The Voice

 John 12:28 "Father glorify Your name," then a voice came out of heaven , "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." 

A voice. That word translated from the Greek means a blaring sound, a language, and an utterance. Do not miss this point. Many people look for a voice. They look for it in the stars, in crystals, in the clouds, and various other mystical ways. It is not the voice I am after. I looking for and listening for the voice of God. Not other religious gurus. Not philosophers or pop starts. It is the person behind the voice that I long for. Yahweh. Jehovah. Elohim. God the Father. He is what we should all be seeking. With Him comes His voice. 

The voice on that came to Jesus in John 12:28 was not for Jesus. He knew His Father's voice whether audible or internal. Jesus said the voice was for the people. It was another sign indicating that He was Messiah. Those people totally missed it. They said the voice was just thunder and others attributed it to angels. People do the same thing today. They dismiss God's voice. Make no mistake about it. God still speaks. His voice is still available even though it may not be audible. 

For me personally, I have never heard the audible voice of God. Not that I doubt He can speak audibly if He chooses. He speaks to me in His word and through the Holy Spirit most prominently. To speak about God's voice sounds so mystical. People get weird about it. Learning to hear from God is no different than for me distinguishing the voices of Brenda, Taylor, Tanner, Tucker, and Turner. When they call me I know their voices. I love them. We have spent enough time together. I recognize them by their voice even if I cannot see them. In the same way, over time we learn the voice of God. 

God speaks to me most consistently through His word. He did so again this morning. I prayed asking God to speak to me and a verse popped into my mind. I should rather say it was the reference to a verse. Not one I was familiar with the content. I turned and read the passage and it turned out to be the answer to something I prayed about for over a year and a half. Knowing I hear God's voice in the scriptures motivates me to keep reading, to keep seeking, and to keep listening. 

God has spoken to me in other ways. He has used a cardinal, the back door of a diesel truck trailer, songs, phrases in books, text messages from other people, and the quiet still voice of the Holy Spirit. I promise God still speaks. He yearns to speak more than we want to listen. So attune your attention to the unseen voice. What He has to say to us is vastly more important than anything we have to say to Him. 

Repent

 The sins piled up over the course of a couple of years. Blind spots not easily detected. Little weeds in the garden that took root and were choking out the rest of the garden. Those weeds had to be pulled out by the roots. One by one. 

Repentance was in order. Repent means to feel regret and remorse for wrong doings. It also involves changing course and resetting the mind. That is what I needed, but too blind to see it. For days I prayed feverishly and fasted just to hear from God. Hour upon hour He was silent. Days on end. Month after month. I couldn't understand it. I pleaded with God to show me what I was doing wrong or what it was that hindered Him from speaking to me. I read His word. I got up early to pray. I earnestly desired to hear from Him more than anything else in my life. 

Like a clogged hose where something obstructs the flow of water, sin obstructed my hearing from God. Little sins I did not even notice. They crept in subtly. Sins like apathy, doubt, callused heart, compromise, bitterness, and lukewarm devotions. The list was longer than I suspected. I had to repent and come clean. I confessed those sins and asked God to forgive me. [I Jn 1:9] He is faithful to do that. 

I prayed and asked God to speak. He impressed a certain verse on my mind. I did not know what it said and hurriedly looked it up. It was a specific verse about something I've prayed for a year and a half. Right there in black and white. The answer I long sought was there all the while. It was my sin that kept me from receiving it. [Ps 66:18] reminds us that if we regard wickedness in our hearts God will not hear. 

We do not take repentance nearly as seriously as God does. Our sin hinders our fellowship with Him. Our transgressions can also choke the powerful move of His Spirit in our lives and churches. This happens all the time. We may do the devotions and wander through worship, but we do not connect with God because our sin gets in the way. God hates our sin much more than we do. He wants to uproot it from our lives. 

[Ps 119:23-24] Search me O God, and know my heart, try me and know my anxious thoughts. And see if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way. 

[Ps 51:10] Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 

It is time for the people of God to do some housecleaning. To do some weed pulling. If we want the power of God to flow through our lives and churches, we must repent first. Repentance is the first step leading toward revival. Our hearts and congregations certainly could use a fresh move among us once again. Things have grown stale. The religious rituals have become rotten with routine, and not refreshed with the spirit of revival. May it begin in us today and spread. Let it begin with repentance. 

The Wee Hours

 It is 2:16 a.m. and I sit in my office for the second straight morning this early for time with the Lord. Seeking Him is more important than sleep. I have not slept with an alarm clock for over 30 years. He gets me up when He wants me to come to the secret place for time in His presence. Nothing is more important. 

It is perfectly still and quiet. Not even occasional traffic on the road outside. Just the Lord and I in sweet communion. My only agenda is seeking Him. Seeking His voice and His will. I never know what He will do in our times together. It is a great adventure. The greatest adventure that keeps me coming back for more time and time again. 

How do I describe these times? I will write in my journal. I will read and meditate on Scripture. I will also read in a devotion book for good measure. There is also the time spent just listening for His still small voice. I ask the Holy Spirit to guide these times. To stir me to pray what He wants instead of what I want. I wait before Him. Time becomes irrelevant. The moments pass without notice. There is perfect peace and contentment in His presence. Such as cannot be found anywhere else. It is the best time of my day. 

It was the habit of Jesus to get up early to seek His Father. [Mark 1:35] Therefore, it should be my habit as well. He got up early while others around Him still slept. There are no distractions in those early morning hours. The fellowship with the Lord is worth the sacrifice of a little sleep. Tremendous treasures of encounters with His Father awaited. He yearned to be alone with His Father. Shouldn't all of His children follow His example?

When I was younger, it was hard to maintain the discipline of morning devotions. I wanted to sleep to the last minute. If I did squeeze in a little quiet time, it didn't last longer than ten minutes. That changed when I got into college. I often arose early to study for tests. Eventually I began to be more consistent in my time with the Lord. 

It was in college I discovered the author Leonard Ravenhill. That man was a prayer warrior and a fearlessly bold prophet. He lived hard, prayed hard, wrote hard and preached hard. His wife testified that he spent about eight hours a day in prayer. It would start around midnight. Ravenhill would get out of bed and go to his home office. He prayed there for two to three hours. Then he would go back to bed for a bit. When he arose for the second time he would immediately go back for more prayer. After breakfast he returned to his prayer closet for more intercession. He took breaks when needed and by the end of the day had prayed about eight hours before going to bed. In between he read a lot, studied for sermons, and corresponded with the many people who reached out to him. This schedule was altered when he was on the road preaching at a conference or revival meeting. He still devoted himself to prayer in those times. 

Evan Roberts from Wales was also known to get up around 2:00 a.m. to pray. He pleaded with God to send revival to his country. He went back to bed and slept for a few hours before getting up to pray some more. Roberts is credited with being the catalyst of the Great Wales Revival where over 100,000 people were saved in just six months. Roberts devoted the rest of his life to prayer, even to the point of giving up preaching, so he could give himself exclusively to intercessory prayer. 

I admit I am no Ravenhill or Roberts. I am an Edwards. I don't know that my praying really makes all that much difference to the world around me. It sure makes a difference for me. There is nothing more important I do on any given day. There is no place I would rather be. I willingly forsake the company of people to keep company with my God. Even in the wee hours. 

