It Was The Best Of Times And The Worst Of Times.

It has been stated that history really is His story, meaning God's story. As I write this we are officially 12 hours from 2019 fading completely into the pages of history. For some it has been a stellar year. For others, it has been a year to forget. Either way, 2019 will soon be history. It will be left in the rear view mirror of our minds.

As we come to the end of the year, many will reflect. On the TCM network, they have already shown the movie stars who died the past year. The only one I remember is Doris Day. People compile lists of the best of in 2019. Because the new year also signifies the end of a decade, lists are compiled for the decade as well.

Personally I like to reflect on the past year. I also take time to pray about the new year and where I will direct my energies. Often I set goals for the upcoming year for the church and myself. I don't make resolutions. I try to set tangible and achievable goals for the next twelve months.

Charles Dickens started his classic novel with these words, "It was the best of times and it was the worst of times." That defines how many feel about 2019. Along the way, some had some mountain top experiences. Others experienced the valley of the shadow of death. Some learned to be content in all circumstances. Others squared off against mountains they needed moved. Some learned to live in lack and others had abundance. 2019 was both the best and worst of years.

Some got married,and others got divorced. Some had new children, while others had to bury their children. Many came out with a clean bill of health, while others saw their health deteriorate. A good number started new jobs, and a few lost their jobs and are unemployed. There have been triumphs and setbacks, victories and defeats, successes and failures, joys and sorrows.

Through it all, God has been rock solid. Faithful [I Thess 5:24]. Our true north on the compass. A guiding light. A very present help in trouble. [Ps 46:1Arescuer in the day of trouble.] [Ps 50:15] Our refuge and strength. [Ps 46:1] Our peace that surpasses all understanding. [Phil 4:7] Our provider. [Phil 4:19] Our comforter. [Ps 23:4].

I cannot predict the future for 2020. Many will try. This is what I know confidently. God will be available and accessible in the upcoming year. He will be true to His word. He will forsake His children nor leave them. [Heb 13:5] In the best of times, and the worst of times, God will be the solid rock we can build our lives on. [Matt 7:24-29]

Different Worlds

I experienced some very different worlds yesterday, and I never left the state of Texas. Truth is I only ventured into two different counties.

The first world I experienced included a trip to Fort Worth. I saw heavy traffic, massive freeway systems, toll roads, neighborhoods with manicured lawns sandwiched together on busy streets. It is a concrete world. A brick and mortar world. A hustle and bustle world. A confusing world if you don't know where you are and how to get to where you are going.  This is a world I frequent, but am never at home in. I am not a big city guy. I grew up in what many would call a small town. I have spent my whole ministry in small towns and love it. I can enjoy some of the things big cities offer, but I am ready to leave it behind me at the end of the day.

I also experienced the world of an assisted living facility. David, one of our deacons, and I visited a long time Spring Creek resident battling cancer. If I understood it correctly, this man is battling three different kinds of cancer all at the same time. He reported he often wakes up screaming from agonizing pain. This is a sad world. Filled with pain, suffering and loneliness. It is a world where people slowly fade into eternity. It not a world many voluntarily frequent.

Later that day, I experienced another world. My favorite world of the day. We came back to the country. David took me around his family land. Breathtaking. We drove in beautiful pastures. I saw mules, horses and cattle. Earlier in the day David saw 16 wild turkeys. We walked in barns, saw where the cows used to get milked, walked among cattle, including one nervous momma cow who eyed me suspiciously as I approached her new calf. I saw an old cemetery hidden back in the pasture mostly unknown to people and a family cemetery. It's a world I am increasingly drawn to and want to learn. All the while the city is increasingly encroaching. David pointed out houses from a new subdivision on the back of his family land.

For the first time this week, I spent the night in the parsonage. I sure missed Brenda and our sons, but I loved sleeping out here. There is something special about the country. It is peaceful. The pace is a little slower. People take time to pull up and shut down their vehicle for a friendly visit. Neighbors help one another. Jeans and boots are common. Not those several hundred dollar fancy boots without a mark on them. Boots out here are scuffed and dirtied with cow manure. They wear working boots in the country. Sunday go to meeting boots are reserved for special occasions like worship or funerals. Denim is always in fashion in the country.

To cap off my day I watched a John Wayne movie as I ate my supper. A pretty perfect ending to a great day.

Out in the country people have a little elbow room as opposed to the big cities where houses are so close it feels like everybody is in your business. From the parsonage here, I can barely see another house. We all need a little elbow room. They pack them in like sardines uptown.

Don't mistake country people for dumb. They are smart. I saw David fix two broken pieces of furniture in no time flat. He sketched out the plans for his home and did much of the work on it. His neighbor Neal built his house himself. They can weld, construct, repair broken mechanical things, do plumbing, do electrical, fabricate anything and the list could go on. They are smart. Knowledgeable. They can grow their own food, Like the old song goes, "Country boys can survive."

I am honored to live and serve out in the country. Early this morning I caught glimpse of the sun peeking over a little bluff. Between me and that sun rise all I could see was rolling hills of pasture. I worshipped right then. I got caught up in the wonder of God and His creation just viewing a new dawning of the day.

I get to travel in different worlds. It is this country world I cherish most.

Near The End

As a pastor, I get calls to minister to people facing terminal illness. It is sad. Families grieve. The ill often fade in and out of consciousness. The air is heavy with sadness. It is a difficult time for everyone.

Long ago in college, I learned a valuable piece of pastoral instruction. In life's most difficult moments don't try to say something profound. Don't offer trite cliches. Pray with them. Just be there for them. Your presence can be a comfort. Just those two things. Presence and prayer.

Death comes for everyone. We may try to avoid it. We may try to ignore it. We may not even talk about death. We try to soften the finality of death with other words and phrases. All people die. All people face judgment afterward. There is a day of reckoning for everyone. Judgment of the condition of the soul. If a person has never been reconciled to God, continues to bear the weight of their sin, all the while storing wrath for themselves from a Holy God, hell awaits. There is hope for those who have cast themselves on the mercy of Jesus and trusted Him for salvation through faith. Such people are spared eternal judgment, but reap eternal reward.

Judgment or reward awaits those near the end.

Hebrews 9:27-28 (ESV)
27  And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
28  so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Jesus offers forgiveness and rescue.

Romans 5:7-10 (ESV)
7  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—
8  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9  Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

Though death shows no mercy, God shows mercy on the other side of death, and before death in salvation. Death does not have to be something to fear. Death can actually be advantageous.

Philippians 1:21 (ESV)
21  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

There is gain on the other side of death for children of God. Great reward. Everlasting benefits. God knows this. I believe what He has in store for us there is better than anything life on earth can offer. Check out God's perspective of death. 

Psalm 116:15 (NKJV) 

15  Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints. 

All of these verses are words of warning and comfort for those near the end of life's journey. They are words to cling to and to heed. They are words of truth to build your eternity on. May these verses accomplish every purpose for which God intends for those near the end. 

Blogging

In 2008 a friend introduced me to blogging. He set up my page and I started writing on a number of topics. I posted 79 blogs that first year I think. From 2008-2017 God inspired me to write over 1,500 posts on a different blog site that has been visited over 144,000 times. That represents three different ministry seasons in three different churches. The site is still up at www.nocompromisefbc.blogspot.com.

In the middle of 2018 I needed a change in a lot of ways. A fresh start. That is when I dreamed the idea for the  follow hard blog site. It reflected more of my heart at that stage in life. It still does. That first year I wrote 228 posts. It was the second most I ever wrote in single year. One year I wrote 234 blogs.

At the dawn of 2019 I set a goal to write more consistently. I had a number in mind that seemed quite a stretch. Just moments ago I penned a poem titled Unspoken. It marked the 300th post for the year. An accomplishment I give God all the credit  and glory for. I assure you it is not something I could achieve on my own.

God provides the inspiration. Take for example, this morning. While in bed I thought. The first words and sentences formed in my mind. I pulled back the covers, fired up the computer and started typing away. One blog turned into two and then three.

