. It is encouraging and inspiring to preach for people who pray for you.

Third, those folks love my family. They go out of their way to express that love. I do not take them for granted. We love them too. More and more with each tasing week.

Fourth, we gather in great, no GREAT, facilities. I cannot walk through the sanctuary without gratitude filling my heart and lips. It is an honor and joy to stand behind that pulpit.

Sixth, I get to live my dream. I get to live in my sweet spot. To do what God created me to do.

Finally, I get a front row seat to watch God work. It never gets old. To see Him reveal truth, comfort the afflicted, afflict the comfortable, save the lost, encourage the saints, and draw people into encounters with Himself. I can hardly wait to get to do it all again.

14 hours and 51 minutes I get to do it all over again. Praise His name for it. May it never get old on the Eve of another Sunday.

They Came Running

We got up early to make the drive to the game. We were a little unsure of where the game would be played, as we had never been there before. We got some directions and found our way.

Walking up we saw some familiar faces. They did not see us at first. When they did they came running. You see, we were not at one of our son's football games. We were watching two little girls play volleyball from our church. We had been trying to make it happen for weeks and the schedules never worked out. They finally did today.

Mom and Dad did not see us. One of their girls did and she came running to hug us. Soon big sister came running to get her hug followed by their youngest sister. they seemed so excited to see us and were equally excited to see them. I wish I could tell you how that made us feel. We received and gave several hugs before the day ended.

Jesus made time for children. They were and still are important to Him. If Jesus loves the children,  so should we. They should be a priority. they should not be looked at as a nuisance. They should be looked at as a blessing. I have served in churches without children. It is a sad sight. I love the sight and sound of children running around.

What breaks my heart is how many children are growing up in terrible environments. They are treated harshly, introduced to wicked things that will warp the way they the world and other people. They are often belittled, criticized incessantly and neglected. Hurt children grow up to hurt other people. The cycle repeats itself unless Jesus intervenes. Jesus changes everything for a child.

Matthew 19:13-15 (NKJV)
13  Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.
14  But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven."
15  And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

Jesus was not too important or too busy to make time for children. He loved them. He touched them. He listened to them. He still does. We ought to do the same. Let the children keep running toward us. May our arms be open wide.

I Have A Personal Question

After a few minutes of waiting, he walked into the room. A tall man wearing glasses with a kind smile. He carried a manilla folder under this arm. He reached out to shake my hand and Turner's. The doctor sat down and asked Turner what happened. Turner relayed how he injured his left knee in a football game two weeks ago.

Next, he posted the MRI results on a device so we could look at the images together. He pointed out several things and then gave his diagnosis. Then we talked about options for surgery and how he would suggest repairing the knee.

I was impressed with how much time he took with us. He comes highly recommended. He did not rush us through like cattle through the chutes. Then, he asked if either Turner or I had any other questions.

jI replied, "Yes I do. It is a personal question. Do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?" He didn't look offended or surprised. Calmly he said, "Yes I do." We smiled the smile shared between strangers but knowing we are also related through the blood of Jesus.

Asking that one question seems off limits in these politically charged times. People get afraid they might offend someone. The gospel is an offensive message to some. A stumbling block. Foolishness. I would rather offend people here and now than have them offend a righteous God at the Judgement Seat of Christ. It's worth it to me if people can be rescued from eternal hell fire damnation.

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 (ESV)
17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
18  All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;
19  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
20  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

God has given us the ministry of talking to people so that they can be reconciled to God through faith in Jesus. We are called to be ambassadors for Christ. That means we are His representatives. Wherever we go. We are to represent Him on official business. In a barber shop. I tried out a new barbershop yesterday and witnessed to the owner. She says she is saved and not involved in a church. I invited her to Spring Creek.  We can talk about Jesus anywhere.That includes at restaurants, doctor examination rooms, at little league games, next door, across the street and even around the world.

 Christ has been shared with many people over the years. There are some people it takes time. A relationship has to be established. Trust has to be built. There were others it happens much more quickly. Either way, I have discovered that you still have to cross that bridge and ask the personal question about a person's relationship with Jesus Christ.