Who Can Awake the King

 Who dares awake the king in the middle of the night? The king's child can. So can you and I call out to the King of Kings with our requests. Being His child gives us the privilege to call out to Him in moments of our need. He grants us access to Him day or night. 

Even earthly fathers know how to be accessible and give good gifts to their sons and daughters. Earthly fathers are not perfect. They operate out of love, but they still have a sin nature. God is a good Father. A perfect Heavenly Father who has no sin. If sinful earthly fathers can give good things to their children, so can God give even better things to His children. [Matt 7:7-11]

So, we come to Him and ask. Just like a child will come to a parent and ask. Sometimes the child will ask persistently. We are exhorted to ask. In the original language that does not mean to ask once and to stop. It means to keep asking continuously. Just like good parents do not give a child everything they want no matter how much the child badgers the parents, so God does not give us everything we ask Him to do for us. He is far too wise for that. He knows what is best far better than we do. 

When I am faced with tough decisions I ask God to choose because He knows what is best. He can be trusted. We are told to trust Him and not to lean on our own understanding in [Prov 3:5-6]. He will direct our path in the way that most pleases Him and according to His purposes. 

We ask, seek and knock. We do this with the full assurance of a child asking a parent expecting the parent to respond to the request. God not only listens, but He also intervenes in His perfect timing and in His perfect way. God is never in a hurry and neither is He ever late. He looks at time totally different than we do. Remember with God one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as is one day. [II Pet 3:8] For impatient people that is hard to swallow. God's timing is perfect. So we keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking. 

The assurance is that in His time we will receive. In His time we will find. In His time the door will be opened. [Matt 7:7-8] So go ahead. Call out to your King no matter what time of day or night it is. Like a good Father He is available to help His children. We may not get what we want the first time we ask, or find the first time we seek, nor have the door opened the first time we knock. We can rest assured it will happen eventually. That is His promise. As good Father, God keeps His promises. 

Sweetly Surrendered

 For some reason many people live their Christian faith as minimalist. Their attitude is what is the least they have to give to the Lord. Others live as Christian maximists. They live wanting to offer God everything. No sacrifice is too big. No assignment is too large or too insignificant. They live sweetly surrendered. Which one better describes you? 

It is the pattern in Scripture to live surrendered. To offer Jesus everything even to the point of our very lives. Living sweetly surrendered seems pretty foreign among the people of God. This was normal for the early disciples. Jesus told them to deny self, be willing to suffer and to follow wherever He leads. [Luke 9:23] This is the pattern. Paul exhorts us to lay our lives down before God as a living sacrifice. [Ro 12:1]. Paul modeled this example in [Acts 20:24]. The biblical pattern is to sweetly surrender. Whether it be God calling Noah to build an ark or Peter to forsake a great catch of fish and his boat. Both sweetly surrendered to follow the will of God. 

There are those who will defy the will of God. They will stiffen their necks. They will harden their hearts like petrified rock. They will bow up in rebellion like Jonah and the nation of Israel. These will fight to the end not to surrender. They would rather go to their grave than surrender to what God wants. They somehow justify rebellion as hanging on to what they think is best. They fail to reason that God alone knows what is best. 

Christians have no claim on their lives. We have been bought with a price. Jesus owns us and we are called to sweetly surrender. Many see this as a place of fear and anxiety. It really is a place of freedom. God knows far better than any of us how to engineer our lives. He knows what is best. Sometimes  His best leads down roads of suffering and other times down roads of bountiful blessings. He gets to determine what road we travel. 

Living sweetly surrendered is to live without fear or anxiety. We relinquish all control and do not have to stress about the details. We are to follow His guidance in His word day by day. [Ps 119:105] Day by day He gives enough light for that day. We surrender daily and go where He leads, and in doing this we will end up at His intended destination. 

It is liberating to live with no will of our own. It takes the pressure off in decision making. God makes those decisions for us. He does the calculating. We just follow where He leads. How would life be different if God's people lived sweetly surrendered? How would that change your life? I think about the lyrics to the old song I Surrender All. All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give, I will ever love and trust Him, and in His presence daily live. Those words should flow through us like blood through our veins. We should live sweetly surrendered to Him no matter what He calls us for us to do. A surrendered swarm of soldiers marching against the kingdom of darkness. We listen and submit to the marching orders of our Commander In Chief the Lord Jesus Christ. We serve where He assigns. We love those He calls us to love. We give what He demands we give. We follow wherever He leads. That is simple. It only gets more complicated when we rebel and refuse to surrender. 

Serve With Gladness

 I remember well when God first called me to preach. I just wanted to serve. I also had so much to learn. My first preaching assignment was to a group of students at Woodlawn Baptist Church in Lufkin, TX. I did not know come here from sick them. I was a young teenager with a testimony. The whole first sermon lasted seven minutes. I had so much material prepared I thought. I quickly realized I had not prepared enough. 

There was a lot more training before God ever entrusted me with my own youth group at Rochelle Baptist Church in Rochelle, TX. I started with four students. That church had not baptized anyone in years. I recall with fondness the day we baptized five students. From there I ended up in Weatherford, TX and watched God grow a youth group from seven to forty-five with most of those students getting saved. 

I was a dreamer in those days. Salary did not matter. I only wanted to serve Jesus. 36 years later that has not changed. I still dream and salary is irrelevant in determining where I serve. Sure, I want to provide for my family. It has never been about the money. It has always been about serving Jesus. First, as a youth minister. In subsequent years I served as a traveling evangelist, twice a church planter, and ultimately as a pastor. I have served in churches of less than a dozen and one church of several hundred. One thing remained constant, I wanted to see Jesus save people. 

That does not get old. It makes the hard things in ministry worth it. Endless sermon preparations, meetings, visits, counseling, and enduring criticisms. All part of the ministry. Some people grow bitter the longer they serve God. The battles take their toll. The spiritual assault can rob one of joy. The onslaught of unrealistic expectations and criticisms can make a person jaded. 

We are exhorted to serve God with gladness. To serve Him with delight. [Ps 100:2] To keep coming to Him with joyful singing. He is the source of the gladness and the reason for singing. Not external circumstances. In His presence is fullness of joy forever. [Ps 16:11]

After all these years, every up and down, every trial and triumph, every personal revival and need for repentance, every praise and public criticism God is still the source of gladness. He is the reason to live with perpetual joy and to keep singing. He is the melody of my heart. No matter what swirls around me. 

An Angry Rant

 I never know what I'll encounter when I go teach at the substance abuse detox center every Sunday afternoon. I have taught only one on a few occasions. Today eight showed up to get into the word. They come from all over the United States. Some have no base for Christianity. They are foreign to Christian beliefs and even how to navigate around the Bible. 

Today, I met a man named Pitman. He was angry. He came in with a massive chip on his shoulder. I taught from Luke 18:35-42. At one point, he made a comment that gave evidence this man has studied the Bible. He is a follower of Jesus. He is also a long time alcoholic. He is angry with everyone. With the substance abuse program itself, with churches, and with himself. He went off on a rant about churches. He reported visiting many and not finding help or being welcomed with his wife. He also criticized preachers for preaching weak mealy mouthed messages and not the meat of the word. 