God put this desire to write in me. I have to write. To be honest, writing is therapy for me. I work through several things by hammering out my thoughts on the printed page. Sometimes I write emotionally raw material. It may be tough for some to read. It doesn't always paint me in the best light. It is real. At times too real for some.  These blogs are inspired in every season of life. Triumph, gratitude, suffering, laughter, faith, interesting experiences and people, society ills, trials, struggles, joys and most of all insights God gives me in my devotional readings. I read through the Bible at my own pace. You can normally tell where I am in my reading when you see frequent blogs from certain books of the Bible.

I write by feel. I am sure I break many writing norms. Most write and then get the titles. I usually get the titles first. I don't plan out what I write. I just write as God stirs me. That may not work for everyone, but God uses it in me. I'm not a technical writer. My goal is not to impress with literary skills, but to write to the heart. I want the reader to see what I see, feel what I feel pointing them to God.

I have to write. It is in me. I seldom know if these blogs make any difference in people. I pray they do. If I write from my personal pain, I hope it helps someone else as they battle through the pains of life. When God answers prayers in a dramatic way, I write about it to inspire others not to lose heart. Writing has never been about making money for me. It has always been about ministry. I write to help people.

Through this amazing gift of blogging, I am able to write to help people all over the world. It can be accessed directly through the blogsite or through the pastor's corner at myspringcreek.org.

I thank God for recent visits to this site from people from Ukraine, one week there were over 400 visitors from there and 160 from the United States. People have visited from Russia, Portugal, India, Spain and several others. That is truly a gift from God to potentially help people all over the world.

God has done all of that through a starry eyed dreamer from east Texas. Through a gift called blogging. I can't define blogging. I just write praying to help people. I don't know what 2020 will hold. At this point I've not set any writing goals for the new year. Except for one. I pray, plan and hope to keep writing, and hopefully to keep helping people all over the world. .

Unspoken

There are things within that are broken,
Some things are better left unspoken,
Wounded things battered and bruised,
Weary and worn things feeling abused,
In the shadows nobody understands,
Pain so deep few can comprehend,
While others enjoy the festive season,
Toxic thoughts in my head are legion,
Others able to rejoice and can celebrate,
I left alone to muse and contemplate,
The battles are so fierce - exhausting,
My iced over faith needs defrosting,
I sink and am stuck in this quagmire,
Not a destination I've ever desired,
There are things within that are broken,
Some things are better left unspoken,
They mount up like high piled boulders,
This heavy weight sitting on my shoulders,
It feels my knees wobbly near to buckle,
Tasting bitter rather than life's honeysuckle,
Pounded by waves crashing unrelenting,
A strong stand of faith they're preventing,
Through blinded eyes of tearful sorrows,
I long for better days - for better tomorrows,
Many times in past I've been here before,
This battered vessel will again come ashore,
But for now, some things within are broken,
For now, some things better left unspoken.

Blessing And Brokeness

It was a long hard journey. Relocating is never easy. Many logistics had to be planned. There were tearful and contentious goodbyes. The move required several overnight stops. Little children were involved slowing the pace even further. Because the family worked in the agriculture industry, livestock had to be relocated as well. Every facet of the move proved exhausting.

When Jacob laid his head down to sleep he had a surprise visitor. All night he wrestled with the visitor. He did not get a wink of sleep that night as he struggled with his opponent. As the day began to dawn Jacob's opponent urged to be let go so he could depart. Jacob responded, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."

Jacob got more than he bargained for. He got blessed and he also got broken. Turns out Jacob wrestled with God manifested in flesh. He struck Jacob in the hip so that for the rest of his life he walked with a limp.

We want the blessing. We shun the brokenness that comes with blessings many times. I am blessed to serve the church where I minister now. There was eight excruciatingly painful years of brokenness before my family got to Spring Creek.

The years 2014-2017 I nearly cracked. I went through the long dark night of the soul. I lived engulfed in darkness and despair. Nothing brought me out. Not prayer. Not reading my Bible, not reading other books, not seeking counsel from others or anything else I tried. I sunk deeper into a blackhole I cant describe and hope I never visit again.

There were days I did not think I would make it. I not only lost heart, but also lost hope. On top of all that was the repeated rejection. Rejection of people I thought were trusted friends. Rejection by a community I once held dear to my heart. Rejection by multiple other churches. It felt like nobody wanted me, but my family, and at times my private battles even pushed them away.

One prayer at a time, one devotion at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time, one sermon at a time God helped me endure. When door after door got shut I questioned God. I nearly lost my grip. I slipped and slid down the rope of faith. That is when God blessed me. It started with an email from the chairman of the Spring Creek search committee.

Months later there was another email, followed by an interview. There was an invitation to come preach, a vote and a call extended. From where I sit this morning, I see the blessing of God, but I also see the road of brokenness I had to travel to get here. It makes me appreciate the blessing all the more. I can also see there was divine purpose in the pain. All that pain and brokenness were not wasted years. It all served to prepare me for where I am today.

I have been chewing on Jacob's response, "I will not let you go unless you bless me," for a couple of days now. Do we really have that same bulldoggish attitude to wrestle with God in prayer. To grapple for blessings God may withhold simply to test us ore prepare us. It is hard to prevail in prayer when you keep getting denied. Many may be right on the threshold of unfathomable blessings from God if  they do not lose heart and hope.

Renew your grip. Summon new strength and cling to God as tenaciously as Jacob did. Resolve to persevere and prevail in securing your blessing. Don't be surprised if it also comes with some brokenness too.

Genesis 32:22-32 (ESV)
²²
 The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
²³  He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.
²⁴  And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.
²⁵  When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.
²⁶  Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.”
²⁷  And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.”
²⁸  Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.”
²⁹  Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him.
³⁰  So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.”
³¹  The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.
³²  Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip on the sinew of the thigh.

He Is Faithful

I see the flickering light of a candle all aglow,
Sustained by fervent heart felt prayers below,
The kind of prayers that move God to work,
Where God labors Satan is also sure to lurk,
Saints bowed under heavy burdens of prayer,
Lifting up supplications layer on top of layer,
Praying promises that are both faithful and true,
There is nothing so impossible God cannot do,
In hope against hope the saints do intercede,
Quoting the word of God they must re-read,
The prayers ascend on wings of faithful trust,
These requirements for answers are a must,
There is often a prescribed period one must wait,
Be assured our Father is on time but never late,
So pray on dear brothers and sisters of the Lord,
He is faithful to help the One we worship and adore.

The Pit

Lord, it is so hard to see clearly from this pit,
Where I long to escape and don't feel like I fit,
Time drags on so slowly from my private pain,
Will I ever know my freedom and rejoice again,
Days turned into weeks, then months then years,
Prayers have been mixed with faith and many tears,
Nothing changes - from what I see things get worse,
It feels like I'm saddled  and am living under Your curse,
I see no way of exit, no deliverance, only these walls,
Like a captured stallion forced to live between stalls,
I long to be free from this prison of no visible escape,
To know liberty of mind and heart as I contemplate,
You sit enthroned above earth nothing hidden in sight,
You have the ability to shine bright in darkest of nights,
You are not deaf that You cannot hear nor understand,
This is not what I had purposed nor what I had planned,
In this dungeon pit I sit desperate for any sign of hope,
Yearning for You to lower a long desired rescue rope,
I trust You have not forgotten Your servant here below,
Why You delay I don't comprehend and cannot know,
In misery gripping Your faithfulness alone, I must wait,
Believing You are rarely early but never are You late,
In this pit I trust You will come to bring me safely through,
In this pit all I really have is a deeply wounded faith in You.

Mountains Unmoved

As 2019 slowly unwinds to an end, I think about mountains unmoved for many people. Prayers were lifted. Faith was engaged. Still the mountains loom large.

I just received a text from a new friend I met early last year. She came to me burdened for her sister who had stage four cancer. She came off the streets just looking for help, someone to listen and to pray. God orchestrated that she found me. I went to visit her sister and the three of us struck up a friendship until the two sisters moved to Corpus Christi. I stayed in contact with them. Sadly, the sister battling cancer died. Since then, I've maintained some contact with the surviving sister who will soon be returning to the Weatherford area. God did not move the mountain of cancer. He is slowly moving the mountain of grief. It is a hard burden to bear. I am glad she will return and possibly visit us here at Spring Creek.

