Forsaking Company To Keep Company

I love the long deceased pastor and author, A.W. Tozer. He once wrote, "Sometimes you have to forsake the company of men to keep company with God."

That could be easily misunderstood. One could argue that Tozer did not love people. Tozer loved people. He was a sort of recluse at times. He loved people. He just preferred seasons of solitude. This was not because he did not care about people. Tozer just loved God more.

He preferred to be shut alone with God in private prayer, worship and study. He preferred the company of God to any other living being. Time with God meant time alone secluded from other people. His preaching and writing reflect. Tozer was not an echo of other men. Tozer echoed God. He preferred God. He loved God. He talked to God and God talked to him.

I have been an early riser most of my life. I recall when my four sons were little. I would get up early to go in the living room and get in my recliner to have my time with God. Many times one of them would get up early. Instinctively they wanted to come and sit in my lap. I love my sons. Time with them has been a priority all the days of their lives. I hated it when they interrupted my times with God. It was not because I did not love my sons. I just loved God more. In time God solved that problem with getting me up earlier.

I am amazed how people fall down and worship at the shrine of family. Family takes precedent over everything including God. Family activities are of the highest priority. People will inconvenience themselves, rearrange schedules, make adjustments to accommodate others and work tirelessly to make sure everyone has an enjoyable time.

Does that happen with private devotions. Do people take their time with God so seriously they go to bed early at night so they can get up early to be alone with Him the next morning? Do people slip away from the crowds like Jesus did to spend time alone with the Father? Do people inconvenience themselves by getting up early or staying up late just to be alone with Him.

In all the years I preached youth camps my friends used to joke with me. At some point during the day I would disappear to my cabin to get focused and pray about the evening service. They used to call it going to get some solitude pie. We laughed but I would change that. No person is more important and more deserving of my full attention than God. My encounters with Him are the most important part of my day. Sometimes they happen earlier than other times. If I have to cut out several things, time alone with God is something not to be compromised. He is that important.

I recall hearing Don Miller teach on prayer. He used to hold prayer seminars. I first heard him in college. My hand nearly cramped from taking so many notes. I heard him again in his later years. He told us he had a standing appointment with God at 4:00 a.m. He went on to say it did not matter who came to visit. He politely excused himself to go to bed at a prescribed time so he could keep his appointment with God. It did not matter if he had children, grandchildren, friends or dignitaries. His time with God trumped all the rest.

I have to agree with Tozer. Sometimes you have to forsake the company of men to keep company with God. Keeping company with God is sorely missing in the modern church. The modern church does not like solitude, silence, waiting before the Lord, private worship, seclusion. Such things make people uncomfortable. Many prefer study groups, prayer groups, therapy groups, community groups. If you really want to know God, much of that discovery will take place alone in a private journey.  I'm thankful my office and secret place back home give me ample space to do that. I hope you find a spot to do the same. Forsaking company of others to keep company with God is more beneficial than we know.

Mark 1:35 (ESV)
³⁵
 And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Pain For Gain

Many years ago I heard a saying that has stuck with me. God does not waste pain. Chew on that for a minute. In the life of His people, the redeemed, those who are blood bought, saved, rightly related to Him, forgiven and made new creations. For those people I can say God does not waste pain.

I have met so many people who endured painful experiences none of us would ever want to go through. Nightmarish pain. I would like to tell you just a few of their stories. I will change the names to protect their identities but the stories are real.

Dobbs practiced homosexuality for years. He kept it a secret for a long while. One night at a concert he heard the gospel presentation. Then the lead singer wanted to pray for people who were keeping a dark secret. That night Dobbs put his trust in Jesus and Jesus set him free. Free indeed. Today Dobbs is famous. He ministers to tens of thousands. God has used him widely. He also has a wife and several children. Tough Dobbs went through the pain of homosexuality, God uses that pain for the gain of others who are looking for help.

Charity is a mother. She lived a charming life until her second child. She gave birth to a physically impaired child. Only a few years into that young life she died. Charity went through the agonizing and numbing grief that follows. She has used her pain and the way God brought her through it to minister to other parents who lost their children. She also ministers to other broken and battered women all over the nation.

Lisa came from a well to do family. She married well. From the outside, it looked like a fairy tale life. Only the fairy tale ended when her husband took his own life. Shock rippled through the community. Lisa testified to me that God proved Himself so real in those days she could not explain it. God helped her through the grief and back toward a joyful and fruitful life. She is a dear friend to our family. She is also one of the greatest people of prayer I know.

Bert got trapped in sexual addiction. Perversion of every kind. Lust strangled him for years until Jesus delivered him and broke the bondage. Bert testifies to young men and shows them the path to freedom from sexual addiction. The pain has come even afterward. Many judge and refuse to listen to his story. They write him off as still one caught in his addiction. He is free. Not something he boasts in but glorifies Jesus when he testifies. He is a mighty warrior for His Lord.

God did not waste their pain. He used it to help others going through the same things.

The greatest example is Jesus Christ. His pain on the cross resulted in our gain in salvation for everyone who trusts Him. His pain but our gain. It shouldn't have been that way. Why should He have to suffer for what we did wrong. Out of His pain came the greatest gain ever. Millions have experienced the gain of salvation through His pain of crucifixion.

I am encouraged that God can use painful situations and produce something gainful from them. He has done that repeatedly in history. Maybe He wants to do that again through you. If you experience some pain don't give up on God. Something good may come of it yet. Your pain may be used to be someone else's gain.

Shelter In Place

We are learning new terms in this crisis. I never heard the phrase, "shelter in place," until a couple of weeks ago. If I understand the term correctly, it means for people to stay at home. To quarantine themselves. To avoid contact with others. To isolate to stop the rampant spread of the virus.

I am thinking of another shelter in place. The refuge of God. The hiding place in God. The strong tower of God.

There has been a great deal spoken and written about the positive benefits of people staying at home. I had a horrid thought while praying this morning. What about those children,  teens, and wives who are being abused physically, sexually, and emotionally during this time.

A retired pastor friend of mine told me yesterday that domestic violence is escalating across the nation during this crisis. He spoke with a county judge who gave him that information. Some families shut up at home is a night mare. It is open season on children as sexual assaults escalate. Domestic violence arises as people who do not really love, trust, serve or honor one another cannot get along. There are battered wives. Beat up boys. Slapped around daughters. Violated minors who are scared out of their minds and have nowhere to turn for help. They are trapped.

Where is the shelter in place for those people? Home has become a war zone. The house a prison from which there is no escape. Abusers fill themselves with the devil's brew giving false courage. They inflict pain on those they are supposed to protect. The victims have no escape. They are trapped. Each night and day a continuation of a night mare that will not end. Where is the protection for them? Where is the refuse from the ravaging abuse? Where can they go to hide?

I wish I had the words to communicate how this sickens my stomach. I feel helpless to do anything to help. By chance if someone who is experiencing that lays their eyes on these words I say find refuge in God. Hide in God. Let God shelter you in the storm. Find comfort in Him. Seek healing in Him.

