Pleasing in the Sight of the Lord

 In I Kings 3:9-10 the new King Solomon prayed something that pleased God. He did not ask for riches, military successes, peace under his rule, or to amass more power. He asked God for an understanding heart to discern between good and evil to lead the nation of Israel. That simple prayer pleased God. 

The word pleasing means God was glad and celebrated Solomon's petition. It makes me wonder if God is pleased with our prayers. Do we pray things that delight God? So many of our prayers can center on our needs, our burdens, our trials, and our wants. Solomon did not pray selfishly. He asked God in essence for wisdom to lead. That prayer came out of humility. 

Leaders choose to rely on their natural instincts, education, skill, and experience in leading organizations. I wonder how many humble themselves before God begging for an understanding heart to lead rightly and righteously. Probably not as many as we think. Have you heard of any leader making dictatorial decisions, bad errors in judgment, or making wrong choices that caused pain and upheaval? 

As a pastor of a local church, I know I cannot lead without God's help, guidance, and discernment to not choose good ideas, but to choose God ideas. Jesus is the Head of the church. I am just an under-shepherd leading in submission to Him. He alone has the right to lead His church as the rest of follow His directions. 

What a different world we would live if people in leadership positions from PTOs to the Whitehouse, and all points in between, prayed for understanding and discernment from God. God knows far better than any of us how to lead His church, communities and countries. Elites think they are smarter than God. Just look at our world and the evils abounding. Look at antagonist nations and arrogant leaders pushing their global agenda. It appears there are few leaders who really care about the people they serve. Petty politics has caused a government shutdown and hardworking common people are not getting paid because partisan policies. What if every branch of government prayed for God's wisdom to lead, legislate, and make judgments? This would be a very different nation with the hand of God's favor on us. If those leaders prayed in that fashion, I am sure God would be just as pleased as He was the day Solomon asked for understanding and discernment. 

I Want to Know You

 Father, in a world filled with voices, 

One filled with multiple choices, 

Where there is so much confusion, 

Coming as an unwelcomed intrusion, 

I want to know You in communion, 

A closer uncommon bond and union, 

I want a more intimate beholding, 

Of Your glorious might unfolding, 

Your peace like a river flowing, 

On my face Your glory glowing,

In You alone to truly be content, 

In pursuit of You to never relent. 

The Secret Place

Jesus told His followers when they prayed, to go into an inner room and close the door. He also told them to pray to the Father who is in secret, and sees what is done in secret. [Matt 6:6] Many people talk the Christian talk in public. These same people do not frequent the secret place. The Father sees. He sees what is done in the secret place. He takes note of the fervent and faithful petitions of those who give soul sweat in the secret place. 

These are the intercessors. They do not get noticed. Their ministry is done in obscurity. While others scurry about in busyness, the intercessors shut to the world out to spend time in the presence of the One who has power to change people, circumstances, churches, communities, and countries. 

The secret place is where the Father waits for His people to seek Him.  It is there that He gives revelation and the sparks of revival are ignited. In that wonderful place God listens. More importantly God acts. He also speaks. The Devil will do anything to keep God's people away from the secret place. Distractions abound. Most are too tired at night to pray. Many are too tired in the morning to do much more than rush through a devotion. They have good intentions to pray in secret, but never seem to get around to it. Life is so busy. The secret place has to be prized and prioritized.

The secret place is where war happens. Where strongholds are torn down. Where the enemy is confronted and withstood in the powerful name of Jesus. It is in this place, battles are won to reclaim prodigals. Battles are fought and won for the lost to be saved. Skirmishes are fought and won over families, friends, and even foes. While many sleep, stalwart soldiers take their watch in secret and pray fervently. These are God's sentries strategically stationed in secret to oppose the evil forces of darkness. You may never know their names, but God sees in secret and His rewards are openly displayed in public. 

The secret place is a solitary place. It is a place where God beckons His followers to come alone. To seek alone. To plead alone. To enjoy God alone. I am not saying that are not times for believers to gather with others to pray. There is certainly a precedent for that. See II Chron 7:14 and Acts 1:14. Those times can never substitute for the private encounters God desires for His people. 

It is appalling how few Christians really spend time alone with God in private devotions. Bibles go unread and unheeded. Prayer is neglected while the enemy advances. Love and passion wane in lieu of religious rituals that rot the soul. The remedy for that is time, and lots of it, spent shut up with God in the secret place. May God stir all to make that a priority. 

I'd Rather Be in a Chair

 I would rather be in a chair listening than teaching tonight. The subject matter is a difficult one. The truth is tough tonight. There is no sugar coating it. No soft peddling. It would be easier to skip the truth and move onto to an easier topic. It would be more pleasant for everyone in the room if someone else was teaching a different topic and I was seated in a chair listening. 

God called me to be a truth teller. He also called me preach and teach His word. All of it. Even the parts that are hard to digest and harder to explain. I will be the most uncomfortable person in the room. I will stand on God's word and deal with the consequences. I will not be winning any popularity contest tonight. Neither will I wimp out. 

Preachers often sidestep difficult passages. They don't want to ruffle any feathers. They prefer passages that pacify as opposed to verses that vex hearers. We need all of God's word. The parts that edify, build up, and inspire. We also need those truths that challenge, convict, and correct. 

Still, it would be easier to sit in the chair to listen. Let some other squirm under the intense weight of truth tonight. Nonetheless, this is the assignment I've been given. To teach truth in love. To teach with conviction and compassion. To instruct with grit and grace. It is not something I want to avoid nor something I necessarily look forward to teaching. It must be done. It is God's word. It is the next section of scriptures in a book I've been teaching through for the past six months. I shall not abdicate my God ordained responsibility. God, please help me honor you and your word, while at the same time, ministering with love, compassion, and grace. 

Keep Your Head Down

 One of the jobs I did not look forward to as a child was raking leaves. I grew up in east Texas with massive trees. The house I grew up in had lots of pine trees in the yard. Those pine needles fell every fall requiring hours on end raking and hauling pine straw to the burn pile. We had an average sized front yard, but a much larger back yard. It usually was an all day and sometimes a couple of days job. 

I learned pretty early on to keep my head down, and keep working instead of looking up at all the time to see how much more work I had left to do. Just keeping my head down, and focusing on the task at hand seemed to make the job go by a little faster. Those were long days with blistered hands. My back and arms ached from dragging those little piles of pine straw. I made piles all over the yard and then had to haul those piles to burn. Many times I thought the pine straw kept falling from the trees faster than I could rake it. Most years we had to rake the yard more than once because the pine needles became too thick. Heaven forbid it rained soaking the leaves. That made the job much more difficult. 

That lesson has served me well in life to keep my head down. Whether working on a research paper in college, mowing a yard, moving furniture for a furniture business, breaking up concrete with a jackhammer, splitting firewood, preparing sermons, writing books, and enduring long work days. Just keeping my head down helped me get through those assignments. 

I did not always keep my head down. I looked up to see the overwhelming amount of work I still had left to do. Like hauling hay. Instead of focusing on the bale in front of me, I looked up to see the thousands of other bales still in the field making me lose heart. The same thing happened on my 100 mile bike ride. Many times I looked up losing heart at the next hill or the sign telling me how many more miles I had to pedal. When I just kept my head down pushing the pedals, it made each mile more bearable.

I don't know what your station in life is. I am sure you have your own challenges. It is tempting to look up and compare ourselves to others. This will only get us into trouble. Comparing ourselves will either lead to pride because our accomplishments are better than others. It could also lead to depression because our progress is not as good as others. Neither mindset is healthy. It is much better to keep your head down and faithfully execute the assignment God gives you. 

Wherever God planted you, keep your head down and just do the work He has given you to do. Focus on the task at hand. Do it to the best of your ability. It may not be a glamorous assignment. You may not get applauded by others for the work. Like the time I did some disaster relief work in south Texas after Hurricane Harvey. Their were not accolades. Just hours of sweaty hard physical labor. That labor was done for the Lord just as much as for the victims. Maybe you do not get rewarded or recognized for that work. God sees. Keep your head down and do your work as unto God and not people. [Col 3:17] Do your work with all your heart for the Lord. [Col 3:23] He sees. He will reward His children for their labors. 

I practiced what I preached. I kept my head down and now have come to the end of this post. I just typed the next word, the next sentence, and then the next paragraph. Perhaps God will use this to help someone to keep their head down and finish their work trusting God for the reward and the results. 

Developing a Prayer Culture

 Do our churches have a culture that depends on God? Prayer is depending on God. We say prayer is important. If we really value prayer in our churches, it will be built into our schedules. The church schedule will reflect that commitment. Does your church reflect a culture of prayer?

Here in the small community of Fritch, TX, at First Southern Baptist Church we are trying to develop a prayer culture. One of the things we did was to institute a Sunday night service divided into two halves. We do Bible study, and then we break into huddles to pray out loud around the sanctuary. It is such a powerful time. I love the sound of the saints praying out loud in different huddles. 