I think of the couple I know under tremendous financial strain. Though they prayed and Brenda and I prayed for them, there mountain has not moved. It saddens me to see such loving and giving people suffer so much. I don't understand, but all they have is faith in God. They cannot lose that or they have nothing else.

I think about those suffering from an incurable disease. I hate it. Days are spent receiving medical treatments, but they cannot produce a cure. Only God can do that. These ones I love suffer day after day. At some point hearing, "We are praying for you," must sound shallow when those prayers are not followed up with tangible results. The mountain remains unmoved.

I am looking at a little ceramic cross near this computer that reads, "Faith moves mountains." Reading it is what prompted this blog. Many questions swirl in my mind. How much faith? Why do some mountains remain unmoved? Do I have enough faith? Do we pray fervently enough?

I feel the pressure to perform greater feats in prayer to get mountains moved. Jesus said it only took mustard seed faith. Surely we all have that much. God is sovereign. He does what He pleases. If He chooses to leave mountains unmoved, then our responsibility is to keep trusting anyway. That is hard when you spent the better part of 2019 pleading for mountains to move.

The Edwards have unmoved mountains too. I have prayed for years for God to move them. He has not done it yet .I choose to believe He is able to do exceedingly more than I think or ask according to His power that works in us. [Eph 3:20] It is not time to give up, but to keep believing faith moves God to move mountains.  Cling to that hope as 2019 concludes and 2020 comes into view.

Let's pray. Let's fast. Let's persevere. Let's exercise believing faith. Let's press on until God moves unmovable mountains.

My 52nd Christmas

I stared at the ceiling from the bed. I debated about getting up, but decided I preferred the warm blankets. Not longer after, I heard a soft knock on the door. Brenda replied, "Come in." Turner peeked in and excitedly said, "It is time." This coming from my child who commented he was not excited about Christmas this year. Something changed.

When the guys were little, we established a rule that there would be no opening of gifts until 6:00 a.m. Often they set together as brothers in torture watching the clock and looking at all those brightly colored packages. Talk was on Christmas Eve that they wanted to sleep in this year. They are older and more mature.  So that it exactly what I had in mind looking at the ceiling ,though I first awoke hours before.

My excitement stemmed from what gifts all of us guys got Brenda, and that we were all together under one roof. A very rare occurrence these days. We read the Christmas story from Matthew 1 this year. We went around the room praying. In that moment, something very real hit me.

If I had not met Jesus as teenager, I would not have the blessing of Brenda, Taylor, Tanner, Tucker, Turner and Jennifer. I would not get to live in the house we reside in. I would not have a great job serving a superb church. None of the gifts this year, or years past, would have been possible without His provision. Everything good I have in my life I have because of Jesus. I did not desire or need anything else in that moment. My heart was full and the meaning of Christmas took on added significance.

I have enjoyed many Christmas days. I have enjoyed 30 with Brenda and two decades as a father. This one ranks right up there with some of the best of them. While I received much more than deserved from Brenda and our sons, my greatest gift came wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger a long time ago. That baby grew up to become my Savior. I owe everything to Him. For that, and many other reasons, I love Him and worship Him today.

Country Folks

I sat in my chair looking at the books in my office. I wanted to write something, but faced a bit of writer's block. I thought how a million ideas were contained in the pages of those thousands of books. I could not settle on one to write about.

Like a cowboy or cowgirl sitting on top of their horse trying to cut a calf from the herd, I tried to cut an idea from all the rest. No matter how I tried to corral that one single idea, it danced, darted and dashed right past me. After awhile, I just sat staring off into space consumed with the thought mixed with prayer that I could not find one thing to write about. No not one.

 Like hundreds of cattle that need to be driven to another pasture or to a corral, the ideas roam free and have a mind of their own. Thought I try to cut them off and settle on one, they have proven too elusive.

In a world of inspiration nothing grabs my heart. In a world filled with interesting people none have grabbed my attention. to write about. In this merry festive season, I am still at a stand still. What am I to do? Give up and give in. Far from it. Like the cowboy and cowgirl who get bested by stubborn and slippery cattle, they don't give up. They try again. They work until the job is done.

I have great admiration for the cowhands. It is truly a fast fading way of life. Their work is never done. There is fence to mend. Cattle to treat. Cattle to brand, dehorn and castrate. There are cattle to sell, horses to care for and something broken that always needs fixed. In the winter. there is hay to put out to feed. In the summer. there is hay to cut and bale. Their work is never done.

I serve a country church. You are more likely to see jeans, pearl snap button shirts and boots than slacks and loafers. Many of the women folk wear dresses, but it is because they choose to. The flock is not pretentious. They are down to earth, simple and sincere people. Willing to lend a helping hand. They know how to put on a feed. Those folks sure know how to cook. They are a friendly folk going out of their way to make newcomers feel at home. They are hard working. It doesn't matter what the job is they find a way to get it done. They are loving. Their lives are so intwined they are more like family than friends. They are a smart people. While there are some educated in our midst, there are also those who have a wealth of wisdom that can't be learned in a classroom. I see them carrying worn and tattered Bibles when we gather. They love to laugh. They also love to learn. They love one another. Many have stuck together through thick and thin. They have seen many others come and go over the years, but they have stayed true. These are trustworthy people. Their word is their bond. A handshake is as good as a signed contract. These are the people I admire. I respect. I love. I want to serve as a good shepherd.

Country people are different. They are resourceful. They have the can do attitude. They have learned to weather the storms. They know that joy comes in time after seasons of weeping. They are straight shooters with their mouths as well as their guns. They are content not trying to keep up with what everybody else accumulates. They are stouthearted. They are not afraid to take a stand when called to do so. They are sensible. They are kind.They are both teachable and teachers. They are people I love and get to serve. Even as the city encroaches out in the country, bringing their high minded city ways, country folks learn to adjust. Sometimes amused and at other times infuriated with the high brow city folk ways. Country people take it all in stride. They are a different breed. A rare jewel in the landscape.

Country people and the country way of life offers a wealth to write about. I am thankful for them. I am thankful I get to dwell and minister among them. I'm grateful God's boundaries have fallen for me in pleasant country places.

Liar and Deceiver

Satan is a liar and deceiver. It is his nature. He has been doing it for a long time, and is very good at it. Many have been led astray from the faith by his crafty lies. He is the father of lies.

It started in the very beginning. By telling some partial truths he deceived Eve. He also lied to her. Blatantly told her something that was not true. Read it for yourself.

Genesis 3:1-4 (ESV)
1  Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?”
2  And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden,
3  but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’”
4  But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die.

He told her if she ate the forbidden fruit she would not die. An outright lie and misrepresentation of the truth. Satan knew what was at stake. He knew the consequences fo sin. He is a sinner himself. Trying to usurp and overthrow God in a coup. Satan and his followers were kicked out of heaven. Those fallen angels became demons. Yes, Satan knew the consequences for disobeying God. 

He didn't want Eve and Adam to know. He doesn't want millions on the face of the earth to know today. There are consequences for sin. One of them is death. Another is eternal damnation for those without a saving relationship with Jesus. On top of that, we have diseases. All because of sin. 

Yet, Satan assured Eve if she ate the tempting fruit of sin she would not die. He enticed her to take a bite. He still entices people to take a bite. To break the marriage covenant in adultery. To try the drug. To peak at the forbidden. To flirt with scams, sinister plans and the sewage of sin. 

Sin brings consequences. God is willing to forgive, but often the consequences remain. God dealt out consequences for Satan, Adam and Eve. The serpent was reduced to slithering on his belly for the rest of his life. So do snakes today. God also said there would be strife between serpents and mankind. They would bruise the serpent's head and the serpent would bruise the heal of people. 

I see this lived out right where I serve. We live in copperhead country. The previous resident in the parsonage got bit by a copperhead in the backyard. A couple of years ago one of our women got bit on her hand turning on  a water faucet. Over dinner Monday night, a man from our church told me  killed 13 snakes on his property recently. I hear this story repeated by others. 