He was especially critical of pastors not caring about helping people, but rather padding their pockets with plush offerings. This is not the first time someone has derailed one of our studies. This man was physically large. To some intimidating. While he spoke nobody else interrupted. After a while, he got it all out. Later on he started down the same road when I had to reign him back. 

A recent survey of lost people indicates 72% of them think the church is full of hypocrites. Religious people who do not care about lost people with real hurts. The angry man talked about showing up at a church asking for a can of food and they told him they did not give out food until Saturday. He was hungry then. He wants to find a place for him and his wife, but he has found issues with all the churches they have visited. 

There are no perfect churches because churches are made up of imperfect people. There are good ones and ones who do not please the Lord. I grieve for what the people of God have done to the bride of Christ. We have drifted far from that original church in Acts 2:42-47. Some churches deserve the criticisms against us. Other churches labor feverishly to reach lost people and meet their basic needs. These are splendid examples of what God wants for His church. 

Many people have been burned by churches. Rejected and isolated. Others have been welcomed initially only to find out they aren't truly embraced by others, but just another person to sit in a seat and fill up a building. Churches have made some critical mistakes over the years. Some churches have gotten it right as well. Those are the churches that remember the mission [Matt 28:19-20] [Acts 1:8] and they live that mission out weekly. 

One thing I've discovered at the detox center is people will tell you the raw unfiltered truth of how they feel. They are not pretending. They are too broken and too desperate to pretend. Most know they are in trouble. Most understand they are destroying their lives through addiction. It's not physically easy to go there each Sunday afternoon after preaching and teaching twice before. In some ways, it is like walking into Satan's den. Isn't that where Christ followers need to be. To penetrate the darkness with gospel light. 

I can handle a rant if I also get to keep ranting about Jesus to those who will listen. We have lost count of all those whom Jesus saved over the past several years. Jesus cares about the unloved. He does not give up on the down and out whom others have written off. I keep showing up and pointing people to Jesus. That is what I believe He would have me do in this season of life. 

A Great Street Sweeper

 "If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry, he should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause and say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well." MLK JR.

Col 3:17 exhorts us that whatever we do in word or deed we should do it in the name of the Lord. That means all things we do and say on any given day continually we are to give our best in representation of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not to give slothful effort, do shoddy work, or be slack in our responsibilities. We are to do our best and speak our best consistently. 

There is the temptation to give our best efforts to important tasks that will bring recognition and not to give greatest effort for seemingly unimportant tasks nobody will notice. Jesus sees. He notices. We are to do it all for Him as acts of worship. 

I have had the privilege of preaching to 1,000 people. I have also had the privilege of teaching one on numerous occasions. Unto the Lord I am supposed to give my best no matter the size of the crowd. To preach or teach like I am preaching to a thousand even if there are only a few people in the room. 

The name of Jesus means something. Christians are representatives of Him. Lazy, undependable, and half hearted work does not glorify Him. Industrious, dependable, offering our best does glorify Him. No matter if you are a janitor, garbage collector, secretary, teacher, mechanic, farmer, executive, banker, or coach. God expects and demands our best as representatives of His Son Jesus. 

Even if it means sweeping streets. This applies to husbands, wives, and children. It goes for the nursery workers, the president of the company, as well as the President of The United States. It is true of the mega church pastor as well as the backwoods parson. It is true of the maid and wait staff as well as the owner of the company. The Lord Jesus Christ deserves our best. 

I find it interesting the context of this passage goes directly into wives, husbands, and children responsibilities. Even in the family dynamic we are to do our best as unto the Lord Jesus. That means wives submitting, husbands loving, and children obeying. 

This world would be a far better place if everyone did their best in everything. When this doesn't happen people get angry. They are frustrated and can even become bitter. As much as it is possible, may we resolve to do our best in word and deed. Constantly remembering we are not doing it for others who may not ever notice our efforts. We are doing it as an act of worship for our Lord and King Jesus. 

Baggage

 When our sons were little and we made family trips, I inherited the nickname of "Pack Mule." I got loaded down with all the luggage as Brenda navigated getting all four of the guys into the car and strapped them in their seats. She herded them to our final destination like cattle once we arrived. I often pulled two suitcases, had to others strapped over my shoulders and made multiple trips with a family of seven at times when Jennifer lived with who is Brenda's youngest sister. 

That is not the baggage I am thinking of today. I am thinking of emotional baggage. I spent some time this weekend considering events from childhood that have impacted me to this day. In my family, I saw alcoholism on both sides of the family by multiple members. There was sexual abuse on both sides. Pedophilia on both sides. There was also physical abuse. The one that bothers me the most is the lies and secrets kept from me until I was 27 years old. Not just one or two lies. Major lies on multiple fronts. 

I brought all that baggage into my relationship with Brenda. She carried her own baggage. She dealt with abandonment issues from her father, youth minister, pastor, and serious boyfriend. It was very hard for her to trust. We both brought baggage into our marriage we did not know how to unpack at the time. We muddled our way through the first few years and made many mistakes along the way. 

I was forced to look at my baggage during an exercise at our marriage conference today. It was not pleasant. Several unpleasant memories surfaced. Things shoved down deep. Like old clothes that get shoved down to the bottom of the drawer. I have not fully processed as of yet. 

Over lunch today, Brenda and I discussed what baggage we passed onto our sons. When I look back at my family dynamics as a child it is easy to identify the dysfunction. What takes a little more effort to unpack is what that dysfunction has done and is still doing to me today. It was explained that emotional baggage can be like an underground cable that connects two different events. Some events in life today can trigger emotions from decades previous. 

If those unhealthy bags are not emptied Biblically [Ps 55:22] [I Pet 5:7], they will manifest in unhealthy emotions like fear, anxiety, anger, and depression. None of those are things will build a healthy life or marriage. One of by one those unhealthy areas must be cleansed and refined. It may prove to be a painful process to deal with the past, but the end result could be mental and emotional health. 

We must be willing to unpack our bags. One thing I remember from those family trips is that when we got back home we unpacked our bags. We did not live out of suitcases. One by one dirty clothes went into dirty laundry hampers to be washed and ready to wear again. 

There are things I have to unpack and run through the redemptive cleansing of God. What Satan meant for evil God can turn and work it toward my good. [Rom 8:28] He can cause all things to work together for our good. He can use the pain to refine us and reshape us. He can also use us to minister to people who carry the same baggage we used to carry. May we unpack and press on to be better vessels in His hands. 

A Tribute to My Bride

 I met her 36 years on the campus of Howard Payne University. I noticed her before she ever noticed me. I volunteered to move new students into their dorms. Truth is I did it just for the girls. I carried Brenda's massive box of shoes up to her third story dorm room. She was a brown eyed beauty. She was overwhelmed with it all. Shy and unassuming. I thought she was stunning. We did not talk that day. 

I saw her around the campus for weeks. I noticed her long before she ever noticed me. Turns out my roommate had a class with her. He learned some things about her for me. Then it came time to make my move. We waited to see where she and a couple of friends put their trays down in the cafeteria. When she went to get her drink we swept in to sit at her table. Maybe not the smoothest move. That is how it began. 

After that, we set up our first study date at a local park. She actually brought books to study. I came only to study her. We both stereotyped each other. She thought I was a head banging rock and roll football player. I thought she was most likely a party girl. It did not take long for me to ask about her relationship with Jesus. She blew me away. She loved Jesus. Taught Sunday school to junior high girls back at her home church. The more she talked the more I considered her the exact kind of woman I wanted to marry. Within a week of our getting to know one another I told my mother over the phone that I met the girl I was going to marry. 