Please do not misunderstand. I do not want to falsely portray mass crowds showing up to pray. We have less than two dozen people in attendance. I determined from the beginning of our ministry that we would have a prayer meeting. A meeting devoted to prayer. Not a meeting where we would spend all of our time taking prayer requests and then offering a small prayer at the end. We determine a kingdom focus for our prayer time, and direct our attention praying on that. 

We have a small band gather on Sunday morning before our connection classes to pray. It rarely has over half a dozen people. We still pray. I exhort our committees to pray over their meetings. It is in infancy trying to shape the culture around seeking God. Prayer is important, but I cannot say at this point that the culture here is saturated in prayer  yet. We are heading in that direction. It will take time. 

To be completely transparent, the intense spiritual warfare rages in this body of believers. I have seldom felt it more intense in decades of ministry. I'm talking about physical ailments, mechanical breakdowns, mental battles, relational conflicts, and other trials. The enemy is stirred. I think it is because we committed as a body of believers to pray for our community. Once we started doing that, it felt like we became a target for the enemy. The fight is real. We cannot back down now. 

In fact, we are hosting a community wide prayer meeting this Sunday evening where other churches will join us. The desire is to develop a prayer culture far beyond this church. A prayer culture catching on fire in all the churches and across the community. Why? The reason is because God can do more in days than we can do in decades. WE NEED THAT! 

Our communities have seen what we as churches can do through our programs, organizations, and strategic efforts. The results are paltry. What could happen if God's people united in prayer for our communities and God blessed. Transformation could happen. Transformation that would infiltrate families, schools, businesses, city governments, and the churches. None of that will happen without a culture of prayer. May that spread all over this nation and the world. 

The Prophet

 The prophet is a rare breed. He does not care about the opinions of men. He is singularly focused with the opinion of God. The prophet often forsakes the company of men to keep company with God. He is obsessed with doing the will of God even when it puts him at odds with doing the will of others. The prophet is both fearless in zeal and fervent in prayer. He is totally out of step with the times yet remains in step with the Lord. 

The prophet is unpopular. Some want him silenced. Others want him dead. He does not draw large crowds and often lives in poverty for proclaiming truth. He seldom gets rewarded for his labors. He lives hard forcing him to pray hard for provision and to preach hard to please God. He is not a celebrity. He prefers to live in obscurity so he can seek and hear from God. He does not seek fame or fortune. He seeks faithfulness instead. 

The prophet is not afraid to upset the status quo, to obliterate the religious routine, and to offend the top brass officials on the platform. He will not be invited to preach at conferences. He will not write bestselling books. He will be feared more than revered. He seeks not the applause of people but will endure the persecution of people. His desire is to only hear well done from his master. 

Prophets are a rare breed, but how much we need them today. We need those men of God to thunder against the evils of our day. We need courageous men in the pulpit to promote God in His holiness. We need fresh words from God and not the echoes of men. God, please raise up faithful prophets again and help us to listen intently to do your bidding. 

You Will Not See the Sword

 "You will not see the sword," so prophesied some false spokesmen for the Lord in Jeremiah's day. They were telling the people what they wanted to hear. That was contrasted with the prophetic words Jeremiah kept proclaiming. Jeremiah called the people to repentance, but they would not listen. False prophets proclaimed a prosperity message. 

Some years ago, I stumbled on a so-called prophetic website. Different ones posted their words from the Lord. They all sounded very similar. Words of prosperity abounded. I scrolled through several pages reading as much as I could stomach. Do you know what I did not see? Not one message about repentance. Not one. 

In a world filled with wickedness, not one person heard God call the church to repentance. That is what Jeremiah did for this whole ministry. It was not a popular message in his day nor is it popular in our day. You can read about the false word from the Lord in [Jer 14:13-14]. 

In verse 14, God sets the record straight. God said He never sent any of those false prophets no more than He sent some who prophesy to gullible people for financial gain today. God also reported that He did not speak to any of those false proclaimers. They invented those supposed words from the Lord. God said they prophesied false visions, false divinations, and deceptions. 

Telling people what they want to hear makes big bucks. It wins crowds and fills the collection plates with love offerings those deceivers love to take to the bank. They abound. These hucksters sell a bright future when the Bible tells us the end times will get infinitely worse leading up to the Great Tribulation. Watching the headlines I see how easily we could be in WWIII. Tensions with Russia and China are escalating for us in the United States. We in the states are an apathetic and hypocritical church age in many places. We are a prayerless impotent church in far too many communities. 

We have allowed wickedness to be legislated over and over again with homosexual marriage, abortion, removing prayer from schools, and allowing ideologies like LGBT to permeate public school classrooms. Censorship of ideas and spreading of Bible truth have been enforced in many places. Do we dare believe that God will turn a blind eye to wickedness of pedophilia and sex trafficking? Do you think God turns a deaf ear to being mocked and ridiculed by academia elites and celebrities? God will have the last word. 

If the multitudes want to be duped by charlatans dressed up in clergy attire, they do so at their own peril. I am called to tell the truth. The future is not looking so bright to me on many fronts. The people of God must repent and pray. There is coming a judgment day when God will account all our deeds. Every false preacher will answer for it. Every silent preacher who tickled the ears out of the desire to be compensated and applauded will answer for it. Preachers and teachers will receive a stricter judgment than the rest. [James 3:1] Repentance is in order. Repentance is needed. Repentance is the call of God on His sin soaked and sick church. Repent before it is too late. 

Transformation

 You can define transformation with just two word, radical change. That is what our world needs. That is what our churches need. That is what people caught up in addiction to all sorts of sins need. That is what our local communities need. The times are dark, but JESUS IS STILL THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD piercing the darkness. 

We need transformation that cannot come from a home makeover show. The kind of transformation we need is born out of travailing prayer. It is born out of a desperate need for change in culture. Only God can bring this kind of change. Only God can turn sinners to the Savior. Only God can reclaim the backslidden to repentance. Only God can deliver the demon possessed and oppressed. Only God can awaken an apathetic church. 

God has transformed communities before. He did it in drug infested Calcutta, Columbia back decades ago. A group of believers became so burdened to pray that they organized prayer meetings with various churches. Huge drug cartels were arrested and brought down soon after. This served to fire up those prayer meetings to the point they grew to fill up entire soccer stadiums for evenings of prayer. Can God do that again? It would look different, but that is what we are after. Transformation. He absolutely can do that again. 

Be warned. To travail in prayer for transformation will mean intense spiritual war. The forces of darkness will come against praying churches. In Calcutta, Columbia, the leader of that prayer movement was shut down in murder on a sidewalk. It is a fight. Not a fight with military weapons and tactics. It is a spiritual fight with the weapons of prayer, fasting, scripture, and the gospel message. Those weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses of the enemy. [II Cor 10:3-4]

Transformation will not happen apart from prayer. [II Chron 7:14]  Even though Jesus said His house would be a house of prayer, truth is most churches and believers do not pray much. It is one of the weakest areas next to evangelism. I can see transformation in my spirit. So much so I can almost taste it. Transformation will take a miracle and God is in the miracle business. May we give God no rest as we pray and believe for transformation. [Is 62:6-7]

An Upset

 Aleksandr Karelin is considered the most dominant Greco Style wrestler in history. He stood 6'3" tall. He weighed in at 286 pounds. He had freakish strength. He was nicknamed the "Russian Bear" and the "Experiment." The latter name because people believed he used performance enhancing drugs. He simply argued back that he trained like a mad man. 

He won multiple consecutive world championships gold medals. He won three successive Olympic gold medals. In one six year stretch, no opponent even scored a point on him. In one Olympic match, he defeated his opponent pinning him in only 14 seconds. When asked about his toughest opponent, he reported it to be his refrigerator. He single handled carried the 500 pound refrigerator up 8 flights of stairs. 

He cruised his way to winning his fourth straight Olympic gold medal. He faced an underdog American in the gold medal match. Ruland Gardner, a farm boy from Wyoming, shocked the world by defeating the Russian Bear. It is still considered one of the greatest upsets in history. 

Not greater than when a shepherd named David faced a giant named Goliath. David faced Goliath when more skilled warriors cowered in fear. Goliath towered at over 9' tall. David faced Goliath because Goliath insulted God. David took a stand when grown men and professional soldiers preferred to take a seat and spectate. Everybody knows that story. There is one phrase in that story that has always inspired me. That phrase is found in I Sam 17:48, "...David ran quickly to the battle."  He did not hesitate. He ran to meet his opponent. He ran to the challenge instead of fleeing from it. He ran to face his fears. 

What happened? We all know the end of that story. A miraculous upset. The giant fell. David's fame grew. The shepherd would eventually become king. It all started when he took those steps to sprint to face down Goliath. Here is the secret. David never relied on his own strength or skill. He relied on God to help him do something impossible. That is what we are supposed to do also when facing our giants.