Yesterday,  I  got to explain the difference between religion teaching you have to do something to earn God's approval with salvation, and Jesus already having done everything needed for our salvation. Jesus is the difference between doing and done. His death on the cross is sufficient. Salvation is a gift if we believe Him for it by faith.

It is a privilege to get to talk about Jesus to other people. As His ambassadors, I hope and pray we're continually looking for opportunities to do that. It can start just by asking a personal question.

Bug Buffet

Turner had two doctor appointments today. Not good news on either. A major infection on his elbow and the doctor confirmed he has a torn ACL. We are in the process of scheduling surgery now.

I had stop to get gas on the way to Fort Worth for the orthopedic doctor. As I pumped gas I noticed all these black birds all over the place around the gas pumps. Curiously I wondered why so many congregated there. I thought maybe they hope for a crumb to fall from a car. I went inside the store and when I came out something caught my eye.

One of those black birds sat in front of my truck on the ground. He didn't seem the least concerned as I approached.  I wondered what he might be doing there. Soon I found out. The bird ate the bugs off my front grill, bumper and license plate. We drove to Wayland last weekend to watch the older sons play football. We hit a lot of bugs on the drive home and they were caked on thick. These birds were geniuses. They knew that with every car that stopped they could eat the bugs off the cars and get their bug buffet for the day. And they didn't do anything to earn that meal. They just showed up and God gave them the sense to figure it all out.

Matthew 6:25-33 (ESV)
25  “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?
26  Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
27  And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
28  And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,
29  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
31  Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’
32  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
33  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

We are commanded to look at the birds in the air. We are reminded they do not sow nor do they reap and gather into barns. Here is the biggest reminder. The Heavenly Father, Yahweh, feeds them. Think of all the millions of birds throughout the world. God feeds everyone of them.

On my drive home yesterday I saw hundreds of birds perched on a power line. God takes care of each of them. Now, here is the most pressing question. Do you believe you are more valuable in the eyes and heart of God than all those birds put together? God didn't send Jesus to die on a cross for birds or any other animal for that matter. He sent Him to sacrifice for people. For you. For me. That is the proof of your value. The cross.

So don't worry. Don't be anxious. Your Heavenly Father knows what you need. He knows your address. His resources are limitless. His storehouse is full. He has provision for anything and everything you will ever need. The same God who provides a bug buffet for the birds is more than able to meet your needs too. Rest in that.

Facing Your Fears

What are you afraid of? I bet you have something. Something that makes you weak in the knees. Something that quickens your pulse and makes your palms sweaty. My number one thing as a youngster was public speaking. When I had to give an oral book report I kept my eyes on my notecards and never looked up from them once to make eye contact with my classmates.

God made me face those fears when He called me to preach.

There are other fears to face now. Mostly they revolve around God requiring some step of faith. After close to three decades, you would think those faith steps would no longer come with fear. Trouble is those faith steps that started out as baby steps decades ago are now giant leaps. The stakes are higher. The risks are greater. The fears are magnified as well.

Fears that come in the form of questions. What if I heard God wrong? What if I fail? What if people around don't believe and support God's assignment? Why an ordinary person like me? Can God really call me to such faith steps?

Time and again God has required me to face my fears. I bet He has also done that for many of you. God has a lot to say about fear. One of my favorite is the following verse.

2 Timothy 1:7 (ESV)
7  for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

Another verse that speaks to fear is found in Isaiah.

Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)
10  fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Noah faced them. Moses had to face his fears. Samuel did when he first heard from God. So did David. The disciples and Paul did as well. So will we. From where we sit we see some big scary monster fear staring us down and breathing down our necks. We know what we have to do. We have to summon courage which comes from faith. We will have to take a deep breath, face that fear and step out trusting God with the outcome.

Coincidence Or Providence?

