Who Are You?

 He sat across from me wide eyed as I shared counsel with him. I then asked him, "Who are you?" He stared back at me confused, struggling for words, and unable to find the answer to my question. Finally he muttered, "I am trying to figure that out."

I think that is where a lot of people are. If they were asked that same question they would answer by describing what they do. I am a housewife. I am an engineer. A teacher. Mechanic. Construction worker. A farmer. A nurse. That is not who those people are. That is what they do. 

Where does a person find their identity? The essence of who are they are? Why they exist? The world tries to shape us according to how we look, how successful we are, how popular we are, and many other things that never can tell the whole story. People plaster images and stories on social media to paint a picture of who they are. Really what they do is plaster images of what they want people to think they are. 

So I ask again, who are you? I asked the young man to turn my question back on me. He did. I replied, "I am a child of God, a follower of Jesus, Brenda's husband, and the father of Taylor, Tanner, Tucker, and Turner." Because of all of those things I know where I belong. Where I fit in. Whom I belong to. Where I have a seat at the table. 

I have found dining one of the most intimate and enjoyable experiences in life. Especially as it relates to family. What I love about our dining table is everyone has a spot. A reserved seat. A place setting. This is true irregardless of age, blunders, misunderstandings, strained relationships, hardships, sufferings, failures, victories, successes, blessings, and other life experiences. We each have a place at the table. A place where we belong. A place to love and to be loved. Each of us children of God, connected and united in faith, bonded with blood relations, fiercely committed to faith and family. 

Because of Jesus' redemption, each of the Edwards has a reserved spot at the marriage supper of the Lamb. A place at God's table along with all the other redeemed. We belong to our Father who loves us, rescued us, extravagantly lavished us with grace, and created us with intentional design. We are not mistakes. We were created with purpose. So were all of you reading this. Never forget that. God did not have a bad day when he made you. 

Who are we? Who do you belong to? I belong to Jesus. I belong to Brenda and four loving adult sons. I belong to the flock of Spring Creek. We are so much more than what we do. Our identity is found in Jesus. Our worth, or our value, is found in the price He was willing to pay to get us. Our worth is found being a part of His family.  Rest in that. 

One Molecule of Water

 I have spent a good portion of this afternoon diving deep into the history of Spring Creek Baptist Church. When it started. The highlights of 140 years of our journey of faith. A fascinating journey of bold faith. One that began back in 1882. 

I am the 68th pastor of this church. Just one of many. I have not distinguished myself from any of others. One name among those pastors stands out more than the rest. Bob Harper. He served here for 14 years. No other pastor has come close to matching his tenure, though I am determined to try. The church flourished under his leadership. They expanded the facilities under his direction. A personable, diligent student, voracious reader (his library had close to 15,000 books), a devoted pastor, and a seeker of revival characterizes Bob Harper. His ministry cannot be measured in words. Only in memories of those who were blessed by his loving ministry. He preached here in October of 2019 at eighty years old. People packed the pews to hear from Brother Bob come and preach again to his beloved Spring Creek. He resides in a care facility now where he is still known as Brother Bob. 

You may be wondering what in the world the title of this post has to do with Spring Creek and Brother Bob. Let me try to explain. I was made aware today that my role in the amazing history of this church is but a molecule of water in a massive waterfall of history. My short tenure here is but a drop in a bucket compared to Brother Bob's near decade and a half splash into the Spring Creek community. 

I think of brave bold adventurers here from the past with names like Barrett, Floyd, Horton, McLaughlin, and Harper who have forged ahead in bold faith believing God for unseen things ahead. I think of the bold faith of a self educated pastor who refused to listen to the experts but, tuned his hear to heaven to attempt the impossible. God honored their faith and brought us to where we are today. All of them played major roles in the history here. I am just one small molecule of water in their giant water fall history. A role I am honored to play and serve. May God never quit honoring the bold faith of these people for His glory and the expansion of His Kingdom. 

Don't Let Your Guard Down

 We are in the fight of faith. We face many battles in life. The skirmishes surround us. We are hit from all sides, many times when we least expect it. It is imperative that we do not let down our guard. 

It happens though. We let our guard down after a victory. We celebrate the triumph and bask in the moment. We may not even realize we let our guard down. We may relax and be coasting through life on gentle breezes at our backs when suddenly tumultuous storms terrorize us and throw our world into upheaval. When we rested to celebrate our success the enemy sought to advance taking more ground. 

We must live with a war time mentality. We must not lose focus. The fight for our faith is ferocious and we face a fearless enemy. He seeks to destroy us and our faith relentlessly. He is dogged determined to take down as many as possible. We should expect this. We should anticipate His never ending assaults and wear the armor of God to stand firm against Him. We can fight back with the word of God and prayer. 

We also let our guard down when we are flat out worn out. Weary from the wrestlings. Tired from the struggle. Fatigued from the fight. There are times to rest. To retreat and regroup. That is not what I am talking about. I am talking about when we get so tired we quit doing the things so vital to our protection. Things like praying, Bible reading and meditation, corporate worship and fellowship just to name a few. 

You know exactly how it starts. You wake up tired. So tired you can barely concentrate. You compromises and sleep in rather than to have your devotion. The next day it is a little easier to sleep in justifying that you will have a devotion that night. Only that night you are so exhausted you neglect devotions again. This pattern repeats until one day you are blindsided by the enemy and fall wounded. Don't let down your guard. 

I have seen the same patter in worship attendance. One Sunday off can turn into months astray very easily as people let down their guard and fill their schedules with lesser important things. It is a slippery slope of the enemy. 

I exhort all of us to keep our guard up. Keeping alert. Being watchful for where the enemy is attacking. Vigilant in our devotions to discern God's clear paths. I pray none of us will become another casualty in this spiritual war. Never forget we are in a war and must live with a war time mentality. Don't forget to keep your guard up. 

Awake America

 My burden for America grows heavier each day. We are headed for a collision with Almighty God we cannot survive. The warning signs are everywhere. It is like God is sounding a gigantic alarm clock shouting, "Awake America." 

Unfortunately, it appears the masses continue their routines mindlessly. Like sheep heading for the slaughter we give into propaganda, hysteria, and mind control with very little thought. How quickly our world has changed with the release of bioweapon virus from China intended to cripple the world and America more specifically. The very people who keep pushing masks and mandated vaccines are profiting off of these vaccines. That seems like a conflict of interest to me. It seems like a conflict of interest that the medical institutions that are supposed to treat patients are being rewarded financially for every confirmed case. That seems like an incentive to pad the stats to benefit financially. 

Awake America. Your God given freedoms are being snatched right out underneath your noses. Who would have believed that judges and governors could sign executive orders shutting down businesses and churches with little resistance. Your freedom to travel by air now requires proof you have been vaccinated. Employers are requiring the same. In certain cities restaurants and movies theaters are requiring the same. Many do not give a second thought to having codes on their cell phone as their proof. Some have downloaded fake codes to fool authorities. What will be the next step. Codes imbedded in the skin. People will not be able to fake that. It is already happening. This is already being experimented with in Sweden. Mark my words. It will be in the United States in the not too distant future. 

Wake up people. Read the book of Revelations and see how all this is playing out just as prophesied. There is a predetermined course set and nothing will alter it. Our only hope is to delay it with repentance and a return to God. 

Hear this clearly. No politician can save us. Let me be even more clear. Donald J. Trump cannot rescue America. Only Jesus can save America from the impending doom ahead. The rich and famous are powerless to stop the sinister plot of Satan for a one world government, currency and religion. Only Jesus can delay that predetermined plan. Only Jesus can transform wicked people into worshipers. Only He can provide protection from the troublesome days that lie ahead. We are on the brink of days like we have never seen. 

Think back on the past couple of years at how fast grocery store shelves emptied. How toilet paper was hard to find. Think back how Texas was brought to a grinding halt through a massive freeze. Those were challenging days but cannot compare to the sorrow of the tribulation period that is on the horizon. Where over the course of seven long years thing will progressively get worse and worse with no hope of relief for those left to endure it. There will  be much loss of life. Resolved believers will be executed on the spot if they do not comply with the command to worship Satan. The horror of what lies ahead should cause every believer to cry out to God for mercy and spare us with a little more time to tell as many as possible how to be saved. Time is running out. At some point we will pass the tipping point. That will the point of no return. Fear that day. Dread that day. At least their is the comfort of the rapture of the saved. 

What will we do when our cell phones are cut off, our access to the internet shuts down, gasoline becomes too expensive or unavailable? How will America respond when authorities comes home to home one day down the road to confiscate all firearms?  How will we survive when groceries cannot be bought without proof of vaccination? Does it concern anyone that Bill Gates owns the most farmland in the United States?  What are His intentions with all that land? Will he monopolize food supplies? Is anyone troubled that more and more influence from China infiltrates our government and companies? Is anyone concerned about future election fraud and that the voice of the people will not matter anymore? Where is the outrage over censorship of information in the media and social media? 

America awake. There is no hope outside of God. No alliance can deliver us. No peace treaty will ensure our safety. No feckless politicians can promise all our troubles away. We have one recourse for survival. Repentance and return to Almighty God. We brazenly imprint on our currency, "IN GOD WE TRUST," but He sees the truth. We have rejected Him, denied Him, defied Him, mocked Him, resisted Him, ignored Him, and refused Him. We will reap what we have sown. I beg of America, repent while there is still time. Turn from our wicked ways. Humble ourselves before Him. Plead for His mercy. Stand in the gap for His protection. To refuse is to seal our fate. Awake America. 