God still does impossible things. He looks for people to run to the battle. We are exhorted in scripture repeatedly not to live in fear. The challenge is to live by faith and obey by faith. We will face some giants along the way. Giants bigger and more dominant than the Russian Bear. Will we flee in fear or run toward the risk? Upsets happen when we embrace the danger, overcome our fears, and fight the fight of faith trusting God with the results. All so that God is glorified. 

Deep Pockets

 I have been fortunate in ministry to be around a few millionaires. These were not pretentious people. Make no mistake about it. They had deep pockets. Very deep pockets. I have seen them open their wallets opened filled one-hundred dollar bills. I heard them talk about business deals worth tens of thousands of dollars, and on a few occasions worth tens of millions of dollars. These people are not pretentious. They are down to earth. They are wealthy. 

Brenda and I have never been that blessed. We have not done without. We have been able to give to others to help meet their needs. We have not had deep pockets. We have all we need. Let me tell you about someone we cherish who has deep pockets. By my calculations, we have been close to six millionaires. One gave us $6,000 on one occasion. Another gave us $10,000. One gave us $15,000 on one occasion. We never asked any of them for anything. We prayed when we had needs. They responded to God's promptings and gave out of obedience. Please understand this is not an everyday occurrence. There have been times when months went by without any such provision. It is a life of faith we have embraced. 

There is one who has deeper pockets more so than the others. There is one who is generous beyond description. He is very perceptive continuously looking for opportunities to help those in need. He is wealthy beyond my comprehension. He is my Heavenly Father. God. Yahweh. Jehovah Jireh. My Father has been there each time Brenda and I have faced financial trials. We have taken needs to Him ranging from washing machines, refrigerators, houses, vehicles, and money. The stories I could tell. I will only tell you two of the most recent ones. 

In 2024-2025 Brenda had both her knees replaced. For about half of that year she was unable to work as she rehabilitated each one. I recall sitting in her hospital room after the first surgery. She slept while I sat in a chair next to her bed praying. I reminded God that we were going into a long season where we have to live on my salary alone. God provided over and over again. You can scroll back through the months of July-December of 2024 and somewhere in them you will find posts about how God provided. The same thing from January of 2025 until right now. For most of that time we have still lived on my salary alone and we bought a house on just my salary. How have made it? Our Father has deep pockets. 

On a trip back home from seeing our youngest son, Tanner, we had a blow out on a busy highway connecting Fritch to Amarillo not far from home. Closer examination revealed that we needed four new tires. We had not planned for such an expense. We had to use a credit card to purchase the four tires. In less than one week, our Father prompted someone to bless us with $500. His deep pockets provided for the four tires. We did not tell one person of our need except God. Our Father has deep pockets. Deeper than any of us can imagine. Deep pockets to share when we need. 

His pockets are deep enough for you too. There is not a financial need you will ever have that His pockets are not deep enough to reach in and help. His resources are abundant. Just read Ps 24:1, Ps 50:10, and Phil 4:19. I think those scriptures will reinforce the truth that God has deep pockets. His resources are endless. He can go to His unlimited storehouse and pull out anything you may ever need. Not just you. To anyone anywhere no matter how great the need. 

If you are facing financial crisis, I urge you to go the One who has the deepest pockets of anyone I know. He can help you too. 

The Upside Down Life

 The call to follow Jesus is a call to have a total different set up priorities than people who do not align with Jesus. Those people can be selfish. We are to called to live selflessly. The world values getting to the top. Jesus modeled descending from heaven. The world exalts fame and fortune. We are to exult in sacrifice and doing good without notoriety. The world executes vengeance on enemies. We prize grace and forgiveness. 

Jesus modeled an upside down life. He had no place to lay His head. He loved people others shunned. He helped those others stepped over and looked past. Jesus came to bless others and not to be blessed. He promoted building the kingdom of God and not an earthly kingdom. He taught to turn the other cheek when slapped. He taught to store up treasures in heaven and not on earth. He taught to pray in secret where the Father sees, and not in public to be noticed and praised by people for eloquent petitions. He promoted and modeled servanthood rather than being served. He taught people to live in the light and not hide in the shadows to hide evil deeds. He condemned hypocrisy, but was favorable toward contrition. 

He calls us to be crucified to the world and the world crucified to us. We are called to value Him the most and count everything else as loss. To count our lives as nothing so that we might fulfill the call He puts on our lives. To learn to live contented in a world where people are never satisfied. Jesus calls us to fast while the world gorges on bountiful feasts. He calls us to follow Him and not the crowd. He calls us to live in holiness and morally while the world indulges in immorality. He calls us to covenant marriage while the world says have multiple sexual partners and live together without marital bonds. Jesus teaches us to give our money away while the world says hoard all you can. Jesus modeled surrender to His Father and His Father's will even when it meant going to the cross. The world values comfort, ease, and enjoying in temporary pleasures. 

The upside down life is not radical. It is normal for followers of Jesus. The people of faith compromised and blurred moral absolutes, and watered down the commands of God to blend it with the world. Churches do the same to attract crowds. The upside down life has impact. The upside down life consists of convictions. The upside down life requires courage to live with a different set of values and priorities. The upside down life may lead to risk rather than security. The upside down life will lead to faith steps that defy reason. The upside down life may lead to martyrdom. Jesus prized those who laid down their lives rather than trying to preserve it. 

Following Jesus is the upside down life. It is the life I love and long to live more. Living upside down will put you at odds with family, friends, and eventually even the government. A time will come when the people of God will have to count the cost for faithfully standing with and serving Jesus. We will have to choose whether we will conform to the world or choose to live upside down. Choose carefully. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and live upside down. 

Pray Your Way Through It

 Life is filled with so many challenges. In the church we serve, recently two families had transmissions go out in  their vehicles, and two families had to replace their air conditioning units for their homes. Later on this morning, Brenda and I will go to the hospital for one of the members of our youth group having surgery. We have two other people battling mysterious ailments the doctors cannot diagnose and treat. This leaves family members frustrated and bewildered as they watch their loved ones continue to suffer. These are just the ones I know about. 

I see in the eyes of some of our students the pain and sorrow of the living hell they have to endure. I can only speculate what they have to trudge through everyday. Some are verbally abused. Others face far worse. On top of that, is the constant peer pressure to reject God and pursue a life of sinful pleasures ignoring God's standards. Some of these students are addicted to screen time and all  that comes with having access to anything good or evil at their fingertips. There is also the issue of bullying through social media where some students get pounded on relentlessly. I even heard about a group of moms doing this to a football player in a neighboring town to the point the player quit the team because of the social media criticism. 

I saw one of our church members last night. She wore a very visible bandage with blood spots on it. I made my way down to her at a public event to offer a prayer. I heard from a parent concerned about a health issue with a child yesterday. There are the daily stresses at work relayed to me by others who live with the stress of having to deal with people. There are financial stresses too. Mental health is a real issue many fight for everyday. 

It seems we go from trial to the next trial. We no more than get through one when the next one waits on the horizon. The constant pressure is too much for some. They sink into disabling depression. Others use addictions to cope. Some withdraw and sit in the shadows licking their wounds. Those who are children of God are often confused, frustrated, and even infuriated that God does not provide the long sought relief. 

How are we supposed to handle these difficult times? The same way people of God have handled them in world wars, the Great Depression, the Holocaust, terrorist attacks, the assassination of a president, the ongoing persecution of Christians around the world, cancer, cognitive decline, and the death of loved ones. YOU HAVE TO PRAY YOUR WAY THROUGH IT. You must cling to the truth that God is good and faithful. You must hang onto His word even if you are barely hanging on by your fingertips. You have to pray even when you do not feel like praying. You have pray through it even when it feel like God has abandoned and forsaken you. You must pray through it when the answer is delayed and slow in coming. You have to keep praying because you have nowhere else to turn. God is all we have, and He is all we need to get through the tough times. 

The Bible is filled with stories of suffering people and encouraging truths to persevere. Take for example, Moses dealing with a million angry people who wanted to stone him because they were hungry and thirsty. Moses turned to God in those times and prayed some very frank prayers. We can draw strength from David when King Saul hunted him down like a wild animal, and David lived as a fugitive. David prayed through it. There is Elijah, that great prophet, who sank into depression, but in prayer heard the still small voice of God that brought him out of  those toxic thoughts. There is Jesus in the Garden praying with sweat drops of blood for the cup of the crucifixion to pass from Him, but finding peace to surrender to the will of God. There is Paul beaten and bloodied in prison fastened in chains singing and praying at midnight. THEY ALL PRAYED THEIR WAY THROUGH IT. 

That is what each of us is going to have to do over and over again through life's journey. I had to do that on Monday afternoon. I had multiple things hit at once. I felt overwhelmed, heavy laden, and unclear as to what to do. I told our secretary I was going to the other end of the building to pray. Even while in there the pressures did not stop on the outside, though I was shut up with God alone is secret prayer. I prayed my way through it, and found the needed solutions to handle the situations. Some situations take more prayer than others. Praying your way through it may require long seasons of secret prayer intensified by fasting. 

I know from reading scripture, reading biographies, and listening to others that people prayed their way through tough times. We all can do the same. [Luke 18:1] Let us pray our way through it and not lose heart. 