Several years ago a husband and wife felt the deep call of God to go to Africa to minister. They committed to do so by faith never asking anyone for financial help or for other needs. As time neared for them to depart the couple had three unusual prayer requests. They prayed for two watches, two heavy raincoats and a fountain pen. Like I said, unusual requests.

When they met with the mission sending agency for orientation, they were invited to breakfast the following morning by an influential man. During the course of the meal this man asked the couple an odd question. He asked if they both had watches. The husband answered they did not. Upon hearing this the influential man said, "My son wants to provide watches for both of you."

Later in the conversation this man asked the couple if they had rain coats for the rainy season in Africa. The husband again replied they did not. The man pulled out a card and wrote something on it. He handed it to the husband instructing him to go to the address on the card and pick two rain coats for which he would be responsible to pay for.

Then out of the blue, he held out the pen he used to write the note on the card. He asked if they had such a pen at which they replied they did not. He took  two such pens  out of coat and gave them to the couple.

Coincidence? Providence?

The influential man invited the couple to breakfast again the next day and brought an associate with him. He asked the couple to share some of their faith experiences. When the couple testified about their prayers for the watches, the raincoats and the pen the influential man couldn't believe it. He knew God had used him as an instrument to meet needs for this couple.

Brenda and I have experienced similar answers. After reading that story this afternoon, I took out my prayer journal and jotted down seven things I asked God for specifically. The missionary couple's testimony inspired me to pray for some very specific things so I can one day testify about how God came through and answered. It will not be coincidence. It will be providential intervention.

An Open Door For The Gospel

I walked outside to put some mail in the mailbox and had just started walking back when a car turned from the highway rapidly and then into the church parking lot. I did not recognize the car. Out a woman bounded and pleaded to be able to use the restroom. She commented there was nowhere to do so out in the country. She was not from around here. I showed her the way and afterward she was out the door with thanks about has fast as she came in.

There was no time to share any truth with her. I lamented that fact and then busied myself in other work. About an hour later I heard the door open from outside and to my surprise this same lady came back needing to use the restroom again. As soon as she shut the door I prayed for an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ with her.

Turns out Debbie (not her real name)  is from Arlington. She was in the area for some business and waiting on someone at a gated piece of  property. She found out they would be delayed and we had the chance to chat. I found out she grew up Catholic. Then I had the chance to present the clear gospel of Jesus Christ to her. I am not sure she had ever heard it before put that simply. She listened intently. I thought she was about to receive Christ but she hesitated. She wanted to know where she could find the sinner's prayer. I assured her she could just pray her own prayer admitting her sin guilt and need for Jesus to forgive, save and declare her righteous.

Before she left we prayed. Prayer that she would trust Jesus at some point as her Savior. When I finished, she was staring at me. I don't think she ever closed her eyes. God orchestrated the whole thing. He opened the door to share the gospel. He made her receptive. He drew her to Spring Creek twice in one day. I have prayed several times for Debbie to trust Jesus as her Savior. I know God went with her when she left here. I gave her a business card to call me if she had questions, and told her to check out our website.

Turns out she dropped by here last Sunday to use the restroom while we were in worship. She heard the music and saw the people. She thought we were having mass. I wish she would have stayed. I thank God for an opportunity to share the best news in the world with this lady. Sure seems to me God is up to something bringing her here 3 times in less than a week.

May the Lord continue to open doors for us declare the good news of Jesus He brings across our path.

My Heroes

Even as a grown man I still have heroes. Three of mine fortunately are still alive. You may not have heard of them. Charles Roberts, Bob Harper or Jess Little. Each of these men had and still have a profound impact on my life.

Charles Roberts baptized me and is the man I still consider my pastor. He served Denman Avenue Baptist Church, my home church, for 34 years. He faithfully expounded the word of God three times a week. He persevered. He loved. He invested in me and gave me ministry opportunities. I owe him so much.

I served with Bob Harper as a youth minister. Brother Bob loved and still loves to read theology at 82. He is a people person and joyful even in adversity. He served the Spring Creek Baptist Church for 14 years and then New Faith Baptist Church for close to 20. He is in an assisted living place now and preaches to the residents each Sunday morning. Brother Bob at one time had a library of over 10,000 books. We both shared a passion for revival and talk about that when we get together. I love that man.