We talked about Jesus a lot. She was totally surprised I was studying to become a preacher. She never considered marrying a preacher. I never planned on being called to preach. That was God's plan and He drew us together from different parts of the state. 

She went back home to work for the summer. I went to Atlanta, GA to work as a summer intern for my former youth minister. I thought about her every day. I wrote several letters and waited for her replies. We talked on the phone a few times long distance. Those three long months without her. I think it is safe to say I fell harder for her than she did for me. She had been hurt in the past and it took a while to earn her trust. 

Then we hit a rough patch that ended in a one year breakup. I kept pressuring her to get married. She knew we could not afford to do so. She did agree to get engaged, but when I kept pushing her to set a date it became too much. We broke up. It crushed me, but God used it for good. That was the summer I really fell in love with Jesus as my first love. I spent months sending her money to pay for an engagement ring we bought on credit. I honestly thought it was over. 

She finished her course work in December of our senior year. Howard Payne only offered commencement ceremonies in May. She started her career back in Fort Worth. I stayed in Brownwood to finish my last semester. We ended up talking the weekend of graduation. The door cracked a little. That talk led to a few dates. We dated long distance for several months until I relocated to Fort Worth to go to seminary. 

I knew I wanted to marry her. I went and asked her mother for permission. She gave it reluctantly. She was not sold on me. Brenda and I traveled back for the Howard Payne University homecoming game. That is where I set my plan in motion. At the start of the fourth quarter the public address announcer called for Brenda to stand up for an important announcement. He read a message, "Brenda, will you marry me? Love Matt." She was shocked. Embarrassed to have the whole crowd looking at her. It took a moment before she regained her composure and said yes. We hugged and I high fives all my friends. We married on June 29, 1991 at her home church in Hurst, TX. That was 33 years ago. 

These days we are empty nesters. We are some of the most boring people in the world. We enjoy just sitting in our recliners watching movies together. We enjoy simple things like walking around the Farmer's Market, going out to eat, going to an occasional movie, and spending time with our sons and our daughter in law. It really does not matter what we do. We enjoy being together. She is my best friend. My soul mate. The person I love the most on this earth. 

I looked at her last night and thanked her for marrying me. This morning I told her I am still madly in love with her. I gave her homemade Valentine's cards and surprises this morning. I am blessed to share life with her. It really doesn't matter what we are doing as long as we are together, except maybe shopping. She has worn me down shopping on more than one occasion. I stared at her last night over dinner like a star struck young lover. She is a virtuous woman. She has stuck with me through the best of times and the worst of times in ministry. We still laugh together. Flirt a lot. We talk. Taken countless steps of faith. She still seeks God each morning and I do the same in different locations. I love her more now than the day I married her. She is still my brown haired brown eyed beauty. 

A Father to the Fatherless

It is estimated over 19.5 million children grow up without a father. That is one out of every four children. This has devastating impacts on those children and society. I ought to know. I grew up the same way in the late sixties all the way through getting married. I HAVE NEVER KNOWN THE LOVE OF A FATHER. NEVER HEARD A FATHER CHEER ME ON IN ANY ENDEAVOR. 

It is hard to describe the ways this impacted me. I felt inferior. Unsure of myself. An outsider looking at the rest of the crowd. I grew up an angry and abused little boy. There were multiple sexual abuses by family members and friends of the family. On one occasion there was physical abuse. I carried the baggage from those things for decades. In some ways, I may still carry some residuals. 

What are some of the lasting effects? Growing up without a healthy esteem, feelings of abandonment, trouble connecting with others relationally, poor academic performance, lack of trusting others, and mental health issues like depression. Fatherless children are also more likely to be aggressive. That was my number one problem. I fought and scrapped seeking to earn respect. I was a little boy parents told other little boys not to play with or befriend. All my anger and fighting was just a heart cry for someone to love me and accept me. My attitude repelled others from me. 

It was hard to navigate those early childhood years especially when it came to sports. I had nobody to teach me to catch and to throw a ball. I was driven though. My maternal grandfather was the closest thing I ever had to a father growing up. When we moved in to live with my grandparents, I loved time spent with my Papaw. We both shared a love for sports. I idolized Papaw. He was a legendary sports hero in my hometown. He was what we called a four sport letterman. That means he was on the high school varsity football, basketball, baseball, and track teams. I used to get in bed with him to watch Monday Night Football and baseball games. He was the most influential figure in my life other than my mother up until I was a sophomore in high school. He died of leukemia. That totally wrecked my world because he never got to see me play one single down of varsity football. I wept uncontrollably and was inconsolable for days afterward. 

I drifted through the next year pouring my pain into sports especially football. Long will I remember that Thursday night in October of 1983. I had no idea going through that day my whole life would change that night. Most who know me know that a local youth minister came into the stands of a junior varsity football game where I watched the game with my girl friend. That guy was sent by God on a different mission than watching a football game. He was sent to share the good news of Jesus to any who would listen. Just so happens he zeroed in on me. It was the first time in my life someone clearly spelled out what the death of Jesus on the cross meant. It also was the first time I understood my need for a Savior. Jesus saved and rescued me that night in the stands while the game played out below on the field. Everything changed. 

I did not realize it then, but for the first time I actually had a Father. A Heavenly Father. One who is a Father to the fatherless like me. [Ps 68:5] How can I put into words what that has meant to me over the years. God has been the Father I never had. He loves me, counsels me, reassures me, strengthens me, helps me, provides for me, and many other things earthly fathers do for their children. Things I have done for my own children. He is patient, but also willing to chastise me when needed. He forgives and also admonishes to do better. 

There is nothing an earthly father does for his children that my Father has not also done for me. He gives me purpose. He created me with intelligent design to fulfill His ordained assignment. To preach His word, shepherd a flock, lead others to know Him, and to write truths to help people on their journey. He is a faithful Father. Always there when I need Him night or day. He is a great listener. Patient. Merciful. Kind. Strong. Everything a child, or grown up, needs in a father. 

I am humbled and thankful God brought me into His family. I brought nothing with me. I had nothing to offer in exchange for redemption and adoption. When others ignored me, cast me aside, and refused to see my worth, my Father embraced me and cleansed me. He brought me into the family and gave me a seat at His table. All the good that I am or ever do is not because of me. It is all because of Him. I only boast in Him. [Gal 6:14] I celebrate that I now have a Father who is also Father to the millions of other fatherless children out there. 

Oh, That I Had 100 Lives

 The work of evangelism, laboring and seeking God for revival as well as spiritual awakening, the need for true discipleship among believers, and the continued need to pray as well as to write consume my thoughts this Thursday afternoon. Hudson Taylor felt a similar burden for 180 million Chinese people who had never heard the name of Jesus or heard the gospel message. It was Taylor who wrote, "Oh, that I had 100 lives to give or to spend for their good."

So many Christians are minimalists. What is the least amount they can do in service for the Savior. They do not want to be inconvenienced. It was inconvenient for Jesus to go to the cross, but He did it joyfully. [Heb 12:2] Joyfully and determinedly we should desire to labor for our Master from dawn to setting sun. There is much work to be done. So many have not heard the good news. 