1500

 I did not even see it coming. I had my head down doing my work trying to faithfully fulfill my calling as an intercessor, pastor, preacher, and a writer. Doing my work day in and day out. Month after month. Year after year. You get into a routine. I know what I need to do and the timeline I need to get it done. I routinely preach or teach five different times a week. That is studying for five different messages. There are other commitments I have built into my routine. 

Prayer is an important part of my daily routine. I dare not neglect that time alone with the Lord. Out of that time flows the rest of my ministry. One of the things I love to do is to write. It is an extension of my ministry. My desire to write things I hope will help people in their walk with God. As the late Vance Havner said, "I come preaching to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." That is what I hope to do in writing. 

A friend introduced me to this blog website over 15 years ago. I started writing on it in 2008. From 2008-2016 I wrote under the site nocompromisefbc.blogspot.com. I fell in love. I could write and with the click of a button make those writings available to people all over the world. I wrote on that page through three different churches we served. In a very dark season, the darkest season of my life and ministry, my writings became darker. So dark I I quit writing for nearly two years. 

In 2018 I created a new page with followhard638.blogspot.com. Follow hard came from the KJV of Psalm 63:8 which says, "My soul followeth hard after Thee God." That became my new focus. It was a fresh start. I wrote when I felt inspired. Many times I got writer's block or became so busy with other things that I did not have time to write. Some days I felt inspired and wrote more than one post in a day. There were weeks and even months I did not write anything. For instance, in the month of this past September, I only wrote one thing. I never felt inspired to write anything. This month the inspiration just keeps coming. 

I can report this site is visited by people all over the world. I get a weekly report to show the audience viewing this site. Here is the latest statistics. In the last week, over 2,300 people visited this webpage. Here are a few of the numbers. 1,060 people from Singapore. 673 from Hong Kong. 263 from Mexico. 137 from the United States. 42 from Brazil. 18 from China. 14 from India. 6 from Russia. There were visits of two or three from 35 other countries. I am amazed at what God is doing. 

I clicked on the computer moments ago to crank out another post with no definite idea in mind. I got the computer ready to type, and was about to pray for an idea when I just happened to look up and notice this makes post 1,500. On the no compromise page I reached 1,538. To hit that 1,500 milestone again is humbling. I take no credit for this. God placed the desire to write in me. God inspires the ideas. He gave me the ability to communicate through the written word. God created the technology. I am but a vessel. I'm called to write. Once I hit that click button I have no control over who reads it and how far it reaches. I'm just an ordinary man with an extraordinary desire to be useful to my God. May He inspire another 1,500 and beyond. 

A Crafty Foe

 I have been in some skirmishes the past few days. I got blindsided. He snuck in and struck when I was defenseless. It was not a physical blow. That would have been easier. The attack was much more subtle. Deceitful. Sinister. I got drug into a fight I did not want to be in and tried to avoid. I got pulled in anyway. My foe is crafty. Smart and expert in attacking from all fronts. 

I am not in a battle with flesh and blood, though Satan tries to make us think people are our enemy. Our adversary works behind the scenes to stir the pot. He plots people against other people. You see it in our nation with race wars, Democrats verses Republicans, ANTIFA verses established government, Christians verses atheists and agnostics and so forth. Satan schemes are wicked. He is relentless. He is an expert in the art of war. Christian people better be on the alert. Warfare is intensifying. Even to the point of assassination of strong voice for the cause of Christ. 

Our crafty foe attacks the mind. That is where temptations begin. If every thought is not taken captive in obedience to Christ [II Cor 10:5] we may act on the temptation. We try to fight in the flesh instead through prayer. God does faithfully make a way of escape. [I Cor 10:13]. We don't have to fall to the temptations. We do not have to fight in the flesh. The weapons God gives us are divinely powerful for the tearing down of strongholds. [II Cor 10:3-4]

Jesus battled Satan and He did so using scripture. When tempted by the devil, Jesus fought back quoting God's word. We must follow that example. In my skirmish, I had to take hold of Bible truths and pray them. I also had to be reminded who the real enemy is. Satan. The Father of lies. The Accuser of the Brethren. A thief. A deceiver. We fight back with the Bible. Passages like James 4:8. Jesus rebuked demons like the man with the legions of demons in Mark 5:8-9]. We are told to stand firm against the wicked schemes of the devil. [Eph 6:11] 

Our church invited the attacks from our crafty foe. Several months ago we divided our Sunday evening service into half Bible study and the other half prayer. We do not take prayer requests during this time. We take a specific prayer focus for our church or community and divide into prayer huddles. People pray out loud and fill the sanctuary with the sounds of fervent intercessions. Those petitions ascending to God is the sweetest sound I hear each week. I warned the congregation on our first night that the spiritual warfare would intensify. It certainly has. 

A few weeks ago, I was approached about hosting a community wide prayer meeting from a community leader. I believe the Lord called us to do that. We will hold that meeting on Sunday night October 19. Since then the enemy has been on the prowl attacking families right and left. My personal prayers have been more directed and focused on the spiritual war in this community. We invited this fight and we are not backing down. We come in the name and authority of our Lord Jesus Christ. We stand on the walls of this community to keep watch. We pound the doors of heaven with our fervent intercessions. It is true our foe is crafty. It more true that greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. 

Sun Stand Still

 Tucked away in the tenth chapter of Joshua in verses twelve and thirteen is a prayer that is hard to fathom. I have never heard anyone preach on this passage. I read a book written on it once some years ago. The prayer and the answer to that prayer truly boggle my mind. It is definitely an Eph 3:20 prayer. God answered in powerful fashion. 

Let me set the context. Joshua and Israel are taking possession of the promised land and are in a fierce  battle. Joshua asked God for victory over the Amorites. That is not the mind boggling prayer. That prayer follows when Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still so they would have more daylight to win the victory. This would defy the natural order of the universe. It had never been done before. 

Who prays like that? This prayer surprises me and inspires on three fronts. First, to even imagine such a prayer is impressive. Have you ever even imagined asking God to make the sun stand still in the sky and not go down for an extended period of time? I didn't think so. His God inspired imagination dreamed something bigger than anyone ever prayed or dreamed in the history of the world or had ever experienced before. 

I want that kind of imagination fired and inspired by God to think bigger. Too often we think small and pray small. God is capable of doing so much more. Exceedingly more. Too often small minded people control the flow of ideas. D.L. Moody, the famous evangelist, once expressed, "If God is your partner, make your plans large." We need to think sun stand still thoughts. Not to limit God with our small mentality. God is capable of such more. There is not an idea, a prayer we can offer, nor a dream we can dream that is bigger than what God can do. He created the sun with just a spoken word. Making it stand still was no tall order for our Creator. 

I am also inspired by the faith of Joshua. It is one thing to dream and think large. It is another matter to really believe in the core of your soul that can and will do the big thing. Joshua truly believed that God had the power to make the sun stand still and would make it stand still to accomplish the impossible feat. That was more than mustard seed faith praying. Joshua's faith moved God to do something He had never done before. Can our faith move God to also do things He has never done before? He certainly gets glory for doing such powerful things. 

The other thing about Joshua's prayer that encourages me, is that he prayed with authority. I am not saying he demanded God do make the sun stand still. None of us are in a position to demand anything from God. God does give us authority to pray with confidence. See Hebrews 4:16. We are invited to come with confidence and boldness. We are given authority in Jesus' name to pray prayers that change circumstances and outcomes. Joshua prayed with an authority I have never known, but long for down in the depths of my soul. The only way I know to pray with this kind of authority is to pray God's word, and to pray in His will. I John 5:14-15. 

What is your sun stand still prayer? That prayer that sounds so audacious and outlandish to people, but moves God to supernatural action? I hope you have something. Something that fires the imagination, stretches faith, and encompasses your God given authority to pray. I can't wait to see the answers to those prayers. 

Church Crisis

 There is a mammoth problem facing churches today. It is not necessarily new. It does seem to be growing in frequency. Pastors, youth pastors, worship pastors, and priests continually fall into sin shaming our Savior and His church. 2024 was a terrible year for several high profile ministers getting exposed for secret sins which were brought to light. Some of those pastors were household names. They were held in high regard and served in high profile positions. They were highly sought out as conference speakers and authors. Each one that fell was another blow from the forces of darkness wreaking havoc on the church. 

This is nothing new. In I Samuel 2:12-36 we learn of Eli the priest who had two sons who also served as priests. They were sinful men who grieved God. They were greedy with people who offered sacrifices. They demanded to be given part of the sacrifice of meat, by force if necessary. They wanted their portion before God got His. This sin was great in the eyes of the Lord. 

There are many in the ministry for financial gain. They pad their pockets with the gifts and offerings of people who are often manipulated emotionally. Hardworking men and women support these preachers who go on television constantly pleading for more money for the next project or to be able to continue to broadcast. I kid you not when I say some of them are worth millions. A few even hundreds of millions. They live  lavishly but constantly plead for people to send more and more financial gifts to fund their ministry. They are shameless in their appeals. While the very people who fund their ministries, are seldom the wealthy as much as the common people sending in $50 here and $100 there. 