It would be easy to get bitter at God for even allowing such horrid things to happen. Sinners choose sin. They always have. People decide to rebel against God and His ways. The violate the very commands God set in place to protect His people. Remember sinners choose sin. Hurt people hurt other people.

I am sorry this is happening to you. I pray for your deliverance. It is not your fault. You were fearfully and wonderfully made by God. He designed you beautifully. I don't care what you have been told or what names have been thrown at you. You have value to God. You are valuable to Him.

How can I say that you ask? By the price He willingly paid for you. You see, He gave His Son. His only Son. To be abused also. They arrested Jesus though He committed no trespasses. They beat Him. Bloodied Him with their whips. Cruelly tortured Him. To climax they nailed Him to the cross. Jesus knows all about abuse. He can identify with you. So can I. I was both sexually abused and physically abused as a child. The psychological wounds have been much more difficult to deal with than the physical wounds.

I am not a victim. When I met Jesus as my Savior I found He was my shelter in place. I am not a victim because Jesus healed old wounds. Wounds of the heart and mind. He offers to do the same for you. He can deliver you. Deliver you from the abuse. He can also deliver you from the bitterness and brokenness that follows abuse. I know. I've experienced both healings. I am no longer a victim. I am a victor through what Jesus did for me. He can do the same for you.

Cry out to Jesus as your Savior and Deliverer. Give Him your broken heart, mind and body. Let Him begin the work of healing. Surrender your life to Him.

I may not know your name. I do not know your address or the nature of your abuse. I can pray. Pray for you. In your pain I pray for your relief and refuge. You are not forgotten. God brought you to my mind and heart. Maybe this little post is God's way of reminding you that He has not forgotten you. If you can find a Bible I point you to Psalm 46:1. That one verse has brought more comfort to me in hard times than any other verse in the Bible. I pray God use it to help you. He is your shelter in place. Rely on Him and I will pray for your soon deliverance.

Psalm 46:1 (ESV)
¹

 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

A Relentless Pursuit

In these very different times, people are bored. They don't know what to do with their time. One mother commented, "I won't sugar coat it. It has been tough having all the children home." Others watch television for awhile, work in the yard awhile, clean house, more tv, and you get the picture. You are living through the same challenges.

What if you chose to use this time for good. In a time when you may have extra time on your hands, what if you chose to devote more focus and energy on a relentless pursuit. A relentless pursuit to get to know God. To grow closer. To draw nearer.

The word relentless means to be incessant, persistent and constant. Combine that with the word pursuit which means the act of following or chasing. If God was the object of your following and chasing persistently and incessantly, what would happen. GREAT ENCOUNTERS WITH GOD!

He would reveal Himself more and more to you. He would open your eyes to see wonderful things you have never seen before. [Ps 119:18] He would create an insatiable hunger to know Him and experience Him. [Ps 63:1-2] He would restore the joy of your salvation. [Ps 51:12] He would revive your parched withered souls with His word. [Ps 119:37] He would cause you to boil in zealous love for Him. [Matt 22:37] He would move you to die to yourself. [Gal 2:20] [Gal 6:14] He would also require you to follow Him to the ends of the earth. [Matt 16:24] [Mark 16:15] [Acts 1:8] He would infuse in you a desire for holiness. [I Pet 1:15-16] And so much more.

There is no quest that can ever compare to the quest of knowing God. Not a pursuit for more knowledge in the head. This is a chase to get better acquainted with Yahweh and His Son Jesus. This is a relentless pursuit to get as close to Him as possible. It is the persistent pursuit of more of Him. It is an incessant inquiry of Him. It is the Constant chase day in and day out, week after week, month after month, year after year until your parting breath.

 If you really devoted yourself to that pursuit, you would never discover all there is know. You would never uncover all the truth of God. You would never experience all there is of God. You would never exhaust all the information of God. It is a relentless pursuit. I will go even further. It is THE relentless pursuit. All other pursuits pale in comparison. The pursuit of knowing God will take you further than you ever imagined, fill you more wonder than you can conceive and bless you in ways you have never fathomed.

Those who have pursued the longest and hardest still yearn for more. Those who have discovered the most still find there is more to learn. There is more ground to cover. More to explore. More life altering encounters to experience.

You can be like many church people. They know a lot about God. They do not really know Him. You can content yourself to worship from afar. To sing songs that really have no emotional connection for you to a God is more a stranger to you than a real Ruler of your heart. You could sing personal praise to a God you have grown to know and love. Sing with such passion you feel your heart will explode our of your chest. You get so caught up with Him that everything else fades. You could pray like a pauper asking a stranger for help. On the other hand, you could pray confidently like a true child of the King believing you will receive favor and blessing because of the close relationship.

What a time God has afforded His people to relentlessly pursue Him. There is no more worthy endeavor to devote the remaining days of your life to that can compare. It starts with one step. One heartfelt conversation. One glorious encounter. Yet a life long relentless pursuit.

Disconnected

So many people are shut in their homes. For some this has been good. Families are spending more time together. Memories are made. Relationships are strengthening. That is all well and good. I have enjoyed extended time with my family as well.

That is not what is on my mind today. My heart turns to those in our flock who live alone. They do not have family close at hand to visit and make memories. Their only companion a television that fills them with more and more bad news. Facts that prey on fears. So called social distancing they live with most every day of their life.

They are isolated and in many ways disconnected. As people cope with their own situations, it is easy for some to get lost in the midst. The ones who do not have the capabilities to watch a service live streamed. They can watch famous preachers on television, but that cannot substitute for being among their own congregation with people they love.

These people are socially distanced from everyone. Family. Friends. Church members. Pastor. Running buddies. They sit alone. Slow hour after hour. The days drag by in boredom. The nights are longer. It seems the darkness will never end and sleep is fitful at best. Meals are consumed alone. Television is watched alone. A person can only watch so much before you feel stir crazy. Sometimes days can pass before disconnected people even see a breathing living human in person. Especially in these days. It is lonely. It is agonizing. It is a slow grief.

We were created by God for community. Only for some. spouses die, kids grow up and move away, people retire, pastors come and go, health keeps a person from being as active as they once were. Then you get quarantined. You get to told stay at home. The few things disconnected people once did during the week are highlights. Something to look forward to doing. When those are taken away home can feel more like a prison than a refuge. Days become drudgery. Monotonous with the same things repeated. They wait for a phone call. They would call others but do not want to be a bother.  It is for these people my heart is burdened.

How to care, show compassion, remember and connect with people who feel disconnected. Sometimes people need more than social media. They need a human touch. Like the old saying, they need Jesus with skin on. Will you be one of those people who may feel disconnected and forgotten during this time.

Jesus sought out disconnected people. Social outcasts. Even sinners. He loved. He ministered. He included and embraced. He showed compassion. May He open our eyes and hearts to disconnected people around us.