One of my all-time favorite quotes was made by C.T. Studd. He said, "Tis only one life to live and twill soon be past, only what is done for Christ will last." That puts a razor edge on focus. So many of our activities will not matter in eternity. Those things will burn up when tested by fire. [I Cor 3:13-15]

All any of us have is this one life. We only get so many trips around the sun. We must make it count. I wish like Hudson Taylor I had 100 lives. The truth is all I have is one. One life to offer back to Him in loyal service. In my little corner of the world, in my limited influence, with my few talents and gifts I offer all of my days in service to Him. It does not matter where He plants me. It does not matter what assignment He gives me whether easy or difficult. It does not matter what sufferings may come along the way. I must labor for the King. I must give Him as much service as I can squeeze out of this life. 

I realize at 58 I am closer to the end than the beginning. I think I have a lot left in the tank. I am not looking to coast into retirement. I'm looking to hit my sixties in stride trusting God to still be productive for decades to come. Yes, you read that right. Decades as in plural. Not decade as in singular. 

Like a sponge, I ask God to squeeze every drop of productivity out of me. I do not look for accolades. I am not chasing money. I'm only after one thing. When I see Jesus face to face, I want to hear him say, "Well done good and faithful servant." I don't have 100 lives to offer, but I do have this one. 

Yes, You Are Going Home

 Maria Taylor was a frail woman physically but stout spiritually. Her life as a missionary was not a life of ease. She endured much suffering in China alongside her husband Hudson trying to win people to Jesus. She had to bury three children in China. A grief so tremendous only God could help her bear it. 

She was often ill herself. Body weakened and confined to bed to recover. One morning Hudson heard her as he was preparing breakfast. What he could not see in the candlelight, but became clearly visible with the sunlight, was that his beloved life was dying. He knew she did not have long to live. 

He would long treasure the conversation that followed. He informed her she was dying. She didn't believe him at first. She felt no pain but only felt weary. He was a physician and could see her strength was fading. That is when he told her, "Yes, you are going home. You will soon be with Jesus." 

The joy of her soon departure to be with Jesus eclipsed the pain in his heart of losing her. She was concerned with leaving him alone to raise and care for their four remaining living children and all the responsibilities for the China Inland Mission that would fall on his shoulders. 

Her words to her husband speak to a depth of relationship with Jesus that was deeper than most. She told him, "You know, darling, that for ten years past there has not been a cloud between me and my Savior. I cannot be sorry to go to Him." 

There two suffering spouses unselfishly releasing the other into the hands of the King of Kings. A very difficult moment softened by the eternal promise of everlasting life with Jesus. Maria was going home. She was only 33. They had only been married 12 years. It seemed like such a waste. Such a young life. Yet, the Taylors knew that home was in heaven. Three of their children were already there waiting on their mother. Hudson knew one day he would follow after his work on earth was finished. 

I know this world is not my home. As long as God gives me life, I want to squeeze the most out of it for Him. To labor while I have a chance. That includes pointing others to salvation like I did with a group of students last night and do weekly at the detox center. That includes preaching and teaching while I have the chance. That also means hammering these keys to get words of hope, inspiration, and truth out to readers. 

When all that is over, I will go home. Not my boyhood home back in the piney woods of east Texas. Not where Brenda and I reside. Home is in heaven. One day I'll go home. Until that day, I want to take as many others with me as possible. What a day of rejoicing that will be when my Jesus I will see. He will lead me into a home I cannot see or imagine on this side. I Cor 2:9 

It will be sad if Brenda and I have to part with one another. We'd much prefer to be raptured off this planet together. Should one of us be called home before the other, I hope we endure that valley of the shadow of death without fear but with the joy of knowing the dying one will soon be home with Jesus. I hope we can face it bravely like Hudson and Maria did. The other will follow close behind soon enough. Therefore, we may grieve but not as people without hope. The dead in Christ will be raised first before the living are caught up with the Lord in the air. May we take comfort in that thought. I Thess 4:13-18.

Not everyone will get to heaven. That requires salvation in Jesus. Nobody gets to heaven without going through Jesus. John 14:6 That requires repentance of sin and trusting Jesus for the free gift of forgiveness. We cannot earn our way home. We must accept this free gift by faith. Eph 2:8-9 That is the only way to make it home to heaven. Maybe someone will read this today and experience that great salvation made available by Jesus' demonstrating love for us by dying to take our punishment. Romans 5:8 That is my hope and prayer. 

The Cost of Following

 Hudson and Maria Taylor met in China where both served as missionaries for two different organizations. People in powerful positions tried to prevent their love from blossoming and a romantic relationship from forming. God had other plans. He orchestrated their meeting and eventual marriage. 

Taylor had some very deep convictions. One of them was that they should trust God to meet their missionary needs once they married. The biography written by their son Howard is a fascinating account of God's intervention in their lives. Tales of faith and God's continual faithfulness. 

One story is when townspeople rose up in mass against the missionaries. Lies were spread that dozens of children were missing because the foreign devils captured and killed them. A mob attacked the house trying to break down the door. Taylor went out to try and calm the mob but to no avail. Maria was forced to jump out the back off a veranda into the waiting arms of another missionary. He missed catching her and she injured her leg very badly. 

They also dealt with whining, complaining, and division among their missionary recruits who found life in China much harder than they anticipated and longed to return to the easy life back home. Taylor lived under the constant pressure of praying in more funds from month to month. 

Nothing could have prepared them for the ultimate sacrifice they would be called to make. The death of two of their children who were buried in China soil. They wept but did not blame God or complain. They accepted the fact that their children were safe in the arms of Jesus and sought solace in the fact that one day would be reunited. They continued their evangelism labors without delay. 

They understood the cost of following Jesus. There is a cost. It may be different for each of us than it was for the Taylors. Our costs may be minimal in comparison. What cost are we willing to pay in our following? Financial sacrifice? Enduring criticisms? Overcoming adversity? Relocating? Enduring sufferings on multiple fronts? Persevering through intense persecution? Where do you draw the line? Where and when would you tell Jesus no further. I am not willing to pay this price for following You? 

I hope the answer for all of us is that there is no line. Like the Taylors, we will follow to our last breath. No matter what pain we have to endure, what sacrifices we are called to make, and what personal costs to us. Will we follow? Matthew 16:24

Cattle on a Thousands Hills

 God owns everything. Ps 24:1. We learn that every beast of the forest if God's and the cattle on a thousand hills. Ps 50:10 The whole world is His according to Ps 50:12. 

The current price of beef is $7.39 a pound. Most people who own cows own less than 50. Do the math. It is estimated that there are currently 1.5 billion cattle worldwide. God owns all of them. The average weight of a cow is 1,100 pounds. If you multiply that by 1.5 billion at $7.39 a pound, well... let's just say that adds up to a lot of provision. 

There is not a financial need you will ever have that God does not have the resources to provide to meet that need. His resources are unlimited. What is even better is that He knows your need and your address. He can get it to you every time and right on time. So why do people stress over financial matters if they are a child of God? 

Brenda and I have been eyewitnesses to God's amazing ability to provide. Brenda did not work four out of 12 months last year. She had two knee replacement surgeries. We never asked a single person for money. God provided. She only worked part time for another three months as she had physical therapy. We did not miss a beat. We were never late on bills. We did not miss meals. God provided on time in the most creative of ways. 