These so called prophets preach for profit. They fly around in private jets, live in million dollar homes, and wear designer clothing. On the other hand, there are faithful pastors who preach to small congregations and get paid so little they are forced to work a second and third job to make financial ends meet. They pray hard, preach hard, shepherd their flock faithfully, and work long hours year after year without being compensated adequately. Some churches simply cannot offer more salary. Other churches just refuse to do so. Still these shepherds sacrifice without complaint. They do not fly around in private planes, but drive jalopies that barely get them from point A to point B. They live meagerly and often go without. Their names will never be known by thousands. Some cannot even muster a crowd of 50 congregants. These faithful stalwart warriors of the faith may have hardships down here, but one day they will hear God say, "Well done good and faithful servant. Enter into your reward."

Eli's son also committed sexual sins. They fornicated with the females who ministered at the Tabernacle. Eli heard about all of this and did nothing. He scolded them, BUT HE DID REMOVE THEM FROM MINISTERING. It breaks my heart to learn that hundreds of preachers who have committed sexual sins get to move onto the next church with no accountability or repercussions. Things are swept under the rug so as to get rid them, and to protect the reputation and name of the church. Just like Eli these churches do nothing. 

Victims are often shamed into silence and ignored causing a trauma we cannot imagine. The Southern Baptist Convention did this with over 700 pastors. They concealed their names and sexual sins even though those sins were reported. In many cases, those pastors moved on to serve other churches and to continue their predatory behavior. The SBC did nothing just like Eli. One report indicated there are over 1,700 such pastors across denominational lines. THOSE ARE JUST THE ONES WHO WERE CAUGHT. 

One pastor of a prominent fast growing church was scandalized when seven women from that congregation came forward to report having affairs with the pastor while he and his wife were on vacation. A youth minister sits in prison today for sexually molesting young boys in his youth group even though he was engaged and preparing to get married. Another youth pastor preyed on young girls in his youth group. Instead of turning him in to law enforcement officials, the church he served remained silent as this sex fiend went to another church where he repeated the same sins. He was forced to resign and later arrested in a town about four and a half hours away. 

High profile names came across the evening news in 2024. It almost felt as if they fell like dominoes. Scandal filled the airways, hurt many who trusted these clergymen, and even one man's legacy was tarnished with his secret sins were revealed after he died. Tragic details of victims of abuse were kept secret by the very churches they trusted. These men who were supposed to shepherd them and feed them the word of God used and abused them. I attribute much of this pornography addiction by pastors. 57% of pastors report this addiction. 64% of youth pastors report addiction to pornography. It is out of control in our churches.  

Many get away with it. They intimidate victims into silence or bribe them to keep them quiet. There is no getting away with these sins before holy God. There will be a day of reckoning. A day when we have to face the consequences of our sinful choices. It will be a terrifying day for the con-artists who stroll the stage like showmen while living a double lifestyle in secret. 

I'm thankful for each nameless pastor who honors the Lord in the way he conducts his private life. You will never hear about them. They do not make the front page. They minister faithfully without fanfare. They often go unnoticed. They are seldom thanked. Rarely really appreciated for all the faithful service they render. They work as unto the Lord and not men. These faithful servants live mindful that God is always watching. They strive for holy living. They would rather die than shame the name of Jesus or His church. I thank God for these. It is the others that give all ministers a bad name and cause lack of trust in our Lord Jesus Christ. The unfaithful make it much harder for the faithful. 

May God clean up His church starting with those in the pulpit. May judgment begin in the house of God. May we all live in holiness according to I Peter 1:14-15. 

Draw Near

 There is a fascinating story in Exodus 19 when the literal presence of God came down on Mount Sinai. There was smoke, fire, and the whole mountain trembled. God warned the people to not even touch the base of the mountain or they would die. He commanded Moses to set boundaries around the mountain for the people's protection. It must have been an awesome sight to behold. 

God invited one man to come up on the mountain to speak His commands. Moses was summoned to the top of the mountain. It was there that he received not just the ten commandments, but also the other commands as well. Moses was literally consumed in the presence of God. God made Moses go back down and warn the people again not to broach the mountain. 

I have read this account dozens of times over the years. I even preached it one night at a youth camp under an outside tabernacle as a thunderstorm rolled in. The thunder was so loud I had to pause in preaching to let the magnificent presence of God take center stage. I saw something today I have never seen before in scripture. Not in thirty years of serious Bible reading and study. One little verse captured my heart. 

      21      So the people stood at a distance, while Moses approached the thick cloud where God was. New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ex 20:21.

While others feared the presence of God, Moses was drawn to Him. The people did not even want God to speak to them directly. They feared what a direct message from God might do. They all stood at a safe distance. What a resemblance this is for the people of God today. So many are content to stand at a safe distance in devotions and corporate worship. They are content with a little religion, but steer clear of a close personal relationship with Yahweh. 

Moses was different. He yearned for the presence of God. He desired to encounter Him. His first God encounter happened in Exodus 3 at the burning bush. That only whetted his appetite for more. Does that describe you? Do you hunger and thirst for the presence of God? Do you long for more of Him? Moses did and He drew near. That means Moses approached God through the thick cloud. What frightened others intrigued Moses. He wanted to get closer. 

God wants to be known more than most people want to know Him. There is nothing on this earth I desire more than to know Him and to hear Him speak. I could not always say that. I got sucked into the fallacy of the American dream. Houses, vehicles, clothes, hobbies, and success consumed me for most of my life. For thirty years God whittled, chiseled, and cut away into that mentality to remind me of passages like Ps 16:11, Ps 73:25, and Phil 3:7-8. It was a painful process. 

I hunger for God as much or more than I ever have before. I yearn for more encounters with Him. While others may remain content to worship from afar, I want a more intimate view. I keep drawing near through the clouds of confusion to get closer to Him. The beautiful thing for any of us is that as we seek to draw near to Him, He is also seeking to draw near to us. James 4:8. 

More than worship services with multitudes of people I long for the private encounters with God in the secret place. I find a solace and contentment this world cannot offer when I am shut up alone with Him. He pulls me from underneath the snug covers at all hours of the night to come draw near. Even sleep cannot compare to the soul satisfaction found in His presence. I keep approaching God because there is so much else to discover about Him and to experience in Him. 

Will you spend your remaining days as a serious seeker drawing ever nearer to God? Will you be satisfied with the rot of religion that turns the stomach like spoiled food? Maybe you are scared to really draw near. Drawing near will forever change you. You will never be satisfied again with religious routine done out of duty and not the delight of pursuing God. I urge you to spend your remaining days drawing near. 

Mara

 Right after God parted the Red Sea for Israel to escape Egyptian bondage, they ended up in the desert at a place called Mara. They called the place Mara because the water they found there was too bitter to drink. They were tested again and again after leaving Egypt. Many times they were tempted to turn back. Mara was one of those tests. 

Some of you are facing your own Mara. You are in bitter circumstances. We often complain in our Mara. We question why God brought us to such trying times. Remember in the Exodus account, God led Israel with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. God led them to Mara. He knew they would complain. He also knew He would do a miracle to provide clean water in Mara to demonstrate His power. 

You would think those Israelites would be as high as a kite after the ten plagues and the parting of the Red Sea. Just like us they were prone to forget what God did in the past in light of present challenges. Have you forgotten the ways God has come through in the past? Perhaps a trip down memory lane would do some good to bolster sagging faith. 

None of us like to be in Mara. Mara is an unpleasant place. We question God why. He is not obligated to explain Himself or His ways to anyone. He does not answer to us. What He does require of us is that we trust Him. No matter how bitter our present situation. 

Brenda and I have endured our share of Maras. Our first church declined in attendance to the point I had to voluntarily take several cuts in a very meager salary to start with in the first place. I moved our evening services outside because we could not afford to run the air conditioning all day on Sundays though I never told anyone  why we met outside. No amount of prayer changed the circumstances. Nothing I preached or taught. No events we planned brought new people. It was a very bitter time. 

The next church started off with great excitement. After four years, people left and opted for larger churches with more to offer. We lost our salary in that church. We lived off what little offerings the few who attended gave. It was a Mara time. Our faith was severely tested. God provided. We lived below the official poverty level, but God provided. 

God blessed our next church. It quadrupled in attendance in four years. We had plans to relocate because we did not have room for all the people. God provided ten acres with no debt for us to move the church and we began raising money. We loved our time there. Then God made us leave. I use the word made because to stay would have been an open act of rebellion. I wept like a baby in the pulpit on my last Sunday. It felt like pulling flesh from bones to leave those people. I would not have done so unless God had clearly called us to a different church in west Texas. 