Terminal Generation

 God has appointed that some generation will be the terminal generation. What I mean is that will be the generation to experience the great tribulation and doomsday of God's judgment. The final generation to endure the end times. Could we be that generation? Indicators certainly point that way. 

What started out as a pandemic and the rush to produce a vaccine, has now turned into medical tyranny. Vaccine mandates are leaving people with the dilemma of choosing their jobs or their freedom. Whole cities and countries are forcing their citizens to be be vaccinated or denied basic freedoms like going out to eat, to watch a movie and in many places to worship with others. 

I heard a story about people in one country being implanted with microchips in their hands for proof of vaccination, making purchases, and keeping medical records. Does that sound like anything you have read or heard in the book of Revelation? This is a precursor to the mark of the beast. Without that mark nobody will be allowed to buy or sell. We are staring that day just down the road. 

America is crumbling before our eyes. We are weakened militarily with people at the highest levels making decisions that undermine our strength. We are ruled by corrupt politicians at every level on both sides of the aisles who are selling out our country to China. Our economy is on the edge of imploding. Financial experts predict a crash is imminent. Inflation is rising. Supply chains are breaking down. Nobody wants to work because of government bailouts. 

We are on the brink of war with Russia as Nato troops keep advancing causing Russia to build up their military to protect their own borders. If that were not frightening enough, Russia and China appear to be forming an alliance against America that could spell danger. China is increasingly hostile toward Taiwan leading many experts to predict an invasion is imminent. What will a weak Commander in Chief do in response? Tough talk behind the safety of the secret service does not intimidate such ruthless leaders as Putin and Ping. 

There is a great falling away from the faith. From pastors to worship leaders. Many who once were in high profile ministries have walked away from their faith in God leaving many disillusioned. Others held in high esteem have been discovered in unseemly behavior behind the scenes when they thought nobody was looking. God was looking and still looks. People leave the pews for the slightest sinister temptations. They are entrapped in a world of bondage. 

The rise of the occult is more in our face than ever. Satan is exalted instead of rebuked. Just this week a baby baphomet statute was dedicated in an act of defiant occultism and mockery of the birth of Jesus. One man released what he termed as "Satan shoes." Entertainers point to demonic celebrations. The work and worship of Satan are alive and well. 

All of this and more makes me wonder if we are the terminal generation. The last generation before the terrible and tragic end for unbelievers. The end before the great tribulation and the rapture of the church. The final chapter. The conclusion of the story. I did not even mention the crazy weather patterns lately. All of it seems like a giant warning sign flashing in neon lights, "WARNING! DANGER AHEAD!" 

I pray for America. I specifically pray God will awaken and move people to repentance. I believe it is the only thing that can save us now and delay His impending judgment. 

Reunion

 Brenda and I are anticipating the reunion with a close friend later today as she passes through town. We have not seen her in months. Our last meeting was briefly shared at a wedding. She had two weddings to attend on the same day and rushed off in a cloud of dust. We look forward to catching up. Laughing. Reminiscing. Sharpening one another spiritually. We are really looking forward to it. 

We are also looking forward to the reunion of our son Tanner. Of all our sons, we get to see him the least because of his work. He is coming in later tonight or tomorrow. I look forward to hugging his neck. Laughing with him. Enjoying some family traditions. Eating with his place at the table filled. That will content my soul more than any gift under a tree could do.

There is another reunion I am looking forward to. A heavenly reunion. Make no mistake. The first person I long to see in heaven is Jesus. To fall at His feet in worship for several thousand years. To lovingly adore Him, perpetually praise Him, and to enjoy Him endlessly. To thank Him for all He did for me. That is the focal point 

There are other reunions I look forward to seeing. Three in particular. My mother, sister and grandfather. I miss my momma. She died when Tanner was only three months old. She held him once. She never even got to meet Tucker and Turner. She would have loved them and spoiled them just like she did with Taylor. I miss her excitement at Christmas. She loved this time of year. She loved to bake. To decorate. To give gifts. She struggled as a single parent, but we always had great Christmas presents. She also loved to cook for us. The heart attack that caused her slow demise over three months occurred while she was cooking a large meal for a church event. I miss her smile. She knew heartache. She survived two abusive marriages. The death of a daughter. The struggles as a single parent and nursing student. I sat proudly when she graduated watching her walk across the stage to fulfill a lifelong dream. I miss momma. She died on Mother's Day weekend in 1998. That was 23 years ago. My last conversation with her was about Jesus and the hope of heaven. I will see her again. 

I miss my little sister Jamie. She drowned in 1976 when she was only four years old. I can barely make out her face in my memories. I came home from school to find a distraught mother who could not find Jamie anywhere. She had slipped off while my mother took a nap due to working the night shift. I rode my bike furiously all over the neighborhood trying to find her. They found her lifeless body in a pond where she slipped in among some tall weeds. They do not even think she saw the water because of the weeds until it was too late. She was younger than me. I wonder what she would have become? What our relationship would have been like? Would she be married now and have children? She would be 49 now. Hard to believe. 

My Papaw died when I was a sophomore in high school. We were very close. He instilled in me a love for sports. He never got to see me play in high school or college. He came to my junior high games, but the last year he was able to attend those games I sat the bench and never got to play. We used to watch football and baseball games together on television and he would teach me the fundamentals. He and I used to go on drives alone. I was the only one of his grandchildren who shared his love for sports. He even took me to meet some of his old football buddies when they got together for lunch. I idolized him. A four letter man in high school excelling in football, basketball, baseball and track. He served in the navy. He worked a well paying factory job for decades providing for the family. We lived with him and my grandmother most of my childhood. I cried one of the three hardest times I have ever cried in my life when he died. I can still recall my last conversation with him. I asked him how he felt. He commented, "Well, I would not win a footrace." I told him I would help him run and we would win together. I never spoke to him again. I came home from school one day to the tragic news he died. Later that night I fell to pieces. I long to see him again. 

I am thankful for earthly and heavenly reunions. One of God's great gifts to us is relationships. One of the sad realities is how those relationships get separated by distance and death. There will be no more goodbyes in heaven. Hallelujah. When I get there, I will get to celebrate Jesus with those I have loved the most. If I could send a message to each of them, I would say, "I will meet you at the pearly gates." 

That reminds me of what Brother Bob Harper says to me each time I go to visit him. He is in a retirement home. He served as pastor at Spring Creek for 14 years. He was the pastor here when I served as the youth minister. When I leave our visit he without fail says, "Matt, if I don't see you again down here I will see you up there." Yes sir Brother Bob. There will be a reunion up there. 

I've Given Up on God

 "I've given up on God," the man told my friend. An awkward silence followed. My friend replied, "Well, God has not given up on you." Fast forward several weeks and that same disgruntled disciple told my friend, "God is good." 

What happened? Years and years of bitterness had eaten away this man's faith and love for God like a cancer. He experienced suffering. His suffering got the better of him and, in a season of frustration and pent up anger, He lost hope and gave up on God. His experience is not isolated. Millions experience or have experienced the same thing. 

They gave up on God when the prayer did not get answered the way they wanted. When the worst case scenario became reality. When the burden got heavier instead of lighter. When reconciliation did not occur. When abuse damaged deeper than the eyes can see. When love was intentionally withheld. When the heart is shattered into pieces like glass hitting hard pavement sending shivers in every direction. When the finances runs dry and are insufficient to meet the needs. When the prodigal stiffens their neck in rebellion and stubborn pride refusing to be repentant. 

For all these reasons and many others, people give up on God. They lose heart. Their faith crumbles under the load like knees buckling underneath a heavy load. Satan loves to dispatch demons to plant toxic thoughts in such times. Such toxic thoughts that lead a person to give up on God. I have certainly been there. I am betting some of you have too. 

God is supposed to help. He is supposed to protect us, strengthen us, make our path straight, show us favor, and deliver us from evil. Some seasons of life make those attributes of God get called into question when He is silent and appears absent in our misery. Like at the funeral home or the cemetery. It is so easy for bitterness to creep in. To contemplate the raw deal God has handed us. 

We often fail to remember this truth. Pain and suffering came as a result of sin way back with Adam and Eve. Those came when the curse of sin was passed down to the whole human race. Translation; bad things happen to good people. We no longer get the luxury of living in the Garden of Eden. We live on this sin infested planet. Surrounded by suffering, disheartened, and distressed people.

I experience it weekly with those I minister to. I received a prayer request for an eleven year old boy who had a heart attack and is fighting for his life. I just did a funeral for a wife and mother who died from complications from the pandemic. I visited with a family who have been hit with one trial after another for the past several years. They have been faithful servants of the Lord. The wife is trying to hold it all together but the pain and pressure are too much to bear at times. I see people being forced to relocate because their rent, mortgage, or property taxes are so astronomical they cannot keep up. I talk with parents whose hearts have been ripped out by wayward prodigy. I visit with people struggling in addiction, fighting temptation, living in grievous sorrow and those so bone weary they can barely keep going. 