For Adam, he got forced to toil, to work the land for food. No longer did God keep it readily available for him. Adam had to fight thorns and by the sweat of the brow to work the land for crops to take care of his family. The same is true today. Farmers fight droughts and storms to grow food. 

Eve faced the pain of childbirth. Excruciating pain for her and all the women who followed her. Life comes through travail, and it all goes back to Eve's decision to eat what God forbade. 

How many times did Adam and Eve regret their decision to believe Satan's lies? How many times did they mourn all that hey had and lost because of an act of rebellion. We still feel the repercussions of their sin to this day. 

Sure enough, both Adam and Eve died. Did the lie of Satan cross their minds in the end? 

Don't fall for his tricks. Don't get caught in his snares. Resist him firm in the faith. Remember he is a liar and deceiver. He cannot be trusted. He is bent on your destruction. He comes only to steal, kill and destroy. He never delivers on what he promises. 

Progression Or Regression

progress
noun | ˈpräɡres |
forward or onward movement toward a destination: the darkness did not stop my progress | they failed to make any progress up the narrow estuary.
• advance or development toward a better, more complete, or more modern condition: we are making progress toward equal rights.

Are you moving forward and onward in your spiritual journey? Are you advancing toward a better and more complete faith? God has given the gift of this day. [Ps 90:12] [Eph 5:16] We can use this day to progress in our walk with Him. To get to know Him. To faithfully serve Him. To worship Him. To trust Him. To diligently seek Him. 

Or we can squander the day. We can waste it in profligate living. We can concern ourselves with trivial pursuits and devote ourselves to sinful behaviors. We might enjoy those passionate pleasures for a season, but sin never satisfies or fulfills in the long run. 

regress

verb | rəˈɡres |

1 [no object] return to a former or less developed state: art has been regressing toward adolescence for more than a generation now.

• return mentally to a former stage of life or a supposed previous life, 

Today you will progress or regress. You will advance or return to a less developed state. How you choose to use this day, what you choose to do and not do, how your time will be invested, will progress or regress you spiritually. Progression or regression. Advance or retreat. You don't remain static. 

This day is a gift. What you choose to do with this day will move you closer to Jesus or further away. May we all progress in our faith. May the kingdom of God progress through us. May we always make progress in getting closer to Him who died to free us from sin. May we advance in our knowledge of Him taking full advantage of this day. 

The Wonder Of Heaven

If you look at the world through a child's eyes, you will be filled with wonder. Wonder can be defined as a feeling of surprise caused by something unexpected, beautiful, or unfamiliar. Watch a child at the zoo mesmerized by the animals, while the adults walk by unimpressed. Let a child ride a little train at the zoo, and you would think they are riding the Polar Express. Adults ride cramped thinking about the million other things they need to be doing.

Let a child learn to read. They cannot contain their excitement as they sound out words, sentences and paragraphs. Some children love to read so much they at times reach for books beyond their abilities. Adults can go days, and weeks without finding time to read anything significant for any length of time.

Take a child to the beach, let them see a mountain, take them out in a boat on a lake and a thousand other experiences, and that child will be filled with wonder. Adults take those things for granted far too often. They are not easily stirred or impressed by such things.

Shouldn't we adults keep the sense of wonder in our lives? Shouldn't we walk outside, pause in our hectic schedules to take in the beauty of God's creation? We ought to enjoy all that God has created around us. The squirrel. The sky, clouds, sun and stars at night. We should not take these things for granted.

We should not lose the wonder at all the interesting people around us. We should take time to get to know them, learn from them, give them our full attention and help them when needed.

We are surrounded by information. We ought to be filled with wonder at the prospects of learning continually. We ought to grow our minds. We can do this by listening, watching and reading.

We ought to regain the wonder of worship. Have you ever listened to children sing or watch them dance at a recital. They don't fret over self consciousness. They sing and dance with all their hearts. As we mature, we concern ourselves more with what people think. We hold back in worship. We are afraid we might sing off key. Sadly, our focus can be more on ourselves and others around us than on the One we gather to worship.

We ought to look at Christmas through a child's eyes. To see the birth of our Savior through their eyes. To hear them sing, "Happy birthday Jesus," without feeling silly. To get lost in the wonder of the miracle in the manger. To sing Silent Night, Away In A Manger, Come Let Us Adore Him, along with others from hearts awed in wonder. We celebrate a miracle in the manger.

That is exactly what happened. A miracle came to be born in the manger. How do I mean? First, divinity humbled Himself to be stripped down in the form of a baby. [Phil 2:5-10] How is that possible except a miracle. Jesus, Emmanuel born of the Virgin Mary. [Luke 1:30-38] Immaculate conception. Another miracle. Jesus came as the fulfillment of many prophesies hundreds of years old predicting beforehand the birth of the Messiah. [Is 7:14] Jesus' birth was a miracle indeed.

It's easy to lose sight of that amidst the lights and presents. The focus of Christmas is best seen by saying CHRISTmas. He is the focal point. He is the wonder of heaven. The miracle in the manger. Don't lose the wonder. See Him through the eyes of a child. The wonder of heaven is no longer a baby in a manger. He sits at the right hand of God. He rules and reigns. He is risen. He is coming again. All of that should cause us to wonder even more. To get beside ourselves with excitement.

After all the gifts have been exchanged and the children play with their toys, the wonder of Heaven will still be there. Long after those new toys get tarnished and break, the miracle in the manger will still be Savior. Don't lose the wonder.

Creative Genius

Have you ever watched a creative genius at work. They get an idea in their mind and go to making a masterpiece. The paint with brush strokes to put on canvas what they see in their mind. The sculpture artist will take hammer and chisel to carve out a statue. The potter will carefully craft a vessel with skilled hands of precision. The carpenter can take plans and turn them into a beautiful structure.

Have you ever thought about the creative genius of God. Take for example the Genesis 1 account. He could have done everything we read recorded in that chapter, but done it all in black and white. The creative genius of God just to add color to this world. Rich blues. Bright reds and oranges. Yellows and greens. Purple and white. All these colors make up vivid scenery to look at.

Next, think about His genius in creating plant life. I am talking about trees, flowers, plants and grass. Stop for a moment and think about all the different species of trees. Pine trees, oak trees, cotton wood trees, cedar trees, palm trees and red oak trees just to name a few. What about all the species of flowers? Roses, daisies, sunflowers, carnations and blue bonnets. There are multiple types of grass. All held in the mind of God at creation.

Dare we talk about the animals in the oceans, rivers and lakes? What about the animals that fly through the air, and those that roam around on the ground. Pandas, giraffes, gorillas, lions, antelope, turtles, bears, whales, bass, dogs, monkeys, horses, frogs, hippopotamus, seahorses, starfish, cows and kangaroos. The creative genius of God to create all those is mind boggling. Each different in shape, purpose, characteristics and habitat. On top of that, He created an ecosystem that harmonizes all the different animals.

Then He created men and women. He created them in His image. Astounding. Amazing. Stunning. People would relate with Him. They would get to know their creator and commune with Him. Over time they would learn to rebel against Him, and be restored to Him.

God did all this with just His spoken words. He spoke all of creation into existence. His power is without limits. Simply stunning.

I challenge you to go and read Genesis chapter one again. Meditate on the power and genius of God in creation. If He, and since He did all that, He can handle whatever you are facing today.

The Pursuit Of Pleasure

People live in pursuit of pleasure. This takes many shapes and forms. Some live for the thrill of entertainment. That might come through sports, the theater, concerts or travel to exotic destinations. It also may included giving self to unbridled passionate lusts in sex, drink and food. No matter how much they indulge in these things they are never fully satisfied. They will always want more.

The pursuit of pleasure in building wealth and buying the finest things money can buy does not produce lasting pleasure either. Things get old, outdated, they break and have to be replaced.

The pursuit of pleasure in knowledge is not satisfying. It is a weary pursuit. There is always more to learn, and the more you know the greater burden one must carry. Education does produce lasting pleasure.

It is the pursuit of God alone that brings lasting pleasure.