Our next church experienced the power of God in ways we had never seen before. God doubled the size of the church and sent a real revival to us. It was one of the sweetest times of our whole ministry. I worked with a dream team of a staff. The congregation loved us and compensated us generously. I began feeling like God wanted me to give it all up for the grand adventure of planting a church after only two years. People counseled me not to do it. I did not listen. Some thought we had been wronged in some way, and that was why we were leaving. Brenda did not have a peace about leaving, but I was so determined she trusted me and followed my lead. One of my biggest regrets I've carried with me for over a decade was leaving those wonderful people. They are a wonderful church. We experienced Mara again when the church plant failed leaving us hurting and confused. 

We went back to a church where we served in youth ministry to pastor next. We dealt with the Mara of Covid and a church crisis that rocked all our worlds. An unsolicited email from a a search committee, a phone interview, a lot of prayer and a clear call from God and we moved again. We are now in the Texas Panhandle adjusting to a new flock, a new community, and a new home. In the process of transitioning, we experienced the Mara of Brenda's mother dying. A Mara Brenda and her two sisters are still battling. 

In every Mara, God has been faithful to the Edwards family. Even in my foolishness, my sinful choices and behavior, my doubts, battles with depression, financial crisis, through every Mara God came through. That is my hope for all of you. God has demonstrated over and over again the right to be trusted. Hang on even when you do not understand. Keep believing even when the pain is crippling and the questions go unanswered. Keep the faith when Mara slaps you in the face leaving the pain of bitterness, sorrow, confusion, and brokenness. Don't give up on God. 

Right after Mara God led Israel to Elim. A place of abundance and refreshing. You may be in Mara today, but your Elim could be just around the corner. You can read this account in [Ex 15:22-27]

When Life Gets Heavy

 Don't you love those carefree days when it seems you float on the breeze and everything is right with the world? Those days are like Kodak moments when you want to take snap shots in your heart to remember those memories. I had a moment like that this morning looking at our refrigerator. We have a magnet school bus with four windows. Brenda put pictures of the boys when they were little in the windows. I stood for a moment and treasured the memories of those little guys who have all grown up to be men. Treasured memories bringing with them a lighter day. 

There are also days when life is heavy. When the breeze turns into hurricane force gales. Times when the lifting is oppressively heavy just trying to trudge to the end of the day. Days when it feels like you are running up hill and not making any headway. Days when it is two steps forward and three steps backward. Days when we are blinded by the constant rain of trials that keep us from seeing a way to lighter days. 

God is sovereign and rules over both light and heavy days. We might take Him for granted when the bank account is full, the bills are paid, and everything is working like a fine tuned machine. We tend to lean into Him more when we feel frazzled and it seems everything is coming apart at the seams. The heavy days should make us more thankful and to praise God more when the days are light. God is constant in both set of days. He is wise, strong, capable, compassionate, and firmly in control. 

Even in the heavy days we can lighten our load. Read [Ps 55:22]. Have you hurled your burdens onto the Lord? Or do you fret, fuss, and wring your hands in frustration when the load is too heavy to bear? There is no sugar coating it. We live in a sinful fallen world filled with heartaches, trials, tribulations, and sorrows. That does not mean God has weakened. He is still in control even when we lose control. He still listens even when others turn deaf ears. He still helps when we are helpless. He still gives hope when we are hopeless. 

We are not forsaken on the heavy days or heavy seasons. Just because God is silent does not mean He is absent. He promised to never leave us or forsake us. [Heb 13:5] If you are enduring a heavy day or heavy season, cast your cares on Him and leave it with Him. Let God do the heavy lifting as we trust Him the middle of hard times. In due season, I predict lighter days will return. When they come, may we not take them for granted. He is worthy of trust on the light days as well as the heavy days. 

Why So Downcast?

 A perusal of world events can leave a soul downcast. It appears another world war could break out at anytime. The government is shut down again because politicians cannot see eye to eye. Ideologies clash leaving society fractured. Prices keep increasing while some are getting left behind and cannot keep up financially no matter how hard they work. Some have declared war on Christians with whole villages getting destroyed.  On top of all this is the mounting spiritual warfare on parents trying to raise God fearing and Bible believing Christians. It is enough to discourage the stoutest of heart. 

What has you downcast today? The death of a parent, spouse, child, or friend. We got news that a beloved neighbor we had in the Runaway Bay community died yesterday. His wife relayed how the last two years of his life he was rarely at home dealing with multiple health issues that kept him in the hospital. The death knoll knocks for each of us on this side of eternity. 

Maybe you deal with wayward children or grandchildren. Their rebellion and defiance break your heart. They reject the Bible truth they were taught when younger and chase after sins that will never satisfy. Tears soak pillow cases at night as fervent prayers are lifted on behalf of the prodigal. Parents grope through days and nights of weeping longing for the joy that has eluded them in the morning. 

There are many who deal with sickness or caring for someone battling disease. Healing may be slow in coming if it comes at all. There are those who experience the steady decline in health no matter the treatments or prayer sessions. It is easy to get downcast and to lose hope. 

To all of these and more I point you to {Psalm 42:11]. The questions is asked why so downcast? You have your reasons and crisis. Hope in God. The word hope there means to expect good. Many lost hope in God because they feel God failed them in a critical time. The healing did not come. The prodigal did not return. The provision never arrived. The fractured relationship never got restored. The soldier on the battlefield did not return alive. It may appear God failed you. 

Where else will you find hope? Sexual immorality? Substance abuse leading to addiction? Walking away from God and His people in bitterness? How is any of that working for you? Is is producing hope? This world is just a shadow of what is to come. It is all temporary. God is eternal and offers eternity with Him for those who repent of sin and turn to Jesus for salvation. There is hope in that. There is the hope of heaven. There is the hope of abundant life promised by Messiah. No matter how life crushes there is hope with God. Sometimes we just have to worship our way through the hard times. Paul and Silas did in [Acts 16:25]. Lift up another hallelujah, another triumphant shout proclaiming better days by faith. 

I've trod the dark nights of weeping and have lived long enough to see the joy that comes in the morning eventually. I have cast mountains of burdens on God. He has sustained me through devastating seasons of crushing defeat. He has pulled me from the pit of despair. He has delivered me from the dungeon of depression. He can do the same for you. He is faithful. Find a reason to worship Him and keep singing at midnight. Trust Him in the darkness and harshness of life. Cling to Him and bring Him your battered, bruised and broken heart. He will give you reason to hope in Him once again. 

Dream Again

 From as far back as I can remember I have always been a dreamer. In my childhood it was to be an NFL player. I even practiced writing my autograph in classes over and over again. I played football with myself when none of my friends wanted to play. The dream changed as I got older. I still wanted to play football, but settled for playing in college. I also began dreaming of becoming a writer. I carried that dream through high school and just before I entered college. 

The dream changed again when God called me to preach. I still remember the day I was on a 4,000 acre ranch with a good friend when I felt like God dropped a big dream in me. One I've carried for over 30 years. A dream I've shared with only a very select group of people. A dream so outlandish that most would never believe me. So I kept it to myself. 

Life hit hard. Ministry was hard. Many times I felt like a horse chasing a carrot dangling in front of him that he chases futilely but never gets to taste. As time passed the dream faded. It was still there, just not as vivid as it once had been. Then I hit middle age and the dream still had not come to fruition. It was painful to even think about it. One day I quit dreaming. It was easier. Less painful and disappointing to give up on the dream and just do my duty. 

A couple of decades ago I stumbled on a book called The Dream Giver. I read the book in literal tears as the dream was rekindled. I marked that book up and down front to back and made notations in the margins. I read it again and reread it a couple of years later. Once again life and ministry hit hard. The dream faded again and just like before I gave up on it. Only this time, I gave up on it for good. Or at least I thought. 

Until this morning. Let me backtrack. Weeks ago Brenda and I were in Mardell Christian Bookstore. I always go to the bargain section first to peruse the titles. You never know when you might discover a treasure at a bargain price. I did on that day and did not even realize it. It was a book written by Jerry Falwell. The title caught up my eye. How to Build Dynamic Faith. It was only $5. I put it on a shelf and forgot about it as I read other titles in subsequent weeks when we got home. Earlier this week I rediscovered it and took it from the shelf to read. Turns out the book is a 31-day devotional. This morning the reading hit me right between the eyes. It was about God planting dreams in our hearts. It was about the slowness but steadiness of those dreams becoming reality. My pulse quickened as I read. Falwell shared a story about a dream God gave Him and how it took 28 years for the dream to be realized. It did come true through lots of prayer and hard work. 

God resurrected my dead dream this morning. I could not fight the excitement. The hope and passion rekindled. The dream burned as bright and vivid as it ever has before. I told Brenda about the dream and a couple we ate lunch with earlier. I know some of you are on the edge of your seat waiting for me to reveal the dream. Not yet. The time will come. 

My counsel to you is if you lost a God given dream, sit before Him today and ask is it over. Maybe it has just been delayed. Maybe it is hope deferred. Don't stop believing. God can make His dreams for us come true. No matter our age or the number of years we wait for it. God is the best dream giver, and He is able to make them come true no matter how outlandish they may seem to others. 