Such people may be tempted to give up on God. I ask where else can any of us turn for help? Alcohol is the devil's brew that only masquerades as the answer. It creates more problems in the end. Sex cannot eradicate pain. The pleasure is only fleeting at best. Nor can any kind of narcotic provide lasting relief. There is no other place to turn to but God. We cannot buy happiness. No matter how much money we have. We cannot purchase pain free lives. God is our rock solid foundation. He is mysterious. His ways and thoughts are beyond our comprehension, but He knows exactly what He is doing. He has earned the right to be trusted. 

You may be one of those who has given up on God. I am so thankful that He has not given up on you. Nor did He give up on me when I did not have my head twisted on rightly. Many times He works in ways we cannot see. He creeps in the crevices and cracks of our faith to work in us, on us and eventually through us. That is the hope of [Phil 1:6] He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

 He helps us get up out of bed on days when our heart is not in it. He sustains us to show up for worship when our faith is wounded. He comforts us in the night watches. He reminds us of His love. He sends us His faithfulness and new mercies every single day, even if we are blinded to them. He listens to our sob splattered supplications. He does not abandon us. He is working. [John 5:17] He is always working. We may not be aware of it. We may feel like He abandoned us in our misery. Trust a little longer. Cling to Him a little tighter. Wait patiently. He will show Himself faithful. [I Thess 5:24] He cannot be anything else but faithful. That is His nature. I trust, in His good time, He will see you through to the other side of your crisis and pain. Like one suffering saint once said, "You can't have a testimony without a test." Your suffering just might be used to help someone else get through their personal dark night. Our God has not given up on us. May we not give up on Him either. 

Unleashing Faith

 Picture in your mind a group of ordinary people gathered together. Housewives, farmers, teachers, business owners, administrative assistants, students, and coaches. People from different walks of life of every race united by a common faith in Jesus. Also united in one purpose for gathering. To unleash their faith on the world around them. 

Imagine this group bowing to pray with the intention of believing God to do mighty things in response to their faith unleashing the miraculous work of the Almighty in the context around them. Marriages healed. Rebellious brought to repentance. The addicted delivered. The lost saved. Prodigals returned home. Revival replacing religion. The lukewarm to burn in zeal. Strongholds destroyed. The kingdom of darkness to be overcome with marvelous light. 

The power of unleashed faith has unlimited potential. Let that sink in. The power of unleashed faith has unlimited potential. Why do I say that? Faith has to have an object. In other words, you have to place your faith in something. In our case, we place our faith in God. Jehovah. Yahweh. Because His power does not have limits, therefore our faith in Him is believing that anything He can do can happen through our faith. Our trust in Him can believe Him for anything. There are no limits. Truly we can say along with the scripture that nothing is impossible with Him, or to put a positive spin on it, all things are possible with Him. 

Can you contemplate the implications of that truth? The people of God committed to united and fervent prayer have the potential to unleash their collective faith on the world around them. That is a powerful force. 

We gather to fellowship, to play games, to study the Bible, to share meals, to enjoy family, but we do not often gather for the sole purpose of unleashing our faith. Even when we gather to pray, people are often tired, distracted, and weak in their faith. These prayer meetings can be lackluster. 

I dream of people gathering who are strong in their faith. People who are fervent in prayer. People who resolve to unleash their faith on a dark and twisted world. People strapped with the armor of God to enter the battle for resisting the forces of darkness. Mighty warriors clothed with the strength of the Lord. Powerful in prayer. I dream of dispatched companies of soldiers all over the world doing battle in prayer and unleashing a prayer arsenal attack on the forces of darkness. Unleashing an untamed faith on worldwide wickedness. Such potent prayer warriors that God not only listens, but also intervenes ushering in days of spiritual awakening. 

That has happened before. Look at the early American colonists in 1700s. Read about what happened in the mid 1800s. Research how powerfully God worked in Wales in the early 1900s. The power of unleashed faith from prayer giants like Jonathan Edwards, George Whitfield, and Evan Roberts opened the door for massive moves of God. Read about Charles Finney and Father Nash in the great revival work God put before them. Read about tireless labors of William and Catherine Booth, who founded the Salvation Army, prayerfully invading the slums with the gospel. Take in the account of Hudson Taylor prayerfully forging ahead into the interior of China with the saving message of the gospel when other missionaries remained in the coastal regions. Check out for yourself the fearless courage and indefatigable zeal of D.L. Moody in his quest to win souls. Take in the account of Amy Carmichael, Elizabeth Elliott, Jackie Pullinger and a host of others who unleashed their faith in pagan lands and watched God do miracles. 

What if that same spirit permeated your church and your personal prayer life? What if God set your faith ablaze like a raging prairie fire and that faith was unleashed on the world around you? What mighty things might God do in response? What divine influence and favor could potentially fall on the land? How many masses might turn to Jessu for salvation? The potential is unlimited because God is unlimited. I long to see the day of unleashed faith. Let it start right here, right now in me. 

Magical Moments

 Several weeks ago, I was driving home from a ministry trip when a song came on the radio that made me think about Brenda. I sent her a voice text telling her how much I loved her and was counting down the hours until we go to be reunited. It was a magical moment I still treasure. 

It happened again yesterday. She sat in her recliner next to me dozing after a full day of activity. I kept sneaking a glance in her direction to see if she was awake. I discovered she awoke on one of those glances and took in the scene. She sat there with her hair pulled back in a pony tail and few strands hanging over her face. She looked at her phone and did not even notice I was looking in her direction. Then she looked up. Through her glasses, I stared deep into her milk chocolate brown eyes with the dazzling lights of the Christmas tree in the background. I picked up my hands like I was holding a pretend camera and snapped a picture with my heart. A magical moment to be preserved. 

We were driving to lunch after morning worship today when that song I heard a few weeks ago played again. She had never heard it. I listened to it and gazed at her with deep affection. The lines in the song perfectly matched the love I have for her. I sang I to her. Before we got out I quoted the lines to her and told her that summed up how I felt about her. It was another one of those magical moments. Another moment to be treasured and another snap shot of the heart. 

I hope you will do the same in this special seasons of the year. Make and capture some magical moments. 

Deposits and Withdrawals

 In the world of finances, most people understand the principles of depositing funds into an account and the withdrawal of funds from an account. Weekly people deposit paychecks into their accounts. Some do it through an actual paycheck. Others have those funds deposited electronically. They do this so they have access to funds to make necessary purchases like groceries, mortgage payments or rent, utility payments and so forth. 

That is not what I have on my mind. I am thinking of the bank of faith. We learn in Ps 24:1 that God owns everything. He has access to anything He wants. Money. Vehicles. Houses. Clothing. He also has available to Him healing, wisdom, anointing, revival, comfort, and strength to be shared with others at His command. It's all His to dispense as He sees fit. 

Now picture praying saints who continually are making deposits of faith into their account. They trust, believe, and are assured that God hears and will meet their needs. Multiple deposits of faith are built up. Then comes the moment of need when they need to cash in on their deposits and make a withdrawal. They ask in faith. They trust God will meet their need. 

This can be done in invisible ways. God may answer in ways the physical eye cannot see. Like giving a person peace in troubled times. Like providing strength to endure a difficult stretch. He can also do it in tangible ways as well. He can provide needed funds at just the right moment. He has provided His people with food, protection, physical healing, guidance, and other necessities in timely manners in response to faith filled asking. People prayerfully make withdrawals and God releases the necessary resources. 

I am not suggesting that we earn God's blessings. That we do enough good works to merit answers to our prayers. I am suggesting that each faith filled prayer and praise is a deposit into our account. We may go weeks and months without really needing anything significant from the Lord. Then a crisis comes when we need God to intervene. In those times, we can ask God for a withdrawal to meet the need of the hour. 

It would be tragic to encounter some trial and go make a withdrawal of faith only to find our account is overdrawn because we have not deposited anything into it. Prayer is a deposit of trust. The accumulative account of all that trust in God will move Him to action when we most need Him. 

Again, this is not a works based thought of trying to earn certain blessings. This is building up our holy faith in God so that, when we most need to trust Him, we find sufficient belief to meet the situation. I hope your faith account is full, amply supplied, with extra reserves for any and every situation. There is a time to deposit. There is also a time to make withdrawals. May our faith accounts be overflowing when the time of withdrawal comes. 

Special Time

 God has blessed Brenda and I with four sons. It was important for me to carve out time for each of them where they had my undivided attention when they were young. I began having special time with them. Special time included one on one time when I would take them out to eat at their favorite restaurant. When they were young, that meant McDonalds, Burger King, or maybe some kind of chicken. 

I tried to never leave the house on some errand that I did not take at least one of them with me. It might be a quick run to the grocery store, hardware store, or to the post office. I wanted that quality time with each of them. I also coached their little league teams so enjoy more time with them. 

They are all grown up now. Taylor is teaching and coaching. Tanner is about one semester away from graduating from college. Tanner wants to get his masters degree so he can coach at the college level. Tucker is about a year from college graduation. He plans on going to the police academy afterwards. Turner is just starting his college education. I do not get much time with them anymore. 

Special time still happens though. Before Turner got home from school, Tucker and I enjoyed several one on one meals together. Taylor and I still go grab breakfast from time to time. Only now, he invites me and pays. Turner and I just returned from some special time at Subway. The last time Tanner was in town over Thanksgiving, we took him to Waffle House before he left to go back. 