Psalm 16:11 (ESV)
¹¹  You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

A.W. Tozer once said, "To seek Christ does not narrow one's life, rather it brings it to the level of highest possible fulfillment."

People spend exorbitant amounts of money hoping to buy pleasure when God offers Himself for free. People forsake the pursuit of Him in favor of things that will never satisfy.

In God, we have fullness of pleasure. To put that another way, we have abundance of exceeding gladness and delight. Exquisite delights. If people really took the time to pursue Him Instead, we pursue Him for what He can do for us or give us, not pursuit of Him for the pleasure we can enjoy in Him.

May the Lord open our eyes to see this truth. The pursuit of pleasure is only ultimately satisfied when we pursue Jehovah. When we learn to enjoy and experience His presence. What an opportunity God offers us if we are willing to take Him at His word.

The School Of Arabia

Galatians 1:14-17 (ESV)
¹⁴  And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.
¹⁵  But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,
¹⁶  was pleased to reveal his Son to me, in order that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;
¹⁷  nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

What happened to Paul those three years in Arabia? We are not told. It was in the school of Arabia God trained, shaped, inspired with vision, bestowed boldness in the once persecutor of Jesus followers. I wish we had more detail on what God did in Paul's life during those three years.

I'm confident Paul got a better and more thorough education in that desert alone with God than preacher boys get with all their graduate degrees that money can buy. I am not against education. I did my fare share of time in academia. Paul got a first hand education with the Master of all masters. He truly got a Master's degree.

How is that some can go to school to train for ministry and come out filled with knowledge, but have hearts as hard and cold as stones. B.A. M.E. M.Div. M.A. D.D. Ph. D. All attainable degrees, but not one of them can ensure anointing. Not of them can kindle a fire deep in the soul. Not one of those degrees can make a person more passionate or bold. Only God can do those things.

Whatever Paul experienced in Arabia, we need more of it in the church today behind the pulpit. We need preachers with first hand knowledge of God, and not those who rely on second and third hand experiences they read in books or on the internet.

God, please take preachers back to Arabia to meet with You and to encounter You in profound ways. May the world see what You do in us in the secret place when we stand to proclaim Your word publicly. Take us back to Arabia. In Your name Jesus, amen.

An Exercise In Musing

muse2 | myo͞oz |
verb [no object]
be absorbed in thought

A person can get absorbed in thought with just about anything. For example, let's get absorbed in thought with an ordinary pencil. A yellow colored wooden pencil with a finely sharpened point at one end, and a red rubber eraser on the other end. To be more specific a number two lead pencil. Just an ordinary pencil. Let's muse about the pencil for a moment.

First, let's think about the origination of the pencil. Somewhere a tree grew. That tree was cut down. Out of the many uses of that tree, someone determined pencils would be made. I do not even dare guess as to the process of converting wood into pencils. I would not even dare propose how many pencils were fabricated out of that tree.

At some factory, the combination of the wood, the lead, and rubber eraser were all attached. In my mind, I can see thousands upon thousands of such pencils fabricated. As far as I can tell, to this point the  little pencil has helped employ the lumberjack who cut the trees, the truck drivers who haul the trees, the person who milled the wood and the person or persons who fabricate the finished product of the pencil.

Then the pencil had to be packaged. Once packaged the pencil, along with other pencils, were boxed for shipping. Someone had to do those jobs. Then the boxes were shipped. Some traveled by train. Some were transported by truck. Some may have even been flown to stores or distribution centers. In each case, someone worked to get the pencil from factory to the intended final destination.

Eventually that box of pencils ended up at a retail store.  A retail store where it was purchased. That means someone else was employed to stock the pencils on the shelves, and a cashier who actually sold the pencil.

In different hands of different people that pencil can have many uses. For the composer, notes will be transcribed along with words to make songs. The student will use the pencil to learn how to write at a young age, or to do complex mathematical equations in later years. The wife might use the pencil to write down a recipe. The administrative assistant might use the pencil to jot down a phone message. That pencil in the hand of a baseball coach might be used to make out the starting line up or for a golfer to keep score. There are many uses for a pencil. The artist might use it to sketch a drawing.

God gave someone the idea to create the pencil. God gave someone the resources to start the businesses to secure the lumber and to build the pencil. Each person, who had a hand in getting the pencil from the forrest, to the factory, to the store and into the consumer's hands, God created. He knows each person by name and personality. He knows everything about them.

It is God who inspires the use of the pencil, whatever shape or form that might take.

All of that from musing about a pencil. One more thing. The pencil we have been musing on does even exist in reality in my life. There is no yellow pencil on my desk. I imagined the whole thing. Every bit invented in the corners of my mind. Why?

To illustrate the power of musing. There are so many simple subjects in this world we take for granted. If we can pause for a few moments and think of all the complexities of a simple ordinary pencil, what about the more complex subjects in life? Subjects like medicine, anatomy, physics, literature, business, economics, politics, philosophy and theology just to name a few.

We can muse about a flower, the sun, a lake, a bird, a dog, a recipe, architecture, marriage, parenting, children, good books, a documentary.... There is no end to musing if we just took a little time each day to exercise the mind and absorb it in deep thought about something good and wholesome. There is plenty of unwholesome things to avoid musing over. Let's stimulate the mind. Let's take in God's creation when we walk outside. Get lost in the chill of the air or warmth of the sun. Let's look with wonder at His creation. Let's read His word with excitement and expectation. Let's enjoy this gift of life while we have it. Musing is one simple way to do just that.

I hope you will remember the lesson of the pencil, and God will use it to inspire you to get absorbed in thought on a number of other subjects.

Cramming

All over the nation college students are cramming information into their brains as they prepare for final exams at the end of the semester. They fill their minds with theories, formulas, historical facts, literature and thesis. Well do I remember those days. Late nights. Early mornings. Studying all out for one exam, finishing and going right back to the books to prepare for the next one. Final exams were not enjoyable.

Dr. Wallace Roark inspired me to think like no other professor I ever had. He ignited my mind. Many times I ran from class to catch up with Brenda to discuss the deep things we learned that day. God used Dr. Roark to help me in ways I can never express. I thank God I got to learn from him.  Brenda did not enjoy those talks nearly as much as I did. On one final exam day, I sat at my desk in Dr. Roark philosophy class. Apprehensively I awaited the final exam. In that class we studied philosophy and philosophers for two semesters. Here was the final exam. "Write down everything you learned in my class this past year." That was it. One comprehensive question I have to say I did not feel prepared for that question. I took out paper and wrote feverishly. In all my formative education, that was the first and only time it took all the two hour allotted time to complete the exam. Even as I turned in my exam, I felt I could have kept writing for another hour.

What happens when we get out of school in the real world? What do we do when we do not have the academic rigor of study that requires discipline to achieve a desired degree? Far too many people get lazy. Some are forced to do continuing education related to their jobs, but how many choose to keep cramming their brains with vital information? I bet we would be shocked to see how few. This is bad enough in secular society, but it reprehensible for the follower of Jesus. We've been given the greatest textbook the world has ever known in the Bible. We also have the greatest subject to explore and research in God Himself. Why are His followers not on a continuous quest to learn more, and to learn more of Him.

For too many neither of these stimulate or inspire action. Not God. Not the Bible. Pew sitters content themselves to hear ,but not really listen. They satisfy themselves to read at, but never really read the Bible. They amuse themselves learning how to use their new cell phones, but find rigorous study of God and His word a bore. Minds are crammed with stuff that conforms us more and more into the mold of the world.

Read the following.

Proverbs 2:1-6 (ESV)
1  My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,
2  making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;
3  yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding,
4  if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures,
5  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
6  For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

Psalm 39:3 (ESV)
3  My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue:

Philippians 4:8 (ESV)
8  Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Colossians 3:1-2 (ESV) 

1  If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 

2  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 

2 Timothy 2:7 (ESV) 

7  Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. 

Pay attention to these phrases. Make your ear attentive. Call out for insight. Seek it like silver. I mused, the fire burned. Think on these things. Set your minds. Think over what I say. This is just a short list. It seems apparent God wants us to seek Him and cram our brains with more revelation of Him and His truth. 