Jess Little is the dad of one of my college friends. He grew up in the Pan Handle of Texas. He is an old cow poke God called to preach. He served the Sunset Heights Baptist Church for 23 years before retiring at 73 about a year ago. He had a library of over 5,000 books of which he gave me most of them. What a gift. He read voraciously and expounded solid doctrinal messages to his flock. I talk to him on the phone often and recently saw him when he was in the metroplex. He is a theologian. Self taught. A bold man of God. I love him like a father.

Each of these men stayed in their churches ad lovingly labored over the long haul. They faced adversity. Two of them lost sons in tragedies. One is a widower. Two have wives with chronic health issues. All three are aging and facing their own health issues. All three keep ministering when given the chance. I admire these men. They are examples of what a pastor should be. They are what I strive to be.

I thank God for these heroes. I know they were not and are not perfect. I still hold them in high esteem. When I talk to them and get around them, I am encouraged. I am blessed. I am filled with gratitude God put them in my life. I salute Brother Charles, Brother Bob and Brother Jess. You faithfully executed your charge. Well done good and faithful servants.

Parental Courage

Eli served as a priest in Shiloh. He had two sons who followed in his footsteps as priests. Hophni and Phinehas. God had a definite opinion about these two sons. Read it for yourself.

1 Samuel 2:12 (ESV)
12  Now the sons of Eli were worthless men. They did not know the LORD.

The word worthless in that passage means they were corrupt. They were bonafide hypocrites. They despised the offerings of the Lord. When someone brought a sacrifice they took what they wanted for themselves before it was offered to God. They also committed fornication repeatedly with the women who served at the entrance of the tent of meeting. Their sin was public knowledge to the nation. Eli was told repeatedly but Eli acted a coward.

1 Samuel 2:22 (ESV)
22  Now Eli was very old, and he kept hearing all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who were serving at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Eli heard about all his sons were doing. Not just once. He kept hearing these reports. What did he do? He talked to them but did not go further. He did not remove them from public office. The law was not observed in response to their immoral and corrupt ways. Compromise abounded. Concessions were made. It ended up costing all three of them dearly.

God had enough and sent a prophet to pronounce judgement on the house of Eli. Not just for his two sons. The seer prophesied both sons would die on the same day. He also pronounced the house of Eli would be cut off. God had a priest in training to take Eli's place as well as his sons.

I understand a parent's love, but I do not understand turning a blind eye to sin. Over the years I've had to confront my sons about sins. It has not been easy. I did not confront because I did not love them. I did it because I did and do love them. I want them to walk uprightly before God.

Some parents act like they are scared of their children. Afraid their kids will not be their friends. God did not call parents to be kids' friends. He called us to love, train, nurture and reprove them. He called us to teach them to submit to God's authority. To ignore this is to do your children a great disservice.

I understand full well as children grow up, you cannot force them to serve God. They have to own their relationship with God. That does not mean we turn a blind eye to openly rebellious and sinful behavior. Sin has consequences. It did in the Garden of Eden and does in our homes today.

Dr. James Dobson wrote that parenting is not for cowards. It takes courage to look your children in the eye and stand your ground when the majority of other church member parents cave in to societal peer pressure. To knowingly ignore sin in a child's life is to sanction such sin.

With confrontation there can be grace when the child is repentant. What if Eli had removed his sons from office and prayerfully confronted them instead of just telling them the rumors he heard about them. What if those sons were brought to repentance when they were removed from office. If Eli had parented with courage and conviction instead of cowardice and concession maybe his boys' lives could have been spared and Eli's house would always had someone serving in the priestly office.

Sadly such was not the case. Both sons died on the same day. Eli broke his neck shortly thereafter. It is the sad tale of corrupt sons and a cowardly father. May we learn our lessons from this story before it it too late. Parent with courage.