These are treasured times. Sometimes the conversations run deep. On other occasions, we spend that time catching up. The most important thing is that we are enjoying each other. That means more and more to me as a dad since they have grown up. Many times I think about them playing around the yard as little lads. Just spending time with them is a blessing. 

I think of God the Father and how He yearns to spend special time with His children. Time reserved for just the two of them. Private conversations, customized counsel, and close communion ensue. I believe God yearns for that special time with His children more than they could ever possibly yearn for that time with Him. Not that He needs it. He just loves us and loves to share His time with us. 

I know the joy I feel when I share special times with my sons. It is humbling to think that God could ever feel joy over time spent with one of us. It is sad when we get too busy for Him. Just like parents of grown up kids who are too busy to stop by for a visit. Always in a rush to leave to make their next appointment. Parents long for prolonged visit. 

When is the last time we lingered with the Father for awhile? Had a prolonged visit? When did last sit with Him in silent communion? We actually took the time to enjoy Him? That is what He longs for. The God of this universe carves out special time in His infinitely busy schedule for us. What a shame if we busily brush Him off. Memories, spiritual mile markers, and transformational encounters happen when we spend special time with the Father. May we not pass these opportunities by. They will matter in eternity. 

God's Silence

 Malachi 4:6 (NASB)

⁶  "He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse."

Those were the last words God spoke for centuries between the period of the Old Testament and the New Testament. Think of it. No fresh words from the Lord. Silence. Year after year. Decade after decade. Century after century. Nothing new. Only stale left-over messages from years gone by that had been rehashed over and over again. Prayers for revelation were not answered. Pleas went unheeded. Fasting did not make a difference either. God chose silence. 

During those centuries, it would have been easy to interpret God's silence as His absence. That is what we often do. We cry out to God from our distress and plead for counsel, wisdom, and instructions about what to do. Many times, God responds to these fervent pleas with complete silence. Not a word. Not a hint. 

I know of a young couple pleading with God for direction about a career path. God has not answered them. They are unsure of what direction to go. Confused. Frustrated and paralyzed in knowing what steps to take next. 

I just left the prayer room at Spring Creek a short time ago. My main purpose in going there was to hear from God. I left later disappointed. Not a word. Not a hint. Not a nudge nor a whisper. 

Just because God is silent does not mean God is not working. Read John 5:17. 

 

John 5:17 (NASB)
¹⁷  But He answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working."

God is always working. Before Genesis 1:1, God was working. He has been working through history since then. In those centuries of silence between the Old and New Testaments God was also working. Preparing the stage for the prophetic fulfillment of the birth of His Son. Everything had to be just right. The virgin Mary had to be born. The census had to be ordered. The shepherds had to be summoned. God waited patiently for the appointed time. He remained silent refusing to shed further light.

We lose sight of what God is doing when He is silent. We think He has forgotten us. We muse that He has abandoned us. Neither of those is true. 

Let me illustrate this for you. There was a period between 2014-2016 when God was silent to me. It was a long dark night of the soul. He gave me messages to preach, but no personal words. I read through the Bible three times those years seeking answers and direction. He remained tight-lipped. 

A friend of mine and I went to the mountains of New Mexico for a prayer retreat. I spent my days crying out to God. Even going on top of a mountain and sitting on rocks just to listen. The scenery was breathtaking. If there was any place in the world, I thought God would speak to me, it was there. I left that mountain despondent. Not a word. It seemed God would never break His silence. 

Plans got rearranged on the way home. Some friends invited me to spend the night with them before going home. This meant adding one additional day to my trip. My friend dropped me off and I went to my host's house. They had a busy weekend and wanted to take a nap that afternoon. I told them I wanted to go on the back porch to pray. Little did I know what God was about to do. 

After I prayed a bit, I opened my Bible and started reading where I had left off previously. That is when I came across [John 5:17]. God stopped me in my tracks. He broke His silence. He reminded me that from Creation to the current state of affairs He has always worked and is still working. That encounter with God lasted eight hours. I ended up teaching a Bible study over it later that evening on that back porch. That turned out to be one of the most profound God encounters I have ever had. It came right on the heels of a drought of God's silence. 

I look back on that period five years later. It is amazing all the ways I have seen God work during that time. It is also encouraging to remind myself of all that God has spoken during that time. I have never been more contented in my whole life. Contented with family. Contented in ministry. 

I still endure seasons of God's silence. I know how to process it better. I know that after prolonged periods of His absence, a greater revelation and encounter are just ahead. He may have been silent in the prayer room today, but He may blow me away tonight or in the morning. He is not absent. He is aways working, even when He is silent. Be encouraged brothers and sisters. Your long awaited breakthrough may be just around corner. 

Compelled To Write

 Spring Creek Baptist Church is not a large congregation. We have topped one hundred people in attendance only a few times in the past couple of years. My influence is limited to a small loving congregation I absolutely adore. 

Through writing, I have the ability to minister to people in a much broader context. Previous books I've written have been scattered all over the United States. To God be the glory. Books like Only Believe, Life on the Altar, Behold the Faithfulness of God, Sitting with the Savior, Weeping for a Night, and Shake the City Revival Devotions. 

The goal has never been to make money. I have given more books away than I have ever sold. It is an extension of my preaching ministry. I write for the glory of God and to help people. I am compelled to write. I cannot keep it in. It is natural for me to write as to breathe. It has been that way since childhood. 

God helped me finish a book on prayer titled: Prayer: Ministry from the Secret Place. I am believing God for money to get it into print. The book is obviously about prayer which is one my most passionate pursuits. God stirred me to share things He has taught me over the past 25 years about prayer with other people. The book is the most extensive thing I have ever written. It is in the process of editing and production. 

God gave me this unique gift to write on this blog which can be read by people from all over the world free of charge. Over the years, I have jotted down my Bible meditations, musings, and life experiences in the hope that it might help someone somewhere. At times, the writings, are prophetically hard. There are other times when the writings are encouraging. I love most to write testimonies about the ways God answers prayer. It is my passion to serve as an example of how God answers impossible prayers to encourage others to pray. 

Writing is often therapeutic. I am able to work through issues in my personal life and share those thoughts praying God will encourage or challenge others. It has never been about making a name for myself. It has always been about writing for God. to promote Him and His word. 

I was called to write long before God ever called me to preach. The love and call to write goes as far back as fifth grade. To a creative writing assignment. I came alive during that assignment. My imagination sparked. While others groaned at the excitement I wrote fast and furiously. As Christmas approaches, my mind drifts back to the Christmas of 1979 when I got one of the greatest gifts I have ever received. An electric typewriter. I wanted to write, and that typewriter set me on a path. 

I joined the newspaper staff in high school. I intended to be a journalism major in college. That is until the summer of 1985 when God called me to preach. I did not write for the next several years other than research papers for school. The writing dream lay dormant. 

That is until one afternoon in 1995 sitting at a folding table makeshift desk. God wedded His two callings on my life together that day. I wrote on a legal pad some thoughts about a Bible passage. For the first time, I realized I could preach and write. What a glorious day. I wrote two little books afterwards, we printed on a copy machine and bound together titled: Swimming in the Bathtub and Close Encounters. 

It was in 2008 that a friend introduced me to world of blogging. On a previous blog I wrote 1,500 posts. over the span of several years.  I started the follow hard blog as a fresh start from a very dark period. Some months I barely post anything. Other months I cannot write enough to keep up with all the inspiration. God sparks my imagination in the Bible, nature, books, life experiences, and inspirational stories I hear. It's truly a labor of love. 

You can help me in this ministry in two ways. First, if any of these posts ministers to you, please share them with others. Or share the link www.followhard638.blogspot.com. The name of this blog is taken from Psalm 638 where in KJV it reads, "My soul follows hard after Thee." That has been the passionate pursuit of writing these blogs for the past several yea. 

The second way you can help is to pray. Pray God will spread these writings and books all over the world. I have committed all the proceeds from this newest book to go to Spring Creek Baptist Church. I will not personally profit from it. Like I said before, I do not write to make money. I am compelled by Christ to write for Him. All the writings are His to do with as He sees fit. I believe God for every dime to get this newest book into print. I believe Him to sell thousands of copies. All for His glory. 

I have already begun work on the next book titled, Elijah's Cry. It is a book about learning to walk by faith and beholding God's faithfulness in response. I think I am approximately one third of the way through with it.  Your prayers are greatly needed and appreciated to complete this next project. 

Heavy Laden

Heavy laden people came to me today on several occasions to unload their cares. One working through the grief of losing his wife, was in a head on collision with a drunk driver this past week just a week after his wife's funeral. He is okay but it only compounds to the burdens he is bearing. Another came to share her deep sorrow over a situation she faced recently. Two others came loaded with care about where they are going to live due to their rent increasing significantly. Another wept through a good portion of the service today. Not just a trickle of tears. Full on sobbing. Another talked to me at the backdoor about a grievous situation she is facing. I talked with another still mourning coming up the one year anniversary death of a loved one. 

People are hurting. Life is hard. Life can be very cruel. It pains me to see people I love so weighed down with things beyond their control. During this festive time of year, I am continually reminded some people are trying to stay afloat and survive in a swirling storm. Life is a struggle under the heavy load of pain, sorrow, grief, financial woes, and battles with despair. 