This happens in two ways. First, we put forth effort to study, to think, to muse, to meditate, to reflect and to learn His word. In His word we discover more of Him. God does not leave us alone in this pursuit. He couples our seeking with His revealing. He gives understanding and knowledge. We do our part and God does His part. We fill our minds with more knowledge, and God fills our hearts with more passion and zeal for Him. In this way, the mind is filled, but not with cold lifeless information. The hearts is also crammed full, but not with unbridled passion that can entice to sin. We get both truth and zeal. We get the word and love of God. We get logic and fire. 

May we devote our remaining days to cramming both our minds and hearts with more of God and His word. Let us think deeply while at the same loving God deeply. May we cram our minds and heart with thinking and feeling. 

A Date With Some Dead Guys

I know that title is startling. Before you dismiss me as deranged, let me explain what I mean. I am not into weird seances bringing up the dead. My date is much simpler. Through books the voices of the dead live. I got a rare joy yesterday to spend a whole day reading. To be more specific, I read from authors who died long ago.

You will not find the selections I perused on the latest top selling list at any bookstore. Over the years I have bypassed that section in bookstores all together. I look for classics. I look for the heavy hitters theologically. I look for books that have stood the test of time. I still read a few contemporary selections, but find the old time tested treasures offer meat for the soul I don't always find in newer books.

Over the years, I have been blessed with thousands of books. I have also passed thousands on to others when I ran out of space. For some reason I feel guilty for taking time out to read. It is such a pleasure to me I feel guilty for reading during office hours. I feel like I should study, pray, write, administrate and shepherd. So I often neglect reading. I don't neglect reading the Bible, but in recent years read less of other books.

At one point in my ministry I set a goal to read 52 books a year. Many times I exceeded that goal. Now it takes me weeks to get through a book. I dabble at it at night, but usually am so tired I fall asleep just a few pages in.

That is what made yesterday so refreshing. I had time to sit back and read truth. If I did not read a book I spent a good deal of time just reading the Bible. Not for sermon preparation. Just reading to enjoy and receive fresh words from God.

People make time to read social media and other things that do not always have redeeming value. In many ways reading has become a lost art. I recall reading about the famous preacher Martyn Lloyd Jones who loved to read. So much so that when the whole family went to the beach he always brought theology books with him. He sat on the beach in slacks and dress shirt reading. I recall a story of pastor and author John Piper taking his sons to a major league baseball game, but also bringing a book with him. He read his book as much as he watched the game. I recently saw a guy at the doctor's office buried deep in the pages of some book.

Somewhere I read one day that a person should never get in the car to go anywhere without bringing a book. You never know when you might find a free a moment to read a page or two.

Each of my books represents someone who had an encounter with God. They took the time to record those encounters with God and His word onto the printed page. Through their writings I too can have encounters with God. There is so much more of God to discover. So much more of God's word to unlock and understand. There is so much more to learn. I find myself more eager to learn at 53 than I ever was in grade school, college, or seminary. I want to learn and devote myself to the books so I can faithfully feed the Spring Creek flock. They deserve a spiritual feast each time we open and study God's word together. They deserve more than fluff.

I thank God for books today. I thank Him for dead guys and gals who took time to record their encounters with God preserved in those books. I thank God for the gift of learning to read, and the mind to reason. I thank God for the books that have been entrusted to me. I may not get to read all of them in my lifetime, but I want to make good headway.

I exhort you to take up reading too. Maybe it will take you months to work your way through one book, but how that discipline might bless your soul. It starts with one book, one word, one sentence, one paragraph, one page and one chapter at a time.

Over my shoulder the dead guys live in the pages of hundreds of books in this home office. They beckon me to come and discover what they discovered. With great anticipation I'll take my hardback section, crack it open to where I left off yesterday, and get lost in the wonder of a book. I hope you will find some time to do the same.

Revival Starved America

I just had lunch with a full time evangelist friend of mine. Typically he is not busy this time of year, and we had a chance to catch up. It had been months since we last saw one another.

I am always interested in his work. What he reported shocked me. He has been in full time traveling ministry for 28 years. In the past he reported how he used to book revivals 40-45 weeks a year. He said he only had 10 in 2019. He only has 3 scheduled for 2020. He supplements by doing mission work overseas and leading a few conferences.

We talked a long time about how few churches have revival meetings anymore. We really could not identify one specific reason why revival meetings are nearly extinct.

I know over the years slick evangelists who came to fleece the pockets of the flock soured many pastors and churches on revival meetings. Prophets came seeking a profit.

People also changed. Fewer and fewer people would commit to multiple night meetings.

To be honest, some revival meetings I've attended and even preached did not bear much fruit.

For all these reasons and more the old time revival meetings are just about gone. The church in general in not impacting our society to turn our hell bent nation around. Some churches are on life support. They barely stay afloat and do not reach people. They are ineffective, but they still gather. Others are big well oiled ministry machines. They are places filled with bustling activities and programs. Those programs are tailored to every possible age group. Even with these mega churches, our society continues to drift further away from God.

Look at the morale ground lost in our generation. Things are flaunted in the open we would never have dreamed about , or even done in secret just a few decades ago. The judicial system is corrupt and legislating with their interpretation of the law. Scientific and technological advances are not leading the masses closer to God, but further away.

Most churches are plateaued or declining in attendance. The baptism statistics are declining. America is revival starved, and it seems the American church is content to remain in this condition.

I AM NOT! God intends to do more. I want to believe Him for more than the putrid pathetic programs we offer to substitute for the dynamic power and passion of God poured out over a congregation.

Something has to change. We need revival. We must return from where we have fallen. We must repent and cry out to God. He is our only hope.

A Beautiful Mind

God gave an amazing gift in the human mind. The brain is more complex and sophisticated than any super computer. Let me share a few facts with you to illustrate this point.

Did you know the brain has enough storage capacity to last 3 million years? That is in each of us. Sometimes we may feel we are bombarded with so much information it feels overwhelming. The truth is there is ample room to store all that information and much more.

Did you know the average person only uses 0.001% of their brains? Over the course of an entire lifetime the average person will only 6-8%. There is so much more room for us to learn and grow intellectually. Most of us have never tapped into even a fraction of what God designed our brains to be able to do.

The brain can perform 4 million actions per second. That is the speed of thinking. And on any given day we think around 60,000 thoughts. These thoughts can be good and healthy ones or bad and destructive ones. We choose what we dwell on.

When I learned these statistics and much more recently, I sat stunned. Amazed. Mesmerized by the power of the brain God gifted inside us. I felt humbled. I also felt ashamed I have not used the mental power God set inside me nearly enough.

I also learned, that if we keep using the mind and commit ourselves to learning, we can keep a sharp mind all of our days. That means you can grow intelligence over a lifetime. The brain does not deteriorate with old age. If we continue to use it, and the more we use it the brain matures. The more we stimulate the brain the more we can increase our intelligence. That is an amazing truth that defies the long held belief that we lose mental capabilities in our twilight years. That is true if we quit learning, growing and stimulating the brain.

We are increasingly becoming a dumbed down society. We let computers think for us. When is the last time you spent time pondering? Have you meditated on truth, more specifically, God's truth in recent days? What good book are you currently reading? Have you recently taken up new hobbies or interests? Have you memorized anything recently? How do you work at stimulating your brain to keep it firing and working?

My guess is that many have little time to ponder. Life is filled with noise and activity. When not busy, so many are content to sit in front of televisions and check out mentally. I bet not many regularly meditate on the truth of scripture. Some may read it hurriedly, but not take the time to reflect deeply on what they have read. Fewer memorize scripture. I bet there is more than one book sitting around that was half read but never finished.

We should commit ourselves to become lifelong learners. To be students till our dying breath. To challenge ourselves intellectually. To take up new interests. To grow intellectually. Maybe some should even go back to school. I heard the story about an 84 year old man who was forced to retire from his job. He went back to college and earned an accounting degree and then worked the rest of his life as certified public accountant. He did not graduate until he was 88!