Conviction In The Cab

As I pulled out of the church parking lot to make the commute back home, I thumbed through some cds to find something to listen to. I know. Cds are old fashioned but I have no music on my phone. I have no auxiliary cord even if I did. I was not in the mood for music. I wanted a sermon. I found one and plugged it in. It was not the one I expected, but it was the one God intended.

I made my way through town and down the backroads toward home. This message, which I have listened to numerous times, started hitting close to home. After I drove through the town of Poolville, God showed up in the cab of my truck in the form of reproof. Conviction hit home. Each point of the preacher drove the conviction a little deeper. I realized I had sinned and needed to repent.

Each point hit like a heavyweight boxer. I could not escape. It did not happen in a sanctuary. No one else attended that little meeting between God and I but the two of us and His Spirit. At first,  I felt embarrassed that such a sin had snuck up on me so unsuspectingly. Then I thought about previous commitments made to God that my sin violated.

It went deeper than just repenting. It became very clear what God intended me to do in response. He is requiring that I  confess the sin publicly which I will do Sunday night during the evening message. I will also take a giant step in obeying God's leadership. It is all risky. Way out of my comfort zone. Sunday night is not normally a highly attended gathering. I'm not doing it Sunday night to hide anything. I am doing it Sunday night at God's direction and because following the message we will go into a church wide prayer meeting.

I did not expect to have such a profound encounter with God on the way home in the cab of my truck. That is the way it is with God. He can show up anywhere at anytime to do His work in us. It makes a walk with God thrilling. People just never know when God will show up and what He will do next. It makes me want to pursue Him even more.

Lord keep it coming. Have your way in us. Bend our hearts toward You. Convict us where it is needed. Please honor our faith steps in obedience for Your glory. I ask for Your help on Sunday night not to shrink back in fear but to courageously obey You. Please help those in attendance prepare themselves to hear from you too. May they come eager to meet with You and repent if convicted also. I trust You to have Your way in all of us. In Your name Jesus I ask it, amen.

Never Forget

As an eighteen year old teenager just graduated from high school, I walked forward during the invitation one Sunday morning. Our youth group had attended two youth camps in successive weeks. I had a decision to make public. I had wrestled with it for months.

I walked down and took Brother Charles Roberts' hand. I told him God had called me to preach. He neither looked surprised or bewildered. He prayed with me. I can't remember what he prayed. I do remember two things he told me when everyone filed past. One is not relevant to this post. The second thing he told me started with the phrase never forget. 

What could be so important that he would tell me never to forget it. To have my quiet time. To pray. To read my Bible. To stay a student of God's word for life. To memorize scripture. To build strong faith.

He did not utter a word of any of that on that day. He said, "Never forget to say, 'thank you.'" He told me that back on Sunday July 7, 1985. He knew that people continually look for ways to bless the preacher and or pastor. It happens repeatedly. He counseled me to never take those things for granted. To never take people for granted. To thank people for their love, kind words, love gifts, service and devotion. It is something Brenda and I have tried to do.

Each month we have thank you letters to write to someone for some kind thing they did. As I write this, I am behind on three. I will get them caught up after I finish this.

Never forget to say thank you. People like to be appreciated. Preachers are guilty of expecting preferential treatment. They play up to the fact that people like to bless the pastor. They expect it. You will never seem them pull their wallet out and offer to pay for a meal. You will seldom see them offer a lending hand to those who continually offer helping hands around the church.

Brenda and I try not to take God's blessings through other people for granted. I am sure we have let some fall through the cracks from time to time. For that we apologize. We have seen God do so much. So many have sacrificed and given to us. Vehicles. Money. Groceries. Tanks of gas. Car repairs. Books. Computers. Suits of clothes. More meals than we can count. House payments. It is all overwhelming.

I serve a giving people at Spring Creek. Twice recently we were invited to go out to eat with people after the evening service. Both times people insisted on paying for our meal. It is humbling. To constantly be a recipient and not the giver is hard. Brenda and I prefer to be on the giving end.