Is there any word from the Lord for these people? I am asking God that even as I write this. There is no assurance of a pain free heavy laden free life. There are no guaranteed stress free and sorrow less lives. There is hope. One I have turned to time and time again. There is no other scripture I have prayed and quoted more often in hospital rooms, in counseling sessions, personal struggles, and in tragedies than [Psalm 46:1]. 

Go is. Not God was. Not God will be. He is both of those things for sure. He was there in the past, working in the events of men and women, showing Himself faithful. He will be there in the end to welcome His own into eternity. He will faithfully be there during the tough stretches for His heavy ladened followers. He is. Right now. Today. At this very moment. Presently. 

God is our refuge. That means He is our shelter and hiding place. When life gets overwhelming, He is the place to run for a little relief, some extra measure of rest, and to regroup. His refuge is accessible all hours of the night and day.

I recently talked to a lady who told she could not sleep after going through a traumatic event. She wakes up every night about the same time. She finds God is her refuge in those times. A safe place. A shelter from all the pain and stress in her life. He works the night shifts. That same refuge is available for all of the people of God. 

God is our refuge and strength. There are times when the burdens are more than we can handle. Heavier than we can lift. Weightier than our minds can find solutions. Quitting seems easier than enduring. God is a strength. He can empower us to trudge through another painful day. He can enable us to praise when engulfed in pain. He can sustain our hope and trust in the darkest of circumstances. His might is shared with us when we are weak. His power helps us to overcome. To press through the pain to better days.

God is our refuge and strength; a very present help in times of trouble. I want to say to all who are heavy laden that God is there with you. He offers His assistance. I do not know why He doesn't just fix your troubles. Why He does not always heal on the earth. Why death snatches people we love away. Why one trial after another pounds the people of God. I believe what His word states. He is a help in times of trouble. When life gets the hardest, He does not tuck tail and run. He is with those who need Him most. He is comforter, counselor, hope, help, savior, supporter, mountain mover, miracle worker, peace, and present help. 

I have turned to [Psalm 46:1] in the harshest, toughest, darkest, most bitter, most deeply painful, most highly troubled, intensely stressful, and sorrowful times of my life. I have found the necessary relief, power, and assistance to endure to better times. God has comforted me multiple times with these truthful words. May He do it again for you today. 

Tell About Jesus In All The Languages

 Micah is a four year old boy living in Athens, Greece. His mother is the daughter of one of my best friends. She used to attend Spring Creek as a little girl. His dad is a converted Muslim from Iran and a passionate preacher of the gospel for refugees. Javod, Michah's dad, is a faithful witness. He has been used of God to lead thousands of people to Jesus for salvation. 

Micah is a very unique little boy. I saw a video of Micah praying at the end of a worship service. He prayed in Farsi, which I do not understand, but I could tell he prayed with sincerity and passion. He is advanced beyond his years. Very mature for his age. God has His hand on this youngster. 

The other night he told his mother, "I can't wait until I can tell people about Jesus in all the languages." He currently speaks three. Farsi, Greek, and English. That is a far cry from children in America wanting another toy, one more trip to Chic-Fil-A, to watch cartoons, or play video games. Micah is already tapping into things that matter for eternity. 

At such a tender young age, Micah gets it. He understands the importance of people getting introduced to Jesus for salvation. He also understands that all people from many different nations need to hear this message. He is able to minister in a way that I will never be able to do. I do not speak Farsi, Greek, French, Spanish, or any other language. I'm limited to communicating through only English. Micah is a thoroughly equipped youngster to do more for Jesus that many of us. 

Micah has witnessed his parents giving their lives to the down and out, the rejected, the forgotten, and the destitute. He already has a tender compassionate heart for people. It is easy to grow callused. To ignore the needs around us. It seems Micah's eyes are wide open. He sees into spiritual things. 

That little lad inspires me. He inspires me to continue to be a witness to others. To thank God for Micah's parents, Javod and Julie, who are teaching Micah the things of God. I am thankful for a teachable spirit in Micah. God has something very special for that little boy. May the Lord honor his desire to tell people about Jesus in all the languages. 

Yearning

 To yearn for something is to intensively long for it. It is the result of eagerly craving something. People yearn for all sorts of things. Some of those are within their grasp to secure. Others elude them. 

The question I'm pondering today is what is our greatest yearning? What is that we most intensely long for? I am sure the answers will vary from person to person. A single person might yearn to get married. A married person could yearn to be free and single again. The unschooled may yearn for knowledge and education. The learned may long for days when they did not know so much. A person can yearn for noble things as well as dishonorable things. What is that you most yearn for? 

I wrote extensively last week about a recent prayer retreat I took to east Texas. What I did not write about was perhaps the single most significant God encounter I had while there. It will be hard to paint the picture. I will have to paint in broad in strokes because the finer details are impossible to capture. 

I sat in an easy chair praying. Mostly asking God to speak to me about whatever He had on His mind. Crying out to know Him more. The yearning for Him and His voice at that time was intense. I can say I yearned for nothing more in that moment. I felt the Psalmist in [Ps 73:25] Whom have I in heaven but You, and besides You, I desire nothing on earth. 

 I felt a strange sensation like I never felt before. It felt like every bone, muscle, organ, cell, molecule, and atom were being pulled out of my body like metal pulled to a magnet. The only way I can describe it is to say, it seemed like God was pulling me to Himself. All of me. From the inside out. The intense yearning was equally met by God's yearning. 

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands you sinners and purify your hearts you double minded. [James 4:8]

The phrase draw near means to approach and come close. That was my desire sitting in that chair. I yearned to come closer to my God. Nothing superseded that craving. The Psalmist likened that yearning to a deer longing for water. [Ps 42:1] I wanted to come closer. Closer than I had ever been. The intensity of that moment felt like my whole body wanted to jump out of my skin in yearning. 

There is more in [James 4:8] to consider. As much as we may want to draw close, on the other end God yearns to draw closer to us. He yearns to reveal Himself. To clothe us in His love like a warm blanket just taken out of the dryer. He wants to commune with us more than we know. He wants us to get closer to Him and meets us on the journey. While we are yearning, He is tugging at our souls to get closer. 

I have been seriously seeking the Lord in prayer for nearly 30 years. I have never experienced anything like it. In that season of yearning I did not say anything. My whole body said it all. Every part of me thirsted for more of God. Every fiber hungered to feast on His presence. I did not seek Him for what He could do for me. I pursued Him just to know more of Him. He was the prize I sought. The treasure I quested to attain. 

I am not sure how long that season lasted. There has been more time spent in prayer since then back here at home. Nothing has come close to that encounter. The yearning remains. I anticipate another holy collision when the God of this universe and I meet again with mutual yearning. With the punctuating and posting this last sentence I am off to prayer room where the yearning continues. 

Looking for Love

 Country Western singer Johnny Lee had a big called "Looking for Love." Part of the chorus went like this, "Looking for love in all the wrong places, looking for love in too many faces." 

That thought is bouncing around in my mind. I think of the all the desperate men and women looking for love. They give themselves to vile disgusting behaviors in a vain attempt to secure love. What happens more often is shame, condemnation, and a broken heart. 

These men and women are on the prowl to meet someone. They go from nightclub to nightclub and bar to bar hoping to find love. In exchange for a drink and a dance they share a night of sex with lust and not love. The one-night stand fades into days of regrets. The cycle repeats itself because the world shouts that is the way to find love. 

I wish people could pull up to the filling station of Jesus and tap into the pump of His love. I wish they could feel the validation of His love that makes one fit to receive and give love to others. Love is more of a willful decision than a gushy emotion. Love is more than diamond rings, dozens of roses, and chocolate candy. Love is serving. Love is self-sacrificing. Love is patient. Love is devotion. Love is commitment. Love is enduring. 

My heart breaks to consider people who look for love in all the wrong places. They get impatient. They convince themselves that if they just found someone, they would be happy. They compromise convictions and settle for second best rather than waiting on God's best. The courts decry this myth. No person has the power to completely fulfill you. That is a role reserved completely for Jesus. Until people experience that love, they will place unrealistic expectations on partners that can never be met. Some people drift from relationship to relationship in this same destructive cycle. It is pathetically tragic. 

If you are looking for love, let me advise you to look to Jesus first. Fill up with His love. Find your identity in Him. Get your validation from Him. He is not selfish. He is not abusive. His love is not conditional. His love endures. In fact, it is everlasting. He does not use you and leave you. He is all the love any will ever need. 

Jesus did not say, "I have come to give life more abundantly only to those in a relationship." A person can be single and learn to live contentedly. They can also learn to live patiently in faith waiting on God to bring a soulmate into their lives. He knows the address of those looking for love. They do not have to go to a nightclub, bar, or party in compromise looking for love. They can pray in faith. They can patiently serve others while waiting and not fixate on finding someone. They can continually fill up on God's agape love. 

Jesus is a friend of the lonely heart. He is a constant companion for the rejected and cast aside. He is an always on time available friend. He is a loving Lord. If you are looking for love, you need to look no further than to Jesus. He is all the love a person could ever hope for and more. 

Midnight Praise

 John Rolf is one of the most gifted and talented worship leaders I have ever met. We crossed paths when John was in college. He played multiple instruments. He wrote his own music. He produced his own cds from his bedroom playing each instrument and doing the vocals. Many times, I sat under his anointed leading in worship. 