That is not the only time. Our story is a story of faith steps and God's supernatural intervention. We have a long standing conviction. We do not tell people when we have financial needs. We pray about them. For three decades we have watched God answer those prayers in amazing ways. Here is just a short list of things He has provided. 

Washing machines. Dryers. Refrigerators. Vehicles. Three houses. More money than I can keep account of over the years. Many times I have prayed that He would sell some cows and send the funds to help us in a time of need. The largest one time gift we ever received was for $15,000. Three other times He supplied $10,000 at one time. In 2019 He provided my family with 5 used vehicles in the span of 30 days without one penny of debt. He once provided me with two new suits. There has been money for groceries, house payments, and gasoline. Simply amazing. 

It is a comforting thought to know when any of us might have a need God has the ability to meet that need with ease. The next time you face a financial trial remind yourself God owns all those cows. Ask Him to sell one or two to help you out and watch to see what happens next. He is faithful. We can trust Him. Then we get to testify about what He did. 

A Tribute to My Friend

 I met Eric Adcock on the campus of Howard Payne University28 years ag. Our first encounter was not friendly. We were in a pickup basketball game after classes one afternoon. We were on opposite teams. I saw him around campus but had no intentions of getting to know him. That afternoon basketball game was heated. Both teams went back and forth. In those days, the winning team stayed on the court to play another game while the losers had to wait to play again after those on the sidelines got their chance to play. 

I was not guarding Eric. He got open for a three pointer and I left my man to hustle to contest the shot. Just as I got there, and he released the ball he said, "Ball game!" The shot went in causing my team to lose. I loathed him after that. I resolved the next time I played against him I would guard him and shut him down. 

One afternoon I meandered to the third floor tv room. We did not have cable in our rooms. I can't remember going to that tv room before that day. I was bored. Tired of classes and not interested in tackling homework. When I walked into the room and saw the only person there was Eric, I was not a happy camper. I sat far away from him sullen and silent. 

Anybody who knows Eric knows he is an extrovert. He finally broke the ice. He forced me to talk to him. Then he asked those famous words, "You want to go to the cafeteria and get dinner." Our bond was forged that day. From then on, we were always together. We shared a love for sports. We could not have been more different in most every conceivable way except two areas. We both loved Jesus, and we loved sports. 

In time, Eric became my roommate. We laughed. Made memories. Shared meals. Dreamed our dreams and enjoyed college life. We played pickup basketball every chance we could when I was not at football practice. Eric came from a tradition family with one older brother and both parents still married. I came from a dysfunctional broken home. 

Eric introduced me to Brenda. Eric was the catalyst for helping me get several ministry jobs. He has stood loyally beside me through the best and worst of times. He was my obvious choice to be the best man in our wedding. 

Over the years we have ministered at revivals, camps, and retreats. I am the preacher, and he plays the tunes with his guitar. I stand amazed watching Eric. He is gifted more than he knows. He is great with people. He has a way of making people feel important. He is very connected and cares about people. He talks to a former secretary he has not worked with in twenty years weekly even though she lives in another state. He keeps up many people. Always finding those discouraged souls and building them up. 

In the darkest season of my life Eric has been there. He prays for me. He loves me at my best and my worst. He does not judge me though he has plenty of ammunition to do so. He believes in me when I don't believe in myself. I admire him more than he knows. I wish I were more like him. More trusting of people. More talented and creative. More caring. More gifted. More successful. 

I have found Eric a wise and trusted counselor. I do not make big decisions without consulting Brenda and Eric along with a couple of other people. He allowed me the honor to preach his parents' funerals. We have wept together. We have consoled one another in the tough stretches. We have been there to help when one has a need. 

Eric has been loyal to me. He has given and given to me when it feels like I have sucked him dry emotionally, spiritually, and at times financially. Eric has seen me at my worst. He is patient with me. When I have gotten a wild hair idea, he has counseled me against some of them. Others he has supported me even when it did not make sense to him what I was doing. He has never made me feel inferior though he serves in a bigger church than I ever have, has had more success than I ever have, and makes more money than I do. He has never thrown those things in my face. He respects me. 

Most of all Eric just loves me. The real me. He has loved with actions as much as with words. He loyally supports me even when I fail. He courageously speaks the hard words of truth I may not want to hear but need to hear. He is kind beyond description. Eric is a servant and often serves me. 

When I see him standing on a stage with his guitar strapped playing and singing songs of praise I admire Him. I am awed by his gift and ability to lead people to the feet of Jesus in joyous celebration as well as in tender adoration. God has used him numerous times to move me to tears before I preached. 

Eric has lots of friends. Thousands. I have only a few. He does not need me but graciously makes time for me. I really bring little value into our friendship. He is closer than a brother. He is a brother born for sticking close in adversity. One of God's greatest gifts to me outside my salvation and family is Eric's friendship. A treasured blessing. I pay tribute to him today well deserved and woefully belated.

Be Still

 There are plenty of things to get stressed about in life. Health. Finances. Family dynamics. Political problems. Work related crisis. The economy. Some or all of these can take a toll. It can overwhelm the mind. 

It is good to be still and know that God is God. Ps 46:10. We are exhorted to be still and know He is God. The word God is the Hebrew word Elohim. It means to be exceedingly great. He is the supreme creator of the universe. The phrase be still can also be translated cease striving. In our hectic and frantic paces, it is good to be still and remember who God is. Completely in control. Masterminding circumstances and outcomes we cannot fathom. Omnipotent in power. Without rival or equal. God is supreme. 

Hundreds of things can happen on any given day to distract us and make us forget who God is. It could happen in the form of an unexpected trial, a health issue, a world crisis, or another pandemic. The world teeters on the precipice of WWIII. There are a lot of things to be concerned about. 

Face the facts. We cannot control the things that happen all around us. We cannot control the outcomes as much as we would like. We can constantly remind ourselves God still rules and reign sovereignly. We can find help and refuge in Him. Ps 46:1 We can find renewed strength to brave another day. Is 40:31 We can find peace that surpasses all understanding from God. Phil 4:7

Whatever is going on in our world I remind you of two things. God is not taken off guard. He is never surprised by anything. He knows everything. He is prepared for everything. Secondly, God can handle it. Whatever comes our way God can help us get through it. Even the tough days. He is a Good Shepherd. John 10:11. He does not abandon His flock in difficult days. 

So be still for a moment. Recalibrate your mind to the eternal truth of Ps 46:10. Cease striving and stressing. Let God do the heavy lifting. Ps 55:22. 

Songs in the Night

 God is lovingly kind. What does that mean? He is good, merciful, loyal, and His love endures. It does not matter what circumstances we might face. He is loving and He is kind. He is sovereign. He is good. 

God commands His lovingkindness in the daytime. That is what {Ps 42:8] states. God commands His lovingkindness. He orders His lovingkindness and appoints it where to go. Today He directs it towards us. He manifests it in many ways. Just the fact that we woke up is evidence of His good and kind love toward us. We have the opportunity to seek Him in His word and prayer. He meets us out of lovingkindness. We get to live this life and this day as an opportunity. We are not promised another day and the fact that we have this one is a gift of His lovingkindness. 