God gave us a beautiful mind. What will we use it for? How will we invest our time in developing that mind? We live in a world of information. Admittedly some of it is bad. THERE IS SO MUCH GOOD. No subject is more worthy of our study, rigorous intellectual pursuit, disciplined inquiry than the study of God and His word. I hope we will use some of that 3 million years worth of storage capacity to study Him.

Trusting In Life's Harshness

Stop for a minute. Look around you at other people. Some of them are going through the harshest times imaginable. The word harsh can be defined as unpleasant and difficult. That sums up the plight of many people. The harshness has hit them like a battering ram sending them reeling emotionally, spiritually, physically and financially. Not a battering ram that delivers one blow and is done. Harshness is a series of heavy blows one on top of another.

That is the reality for many people right now. They probably do not talk about it. They suffer silently. Like the story I heard today of a man behind on his rent. He walked to a gas station with a gallon jug to get some gas just to get his vehicle started. It did not work. He was so low on fuel one gallon did even get it cranked. He had to repeat the whole scene. He went to a grocery store to buy eggs and cheese. When all was said and done he over drafted his banking account. What he thought would only cost $20 ended up costing $130 in over draft fees he does not have. He is too prideful to ask for help.

I think of a recently divorced lady blindsided. She sits alone in misery with kids scattered all over grown with their own lives now. Harshness hit right between the eyes and she tries to pick of the pieces of her broken heart and shattered world.

I think of those being failed by the justice system with stacked juries, biased judges and crooked lawyers. Disillusioned they walk away feeling failed by the whole legal system. The harshness of a sentence or fine stares them in the face.

Then there are those coping with the harshness of watching a loved one slowly fade away into eternity. Prayers have not brought healing. Tears have fallen until the eyes are puffy and red. The doctors coldly state there is nothing else they can do. So day after day the grieving watch death take a little more ground each day until eventually life is completely choked off. The caregivers are helpless to do anything to stop it.

There is another group. I would call them the overwhelmed. They are not ramrodded with just one thing, but multiple things battering at the same time. Such people cannot seem to catch a break. They are like people trying to tread water in a tumultuous ocean. It takes all the strength they have just to keep their heads above water. It is a sheer act of will not to give up and to bravely stagger through another day.

I just got off the phone with another person dealing with life's harshness. After I hung the phone up I sat back in my chair and sighed. I had no magic fixes. The harshness was real and the desperation just as real.

Sitting back in my chair I did not hear it at first. I got lost in my thoughts. Then the sound of some worship music playing in the background pierced my thoughts with these words written by a worship leader named Dennis Jernigan. "I will trust You in the darkness, I will trust in life's harshness, I will trust you to guard over my heart. I will trust You and keep singing, I will trust You dearly clinging, I will trust You and keep bringing You my heart. In quietness and trust You will be strength, and Father I trust You with my heart."

I don't know what went on in Mr. Jernigan's heart God used to inspire him to write this song. I know God has used it to pull me through some harsh times in life, like the illness and death of my mother back in 1998. I recall how God brought me through the worst year of my life not so long ago and many times I leaned on those profound lyrics as I sang my way through the harshness.

From your vantage point things may look very dark. No light at all. There is light. If you are a child of God, Jesus who is the Light of The World, resides in you. His word is a lamp for your feet and light to guide your path. Trust in the darkness.

In life's harshness choose to trust. Find some biography of a saint who suffered and persevered and found their way through. Choose trust. Listen to the testimony of someone you know whom God brought through the harshness of life.

Choose to keep singing. Choose to keep clinging to Yahweh and His word. Keep bringing Him your heart. Trust Him even when everything in you and around you screams to doubt and fear. One day the Son will breakthrough the dark cloud over your life now. Trust until that day comes whether near or far. Keep trusting God the Father with your heart even in the harshness.

Purpose In The Pain

How many really like pain. We go to great lengths to avoid pain. We insulate, medicate, educate and situate ourselves to avoid as much pain as possible. This presents a problem for followers of Jesus. He often has purpose in pain. He uses painful experiences to shape us and teach us. Pain prepares us for His purposes.

Paul knew this about as well as anyone. He felt physical pain often. Beaten, stoned, incarcerated in addition to the sting of constant opposition. All made Paul comfortable with being uncomfortable. On one such occasion, after another beating, Paul sat in prison with a companion. They didn't sulk. They sang.

A wild scene broke out. A huge earthquake came shaking the very foundations of the prison. Doors opened. Shackles fell unlocked. The jailer awoke in a panic fearing all the prisoners escaped and he would be held responsible. In despair he drew his sword to take his own life before Paul stopped him. Paul informed none of the prisoners had escaped.

With that little bit of information, God's purpose for the pain unfolded. Without going into great detail, Paul stayed on mission inside the prison just like he did when free outside the prison.

I know from some of your vantage points it is very hard to understand the painful circumstances in your life at the moment. While you pray for relief ,the painful trials persist. Satan loves to manipulate thoughts and cause people to doubt God and cast blame at Him. I encourage you not to do this.

It is a choice. We choose what we think about. More so we choose what dwell on. If we dwell on negative, doubting, depressed, unfair, and self pity guess what will follow. We will adopt that attitude. It will consume us and strangle hope.

On the other hand, if we choose to set our minds on the things of God, and not our painful circumstances we can rise above them. Just like the eagle soaring above the storms we can soar in our spirit above the present pain. We can also trust God has a purpose in it. We can trust that purpose to be accomplished by trust.

Pain is part of the human experience. Wealthy people cannot avoid pain with all their money. Neither can powerful people. Children learn pain at an early age with scraped knees and boo-boos. Pain comes in many forms. There is the pain of a broken heart. There is physical pain like with cancer or a physical injury.

Sometimes there are no easy answers. No easy fixes and solutions. There is a God who rules. He is never taken by surprise. He has shown through the ages He can be trusted. So I invite you to ask Him the same question I ask, "God, what is Your purpose behind this present pain?"

Fueled By A Dream

I had one dream during my early childhood. A dream so deep and compelling it drove me to extreme measures. My dream was to play football. Not just to play, but to excel. As a child, I often played football all by myself. I set up obstacle courses in the backyard avoiding giant Pine Tree would be tacklers. I hurdled upside down wheel barrels as if they were in the way of my scoring a long run. I did this over and over again. For hours I contented myself to put on my pads and jersey and play my fantasy game for hours.

When my friends and I got older, they got into motorcycles. I got into weights. I remember my first weight set. A vinyl grey covered 110 pounds cement weight set. I got up early to lift in my bedroom. I watched everyday for any sign of muscle growth. Sadly it did not come.

The Rocky movies were huge in my childhood. They inspired me to work harder. When anyone of those movies would come on tv late at night I had them timed down to the point where I knew exactly when Sylvester Stallone started his epic training in those movies, I had my alarm set so I could get up watch and train. This happened multiple times.

Eventually my weight training equipment grew. I moved it all to an unheated and unairconditioned storage building out back. I worked out in 100 plus degree summer temperatures and frigid winter digits where I had to generate my own heat. I dropped gallons of sweat in there alone while my friends gave themselves to partying. That love affair with weights continues to this day. I had some time in the garage just a few hours ago.

The burning drive to get better compelled me to run in the hottest parts of the summer. During the school year, many times I woke up early to run before showering and going to school. At times, I even skipped lunch to go lift during school to get an extra edge.

It all started paying off during my sophomore year in high school. I started gaining a little strength. The next year it increased more and going into my senior year I was among the three strongest guys on the team. By this time, I no longer held to an NFL dream, but I clung ferociously to the dram to play in college. So much so I told my youth minister I would not go to youth camp unless he could find a way for me to take all my weights to camp with me. Incredibly he found a way.

And at that camp God reshaped my future. He called me to preach. He used the avenue of football in college to get me in a school where I could train to preach. With an incredible added bonus I met Brenda there.

Slowly over the next several years the dream changed. I enjoyed football, but my new dream was to preach and eventually to pastor. I started reading books about preachers. I read about prayer. I sat alone daydreaming about being a part of a great church. I got interested in revivals of the past.