One weekend he and I worked together to lead a college retreat. Late one night we planned a session of worship and praise. The only agenda was to seek God and praise Him. John sat down at an old upright piano and started playing. What happened next goes down as one of those all-time high God moments in my life. 

John played softly at first. We began a little before midnight. We entered the courts of Heaven with thanksgiving. Then he began to pound that piano playing song after song into the wee hours of the morning. He never stopped other than to play as he prayerfully sought God for the next song, and then off he went again. Playing until his fingers hurt and his voice weakened. I went to bed around 4:00 a.m. and several students were still singing going strong. John played until near 5:00 a.m. His hands were swollen and tender to the touch the next day. He led worship continuously for nearly six straight hours. He never stopped. He went from one song to another all night long. Midnight praise turned into all night praise. 

It is one of the few, if not the only time, I have ever sat in a midnight praise service. I have not thought of that event in decades. It brings back some warm memories. I lost touch with John and his beautiful wife Jessica. At one point I know they lived and ministered in Pennsylvania. 

This reminds me of another midnight praise service found in [Acts 16:25]. The scene was far different than a college retreat. It was in a jail. You might could say a dungeon. The inner part of the prison. Two sat there with bloodied bruised backs from the beating they had received earlier in the day. Their feet were locked in stocks. They did not whimper and whine. Instead, they prayed and praised at midnight. The other prisoners listened. 

What kind of people can still find reasons to pray and praise after being beaten severely? I can sum it up in something one of them wrote. "I count all things as loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ." [Phil 3:8] NASU

Did you catch that. In view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ. Jesus meant more to Paul than freedom, comfort, security, and even health. He sang praise at midnight because his persecutors could not dampen his enthusiasm. They could not douse the holy flame that burned in his heart for Jesus. They could not beat, stone, lash, or imprison him enough to cause him to turn on Jesus. Instead of pining in self-pity, he chose prayer and praise. 

Sure, Paul and Silas suffered loss. With bloodied and bruised backs and feet in stocks, they chose to magnify their Lord. Many people who endure such hardships have chosen a different reaction. They get angry. Grow bitter. Cast blame at God. Murmur and complain. They do just the opposite of what Paul and Silas did. 

I heard a coach say once, "People say adversity builds character. I say adversity reveals character." I agree with him. There are many people who say they are Christians. When the heat of adversity and affliction hit them, what they truly believe comes out. Some maintain joy in the harshest seasons of life. They love God and cling to Him through the fiercest stormy seasons. They have built their lives on solid rock and not shifting sand. For others, they curse, get angry, bitter, and turn their backs on God whom they blame for it all. They crumble in the crucible of affliction.

At different seasons of my life, I have reacted like a shallow immature spoiled brat Christian. There have also been seasons when I reached down deep to find my soul anchored in Jesus and praise and faith buoyed in the midst of the pain and confusion. 

I think midnight praise in our darkest moments is some of the highest form of praise we ever offer. When tears accompany the worship. When grief grips the soul like vice grips. When the heart oozes with pain, confusion, and loss, to praise in that moment is inspiring. It is triumphant. 

During the midnight praise of Paul and Silas the other prisoners listened. I think they were comforted. For those moments they were lifted higher than their sufferings. Caught up in something greater than their circumstances. 

I know there are moments so excruciatingly crushing that the last thing you may feel like doing is praising or praying. I have been there too. Jesus offers something more valuable than smooth sailing through life. He offers real strength to persevere, genuine hope through faith, peace that surpasses understanding, and the greater gain of knowing Him than anything this world can offer. Midnight praise can lift us above our circumstances. 

I think about slaves before the American Civil War. They were mistreated and overworked. They labored in the blistering sun picking cotton until their fingers bled and their backs ached from bending over all day long. One of the ways they got through their days was singing praise. They were lifted higher than their afflictions in those moments through prayer and praise. We can learn from their examples as well as Paul and Silas. 

Midnight praise is a choice. A choice to adore rather than hate. A choice to sing rather than complain. A choice to worship rather than whine. A choice to praise instead of profaning. It is a choice I hope we all make in our midnight hour. 

A Better Plan

 Many years ago people used to carry day planners. They scheduled appointments, meetings, deadlines, and to do lists down to the minute. Funny thing though, life often got in the way to mess up the plans. I have had one such day. I had a plan. My day did not unfold the way I thought it would. 

For starters, I woke up super early. Too early. Way earlier than I intended. I have yawned several times this afternoon in the office. I had a doctor's appointment at 9:00 a.m. in Fort Worth. I knew exactly what time I needed to leave and hit the target. All went pretty smooth until I discovered the exit I needed to take was closed. Next thing I know, I am doing a tour through downtown trying to navigate my way back to where I needed to be. The cost of the visit turned out to be substantially more than I anticipated. Easy come easy go. 

I returned home after the appointment to grab something to eat. When I got ready to leave again my truck would not start. The battery was dead. It worked fine all morning. I knew it sounded like it was getting weak but I did not plan on it dying. I called a deacon who gave me jump start and off I went to the store to get a new one installed. The wait time was two and a half hours! All I could do was walk around aimlessly to pass the time. Not what I had planned. 

I did not even step foot into the office today until nearly 2:00 p.m. Not what I had planned. 

Paul had a plan. An agenda to take the gospel message to Asia and then to Bithynia but the Holy Spirit forbid him and his team. Not what Paul planned. His plans were closed doors. It made no sense. People in both of those places needed to hear about Jesus. Logic dictated it was a good plan. Only a plan God did originate and hindered from fulfillment. 

God spoke to Paul that night in a vision to reveal His better plan. [Acts 16:9-10] To go to Macedonia and labor there. Paul concluded that vision was the will of God and they charted a course to Macedonia. That set some things in motion that was a better plan than Paul had come up with. There were intricate details in God's plan that would not fully unfold for some time. In the end, the tapestry of the better plan sure becomes crystal clear. 

Paul eventually followed God's better plan into Philippi and Thessanolica. He would plant churches in both these places. He later wrote epistles to these churches. In God's better plan, we have God inspired books of the Bible that came as a result of God's better plan. That is 12 chapters of sharper than any two edged sword sacred scripture we have because God's plan was better. 

In 2017, Brenda and I were seeking God for a new place to serve. We were contacted by two churches in west Texas. I had prayed for God to send us back to west Texas. I preached out there many times over the years and loved the people. We also enjoyed a wonderful ministry at First Baptist Seminole. I wanted to return west. 

The first church we interviewed with really grabbed our hearts. We both felt a peace about it. We connected with people on the search committee I still keep in contact with to this day. When all cleared, they presented three candidates to the church on the same day. The Sunday I preached there was a holiday weekend and many of the people were out of town and did not hear me preach. They went in a different direction. I sure did not understand. That church seemed like a perfect match for our family. 

Months went by and we were contacted by another church in a town we were somewhat familiar with. We had passed through that town many times and even stopped to eat there after our son's ball games and track meets. Brenda and I once again drove to interview. We enjoyed the people. I preached the following Sunday in the church a friend pastored and the search committee came to hear me. Later that week they contacted me to tell me they wanted us. Brenda and I did not have peace about it and turned them down. 

Once again my plan did not work out. For the next two years we served a small church in Weatherford, TX. I worked hard trying to grow the church. We prayed, knocked on doors, and held outreach events that were poorly attended. The attendance and the finances of the church really dwindled. Another door seemed to be closing. 

That is when God's better plan opened. Spring Creek Baptist Church. A church Brenda and I had history with dating back 30 years when we labored here in youth ministry. Out of over 100 resumes they sifted through and landed on mine. We interviewed with them and reconnected with some old friends. Long story shortened they called us. God had a better plan. I sit here over two years later thankful for God's better plan and closing doors that looked so appealing to me. Those churches were great in their own right but God ordained us to be back here. It is truly a labor of love. A blessing for which I can never give enough thanks or praise for God making happen. 

You may have encountered some closed doors recently. You may feel frustrated and confused. If you submit yourself to God, seek Him continually, and wait on Him I am confident He will show you His better plan. Stay the course brothers and sisters. Stay the course. God's better plan may be unfolding for you just around the corner. His better plan is worth the wait. 

Forbidden

 For centuries people have tried to silence messengers of God. They have intimidated them with threats. They have incarcerated others. Many have been beaten mercilessly. They have murdered more in the most brutal fashion. 

The blood bought and God called men and women have not wavered in the mission. To make Jesus known. They willingly died to dreams of comfortable lives in quaint little neighborhoods. They took on the challenge of learning a new language. They packed their bags and departed for foreign soil. They planted deep roots in the culture and people. Fearlessly and prayerfully, they fulfilled their redemptive mission. 

In some of these nations, it is forbidden to distribute a Bible, talk, or teach about Jesus. These brave ambassadors for Christ do it anyway. The gospel has not, cannot, will not, and must not be silenced. It is not as if these messengers have not counted the cost. I once read about a group who packed their belongings in coffins rather than trunks because, they never anticipated returning home again alive. Even in forbidden lands. 