That is not all He does. His song will be with us in the night. I want to look at that statement from two vantage points. First, His song can fill our hearts and minds in the wee hours of the night. When sleep escapes and thoughts run wild like stampeding stallions in our minds His song of praise can bring us comfort, peace, and hope. There are songs that help us endure. Other songs bring great peace. There is a song out there that most likely corresponds with the way we feel at any given moment. 

The second point of view I want to consider is God sometimes sings over us. Zephaniah 3:17 informs us that God rejoices over us and He celebrates over us with shouts of joy. In the night hours when troubles swarm our minds God sings His song like a mother sings a lullaby to comfort her baby. He whispers soothing words of solace in our most troubled seasons. He does not abandon us in those difficult days. He remains faithful. Stalwartly steadfast. He is there for us in the darkest night reassuring us that He will not abandon us. 

What peace that should bring us. God sings His song of praise during the night watches. He does not forget or forsake us. The next time you have a sleepless night listen closely. You might just hear the Lord bring His song of praise to your spirit in those nighttime hours. 

God Centered Worship

 A shift happened in the worship culture over the past few decades. It happened so subtly most people did not even notice. Now in many churches the praise and worship time is far more important than the preaching of the word of God. People choose churches over the worship rather than the preaching. 

When I was a teenage young Christian, I noticed the difference in the songs we sang at youth group, camp, and the ones we sang on Sunday morning at my home church. I also noticed the difference in the way we worshiped at a camp or youth event rather than what I saw on Sunday morning. Students clapped at youth events. They sang with unbridled enthusiasm. One of the things I heard back then was how students loved singing to God rather than about God. 

That was true for me. Many times I changed the words of hymns so that I was singing to God and not just about Him. I am not saying there is anything wrong with singing about God. For me, I worshiped more meaningfully when I sang to God. 

Then the lyrics in many contemporary songs changed. The focus shifted to the worshiper and how the worshiper felt, or what they needed, or how they struggled. The shift was subtle. Most never noticed it. The focus became man centered rather than God centered. Everything about worship is supposed to be God centered. He is the audience of one we sing to and praise. He is the subject matter. He is the object where our worship is to be directed. 

In the last 20 years, I have heard a lot about people's felt needs. This shaped the way sermons were crafted. It also profoundly permeated the worship music written by contemporary artists. 

I was curious today about the number one rated hymn of all time. It was not surprising to be listed as Amazing Grace by John Newton written in 1779. I researched what a top new worship song might be. I discovered a song by Brandon Lake called Hard Fought Hallelujah. I watched the music video. Brandon sang with passion, raw emotion, and all his soul. I printed the lyrics. That is when I discovered it. He sings I or my 26 times in that song. He refers to God 6 times. There is something wrong with that picture. 

So much of the center of worship has focused on people and what they need or want as opposed to focusing on the the nature and character of God. It is very subtle. I was considering playing the video of Hard Fought Hallelujah as an illustration for the Sunday morning sermon until I read the lyrics. Lyrics matter to me. I try and pay attention to what I'm being asked to sing. Does it line up with scripture? Does it please God? 

I absolutely agree that we have needs as human beings. Those needs can never be allowed to drive worship. If they do, God will no longer be center stage but relegated to a lesser role. When our songs and sermons become about what we need and want more than on what God wants we have lost our way. I'm saying masses of believers in churches of all sizes and shapes have lost their way. Most are not even aware of it because they are doing what they see other churches doing. May the Lord wake us up. May we awaken from our spiritual stupor to see how we are a drift. God must always be the center of worship. 

The Anchor

 The waters are turbulent as the storm rages around me. The hurricane winds blow ferociously all about. At times it has been difficult to see a clear path ahead to navigate the ship forward. I have sought safe harbor and found it in God's presence. I have dropped anchor and hanging onto Him to ride the storm out. 

The anchor is the faithful character of God and the promises of His word. I have dropped anchor into those and found a steady secure place. While others may be tossed about by the towering waves, the anchor of faith keeps me in peace. My ship is battered and busted. I may take on a little water. I will not sink. I have been through storms before, and my anchor held true. It does so still today. 

Faith must be tested to be proven. Mine has been tested repeatedly over the past several decades. Personal attacks. Failed ministry endeavors. Repeated financial setbacks. Repeated sports injuries with my sons. Relentless Satanic attacks. There were times when I thought I would go under. The anchor held and the storm dissipated every time. There is no reason to believe the same will not be true this time. 

God is trustworthy. His word is true. My faith is stalwart. I will survive. I will see the light of better days. I will sail on smooth seas again. My ship and anchor are battle tested. They have held together soundly. I believe they will do so again. The dark night will not remain dark forever. It is true that weeping may last for a night, but it also true that joy comes in the morning. [Ps 30:5] It is true that many are the afflictions of the righteous, but God delivers out of them all for His children. [Ps 34:19] It is true that in this world we have tribulation, but it is also true that the Lord speaks peace over us, and He has overcome the world. [Jn 16:33]

For all those reasons and many more I can resolutely say the anchor holds. God has not abandoned in the day of trouble as I cry out to Him and He will deliver. [Ps 50:15] So if you find yourself in a storm also, I say hold on and drop anchor into God and His word. Storms last for a season, but God's faithfulness endures for all eternity. 

God's Plans Are Not Thwarted

 Thwarted is probably not a word you have used recently. It means to prevent or oppose. I read that word in Job 42:2 this morning about the plans and purposes of God. Those plans and purposes cannot be thwarted. Satan and His followers try. They try to upset and oppose God and His work every step of the way. 

In the end, they will prove unsuccessful. I want to examine this from two points of view. First, think about it. God has a prescribed plan. That plans includes saving people from their sins. If you read the book of Revelation, you know this whole unfolding drama is leading toward a certain conclusion. The rapture will happen. The Great Seven Year Tribulation will happen. During this time the Antichrist, or the Beast, as Revelation identifies Him will rise to prominence and power world wide. He will step on the scene providing peace for three and a half years. That will end in the last three and a half years when he will make war on Christians and persecute all who do not worship him and take the mark of the beast. God will pummel the planet with a series of judgments increasing in severity. Ultimately the antichrist will be defeated and cast into the lake of fire. The millennial reign of Christ will come ushering in days of peace and utopia. Those plans are certain and will not be altered. 

A second way of looking at that verse, is on a personal level. God has plans and purposes for each of us. We know Satan and his demons want to oppose God and His purposes in our lives every step of the way. It is comforting to know that Satan cannot prevent the plans and purposes of God. There are things that God wants to do in, for, and through each of us. He will accomplish those things as we seek Him and submit to His leadership. God will get us where He wants us. He will teach us what He wants to teach us. He will work in us the things He wills to works in us. 

He has the power to do anything. No matter how much Satan opposes, ultimately he is powerless to thwart the plans of God. I hope that encourages you today as much as it did me. Keep trusting. Keep seeking. Keep following. Keep submitting. God will have His way on this planet and in the lives of His children. 

Extravagant Worship

 If you want to see a good picture of extravagant worship, just tune in this Sunday to the Super Bowl. You will see fans dressed in fan gear, painted faces, who will stand, cheer, and celebrate their teams with unbridled enthusiasm. If you look at fans at a Taylor Swift concert or Beyonce concert you will behold people go crazy jumping, shouting, clapping, and some weeping. People did the same things for Elvis and the Beatles. 