A simple phone call could be the best part of someone's day. An old fashioned letter could lift the spirits of a disconnected person. Remember the forgotten. Reach out. Even if you can't do it in person. Follow Jesus' example. Connect with disconnected people.

Matthew 9:36 (ESV)
³⁶  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

If I Were Really Honest

Over the years, I developed the reputation as a man of faith and prayer. People loved it when I told one of the numerous miracle stories of someway God intervened financially. I do not exaggerate when I write we have seen God supply in ways that astound.

Once I was low on gas and funds. Another pastor invited me to breakfast. He told me he was buying or I would not been able to join him. After breakfast, he asked me to follow him to a nearby gas station because he wanted to fill my truck off. How do I explain that other than God. It happened again with a farmer in Seminole on a ministry trip. He had me follow him to has station.

On another occasion when we did have money for groceries and our sons were little, grocery bags ended up on our door step without us ever mentioning our need. To this day I have no idea where those groceries came from except God.

On five occasions we celebrated God's provision of miracle vehicles. A Caprice Classic, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Silverado 4 door truck, a Mazda 6 and a Lincoln Continental. All of those vehicles are old but they are paid for. They all still run.

Twice God has made a way for put down payment on houses and provision to live there through extremely difficult financial times. God called a person in each situation to come along side us and make the house payments. Only God can do that.

We have been blessed with beds, mattresses, recliners, couches, end tables all to make the parsonage in Weatherford like home. Over the years, we have also been given a washing machine, vacuum cleaner, refrigerator, deep freeze and dressers.  Those are all wonderful testimonies.

What most people don't know near as much about is all the unanswered prayers. All the seasons of doubt. The warfare in the waiting. The numerous set backs. The constant barrage of trials that have left my closest confidants speechless and baffled. Life and ministry have not been easy.

I do not fudge the truth when I say I have prayed thousands of hours over the past decade. Much of that has been asking God for provision to get through one trial after anther. Medical, educational, car repairs, body work on four wrecked vehicles and so on. Things out of our control. God has done so much. He has also left so many trial problems unsolved for longer than I wanted.

For the past decade the pattern of our lives included facing one mountain after another, begging God to move it, watchin Him do so, often at the last possible moment, only to turn around and face another mountain. The journey of faith may sound exciting, but at times it can wear a person down.

I often asked God why life had to be so hard for us. I saw others seemingly breezing through life. I would doubt and get discouraged. God would pull me out often through studying to preach. I cannot tell you how many times God spoke to me through a passage and I shared it with others. I just preached what He first preached to me.

Over the years, I seem them in the crowd. The ones who have felt my frustration and anguish over unanswered prayer. You see it in their eyes. They say the eyes are the window to the soul and I believe it.  The disappointment with God deep set in the eyes. Nobody says it out loud, but the eyes tell the story of frustration, pain, and confusion.

In the past,  most of the sermons God has used powerfully through me have been the ones born out of my private struggles. Those words from the Lord resonated with people. They felt what I felt. They struggled with the same issues I struggled through to find victory. They barely clung to hope with their fingernails like I had. The titles run through my mind, If You Are Willing, Be Still, Look Up, Only Believe, Restoring What Is Withered, Valley of Dry Bones, Water Walker, From Mara To Elim and many more.

With moist eyes people wondered why their loved had not been healed. With broken hearts they questioned why God delayed in helping in the day of their trouble. They barely could worship due to a crushed faith. They sat with heavier burdens than most imagined and suffered silently. I felt the connection as I preached those messages and relayed great truths about the faithfulness of God in hopeless situations. When I get to share how God brought us through trying time after trying time I can actually see hope and faith resurrect in people.

If I were really honest, I would tell you many times I've wished for an easier life. A more normal life. Then I am reminded. If my family's struggles can help one person, one family or one church then the sorrows were not wasted. If anything I write ever helps anyone around the world, the sufferings and set backs have been worth it.

Many years ago I prayed a simple prayer about preaching and writing. For years I repeated the prayer in angst. It seemed God did not answer. My prayer was, "God, please use me to help people. Please use my preaching and writing to help people."

Last night God opened my eyes to that answer in a tangible way. It is not important how He did that. The important thing is God opened my eyes to see how He has used my brokenness to do the very thing I asked Him for so long. He used my pain to help others in pain. He used my trials and His faithfulness intervention to encourage people.

If I were honest, I would say this road is hard God has called my family to walk. It can be a lonely road. Jesus has met me on this road. He helped me up after doubts sunk my faith like Peter walking on the water. He has gently rebuked me and reminded of all the times He came through in the past. I reset my mind and go back to the prayer closet. I labor in prayer like a workman on his job for my family, the flock God has entrusted to me and other broken people. Life in ministry has been hard. I can also say it has been rewarding beyond belief.

I wish you could see what I see when God mixes my pain with His purpose through His word to touch hurting, disappointed people with hope. That is when I feel the most alive. That is when every molecule in my body shouts, "Yes. Glory to God. It has all been worth it for this moment."

If I am truly honest, I have to say if God will keep moving in my family and doing impossible things, if He  uses us to help struggling people, if He will enlarge our platform to testify about His faithfulness, I will keep walking this path of faith for His glory. May it help others on their journey not to lose heart.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (ESV)
⁷  for we walk by faith, not by sight.
Hebrews 11:6 (ESV)
⁶  And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

God Help

I came home last night to spend time with Brenda and the boys. We are airing at the house. There has been a nice breeze blowing through the open windows. Even now in this little office, I hear several different species of birds singing their spring choruses. Runaway Bay is a peaceful and relaxing community.

Walking through our bedroom earlier I heard the distinct words, "God help," from the golf course located behind our house. A golfer hit a shot and yelled at those words rather flippantly hoping for divine intervention to get his ball on the green and close to the hole. I find it odd. In these chaotic times that seems like a trivial thing to ask God's help for.

When the Corona Virus spreads, people battle other trials, the President seeks to get the country back on track, people are losing their jobs, churches and businesses are shut down, seems to me there are a lot more important things to pray about than a golf game.

God is helping. Drew Breeze just gave 5 million dollars to help people in New Orleans. Praise God for celebrity who does more than give lip service to helping others. Praise God for health care workers on the font lines, putting their health in danger to treat others. Praise God for the business owners doing everything in their power to keep their employees working. Thank God for law enforcement officers maintain law and order in such troubled times.

God is helping through the church volunteers coming up with creative ways to minister to people. God is working through technology to get His word out. God is working through caring people who check on their neighbors. God is working through those faithful prayer warrior praying behind the scenes for God to stop the virus and for many to get saved. God is working through those farmers, pickers and delivery drivers working over times to keep shelves stocked as much as possible.

There are far more important things to cry out for God's help  on than golf. O that God would awaken Americans from trivial pursuits to eternal matters.