Hudson Taylor forged through forbidden China for Christ. So did Lottie Moon. Jackie Pullinger has devoted decades to Hong Kong. There are servants of Christ in Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran, India, Pakistan, Russia, North Korea and other points all over the world. These brave soldiers of the cross labor where they are forbidden to do so. They consider the reward of obeying Jesus greater than the risk of harm. 

If those people can bravely labor where it is forbidden, you and I can summon the courage and passion to express the gospel where we are free to do so. We are not tortured for speaking the name of Jesus. We are not jailed for giving a gospel witness. At least not yet. 

Mark my words. That day is coming. Sooner than you think. The more you hear terms like globalist, New World Order, one world government, a central currency, the closer we are getting. The day is coming when all the nations will voluntarily surrender their sovereignty to one leader. The Bible identifies this person as the antichrist. He will worship Satan and establish a one world religion. This will culminate in people submitting allegiance to him by law taking an identifying mark. Those who refuse to do so will be executed immediately. It will be forbidden to speak of Jesus. To do so will make a person an enemy of the state. 

That day is fast approaching. Just look at the vaccine mandates and lockdown orders. We surrendered our rights with barely a whimper. We were forbidden to go outside, to gather, and even to worship. During that time, I never shut Spring Creek down. A small band of us continued to meet in person. We are commanded to do so according to [Hebrews 10:24-25] "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together..." Conviction would not allow me to shut down, though most chose to stay at home. I saw down the road what that simple act would lead to eventually. Churches shut the doors and turned out the lights. Parking lots were empty. People stayed at home. People chose virtual worship. All small steps down a slippery slope to be conditioned to comply when forbidden to ever meet or evangelize.

 The day is already here when we are censored what we can and cannot say on social media without getting banned. Is it forbidden to write that the vaccine mandates are an act of tyranny? You do not here that on the evening news. You hear just the opposite in one fear tactic after another. The latest being the omicron variant. It will never end. This biological weapon engineered in China and funded with Anthony Faucci's knowledge, is never meant to end. There will always be more variants necessitating additional vaccine shots. Wake up people.

 One medical field worker told me most of the patients she attends to at her hospital are vaccinated. There is a world wide push to get the vaccines. The message bombards the airways. Already in New York City laws are soon going to be enforced for everyone to be vaccinated. The unvaccinated will be forbidden from eating at restaurants, going to theaters, and other public gatherings. 

Everything is changing. These things are happening more rapidly in Europe. America is typically three to six months behind Europe on things like this. Forbidden is coming to America. Forbidden to gather. Forbidden to worship. Forbidden to evangelize. Forbidden to preach Bible truths that do not line up with canceled culture. True followers of Jesus have only once choice. WE MUST OBEY GOD RATHER THAN MEN! [Acts 5:29] WE ARE NOT FORBIDDEN. WE ARE COMMANDED. [Matt 28:19-20] [Mark 16:15]

A Suicide Mission

 Buried in the pages of history is a little-known story of bravery. A small band of men invaded enemy territory. They knew the stakes were dangerous and the prospects for victory risky. By most accounts, it would be a suicide mission. They went anyway voluntarily. Resolved to take back enemy territory. The small band did not come into the city by stealth. They boldly marched down Main Street and rallied people to listen drawing attention to themselves. 

This infuriated the hostiles. Things turned violent. The hostiles targeted the leader seeking to kill him. They thought they succeeded dragging their enemy's lifeless body through the streets to the outskirts of town where they left him. The leader's comrades gathered around him and were surprised that he was not dead. They helped him to aid and left the city the next day. It looked like an overwhelming defeat. 

The fearless leader resolved to go back to where he had been attacked. It looked like another suicide mission for sure. He would not be deterred. He set his face like flint and marched right back into hostile territory a few days later. Who was this dogged determined leader? None other than the Apostle Paul. 

You can read about this story in Acts 14. Paul was stoned nearly to death and dragged outside the city. The Jews thought they had killed him or probably would have never left him alive. There are some who think he did die. He awakened. His little band went to another city to preach the gospel and then Paul decided on the suicide mission. To venture back to the very place where the people tried to kill him. I cannot help but wonder what those men with him thought. I sure looked like a suicide mission. 

Paul did not care about his physical well-being. We know this from statements he made in Acts 20:24, Phil 1:20-21, Gal 6:14, and I Cor 5:14-15. Paul lived on mission. Even suicide missions by some standards. He willingly embraced danger and risk. Proclaiming Jesus to people, all kinds of people, even hostile people fueled his passion. He was fearless and fanatical. He refused to be silenced or intimidated. 

I Cor 11:24-28 sums up Paul's sufferings. On five different occasions he received 39 lashes. Three different times he was beaten with rods. Crazy as it sounds, he was stoned three times. He went on frequent journeys where he encountered danger on every hand. He never knew whether he would encounter friends or foes when he came into a city. He knew both hardship and hard labor. At times, he did not have enough to eat nor adequate shelter or clothing to protect him from the cold. There were also nights he could not sleep. One, from the fact of all the beatings and his achy body. Second, because he carried such a burden to complete his mission of telling people about Jesus and prayed without ceasing. 

Paul is not the only one to attempt a suicide mission. Jim Elliot and few other men labored for Christ in Ecuador. They heard stories about a savage tribe of cannibals. God burdened them to find this tribe and make contact with them. 

It took extensive flying over the canopy of trees in the jungl before they finally discovered the tribe. They located a riverbank where they could land the tiny yellow plane. Jim and Nate Saint, the pilot, came up with a way to make contact with the tribe. They tied things on a rope and then flew in circles above the village dropping things down the rope. Eventually they did the same thing with photographs of the five men who would land on the riverbank. 

Five men signed on for the suicide mission to make physical contact with these savages. It took several trips to the riverbank to fly in the five men and the radio in there. They set up camp and waited. Eventually one came. The following day twp came. They even convinced one man to get into the plane and fly with Nate low over the village. He did so waving to family and friends below. 

Excited, the men radioed back home on Saturday to report the exciting progress they made. They were anticipating the largest gathering to come on Sunday. They were supposed to report back in the afternoon. The designated time came and went with no contact. Nervously, the wives waited all that night and the next day. A search party went out to find them and discover what happened. It took days to cut their way through the dense forest. They found the five men. Some were dead on the beach with spears in them. Some bodies were found floating in the river who also had been speared to death. They were all killed. It is a wonder they were not eaten. 

Here is what they discovered later. The villagers thought the yellow plane was a monster. They had never seen a plane before. When they saw one of their tribesmen in the plane, they supposed that he had been captured. They went out to fight the yellow monster and killed the missionaries in the process. We know this because Jim Elliott's wife, Sue, eventually penetrated that village and actually lived there. She won the very people who had killed her husband to salvation through Jesus. 

People have lived on mission for Jesus for centuries. They have even embraced suicide missions. Many have died. Others were beaten and tortured. They never lost their resolve. Such stories inspire me. I question whether I have the courage to accept a suicide mission from God and follow through? Would you?

1:33

 I rolled over unable to sleep and the alarm clock showed 1:33 a.m. I knew it was time to get up for morning prayer. My flesh did not want to crawl out of the warm covers on this frigid morning. I found my slippers and donned a sweatshirt. I felt my way in the dark out the bedroom door and down the hallway to the living room area to my small wooden desk. I turned on the lamp and so started my adventure of the pursuit of God. 

It is a great adventure. To open the pages of the Bible and read it like a love letter. To give myself to focused prayer for loved ones, Spring Creek, America and other things He weighs heavy on me. The longing for more of God is a greater than my longing for sleep. The hunger for Him supersedes all else. The unquenchable thirst for Him compels me come closer. To linger longer. His beckoning lures me. His fellowship calls me away from comfort into the secret place. He alone sees what is done in secret. 

I open my old, tattered Bible with faded yellow pages to the book of Acts where I left off yesterday. I have read and preached through this book on many occasions. I trust God to make it fresh this morning. I believe He has something for me to arouse me so early. I am opening the book of life. God's Holy Word. His God breathed, Holy Spirit inspired, sharper than any two-edged sword, living, and active word. What joy to hold His sacred words in my hands. I am humbled to even have access to it when so many around the world have only fragments of it and some have none at all. I will not neglect the treasure of His revelation by leaving it closed and unread. 

Following the reading of His word is the sweetest time of all. Prayer. Not just any prayer. Holy Spirit focused and empowered prayer. I ask His guidance about what He wants me to trust Him for. I seek His power to push through fatigue for my flesh is weak but, the spirit is willing. The Spirit of the living God leads me into seasons of intercession where time is forgotten, irrelevant, and surroundings are lost in lieu of getting caught up with my God. Early do I seek Him. Step by step He leads me. I learn to walk in His ways and to pray for the things on His heart and mind. 

This is communion. Not religious duty. Not an obligation. These early morning sessions are sheer delight. My Master has the right to call me out of bed any time of the night or morning whenever He wants my undivided attention. Even at 1:33 in the morning. 

The Man and the Great Dane

 I heard about them before I saw them. A man and his Great Dane who regularly showed up at the same spot multiple times a week. One day, I saw them with my own eyes. The man stood stoically alone with his dog seated next to him. I later learned his story. 

This man recently lost his wife to the Corona virus. Another casualty of a never ending pandemic. There is every indication that he dearly loved his wife and they were close. You see, the place he visits daily with his dog is her grave. Standing next to the mound of fresh dirt, and among the assortment of flowers. Grieving her loss. I have never met the man. I know some people who have. I do not know if he or his wife ever trusted Jesus for salvation. He resides about three hours from here. 