Body Blows

 In the sport of boxing, one of the strategies for success is delivering body blows to the opponent. These are punches to the abdomen and rib areas. It serves to take the air out of a competitor. These are hard hitting punches that slowly wear down the opponent. Each punch takes a toll. 

There are body blows in life. Punches that are so hard it takes the wind out of us. Some blows are knee buckling. Such circumstances can hit so hard they leave you stunned. You are disoriented. You lose a little heart and wonder how you will keep going. Such staggering hits can cause you to lose a little faith and a lot of hope. These blows often come unexpectedly. It can be a lump on the body that turns out to be cancerous. It can be watching loved ones suffer inexplicably as you view helplessly unable to shield them from the blows. At other times, these blows come in the form of unexpected car repairs or a financial crisis you had not planned. 

I recall sitting in a doctor office with two of my sons on different occasions waiting for the diagnosis of knee injuries. I did that five separate times between the two of them. The doctor confirmed our worst fears every time. Season ending injuries which required surgical repairs. I watched the tears stream down both Tucker's and Turner's cheeks upon hearing this news. Devastating to them as well as Brenda and I. I told both of  them, "What you believe about God right now in the midst of this bad news is really important." In those times it is easy to doubt God loves you and that He is faithful. 

I've learned a lot over the years reading the accounts of people who suffered and yet clung to their faith. The body blows of life did not destroy their faith. Those are the people who inspire me to persevere through difficult times and not waver in unbelief. Sometimes this is easier said and done. Look at the case of Job. His immediate response to immense suffering in [Job 1:20-21] is challenging and inspiring. He did not blame God of wrongdoing. He did not grow bitter. He did not walk away from God in anger. He bowed and worshipped. He still found reason to bless God in the triumphs and the tragedies. 

I've heard numerous stories this past week of people getting punched in the gut by life. Three different people either had cars break down or were involved in a wreck totaling a car. There were other body blows I am not at liberty to write about. What do you say? I turn to a verse I have received comfort and strength from for over three decades. [Ps 46:1]. God is our refuge, strength, and a very present help in times of trouble. Over and over again we go to Him for peace in tough times. He is the one who provides strength to keep going when you are emotionally, spiritually, and physically wrecked. He helps you get through the next moment, the next hour, and the next day. He helps us through the next body blow of a crisis. Those body blows hurt. We are not always shielded from the pain. We are given everything needed to endure the pain and press on to better days. I'm not saying that is easy. I am saying it is possible. May we all believe to see the goodness of God in the land of the living and get past the body blows. [Ps 37:14]

Casual Christianity

 In a church culture that embraces words like comfort, convenience, and casual there is the contrast with Jesus' words from Mark 8:34. There is nothing comfortable or convenient about denying self, taking up the cross, and following Jesus. Deitrick Bonhoeffer once wrote, "When Christ calls a person, He bids them to come and die." What was casual about the disciples following Jesus to martyrdom? Nor is that comfortable or convenient. 

Christianity keeps getting watered down more and more. Grace keeps getting magnified as justification for compromised behavior. You would be surprised at the number of recent conversations I've had with preachers who like to smoke cigars and drink alcohol. They are unashamed in boasting about this fact. Christians compromise with long held convictions among Christians. They use grace as a license to sin because they promote their freedom in Christ. These same people talk little of holiness, repentance, revival, solemn assemblies, fasting, or importunate prayer.  

Following Jesus is serious business for serious sober minded believers. I am not saying there is not joy. It is different joy than the mirth of those flirting with sin and often crossing the boundaries between cultural accepted norms and the cross centered life. Paul might have wrote with a joyful heart while in prison, but that joy was rooted in Christ not sin. I believe following Jesus requires all in commitment. It involves service. It might lead to sacrifice. It will involve surrender. In a time when more Christians are interested in what the least commitment levels are, I believe Jesus is calling us out of casual Christianity to full devoted discipleship. 

Praying the Promises

 When my sons were little, if I promised to take them to the park to play when I got home they were quick to remind me once I walked in the door. They took me at my word. No matter how tired I was they expected me to keep my promise. That is what a good father does. 

God is a much greater Father than any of us. He has made many promises. We are not in the wrong if we expect Him to honor what He says. I realize there are many variables such as God's timing and God's will to take into consideration. There are still promises to be accessed. Promises to claim. It is sad that God wants to do things for His children that we never even ask. 

The more I learn to pray the more I lean on praying what God promises. Praying His word is much more fruitful than praying anything I can come up with in my mind. There are so many. Abounding promises like I Jn 5:14-15. Others like Mark 11:23-24, James 5:16, John 14:14, Jn 15:7, Ps 37:4, Phil 4:19, Matt 6:25-33, and so many others. 

We take I Jn 1:9 to heart. We confess sins and believe God will forgive them. We take Romans 5:8-9 to heart believing Jesus died to declare us blameless before God when we believe on Him for salvation. Why would we not take the rest of God's truth to heart as well. If we could learn to harness our faith with the promises of God and hitch our prayer wagon to those, I believe we would all pray more powerfully and effectively. 

This necessitates that we actually know what His word includes. How can we pray promises we have never read or studied. For people who are crippled by fear Is 41:10 is a great promises. For people covered in anxiety try Phil 4:6-7. For those who are despondent Ps 42:5 is useful. His word is filled with promises packed with truth. May we stand on those truths and pray in the authority God has granted us through His assurance that we can come boldly before His throne of grace to obtain mercy and help in our time of need. Heb 4:16. 

A Prayer For People With Cancer

 Father,

I lift your sons and daughters to you. A sweet spirited thirsty souls in pursuit of you. This diagnosis is devastating for them and their families. So, I come tonight to offer this prayer, you are near to those who brokenhearted and save those who are crushed in spirit. [Ps 34:18-19] You are near to them in this moment I pray this and, in the moments, when they reads this over and over again you will draw near and comfort them. You have not given them a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and a sound mind. [II Tim 1:7] So we can stand against fear in the mind. We plead for you to help them not be anxious about cancer. With thanksgiving and supplication, we all make our requests known for healing. We trust you to guard hearts and minds with the peace that surpasses all understanding in Christ Jesus. [Phil 4:6-7] You are the God who forgives our trespasses and who heals all our diseases. [Ps 103:2] We ask for your healing for those suffering. We understand the mountain that they face. A crushing immovable mountain from our perspective. Again, we stand on your word. You said if we had faith and spoke to our mountain to be moved in belief and did not doubt in our hearts that we would be granted what we asked. [Mark 11:23-24] We ask you in the name of Jesus to move every cell of cancer from her body and totally eradicate all of it. We cry out to you who can do far above what we can ask or imagine. We ask for her complete healing and imagine the restoration of her health in full. [Eph 3:20] We know you can do it through doctors, or you can speak healing over sick bodies. We also know that the confidence we have before you is if we ask anything according to your will, we know that you hear us we will receive the requests we have asked. [I Jn 5:14-15] This is the promise you made. We ask you to will to completely remove the cancer and give life and health to so they can keep seeking and serving you. You told us to call on you in the day of trouble and you would rescue us, and we will honor you. [Ps 50:15] I know Katie stands ready to honor you. So, we ask you to do what you said you would do. To rescue. You also said through David, that he would have despaired if he had not believed that he would see your goodness in the land of the living. As many wait on you, may you fill them with your strength and courage. [Ps 27:13-14] We know we will see your goodness in heaven. We are asking you to allow the hurting to see it in the land of the living right here and right now. We trust that they will not fear because you are with them. Help them not look anxiously around for you are their God. We trust you will strengthen and help. You will uphold with your righteous right hand. [Is 41:10] I ask you to give faith. The assurance of what they hope for and the evidence of what they cannot see. [Heb 11:1] We stand on the truth that without faith it is impossible to please you. We believe that you are everything the suffering needs in this crisis and you reward those who diligently seek you. [Heb 11:6] I come boldly before your throne of grace to find help and grace for the afflicted in this time of need. [Heb 4:16] I do not come based on merit to deserve healing. None of us deserve anything from you. I ask what will bring you the most glory. People testifying about how you preserved life and living to serve you and point others to you will bring you abundant glory and encourage as well as inspire many others. I make my stand in faith for these beloved people of yours. I stand in faith that the child is not dead but only sleeping. I stand in faith not to be afraid but only to believe. [Mark 5:36-39] In your name Jesus, amen!

He Makes Me Lie Down

 It was a grueling ministry season. God opened the door and strengthened me to preach or teach 16 times in the span of a little over the past two weeks. Part of that included a preaching trip to Lubbock. Add to that the other preaching and teaching times through the summer until yesterday afternoon it all caught up with me. The traveling. The constant prayer for the next message. The passion for the lake baptisms. After lunch yesterday, I needed a nap. 

I thought about Ps 23:2-3, "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads beside still waters. He restores my soul and guides me in the path of righteousness for His name's sake."