The Church Scattered And Gathered

The church of Jesus has not seen anything like these modern times in the United States. Churches around the world live under such conditions of banned meetings everyday. . Banned from meeting live churches have creatively found ways to minister the word of God and to their members. It has been said repeatedly that the church is not the buildings but the people. Very true.

I have heard of church services held in the facilities with no one in attendance and viewed on line, some have viewed the worship with their community groups. I heard about drive in services where everything happened live but everyone stayed in their vehicles to worship. Some have moved back to the house church model.

There are some who continue to meet and stand strong. They do so out of conviction. It is far from business as usual.

Right now many churches are scattered. The people isolate themselves and their families. Such churches are finding ways to stay connected during the scattering. Through phone calls, texts, and videos people are trying to make the best of a bad situation. As good as these things may be, they can never substitute for meeting face to face. A person's voice or image on a screen is not the same as meeting in person. The virtual cannot replace the actual act of gathering together.

Perhaps the American church has taken our religious freedoms for grated. Maybe we forgot the blessing of gathering to worship together until it was taken away. The blessings in gathering include: the joy of seeing people you love, a handshake, a neck hug, the atmosphere of God's people singing together, the experience of studying the Bible together, the connecting with others, the serving of others, the God encounters, seeing people get saved, viewing baptisms, embracing new members and the list could go on. Just having a safe place set apart for worship is a blessing. Now  that people have opted to meet in homes, vehicles and other places many of those past blessings resurface.

Now that those things have been snatched away from many, maybe they will be more treasured in the future. When the church gathers it can be a beautiful thing. Not always when people fuss and fight. Maybe all this will put things back in perspective. We will get our minds off  the petty power grabs that happen in far too many churches. This scattering might move us to appreciate one another more. Relationships are important. Little blessings seem larger like toilet paper, a drive through window, running into someone you know, some basic groceries.

For those who bravely still gather, I salute you. Even if you observe social distancing in your gatherings. Be reminded, persecuted Christians do the same in homes, barns, basements, caves and in the outdoors. All of this leads back to simpler times. In my mind, back to where it all began. Go back and reread those verses again. Maybe it has been awhile. And remember, we are the church both scattered and gathered.
Acts 2:42-47 (ESV)
⁴²
 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
⁴³  And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
⁴⁴  And all who believed were together and had all things in common.
⁴⁵  And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.
⁴⁶  And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts,
⁴⁷  praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Wake Up

These are strange times we are living in. So much information. So much fear. So much debate. Sometimes it's hard to know what to believe or even who to believe.

For a long time the American church slept. Drowsy from plush offerings, good attendance, successful programs, sprinkled with a few baptisms. Pastors preached to felt needs to tickle the ears. Words like repentance, fasting, solemn assemblies, watchman and watchwoman became foreign concepts.

Then the American bubble burst. At first, it was self quarantine. Then it became more forced. Food shortages set in. Businesses were forced closed. Our beloved sporting events cancelled. Entertainment suspended. Then followed churches closing the doors holding virtual worship. In some places travel got banned. The economy once robust is failing. People are laid off from work. These are times like most of us have never experienced.

It is time to wake up. It is time to shake off sleepy eyed groggy focus. There are millions of Christians in this country who pledge love and allegiance to God. What if we all, not a remnant, but the overwhelming majority agree to pray two simple things. God stop the virus in its tracks. God use us to win people to Jesus. Isn't God more powerful than a virus? Does He still rule and reign with authority over this entire universe?

God has more power in His spoken word than all the man made power combined. 9Jer 32:17 One word from Him and the virus halts and the economy kick starts. Matt 8:1-3. Mark 11:23-24

How do you get millions of people to agree to pray two simple things? First, you wake them up. What we are facing is bigger than any of us. It is not bigger than God and our collective faith and intercessions for a miraculous intervention. Think of the glory He would get. Second, you ask. You ask people to go to war against this virus.

Wake up America to the power God has put within your reach to pray. To intercede. To petition. To travail. It is not time to sleep. It is time to pray. I am practicing what I preach. I was asked earlier today to get eight men to join me in praying God stop the virus and use us to win lost souls. I don't know where the movement started, but the goal is to get One million people agreeing in prayer. I am going beyond eight. I am asking all of you, men and women to wake up and pray with us.

As soon as I post this, I'm headed for the prayer room. If the church awakens to take our place as the army of God marching forward on our knees praying, we will see God work dramatically and turn this whole thing around. Will you join in with many others? What if we had several million praying that little prayer? God stop the virus. God use us to win many people to Jesus.

I will get eight. You ask eight to join you and challenge them to find eight. Who knows what God will do for a nation crying out to Him unified. I sure look forward to finding out. Wake up and take your post. Let the miracle begin and manifest. All for the glory of God.

No Soliciting

I recently did some door to door visiting along with several others from Spring Creek. I knocked on this one door and a man answered reluctantly. I identified myself and he stopped me pointing to a sign on the  storm door that read, "No Soliciting." To solicit is to ask someone for something. I was not asking anything from that man or the many other homes I visited.

I desired to give away. To share Jesus. To give a dvd about His life. To invite people to worship. In a no soliciting world, people are not even willing to receive the greatest news in the whole world. People need some good news but few have any.

Last week I stopped in an auto parts store. I asked ,Jesus, the young cashier, if he knew any good news. He told me not lately. In just a few seconds I said, "I know some. Jesus Christ loves you so much He died on a cross so you could be forgiven for all your sins. Have you ever asked Him for that?"

Jesus had not and was not interested in doing so at that moment. I went on to assure him he could ask for that anywhere at anytime.

The world wonders what we Christians are selling. They want to know our angle. What we are really after. It is hard for them to understand we are not selling. We are offering the free gift of salvation through Jesus. It is a wonderful gift. A cure for the human disease of depravity. A gift that heals and restores families. A gift that sets people free. A gift of rescuing people from eternal torment in hell.

I should not be surprised. Jesus said broad was the way that leads to destruction and many travel that path. He also said that way to eternal life is narrow and few find it. That means more people are headed for hell than are heading for heaven. A sobering thought.

Think about it. Pagan, progressive thinkers, and politically correct individuals all march through life along with the masses. They listen to the same kinds of people and march blissfully, but blindly along the prescribed paths. Everything seems well. What they do not see is the spiritual reality. Masses of people marching in cadence with one another toward a cliff falling off into a bottomless pit. Daily people march blindly right off that cliff when they die. They never repent. They never believe. They never get saved. They breathe their last breath here and stand before Righteous God. A loving and merciful God. Only in that moment, He stands as a just judge. The facts have all been recorded so there is a legal account of past offenses. There is no defense. No excuses. The sentence is passed down. Eternal damnation. Forever torment. The wrath of God for those who refused to listen. Who said, "No listening." Who rejected gospel truth. Who denied Jesus, Heaven, and Hell. There is suffering never ending. In that moment, I am confident people will regret the no soliciting attitude.