How can I say thank you for everyone who has sowed into our ministry. I just spent the last five minutes typing out the names of such people, and had close to fifty, when I realized I could not do it. Inevitably I would leave someone out and there are too many. So I say to people from Rochelle, Spring Creek, Burke, Denman Avenue, CentrePointe, FBC Paradise, FBC Seminole, Faith Community, Heritage, and Spring Creek again, THANK YOU. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your support. Thank you for sticking with us in the tough times. Thank you for your forgiveness when I failed you. Thank you for your financial sacrifice. Thank you for the sacrifice of your time to serve. Thank you for chasing God with us and pursuing Him for lost souls and revival. Thank you for loyalty. We are who we are and where we are because of your investment. We are rich in relationships. Thank you is inadequate but I hope you see I mean it. We do not take what you have done for us for granted. I have bragged on you in sermons more than you can know. Some of your stories have gone far and wide across this land as I testify of what God used you to do in our lives. Thank you.

Brenda and I will not be like the nine lepers who were healed but did not come back to say thank you. Only one thanked Jesus for healing him. May we all live with the attitude of gratitude.

Brother Charles, after 34 years, I still have not forgotten your wise counsel to me. I trust the Lord will never let me forget your timely and impactful words all those years ago. Thank you for sharing them.

To Spring Creek, thank you for choosing us. Thank you for patiently listening. Thank you for attending. Thank you for working so hard. Thank you for buying into prayer the way you have. Thank you for continually looking for ways to bless Brenda and I. We are blessed to be here. I know I am just the new preacher now. I pray over time I earn the right to be your pastor.

Lastly, God thank you for making all this possible. To you be the glory for great things you have done.

Where Did The Time Go?

I busied myself with a writing project for the church today. The revision of a membership class.  When I looked at my watch before I began, it was around 11:30 a.m. I got lost in the project, like I can be prone to do when writing. I get so caught up in it I lose track of time. This happened all the way back to my elementary years. I have always loved to write. When I looked back at my watch I could not believe it was 1:45 p.m. Where did the time go? It was only then that I realized I was hungry and stopped for lunch.

In reality time methodically ticks at the same rate for all people in all times. You have experienced seasons when time seemed to fly by. Perhaps the weekend came and went faster than you could believe. Maybe it was a night of sleep and the morning arrived before you were ready. For the student it is Christmas and summer vacation. For the employee it might be a holiday weekend or vacation. The truth is time goes along at the same cadence. It does not hurry nor does is slow the pace. Time just marches on.

Then there are other times when time seems tocrawl. Like waiting in line at the DPS to renew your license. Or waiting at the doctor office. Time appears to pass slowly when you punch a clock for a living waiting until you get off work and can do what you want to do.

Time never stops ticking. We only get one chance at this thing called life. If we squander time, we can't go back and recapture it. It is lost forever. Like a stockbroker investing money we need to be wise in how we invest our time. When I say invest our time, what I really mean is invest it in things that matter for eternity. We all only have an allotted 24 hours in a day. God made us where we have to sleep. We have to eat. There are some things that we have to do to survive that take up our time. We also have discretionary time. Many spend it in front of the television. Others spend it on social media or surfing the web. I hear about people binge watching something. With each activity time passes.

Here is the question. When we get through with our activities, will we be able to look back and say it was time well spent? Time wisely invested. It might be time ill advised. Time squandered. Time thrown away on things that do not matter. If we can lay our heads on our pillows at night, and do a mental rewind of our day, coming to the conclusion we spent our time wisely, that is a good day. If you do that consistently that makes for a good life.

I just looked up at my clock on this computer. It says it is quitting time. I say I have time for one more post before calling it a day. Time flies when you're having fun.

Flirt Or Flee

He was a handsome man. Young. A natural leader. Organized. A loyal employee.

She was older. She was the wife of the boss. She had a wandering eye and set her sights on the young employee. She did not try to hide her intentions. Far from it. Brashly she seduced him. She asked him to have sex with her. Not once. Repeatedly. Over and over again she tried to entice this young man to commit adultery with her. Her wedding vows meant nothing. Her morals were compromised.