During this special time of year this man grieves. This most joyous time of the year is not so joyous to him and multitudes just like him. It is dark, sad, lonely, gut wrenchingly hard, bitter, and hard to accept. The dinner table normally set for two now only seats one. Nobody sleeps next to him in the bed except possibly the dog. Days spent in conversation with his bride are now spent in silence. His only constant companion the Great Dane. Nobody sits in the recliner next to him. He is left to prepare his own meals. To find solace in petting his dog. To painfully ponder memories and to hold cherished photographs with her image. The image can never replace the person. 

It is a sad scene. A devoted husband keeping vigil at his wife's final resting place. It tugs at the heart. Especially going into Christmas. A time when families gather, embrace, laugh, and make memories. I am reminded there are multitudes who spend their holidays alone. The children no longer visit. Friends do not call like they used to. Some because their health is failing. Some because they have departed into eternity. Christmas cards arrive less frequently. The phone calls are limited to spam solicitor calls. 

Television is a constant but cruel companion. Shows remind of the departed loved ones. Jokes are no longer shared. Yet the noise is comforting. It is better than the constant deafening silence. Just hearing the voices from the tv makes it feel a little less lonely. 

The grief cuts sharper than a knife. Th heart bleeds emotional blood. The sadness often seeps through into tears that are inconsolable. The eyes become like a leaky faucet that will not quit dripping. Well wishers try to console unknowingly offering worn out cliches like, "If you need anything call me," or, "God works all things together for good," and even, "God wanted another angel." None of these things helps one living with the sting of death cruelly snatching away the person they loved so much. Why do people feel like they have to say something. A hug and a prayer would be far more meaningful and helpful. Just to show up and listen would benefit more than diarrhea of the mouth. 

Life will never be the same for this man and his dog. In one final breath, everything changed. He is not the only one feeling this stab in the heart. A pastor friend of mine told me has preached eight funerals in less than two months. People are dying at a rapid rate. Funeral homes are behind schedule. People are grieving longer and longer in between the day of death and their loved ones being buried. 

Merry Christmas has faded into "I'll have a blue Christmas without you." My grandmother cried every time she heard that song after my grandfather died. She sought comfort in the bottle to drown her sorrows. It did not work. Nothing could stop the dam of tears the next time she heard that tune. 

This is not a holly jolly Christmas for everyone. We would do well to remember those having a tough time through this season. To put the interests of others before ourselves. A strategic text, a timely phone call, a scheduled visit might just make someone's otherwise dark day. A handwritten letter might bring a little cheer into an otherwise dreary day. A listening ear and a shoulder to cry on might be the ministry of Jesus to one of the least of these. 

It was comforting to find out that a Christian lady stopped to talk to the man with his Great Dane. A chaplain also stopped by to pray and minister to this grieving widower. Sometimes it takes courage to care. To willfully choose to enter into other people's pain. Jesus did that over and over again. He is still doing it. He just might do it again today through one of us. 

Pursuing A Dream

 I spent many a year staring out windows daydreaming about all the things I wanted to do as a child. My formal education years are behind me now. I got lost in my own thoughts staring out windows. A habit I kept al the way through college. Classrooms without windows felt like prisons. I sit typing this in my office. Many years have passed. I am still staring out windows daydreaming though. Prayerful daydreaming. Seeking God for His dreams. 

A dream is a like a vision or mental picture held in the imagination. It is invisible to the naked eye but visible through faith to spiritual eyes. When God reveals something He wants to do, we are to give ourselves to the pursuit of that dream. To run hard in labor, prayer, faith walking, and bold obedience. 

There is a measure of grinding day in and day out in the pursuit of a dream. Ask any business owner. Ask any church planter. Consult with competing athletes. There is the grind of getting up early, putting in the work, and waiting for the pay off. Many people dream about accomplishing something. Fewer willingly sacrifice in pursuit of those dreams. People are prone to postpone dreams when the going gets tough. People start school and then drop out when it gets too demanding. People start out in careers and get impatient when they do not advance quickly. Pastors rarely stay in their churches these days very long. They are quick to accept bigger assignments. 

I am in pursuit of a God planted dream. It revolves around what He wants to do at Spring Creek Baptist Church. The dreams planted deep in me will take a lifetime to believe God to achieve. It is a dream worth my pursuit. A dream worth devoting the remaining days of my life to prayerfully trusting God to make become reality. A dream bigger than I ever hope to achieve on my own. A dream that will bring much glory to Him. Some might even it call it an impossible dream. That only fires me up all the more to give my full pursuit to it. God delights to make impossible dreams possible. He enjoys defying the odds. He specializes in doing what others say cannot be done and working through those others have overlooked. 

The pursuit of the Spring Creek dream is a great work. A God glorifying work. A testimony in the making. God is building a miracle church here. I am blessed and humbled to be a part of it. He could have chosen anyone else. For reasons beyond me, He led this church to settle on Brenda and I and then weeded our hearts to this flock. What a delightful joy serving here is. We desire to plant deep roots here and give our remaining days to the pursuit of this dream. A beautiful dream. A dream worthy of my pursuit. 

The Return of the Star of the Show

 I recently wrote about the Christless Christmas nativity scene around the Weatherford, TX courthouse. I received an update that now the Baby Jesus has been put in the scene. The star of the show returned. 

I don't know what precipitated the return of the baby Jesus to that nativity scene. I am sure word got back to some high powered person and the correction was made. None too soon with CHRISTmas less than twenty days away. Jesus is the star of the show, in the lead role, the most important character, the central figure, the miracle in the manger, and the Savior in swaddling clothes. Everything about CHRISTmas is centered around the birth of Jesus. 

He is the main attraction. Not a jolly fat man dressed in a red suit. Not trees brightly decorated and lit up. Not colorful packages on Christmas morning. JESUS IS THE ABSOLUTE AND EXCLUSIVE STAR OF CHRISTMAS. HE DOES NOT SHARE HIS GLORY WITH ANYONE. 

Isn't it interesting that Santa with just the rearranging of letters could also spell Satan. The jolly fat man in the red suit has become an icon. A fantasy. I figment of imagination. He can never usurp Jesus. For one, he is not real. Secondly, Jesus is eternal. He was there at creation. He will be there triumphant in the end. He will rule in the millennial reign. During the great tribulation the jolly fat man will not save anybody from anything. He will not offer assistance to persecuted saints. He will be absent at Armageddon. He will not preside at the Great White Throne judgment nor save anyone. JESUS WILL!

Thankfully someone came to their senses in Weatherford, TX and returned the star of the whole Christmas show. They just replaced the real Jesus with a representation. The real Jesus is now sitting at the right hand of God the Father awaiting His orders to come return for His bride. Even so, come Lord Jesus. Come quickly. 

Prayer Writing Retreat

 It is a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Spring Creek to Eagle's Rest Retreat. It has been 18 months since I last visited there. Long overdue. I have frequented this retreat at least once a year for the past 25 years . I will pack a briefcase full of books, grab my prayer journal, computer and pack some simple clothing to get away. I go away with three things on my agenda. To spend focused time in prayer without distractions, to hear from God, and to write. 

I stay in a rustic two-bedroom cabin. No frills. The furniture is probably nearly 40 years old. The cabin is located right next to a 90-acre private lake surrounded by gentle rolling hills and wooded areas. It is a most inspiring place to go and seek God. It is isolated. No internet service. It is located down a long dirt road and hidden from passing traffic on the highway. That would be enough to drive some people out of their mind. It is the just the kind of place I needed to recharge, reflect, and be renewed. 

One morning I walked out on the back porch overlooking the lake and took a seat to sit with God for a while. I really had no other agenda. Just to enjoy Him. I wish I could adequately describe what took place in that hour. Sometimes I am so frustrated with my inability to express the deep things of God. The only word that come to mind are contented communion. 

I have never felt more contented in my whole life than I did sitting in that old rustic rocking chair on the porch. I felt close to God. I did not ask Him for anything in that moment other than to speak to me. I sat listening with my ears turned to heaven. Much of the time I rested my head on the back of the chair with my eyes closed just basking in His presence. Nothing else mattered in that moment. Just Jehovah and I sitting together. I am sure that sounds mystical and weird to some. Others who commune with God will get my drift. They will know exactly what I am writing about. 

That was not the only God encounter. With God's help, He enabled me to finish my latest book, Prayer: Ministry From The Secret Place. It is the longest and I believe the most powerful of all the other books I have penned. I am excited about eventually getting it into print. 

I also received some fresh words from the Lord for me, my family, and Spring Creek Baptist Church. I only got to stay at Eagle's Rest for three total days. God sure packed a great deal into my life in those days. I returned home energized and excited about ministry. He also inspired me with two additional books to write. I hope to begin work on the first one as early as today. A book based on the ministry of the prophet Elijah. The title of that book will be Elijah's Cry. The second one will be an extensive revision and expansion of the first book I wrote titled, Only Believe. 

There is much work ahead of me. It is a labor of love. Labor for a flock I adore. Labor in praying, preaching, and writing. All of these are labors for which I feel I was born to do. May the Lord help me to redeem the time.