Tens of thousands upon tens of thousands perish into that abyss because they would not listen. They would not even consider the truth. They go to their graves closed minded and dogmatic. Dogmatic to the death. In that twinkling of an eye they discover how wrong they were. It is too late.

In these troubling times Christians are sharing the good news of Jesus more frequently it seems. They are seeking to meet the needs of those around them all in an effort to share the love of Jesus Christ. I hope people will listen. I hope they will investigate more closely. I hope they will seek to discover the truth. I hope they will respond in faith and trust Jesus for His free gift of salvation. I hope they will get connected with a Bible teaching church.

It is not soliciting. It is giving. Keep on church. Let us keep up the work of rescuing the perishing.

Fake And Shallow

A missionary rode on a plane to go back home. She set by a native of the country she served. She asked him what he thought about the American church. His answer stings. He said only two words in response, "Fake and shallow." You may take offense at that statement as you think about yourself and your local congregation.

For all our Bible study, worship gatherings, plentiful resources, and freedoms let me ask. In this time of trial answer the following questions in light of that man's description of the American church. Have any Christians been hoarding food and toile paper giving no thought to their neighbors? ? Have any Christians been overcome with fear more than faith? Have any Christians reacted selfishly instead of willing to sacrifice to help others? Have any Christians mourned the loss of their stock market losses of surplus incomes while common folks have their hours cut or businesses shut down and no source of income? Have any Christians talked big talk and then given into cowardice?

Taylor and I watched a sobering movie last night titled, Tortured For Christ, about a persecuted pastor named Richard Wurmbrandt. I read his book by the same name years ago. Watching this pastor get arrested and tortured beyond belief made me think about the American church and the current crisis. How will the fake and shallow American church hold up under adversity, trial and a little suffering?

I'm humbled when I think about persecuted people all over the world for Jesus and how easily we whine and whimper when things don't go our way. How quick we are to doubt, pout, and curl up in the corner. Persecuted believers live in danger every day. To own a Bible, to gather in secret to worship, to sing a gospel song or to pray. All those thins are dangerous. Testifying is forbidden in these countries as well as personal evangelism. Strangely they do it anyway. They accept the consequences. They stand firm in faith. They even love those who torture them.

One of the oddest parts of the movie last night includded Wurmbrandt praying in prison. He said he did it every night even though it was forbidden. Each night the guards made their rounds. When they discovered him praying, they jerked him from the cell to torture him some more He prayed anyway knowing what it would cost him. . One night a guard found him praying and came in the cell angry. He yelled, "Why do you pray. You have lost everything. Your God has not saved you or delivered. What do you possibly have to pray about?" Wurmbrandt replied, "I was praying for you." That shook the guard and he retreated shocked.

Wurmbrandt endured that horrible treatment for 14 years. Yet upon release, he said he loved the Russian soldiers. He hated communism, but loved his persecutors to the end of his life. That is neither fake nor shallow.

Wake up American church. Ho canw we stand before God in the presence of such believers and not hang our heads in shame. We have been given so much. To whom much is given much is required. It's time to look in the mirror. Am I fake? Am I shallow? Are you? Are those we worship alongside?

Jesus Is The Answer

As a teenager we used to sing a little praise song called Jesus Is The Answer. He has always been the answer for the world. He is the answer for every generation. So many reject Him. Ignore Him. Deny Him. Even mock Him. While their lives and worlds fall apart, they still refuse to seek His forgiveness and help.

 They turn to other places that can only provide temporary help and relief if any at all. How easily the rugs of our smug security can be jerked from underneath any of us. Fortunes have been lost in the stock markets and retirement plans in just a matter of weeks. Nobody's health is safe. Freedoms have been snatched away. Jobs once secure and thriving have been lost. In all this chaos, people are looking for answers.

My counsel. Look to Jesus. He can get you through tough times. He can sustain peace in your soul while everyone else runs around like a chicken with its head cut off. Jesus, most of all, can save your soul from a greater misery in eternal damnation when you cry out to Him for rescue. Jesus is a miraculous provider. He is a mountain mover. He is Light in the darkness. He is a Good Shepherd. He is a King who rules and reigns with authority. He is strength for the weak. He is wisdom for the confused. He is what the world needs today. He is so much more than you can conceive.

I believe God stirred the heart and imagination of Andrae Crouch when he penned the words to Jesus Is The Answer. He wrote, "Jesus is the answer for the world today. Above Him there's no other, Jesus is the way. Jesus is the answer for the world today,"

Wake up America. Turn your eyes and attention onto Jesus. Trust Him. Believe Him. Surrender to Him. Come into His fold. He will accept you, love you, redeem you and shepherd you all the days of your life. Jesus is not only the answer for the world today, He is your answer too.

Words Of Comfort

There is nothing I could think or ever write that can bring more comfort that God's word. So, I pray the following bring some measure of comfort and peace in these disturbing times.

Psalm 50:15 (ESV)
¹⁵  and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”


Joshua 1:9 (ESV)
⁹  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Hebrews 13:5-6 (ESV)
⁵  Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
⁶  So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?”

Psalm 46:1 (ESV)
¹

 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.


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.


John 16:33 (ESV)
³³  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Mark 5:35-36 (ESV)
³⁵  While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?”
³⁶  But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

Mark 11:22-23 (ESV)
²²  And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God.
²³  Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

 Mark 11:24 (ESV)
²⁴  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

I hope these truths will help you endure these days. May they nourish your soul and give you strength to press on to better days.

Peace Be Still

In a world gone hysterical, including Christians we need to be reminded not to fear. Fear is everywhere. In the governing authorities, in the stock market, in grocery store lines, in businesess, in churches, in the health care profession. People are losing jobs and fear how they will make it. People are hoarding toilet paper. Of all things, toilet paper.

I am reminded of a story in Jesus' life. You know it. Jesus slept in the boat in the midst of a violent storm that arose unexpectedly. The disciples, seasoned sailors, panicked. Read how they responded to the storm.

Mark 4:35-41 (ESV)
³⁵
 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.”
³⁶  And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him.
³⁷  And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling.
³⁸  But he 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 awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
⁴⁰  He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”
⁴¹  And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

When the disciples saw the waves beating against the boat and into the boat they were afraid. They awoke Jesus and said, "Do you not care that we are perishing?." The word care means not interested or concerned. How could they ask Jesus that question? Better question is how we can ask Jesus that giving voice to our fear and doubts in stormy times?

Let's dig a little deeper. How could Jesus sleep? He was not afraid. He trusted the Father and knew He had assignments on the other side of the lake. Just read Mark 5 and you will see three of those in a row. Jesus slept in the perfect peace of trust in His Father. Just like a child sleeps in the lap or arms of a parent on a stormy night. The peace follows trust. What looked like a lack of concern on Jesus' part was simply not panicking. He rested easily because He did not fear.