The human body was not designed to live in the fast lane perpetually. God created us to need sleep. We cannot function without it. It is the constant reminder that we are not God because He never gets tired nor sleeps. We may go hard for several days, weeks, or even months. There will come a time when the body needs to recover. 

We see same the principle in other areas. Cattle horses cannot go hard every single day. They have to recover at some point. You cannot run a machine at maximum RPMs long before it malfunctions. The same is true for the human body. God made me lie down for a nap. Friends wanted us to go to Amarillo for lunch, which would have meant an extra hour driving time there and back for us. We had to decline. A nap did more for me than I can put into words. It refreshed, revived, and reenergized me for two more times of teaching to round out the day. 

This is exactly why God created the Sabbath. A day for rest and worship. It was meant to be a day to rest and recover before starting another week of work. The Sabbath day is regularly broken. Some have no choice because of work schedules. Others fill the day with recreational activities, kids ball games, work around the house, and many other things besides worship. Do this long enough and it will compromise spiritual, emotional, and physical health. 

The NASU translation of Ps 23:2 uses the phrase, "He makes me lie down." God has His ways to get us to slow down. To recuperate. Some people feel guilty for resting. Like constantly being busy is a bade of honor. The Bible certainly speaks against laziness in the book of Proverbs. It also speaks to resting. There must be balance. In extreme cases, I've seen people hospitalized which forced them to rest. 

I actually felt convicted that we were planning too many things for the church. We canceled two events for this month. I could tell people were tired. They needed a break. Brenda and I needed a break. It was a fast paced summer with things happening nearly every week. Once this past Sunday ended, it signaled the end of the summer season and the ramping up of the fall season with back to school and all that comes with it. Other days of rest will be needed. The rest refuels us to be even more productive. LET'S GO!

I Heard Her Last Heartbeat

 God called a dear sister in Christ home today. A fantastic wife, mother, follower of Jesus, and talented singer. With her husband and kids, they travelled all over the United States leading people in worship. She battled cancer and after months of treatment and excruciating pain, she slowly drifted into heaven while her husband lay beside her in the bed listening to her heart beat head on her chest. 

Of course there are the same old questions why. Why did God take such a useful person in the advancement of His kingdom? Why did God call her her home to Him leaving a grieving husband and devastated children? Why did God not answer prayers for her physical healing, even though we know she is healed now? 

I hurt for her husband. A gifted musician, song writer, and worship leader. His world is wrecked. Those are his words. I know he is not the first widower in the history of the world. It still does not make it any easier. Somehow all the church cliches and Bible verses ring a little hollow in his grief. I know God is near to those who broken hearted and saves those crushed in spirit. [Ps 34:18] I know God works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. [Rom 8:28]. I know that in Jesus we have peace, but in the world we have tribulation. We are to take courage because Jesus has overcome the world. [Jn 16:33] I know precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones. [Ps 116:15] None of truths take away that a middle aged wife and mother is tragically taken from her husband and children. I know she would not return if she had the chance. It still does take away the vice grip of grief. 

All of those things are emphatically and eternally true. It still does not take the pain away from a devoted husband losing his best friend and spouse. I hurt for him and the children. Outside his home, life goes on. People hustle and bustle in frenzied activities of back to school, work, start of football, volleyball, band, and cross country practices. Inside his home are rivers of tears. There is anger and shock that suddenly she is gone forever. No more gentle kisses, hugs, morning breakfasts, movie nights, date nights, or casual conversations. Those things are just memories to cherish. 

I feel both guilty and grateful that I still have Brenda to go home to tomorrow evening. I still have the chance to tell her I'm madly in love with her. Still love to spend time with her doing just about anything. I still get to chase and serve God with her by my side. I kissed her goodbye near the curb of our front yard yesterday morning. Those are blessings my brother will never enjoy again with is deceased bride. It reminds me not to take Brenda for granted. 

I know God will sustain this devastated man of God in his grief. God will help him keep living one day at a time. God will help him write new songs and guide him to be able to sing them authentically. My brother has some very hard days ahead of him. He is in the weeping for a night. I pray God usher him into the joy that comes in the morning. [Ps 30:5]

Rejoice in Suffering

 Col 1:24 exhorts us to rejoice in suffering. To put that another way, it means to be glad in hardship, pain, and distress? Who does that? Isn't the natural reaction more like getting bitter, angry, doubtful of God's love? We feel like we are owed smooth sailing and a trouble free existence. That is a facade. 

Just this week, I had a conversation with a man very concerned about his aging wife's health. Several things have kept her down for months. A storm blew a tree over on power lines and impacted electricity and water for another man. He told me a recent storm took down seven trees. He has piled them up as high as 15' high to be burned at the right time. Another guy and his wife were spending time in Colorado. Their granddaughter checked on their house in Texas and discovered it was flooded. Ruined every room in the downstairs section. He and his wife have lived in a hotel room for the past 21 days as the insurance company drags their feet getting the home restored. His last words to me on the phone were, "We still trust the Lord. We are taking it one day at a time." I received a text today about a worship leader and his wife I have served with at youth camps in the past. The wife has cancer and hospice has been called in for her. The prognosis is not good. The husband and children are wrecked. 

How could we callously tell any of these people they need to rejoice in suffering? That is not what they want to hear in these moments of crisis. Sometimes, maybe even most times, we don't need to say anything to suffering people. Maybe we should just show up and be there for them to listen, hug, and pray. 

Like a burr in our britches, the admonition to rejoice in suffering is still there. Paul says the same thing in Phil 4:4 that we should rejoice always. The truth is our flesh does not feel like rejoicing when our worlds are crumbling around us. When the chronic pain does not subside night or day making comfort and ease illusions. When eyes sting from the salt flowing in continuous tears and are blinded to even the faintest hope, there probably will not be much rejoicing in suffering. 

People suffer. It is a cruel hard fact. All people suffer. This is a truth we cannot ignore. People without God to help or lean on for support turn to toxic ways of coping. This only makes things worse. Christians suffer. Horribly suffer just like others. The difference is that God helps through the hard stuff. It does not always turn out like we want. Like one lady told me recently, life is not a bed a roses and she feels like she's in a briar patch. Tough times do not last forever. Weeping does indeed last for the night, but joy can also come in the morning. [Ps 30:5] What do Christians do in the suffering. We keep breathing. We keep praying. We keep trusting.  We keep casting our burdens on God. We keep persevering one day and one moment at a time. 

You can rejoice in suffering for these reasons. Life on planet earth is not as good as it gets. Eternity in Heaven for the redeemed sinners is beyond imagination. You never know who might be inspired watching you navigate your own sufferings. Others may be inspired to not give up on God. They may keep pressing in close to God because of your example. Times of suffering help us not take times of blessing for granted. 

I'm not suggesting that you get in the middle of troubles and do a fake hallelujah hootenany. Your rejoicing can be silent alone in prayer. You can trust God's purpose. You can choose joy instead of bitterness. That is exactly what a widow did while her husband suffered with a terminal illness and also did after he died and still does to this day. She chose and still chooses joy. They were married in excess of 50 years. God's word would not command us to do something impossible to pull off. Through Jesus who strengthens us, we can choose to rejoice instead of complaining. Not saying it will be easy, but I am saying it is possible with God's strength and focus on His purposes. 

Lake Baptism Day

 Hundreds of hours of prayer. Secured permits. Vision casting. More prayer. VBS, children camp, Bible club, and Summers Last Blast. Gospel messages preached on Sundays. All leading up to over two dozen people who were saved or have been saved, but never followed through with baptism. All leading up today. The day scheduled for the Lake Meredith baptisms. Our youngest candidate who got all this rolling is a young 5th grade girl named Lauren. She trusted Christ as her Savior back at the beginning of summer. She wanted to be baptized in the lake. She agreed to wait so that several of her friends were also saved this summer can join her. She waited up to the last person talking to me last week just to remind me she only had to wait one more week. She will be the first to be baptized today.

Our oldest candidate for baptism is 85. She is scared of large bodies of water, but feels compelled to overcome her fear and be baptized today. There are other adults and students who will join her.

People have reported they have many coming to worship today. Extra chairs have been set out. Following our morning service, where I will one more time make an evangelistic push, we will all travel to the lake. We will start baptizing at 1:30. How many? I don't know. I know it will be largest number of baptisms I have been a part of in one service. I fully expect others to be saved today and to join in the celebration.

They will line up at 1:30 and one other guy and myself will start the joyous celebration. One after the other. People want to know how many. I do not have a number. We will just keep baptizing the next one until there are no others. We will ask each one before plunging them into the water about their salvation experience.

I pray for many more to be added to that number today. Dozens more. To glorify God and demonstrate what God can do in answer to fervent prayer. It will be a day to remember. When all is said and done, we are not finished. There are still thousands of lost souls in this community and county. May we work prayerfully and boldly to see God reach as many of them as possible. May He be pleased to rescue the perishing and the baptismal waters in local churches constantly be stirred with new converts professing their faith through baptism. The harvest is plentiful. May the Lord send out more workers in the fields of lost souls to lovingly lead them to salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.