Dutifully I endured my classes. Anytime I had a chance to steal away to a secluded spot to read one my treasured books I did so. The dream grew in me fueled by a passion just as strong as ever existed to play football. It fueled me. Drove me. Pushed me to learn to pray. Compelled me to read and study my Bible. It fueled me to graduate.

Ministry assignments came very slowly. When they did come they were far from glamorous. My first call to a church as youth minister brought a whopping $25 a week salary in small town with dirt roads. I drove 48 miles one way to that little church in Rochelle, TX and I loved it. God let me begin living my new dream.

Fast forward 30 years later. The dream has not faded. It burns hotter than ever. It gets me up early in the morning to pray, to seek God and to dream God's dreams. It;s the reason I merged another early childhood dream to write with ministry. It is the reason I go to the office, visit, shepherd. I don't just want to  be a preacher. I want to be a pastor. I try to work hard at both.

And in the infinite wisdom and sovereign plan of God, He lets me pursue that dream with a flock I love to the depth of my soul and in a town that is as dear to me as my hometown. It is the dream that still fuels me to this day. I am grateful that God is letting me live it. I am living in the sweet spot. All praise and glory to God.

Not The Merriest Season For All

While the sights and sounds of the season shout, "Christmas is near," this is not a merry season for all. I think of several groups of people who will struggle this year. While everyone else scurries about with Christmas spirit spreading joy to all, there are some who do not enjoy this time of year.

Let's address those who are dealing with grief. This grief could be fresh with the death of a loved one in the past year. It can also be those who still grieve the loss of a spouse, child, or parent a long time ago. For such people, Christmas will never be the same. Painful past memories are a constant reminder of the void left after their death. The pictures capture the image, but can never bring the person back. Long held family traditions dim in the light of a loved one's absence. Christmas is not the same. Life is not the same. Bravely survivors put one foot in front of the other dutifully going through their days, but not necessarily joyfully. Grieving people have few to talk to about their loved one. The world moves on for others, but when the loved one died, in a way time stands still for those left behind to mourn their loss. Talking helps hold onto the loved one..To revive cherished memories.  Others get uncomfortable and want to avoid such talk. The grieving need to talk about their loved one. It is therapeutic.

There is another group who will navigate the nativity season with difficulty. It is the homebound and those in assisted living. Many have outlived spouses, siblings, friends, co-workers and even pastors. Their children are busy with their own lives. They sit alone. The phone never rings. Nobody knocks on the door. They will not get a Christmas card. There will be no present under the tree. From their vantage point nobody remembers and seemingly nobody cares. They will sit through this season as they do all other seasons in isolation. They may feel they have outlived their usefulness. They certainly may suffer the loss of dignity in the way they are treated on rare occasions when they have contact with other people. Only God knows the joy it would bring to a life if people took a little time to find those alone and reach out to them. A phone call. A visit. A Christmas card. A gift could make a world of difference this year.

There is another group I am thinking of now. It is the financially destitute. Those who cannot afford to purchase Christmas gifts. Those who do not want to disappoint their children. Those who lost their job unexpectedly. I have experienced this in the past right before Christmas. It is a horrible feeling. There are those so far behind on bills, they do not have one hope to get caught up, much less get gifts for others. Christmas brings added stress into their already over stressed lives. Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive. Maybe you could open your heart and your wallet to someone in need this Christmas season to help them.

I wish I could take away the pain for all these people. I can't. What I can offer is the same gift God sent to us wrapped in swaddling clothes in a manger. No longer a baby, the Son of God has something to offer for all the aforementioned groups. For the grieving He is near to them and heals their broken hearts. He binds up their wounds. For those who feel alone,, I offer the comfort that He promised He would never leave us or forsake us. He is near, present and accessible for all. Finally, for those facing financial woes, Jesus is a provider. He makes a way where there seems to be no way.

I am off. It is time to put this blog into action. To go out and spread a little Christmas cheer to those who feel they have little to cheer this time of year. I hope you will do the same.

Critical Crisis

I remember well November 7, 2019. It marked a critical crisis in my journey with Jesus. The day started at 2:45 a.m. with prayer. Something happened in that time and the ensuing day that felt like a torpedo from a satanic submarine. A blind side attack. In the spell of 24 hours, I went from victorious praying to barely able to maintain my grip on faith. Doubts surrounded me like a mine field. I felt trapped and imprisoned by confusion.

Life continued. I maintained my responsibilities. We saw our oldest son play his last ever football game in college. We recently helped our youngest son navigate a knee surgery. Sundays came with preaching and teaching opportunities. Wednesday night also brought additional teaching opportunities. There were meetings and planning. I even squeezed in a short mission trip with several from the church.

All the while, I suffered silently. Something broke in me on November 7th that I did not know how to fix. I read scripture. Tons of Scripture. It did not change my internal turmoil or remove the confusion. One Sunday night I preached from the Psalms. I had been discouraged all day, but tried to hide it from my family and the flock. Preaching through that Psalm moved my heart. I preached myself happy. God met me. That proved a temporary relief. Soon the doubts and confusion resurfaced.

When I tried to pray, I felt I was only mouthing words. I knew my prayers were not offered in faith. I went through the motions of praying, but did not really pray.  I was not mad at God. Not even disappointed with God. These were my internal issues. They were not based on anything other than my own doubts and inability to discern God's leadership. Like a person in a maze I could not find my way out. Every direction seemed to lead to a dead end.

My prayers suffered. My faith sank like the Titanic. The iceberg of my critical crisis gouged a hole in my faith that leaked doubt like water faster than I could pump it out. As I'm prone to do, I internalized all of it. It was my critical crisis I did not see the need to concern anyone else. Yet, the critical crisis effected every area of my life. I grew discouraged. God remained silent. Doubt took root in the depts. of my soul sprouting into tender shoots of skepticism. Not at God. At me.

During that time, I did not pray fervently. Desperately yes, but not fervently. In some ways it has felt like I was going through the motions, except when I preached. God gave me His passion for preaching and teaching.  I got up and did what I had to do for the other days. My soul felt dry as a desert. The hot wind of skepticism chapped the hide of my soul.  I tried, but could not pray fervently. I could read scripture. I devoured a lot of scripture, but could not get free.

Because I did not pray fervently, it effected every area of my ministry. I did not feel the same passion, I did not feel God's anointing nor inspiration. I lost any desire to write. I felt lost in a blackhole of doubt and could not find the way out.

By this point, many will wonder what my critical crisis was. Because I have not elaborated, they will  come to some conclusion. They will speculate. They will deduce I got sucked into some sinister sin. They will reason that some specific trial set me back. They will come up with other false accusations just like Job's friend did with him.  None of that is true. Not that it is really anyone's business, but my critical crisis came at the point at hearing from God. Something I thought God spoke turned out not be from Him. It sent me reeling. I questioned many recent things I sensed the Lord speaking to me. If I could miss God's leadership at one point, I questioned if I heard Him clearly on other points.

Hearing God communicate is at the very heart of my faith and relationship with Him.  Everything hinges on that. As I already testified, my issue did not come from lack of reading the Bible. I misinterpreted something. The fault is mine and mine alone. Doubt is mine. I know this has been a set back but not my demise. God will shine through clearly in my heart again. I shall confidently hear His directions and follow confidently. I shall keep seeking. While my prayer life has been weakened, it is not defeated.

I hesitate to write such a blog. It is too transparent for many. They do not want to hear the real life struggles of the pastor. They prefer the pseudo hide behind a plastic perfect persona. I am not perfect. I am not made of plastic. I am a human. I struggle like other humans struggle. I choose to be honest about that.

I still know God is my refuge and strength and a very present help in times of trouble. [Ps 46:1] I still know the God who called me is faithful to complete it. [I Thess 5:24] I still know God is not the author of confusion. [I Cor `4:33] I still know God is more than able to handle anything that concerns me today. [Eph 3:20]. I know that as one of Jesus' sheep, He knows me and will help me to know His voice. [John 10:27] I know my hope comes from God and I need not be downcast. [Ps 42:5] I also know this long dark night will end and joy will come again soon. [Ps 30:5] I press on in that assurance.