Once awake Jesus spoke three simple words with all the authority in Him, "Peace Be Still." What a powerful word. What a needed word for this frightened season. Peace be still to those who have lost or are facing job loss. Peace be still to those fretting getting sick. Peace be still to leaders having to make important decisions impacting multiple lives. Peace be still to healthcare workers and first responders on the front lines battling against this pandemic. Peace be still to pastors trying to shepherd their flocks. Peace be still to President Trump trying to guide the nation through this horrific storm. Peace be still to senior adults paralyzed in fear. Peace be still to a whole world.

With just three words Jesus stilled the storm. Perfect calmness. What He did on that day, He is perfectly able to do this day. Sit back and receive this. Peace be still. Let that word from Jesus wash over you. Over your mind and heart. Take it to heart.

The disciples asked Jesus a foolish question. Don't you care? Jesus asked them a question in return. The same question He directs toward all of us. Why are you so afraid? Why are you alarmed? Why are you terrified and troubled? That is the prevailing attitude among the masses. Raw fear.

Jesus asked a second question. Have you still no faith? When the crisis hit and people started flooding the stores and hoarding all the food, I prayed a simple prayer. "God you are my provider. You used ravens to feed Elijah by the brook Cherith. I trust you will provide for my family."

Just a couple of days after that prayer, I received a phone call that God had laid it on someone's heart to give us some food. So much food it filled our freezers and refrigerator. We even had food for the pantry. I recalled the time we had a deep freeze years ago that broke down. I lamented not having one now. I wished we had another one but suspected they are hard to find. I did not even pray about this. I got a phone call the next day informing me a man wanted to give us a deep freeze. It sits over in the house now. God was not through.

I got another phone call today that the same people wanted to donate some meat to us. The deep freeze came in handy. In a world of hysteria, I choose not to fear not but trust God is in control. My faith is in a faithful Father. My faith is in a faithful Provider. My faith is in a faithful Protector and Healer. He has earned the right to be trusted.

So in this crazy season we must choose to fear not but to place our faith in Jesus. Jesus who is never caught off guard by storms. Jesus who has never been stressed. Jesus who has all power and authority to stop any sweeping disaster by just saying, "Peace be still."

What Is God Saying

There are many voices in our ears these days. Politicians. Health Experts. The media. Social media. Friends and family. Seems most have opinions. Experts make suggestions, offer guidelines and now go further to make executive orders.

So many concerns and so many voices. There is only one voice I am listening for to counsel me in these days. I have talked to church leaders, other pastors, friends, mentors, and church members. I have read, researched, listened, gathered information, prayed, sought the heart and mind of God.

I feel like society is all swimming mindlessly in one direction because all the voices are saying the same thing. Not one person I have talked to can give a definitive word from God. Where is the "Thus says the LORD?" That is the only voice I'm interested in. What is God saying?

At this point I am conflicted. Torn asunder. Pulled in different directions. Burdened. Seeking wisdom from God. Bathing it all in prayer. Pleading for the Almighty to intervene and turn the tide. Asking for His clear directions. Waiting on His counsel.

Questions surface. If the virus is so contagious, why are not all flights stopped? Being confined in the close confines of an airplane and sharing recycled air seems an obvious place to avoid amid the age of social distancing. The same with public transportation of buses, trains and subways. Another question surfaces. Why are small businesses being targeted to close or reconfigure the way they operate, but Walmart is allowed to do business as usual? Why is Walmart not being forced to only allow pick ups instead of patrons going in the store shopping like other small businesses? If we are supposed to self quarantine for two weeks, what happens if the virus continues to spread? Gyms have been forced to close, but Target hasn't? There are certainly more than 10 people gathering in Walmart and Target, yet not a word about their altering the way they do business.

And of course, there is the church. As a shepherd, I want the best for the flock. I want to protect them, keep them from harm, minister to them in every way conceivable. Especially our senior adults who are more vulnerable. Churches are suspending their gatherings for at least two weeks. Will the two weeks extend to four, two months, or even longer in light of the safety of our members and the community? What did churches do during the bubonic plague? How did churches in England respond during the Nazi air raids during World War II? What about churches that gather in gospel closed countries who are forbidden to meet, but they still do in secret? Does the pastor wrestle with the fact that in his flock gathering, he is putting each of them in danger? What does God have to say?

Civil liberties are being lost right before our eyes. I ask God about these loss of freedoms and the eventual one world government that is sure to come. Is there any connection between the two at this point? I hear rumors about forced vaccines. About arrests for those who refuse. The shutting down of entire states and it sure seems like marshal law. There is talk about shutting down interstate travel. About military check points for travelers. There are rumors surfacing about being required to get governmental permission to leave the home and having documents stamped to prove your whereabouts. Some say the economy is fast approaching a depression. Is this a new world over attempt at conquering the United States? What does God have to say on this matter?

You can't buy toilet paper, eggs, and other items. Shelves are empty. Non perishable grocery products sparse. What does God have to say? Food distribution centers now have to be guarded by law enforcement. Hysteria abounds. Who speaks for God? Who has a fresh word from Him? God's voice is what America and the world needs. His is the most needed voice in this time.

He Chose To Stay

Martin Luther stands as a giant in history. He was a reformer. A preacher. An author. A leader. A professor. Though he never held the title pastor, he definitely had a pastor's heart.

In 1527, the Bubonic Plague hit Wittenberg, Germany. Many fled the city in a panic. Martin Luther and his wife Khatarina chose to stay, despite the fact she was pregnant. They even had infected people reside in their home as they medically treated them.

Luther did not discount medical technology. He supported their expertise. He did not get in their way, but assisted them in treating patients. He and his wife did not live recklessly, but they did live fearlessly. They stayed. They showed the love and compassion of Jesus. They shared the gospel with dying people. They served as shepherds to the ailing.

Courageously they put themselves in harms way to help however they could. They did not judge the others who fled. In fact, they supported the decision to flee as long as some gospel witness remained. They felt they were gospel witnesses who should remain.

I awakened around 4:00 a.m. today agonizing in prayer about how to best shepherd the flock in these tumultuous times. Hysteria is rampant. Selfishness manifests itself in store after store. Hoarding food and toiletry items are not on my prayer concerns. I am more concerned about our flock. About our senior adults and making sure their needs are met, their safety is ensured and they are at peace in a world overflowing with fear. Those prayers have dominated the day.

I've cried out for wisdom to lead. I've pleaded for calmness and peace on those I get to serve. I believe for their protection. I am seeking for practical solutions on how to minister. I am praying through rearranging our priorities and emphasis to address this crisis.

In a world of fear, I know Jesus is still the answer. For the healthy. For the sick. For the scared. For the dying. For leaders. For medical professionals. For senior adults. For families.

I have long admired Martin Luther. In the last month, I bought two books about him. He is fascinating. Not perfect, but fearless. Courageous. No story I have ever read about him means more than the fact that he stayed at his and his wife's peril to lovingly minister to people in crisis. I also pray I can became that kind of pastor.