The young man reacted in a way that brought honor to God. Rather than give in he fled. He was falsely accused of sexual misconduct, all a lie, fabricated by the rejected would be lover. She couldn't stand his rejection and determined to make him pay. It went to court and the young man got sentenced to prison for something he did not do.

Sexual sin is rampant. It is everywhere. Over lunch today, a business man told me about the numerous affairs and sexual sins that are committed in his line of work. When people are put in those compromising situations a decision has to be made. Do you give in to the desires of the flesh and animal appetites or do you flee? Do you flirt or do you run?

People flirt all the time. Sometimes it happens innocently. Sometimes it is intentional. People often flirt because they are open to a fling. Only the Bible does not call it a fling. Scripture calls it fornication or adultery. Fornication is when two unmarried people hook up and adultery occurs when one or both offenders is married.

If people followed Joseph's example when enticed by Potiphar's wife and fled, marriages could be saved, testimonies preserved and holiness not compromised. Fleeing is not natural when it comes to sexual sins. The natural thing is to follow passion wherever it leads with whomever is willing. That is not the way of God.

Don't flirt. When you become aware of the temptation to sin sexually, flee. Flee to God. Flee to accountability partners. Flee to the safety and refuge of public places instead of private getaways. God's standards do not change. Fornication and adultery are still sin in God's eyes. Flee while you still can.

1 Thessalonians 4:2-5 (ESV)
2  For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus.
3  For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality;
4  that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor,
5  not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;

Exodus 20:14 (ESV)
14  “You shall not commit adultery.

Mulling It Over

it is long past my bedtime. I subscribe to the early to bed early to rise rhythm of life. Sleep will not come tonight. There are many things to mull over in my mind. Some personal. Some things related to the church. Others related to our country.

So, here I am in my little office nook mulling it over.I've been disobedient this week. A few weeks ago the Lord required I step up the amount of time devoted to prayer. I did okay for a couple of weeks but this week has been a struggle. Even when I've prayed I feel like I can't breakthrough. It has felt cold. Distant. When prayer time seemed to fly by  in the past without my giving any attention to time, this week it has felt like the minutes drug by. Having said all that, the spiritual warfare has intensified at the church. Mainly manifested in bizarre health issues like infections, passing out and falling, the brakes going out on a walker causing our beloved former pastor, who just preached at Spring Creek this past Sunday, to tumble.

I mull over things at the church. God has been moving powerfully and swiftly. At times I feel like I don't know what I'm doing. We are seeing things that I did not believe would happen for a couple of years. It makes me cry out for wisdom all the more and cling to God to help me lead. I'm frustrated that I have not spent time in the office much this week. I will never begrudge taking care of my son and his knee injury. I am glad to be able to take him to the doctor and to get his MRI. I know next week there will be another follow up appointment with the surgeon to get the results of the MRI. We most like have already predicted the outcome of that consolation. I'm new on the job and already missing significant time. Even though leaders have told me it is okay I feel guilty. I want to do my job. I love God's calling on my life. I love the people I get to serve. I want to work hard for God and them. This week has not been very productive.

I remain more burdened for our country than I have ever been. There are causes for concern everywhere. I will not delve into all of that at this time. You are as aware of those concerns as I am. It causes me to pray for our country more than I ever have before. We are in deep in trouble. Only God can help us.

On top of all that, God has put a task before me so big it requires all the faith I have to believe Him for it. Something bigger than anything He has called me to before. Something He has not released me to share publicly. So I carry this burden alone. It weighs on my mind and heart all the time. At times I'm tempted to doubt and dismiss the whole thing. I made a promise years ago to obey God calling me to do anything, at anytime and anywhere. I have to follow through. I might come out looking like a fool in the end. I have to obey His leadership.

So sleep will not come. I am better served to use this time to pray. My flesh would rather be asleep, but instead of just mulling these things over I need to pray through each of them. Prayer is the path of peace when mulling things over.