Pouring Out Your Soul

1 Samuel 1:15 (NKJV)
15  And Hannah answered and said, "No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.

Many of you will wake on this Thursday morning with hearts weighed down with sorrows. You live in anguish. Such sorrow that the only one who can help you is almighty God. So you take your heavy laden sorrowed soul to Jehovah for help. 

You are not engaged in wishful thinking disquised as prayer. You are not going through the religious routine of presenting your petitions. Your prayers are far deeper. More earnest. More sincere. More fervent. Like Hannah, you pour your soul before Yahweh. Like pouring water from a glass, you pour every sorrow, every burden and the depths of your soul out in prayer. 

The travail and distress take their toll, as you come boldly confidently before the throne of grace to find mercy and help in your time of need. [[ Heb 4:16] These sorrows call for more than pretentious pretty prayer cliches. This travail is like labor pains giving birth to a miracle, relief and mountains moved. 

Very often this type of prayer is hard. Hard work. Exhausting. Draining. It is pressing in, desperate, clinging to God's word and accompanied with torrential tears. 

It means shutting yourself up to God. It may include fasting. It requires genuine mustard seed faith. It necessitates steadfast persevering prayer. The sorrows will not be overcome with mealy mouthed halfhearted measures. It means making your request without wavering. It calls for staying at it until the victory is secure. It might mean you are misunderstood by the religious ones around you. 

I saw such praying by a lady named Kay decades ago. Kay could not have children. She and her husband, Andy, tried everything. They finally gave into reality and tried adoption. They were put in contact with a lady who had an unwanted pregnancy. She chose to give her baby up for adoption to Kay and Andy. Kay busied herself setting up a nursery. They stayed in contact with the birth mother. They even joined her when the birthmother went into labor. 

The baby came out perfect. Tragically for Andy and Kay, the birthmother changed her mind and kept the baby. When Kay relayed this story to me, she said, "I went home and dug a deep pit in the yard. I buried all the baby stuff we bought. It felt like a death. We had a private funeral." She could not choke back the tears when she told me this story. 

Andy and Kay were members of the first church I served as pastor. Brenda and I grew very close to them. 

One week I felt very burdened to preach from the above passage about Hannah. I knew Kay hearing that message would devastate her. I wrestled with God all week to preach something else, but could not get free from the burden that was the message God wanted preached. Not to preach that message would have been disobedience. I prayed for Kay all week. 

That morning is etched in my mind. I entered the pulpit with trepidation. Before I concluded, Kay left her pew and knelt at the altar. Her wails were both piercing, and beautiful at the same time. If I have seen anyone pour their soul out to God, I sure saw it that morning. What unfolded was just as beautiful. The flock gathered around her spontaneously to pray her. 

A miracle soon followed. God put another adoption opportunity before Andy and Kay. Only the mother was a drug addict. She did crack the day she gave birth. Andy and Kay awaited anxiously. We prayed as a church for this newborn expecting serious complications from the drugs. God intervened. The little girl came out without any effects. A true miracle. Kay named the baby Hannah. Years later the same lady got pregnant again and gave the little boy to Andy and Kay. They named him Duncan. What an absolute miracle. I have not talked to Andy or Kay in over twenty years. Those little babies are now grown. Miracle children. Biological sister and brother. 

Never underestimate what God can do through pouring your sorrowful soul out to Him in travailing prayer. Don't give up on God. Your miracle could be just one poured out soul away. 

How Much Is A Soul Worth

The modern church, with enough resources, hire experts to lead ministries for everything. There are pastors who mainly just lead and preach. There are associate pastors who visit people in the hospitals and take care of the shut ins. There are executive pastors who run the day to day administrative needs in the church. There are pastors who do all the counseling. There are music ministers. There are multiple media ministers. There are children ministers and student ministers. In some churches, one person does all those things.

Outreach efforts come in various shapes and sizes. Some select a target group they are going after. Others engineer their worship services with lost people in mind. Some do old fashioned visitation. Others do specialized training. There are mass mailings, door hangers, gospel tracts, mass evangelistic gatherings, as well as servant evangelism projects. A few even do personal evangelism.

From the Bible, what is a soul worth? What does God think a soul is worth?

John 3:16 (NKJV)
16  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:8 (NKJV) 

8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Luke 15:10 (NKJV) 

10  Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." 

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) 

9  The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. 

Now, the question is put before us. How much is a soul worth to you as a follower of Jesus? How much is a soul worth to the local churches? Worth giving your best energies toward reaching one soul? Worth risking rejection? Worth overcoming fear and cowardice with conviction and courage? Or is this one more thing the church gives lip service to with empty words? In this case, actions speak louder than words. 

Not My Own Master

I read a quote in a book today, "I an not my own master."  It gripped me. The truth is that none of us, who are Jesus followers, are our own masters. We do not have the right or authority to determine the direction of our lives. The context of that quote in the book today, dealt with a pastor being called to a difficult area of ministry where He did not want to go nor take his family. He reminded himself that God was His master, submitting to His authority.

It proved costly. Upon the birth of his first child, his wife suffered ill effects which eventually took her life. The little child died within two weeks. A second child was born to the couple, and lived only a short time before he died as well. The wife followed a short thereafter.

Following God can lead you down some undesirable paths. For this preacher, it meant the loss of his family. For Paul, it meant the loss of his freedom in following the Holy Spirit's leadership to go to Jerusalem. He was arrested there. For William Carey it meant going to India. For Hudson Taylor it meant leaving his mother behind to follow to China. For D.L. Moody it meant leaving a prosperous business career to be an evangelist. What does it mean for you?

When you are not your own master, it means saying no to many things pagans say yes to, and on the other hand saying yes to things many in the world says no. It means being constantly out of step with the majority of the world, swimming upstream against society, thinking at odds with the commonly held worldview and living with conviction to unseen realities the world neither believes or endears.

Not being your own master is following Jesus daily. [Luke 9:23]. It means dying to self. [Gal 2:20]. It requires being crucified to the world. [Gal 6:14]. It necessitates living by faith and not sight. [II Cor 5:7] It means laying your life on His altar as the ultimate expression of worship. [Rom 12:1]

Sometimes it means going where you don't want to go, doing what you don't want to do, giving what you don't want to give, loving whom you do not want to love and serving whom you do not want to serve. Jesus set the example in each of the above. He is our Master. He is our King. He is our Lord. He is our Savior. He is our Deliverer. May we bow in love and allegiance to Him. May we live to follow His marching orders. May He reign and rule on the thrones of our hearts for all our days.

Victor Or Victim

People have challenges. Things they have to overcome. Some grew up in dysfunctional families. Some were born with illnesses. Some face health issues as they age. Others are forced to fight to overcome poverty and financial setbacks. Some were abused.

You can choose to be a victor or a victim to your circumstances. I don't know what you are facing currently. I do not know what you have had to overcome in the past.

Moses found himself leading a group of victims. They wanted out of Egypt. For four centuries the nation of Israel pleaded for God to let them be free from their slavery. Four centuries came and went. Then God chose a reluctant servant named Moses. Through a series of miraculous events, Pharaoh finally released the nation and set them free. Shortly thereafter, he regretted doing so,  and chased down the Israelites. He caught up with them at the Red Sea and had them blocked in.

When the people saw the chariots from the Egyptian army they whined and complained. They even stated it would have been better to remain in Egypt. Moses assured the children of Israel they would see the salvation of the Yahweh, God would fight for them if they remained silent. Exodus 14. While the entire nation played the victim, Moses trusted God for the victory.

Most of you know the rest of the story. God did a massive miracle in parting the Red Sea so they could cross over on dry land. When Pharaoh and the Egyptian army followed in pursuit, God covered them with the walls of water He held back to drown all of them. From victims to victory.

I have a challenge to overcome. My eye sight. Since being diagnosed as a diabetic, I have had many treatments on my eyes to keep me seeing. I have had three laser surgeries, another surgery, and worst of all 89 injections in my eyes. I had four more this past week. I have Bibles from normal sized print to extra giant print depending on my fluctuating vision. When I first began my treatments, I begged for God's healing. That was five years ago. There have been three  different seasons when I could not see out of one eye for six months. I mean I could not see the number of fingers on a person's hand stading right in front of me three feet away. I praise God He brought me out of that.

Still the injections are scheduled, the next ones in May. I could choose the part of the victim. I love to read and write. My reading has been scaled way back. I love to preach and teach. At times it has been challenging. There have been times when I preached from memory, because I could not see the text.

I recall one visit sitting in the examination room of my doctor waiting on the next round of injections. I faced the possibility that the day could come when I will no longer be able to see. I had to choose right them whether I would be the victim or overcome to the victor. I choose the path of victory whatever that will look like in the future.

Fanny Crosby was blind. That did not stop her. She did not play the victim. She wrote hymns. She used 200 pen names. She is credited with writing 8,000 hymns. She did not let her blindness keep her from being fruitful for God. She pressed on to victory. She is an example to me, and many others facing setbacks.

We do not always get to choose the challenges we have to face. We do get to choose to be a victim or trust God for victory.

Overcoming Fear

I remember my first real roller coaster ride. I rode with two older girls. I was scared out of mind, but they weren't. I could not back out, or let them know how I felt. I stood in line perfectly willing for it to take a long time to reach that coaster. I remember the anxiety as we started up the big hill. I could hear the chain clanking as it tugged the coaster to the top. My stomach dropped when we crested, and descended the other side. After twisting and turning, we finally reached the end. It was not as bad as I first thought. IT WAS WORSE. I still rode it again, and  have ridden much taller and faster coasters with loops since then.

I don't like snakes. I detest them. When a guy brought a snake into our classroom and asked for volunteers to touch it, I shrank like a violet in the back of the room. On a field trip to a zoo many years ago with one of my sons, a worker asked for volunteers to touch the snake. I did not want to, but had to overcome fear and touched it. Two years ago I preached a youth camp in Panama Beach, Florida. We ate at a restaurant one night where you   could hold a live baby alligator. Of course they had the mouth taped shut. I jumped in. I held that little gator overcoming fear again.

So many people are ruled and paralyzed by fear. We are often told in the Bible not to fear. My favorite verse when it comes to overcoming fear is II Tim 1:7

2 Timothy 1:7 (NASB)
⁷  For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

 The word timidity can also  be translated as fear or cowardice. Fear is everywhere. With just the mention of a few topics fear surfaces like a coiled serpent ready to strike. The stock market. Coronavirus. Globalists. The New World Order. Flu. Social Security. Terrorism. ISIS.

There is no shortage of things for people to fear. People generally are prone to fear and cowardice. If God did not give that to us, where did it come from. Satan loves to produce fear, panic, cowardice and timidity in people. So fearful are some people they live imprisoned by those fears. If you are one of those people, I challenge you to memorize this verse and to quote it often.

Fear can also hinder a person from following and obeying God. You cannot be a true person of faith, and God not ask you to step out in and through fearful situations. Faith steps are often steps right through fear.

You have to make the choice if you will be a person of faith, or a person of fear. I think Paul's scripture to Timothy above leads us in our choosing. Choose faith over fear.

Family Tragedies

The stories are tragic. Families were impacted and forever changed. Hearts were broken. Tears fell. Questions of why lingered. Faith got shaken. Grief still endures.

A wife and mother did not feel well while her husband was away on a business trip. She called to tell him she did not feel well and scheduled an appointment with a doctor. The diagnosis was given and a very expensive medicine prescribed. She could not afford the medication and went home to take over the counter stuff. The husband made his way back home being several hours from home. He tried to call his wife repeatedly, but got no answer. He called a relative to do a wellness check. The wife was found unconscious and taken to the hospital by ambulance. She died just a few minutes before the husband walked into the hospital room. He is enduring the loss of his soulmate trying his best to raise children without her. Tragic.

A husband battled severe depression. He got so low he tried to take his own life. He got institutionalized. He does not remember much about that time except being medicated and sedated. When he finally got well enough to be released, he discovered his wife left him for someone else, most of his possessions were gone, he had no job, and his driver's license was revoked.

Tears welled up in his eyes as he relayed his story, and how abandoned he felt by his wife. He reminds himself that if Jesus can forgive him, he needs to forgive his wife and not become bitter.

A teenage boy got in his Jeep one Friday for a night of partying with friends. He went to a beer bash and got drunk. On the way home that night he crashed. His friends could not get him out before the Jeep burst into flames. That young man burned to death while his friends watched helplessly. In one night with one phone call parents and siblings experienced tragedy and sorrow beyond desciption. The what if questions linger. What if they had not let him go out that night? What if they known his intentions that fatal night?

She sat in my office to tell a sad tale. She met a guy in high school and went on a date. He wanted to date her and go steady. She refused unless he would go to church with her. He did. All through their dating years he dutifully sat by her side. He proposed and she accepted. They were wed, and he quit attending worship gatherings with her. They had three children. Well over two decades later he informed her he did not love her anymore and found someone else. He divorced her and she sat in grief with tears flowing freely telling me. His decree for divorce caught her totally off guard.

She eventually met another man and remarried. Tragedy struck again. She got diagnosed with a brain tumor and eventually lost her battle. She had only been remarried happily for a very short while.

Tragedies strike families.

The Bible predicts those things will happen.

John 16:33 (ESV)
³³  I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Matthew 7:24-27 (ESV)
²⁴

 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
²⁵  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
²⁶  And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
²⁷  And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Storms come. Tragedies show up unexpectedly. Lives and families built on a foundation of personal relationship with Jesus, and the rock of His word can survive. It is not easy, but they came make it through the pain. Such tragedies in unbelievers can be so devastating they never recover. Many try to hide the pain with addictions that serve only to make matters worse. 

I hope none of you has to go through tragedy. If you are forced to, I pray you find a rock hard foundation in Jesus and His word to get you through.