People worship. It is just a matter of what or who they worship. People worship what they love. I saw it this past week when the Dallas Mavericks traded their superstar Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers. People mourned. One guy wore a t shirt to church with Luka's face printed on it. Some even brought a casket to the American Airlines Arena and held a mock funeral service. Have you watched NASCAR fans or college sports fans? People worship lots of things. Like animals. Like other people in a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, or even children. People worship. 

People view such acts as normal and acceptable. Yet, when a Christian engages in authentic worship eyebrows are raised. Criticisms are cast on extravagant worshipers by the religious. That is exactly what happened in John 12:1-8. Let me set the scene. Jesus has dinner with Martha, Lazarus, and Mary. No big deal right? Wrong. Lazarus was not supposed to be there because he died in John 11. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. That is not the point of the story. 

The focus shifts to Mary. She came to Jesus and poured out very expensive perfume on His feet. Estimates are that the perfume cost a whole year worth of salary. The is extravagant. Then she bent down to her knees at the feet of the Son of God and began wiping His feet with her hair. I am sure all the attention in the room focused on what she was doing. The Bible does not say she cried, but it is hard for me to imagine that she held by the tears. 

I suspect Jesus was not the only dinner guest. I believe all the disciples were present because Judas spoke about this incident. Mary did not care what anyone in the room thought except Jesus. Martha was serving the meal. People were probably hungry. Mary did not care. She bowed at the feet of Jesus in extravagant worship with humility. Why do I say humility? I Cor 11:15 states that a woman's long hair is her glory. She took her glory and used it as a towel to dry the feet of Jesus. 

You know how much time and effort women spend on their hair. They wash, condition, curl, straighten, and some color it. They style it, shape it, and then plater it with hair spray or some kind of sticking agent to hold it all in place. None of that mattered to Mary. She used her hair to wipe all that perfumed ointment off the feet of her beloved Jesus. The one who raised her brother from the dead. 

What motivated her to such an action? I think one thing. Love. She loved and adored Jesus. She did not care who saw her extravagant demonstration. You can see this happening in your mind. If you perceive deeper you can imagine the smell of all that perfume fragrance permeating the room. Her worship impacted the nostrils of everyone in the room. They may not have shared her sentiment, but they could not escape the impact of her extravagant worship. 

Judas was offended by this display. He piously protested the perfume could have been sold and given to the poor in an act of pretense. He did not care about the poor. He stole from the money box as the treasurer, and was only thinking of how he could have profited. 

Mary had no idea of the deeper implications of her act of worship. Jesus proclaimed she did it for the day of His burial and that He would not always be with them. He prophesied about His soon coming death on the cross, though none knew it at the time. 

Why don't we worship with such inhibitions? The obvious answer is that we care too much about what people think about us. We should only concern ourselves with what Jesus thinks about our worship and the Father. Who has not been so stirred in their souls in worship that they wanted to shout, they wanted to clap their hands, or raise their hands. Very often people in worship services sit stone faced and silent. I've heard many times in my pastoral ministry of three decades how many people never sing. They just stand like a statue. Could this all be attributed to lack of love? Jesus once commented that the one who has been forgiven little loves little. Luke 7:47Worship seems to be one of the main things we'll do in Heaven. For some it might be the first time they ever worshiped. How sad. 

I'm thinking of the lines in a Dennis Jernigan song. He wrote and sang, "Welcome before You rejoicing. We'll stand with hands lifted high to the sky and when the world wonders why, we'll tell them we're just loving our King." May we be more like Mary. Brave, uninhibited and even extravagant in our worship. 

Alone

 "I've never felt more alone in my life," I heard the church member say. This person does not have close friends in their current context. There are close friends from the past, but not in daily life at this time. Family members live away. It was hard to hear. Very sad. 

Even though this person sits in worship weekly surrounded by dozens of other people, there does not seem to be a close connection with any of them. It is fascinating how a person could be in a room surrounded by many others and yet still feel alone. On the outside looking in. Not included in the inner circle, but remaining on the outer fringes. 

There are people forced to live life alone. Solo. In solitary seclusion from much of society. Isolated. Disconnected. These are the kinds of people Jesus noticed in scriptures. Lepers. Demon possessed. The blind and lame. The diseased. The scorned sinners. Jesus approached them and engaged them. He loved some of the most unlovable characters. He made time for the insignificant. 

Have you ever felt alone. Longing for some kind of companionship. It is not a pleasant experience. There are times we all crave to be alone with some peace and quiet. Not every day and all day. That wears on a person after a while. God created us for communion with Him and with other people. We all need the fellowship and friendship of other people. Tragically some people trudge through life without these. They put on brave faces hiding the truth from others they come in contact with from time to time. The truth is their soul cries out in anguishing longing for companionship. 

In our fast paced rat race lifestyles many times we are oblivious to the lonely people God brings across our path. Who doesn't know the inconvenience of getting stuck in a prolonged conversation with somebody who just needs to talk. Instead of listening the temptation is to work our way out of that spot as quickly as possible. 

When I read about the way Jesus interacted with people, He never seemed in a hurry. He made time for people. Even when the crowds pressed in on Him. He patiently interacted with the needy. He took the time to listen. Sometimes we need Jesus with skin on in the form of a person. May the Lord send such people to lonely souls all over the planet. May we  be some of those people He chooses to use. 

Conclusion

 On July 24, 2022 I started a series preaching through the book of Ecclesiastes. It is the hardest book, other than Revelation, I ever preached through. Finally, I gave up on it midway through chapter five. It was so depressing. Vanity of vanities. Chasing after the wind. So I chose to walk away from it. 

I don't remember when, but I finished preaching through another book on Sunday some time ago and was praying about which direction to go. I asked prayers from the congregation and one man reminded me, "You never did finish Ecclesiastes." That is the direction I felt prompted to go. 

We plodded through the remaining seven chapters of the book. Slowly, methodically, and expository.  I leaned on God for understanding and revelation. Steadily we plowed through verse after verse. Today, I just finished studying for the last message in that book. Hallelujah. Should the Lord tarry and be willing, I will preach through that this Sunday night. It has been a long awaited goal to get to the conclusion of Solomon's book. A profound pilgrimage. 

There were many weeks I wanted to walk away from Ecclesiastes for good. I'm glad God and Brenda exhorted me to stick it out. It certainly was a challenge. A goal I celebrate quietly alone in this office. There is no fanfare. Nobody else is even in the building. It has been a long time coming. I was surprised to see it has been over two years. Shocked actually. 

I honestly can't say if I enjoy the study more or the delivery of the message more. When I get locked into serious study I lose track of all else around me. I have no sense of time. I get caught up in the world of word searches for meaning, deep meditation, flashes of inspiration, internet research, and good old fashioned Bible study. Hours can pass by without my being aware of it. 

Deep at heart I think I am a book worm. I love books. None more than the Bible. Seated in this sacred space surrounded by volumes of literary works stirs me. Using some of those tools to unlock truth for myself and for others to gain from in the study of His word is soul satisfying. 

Solomon ends his book of Ecclesiastes with the words, "The conclusion of the matter." With that I hope to prayerfully lean on God once again to deliver the final truths in expounding truth. It has been a long journey. I am not sure where we will go from here. I trust that He will reveal the next direction. Until then, I rejoice in the sweet satisfaction God helped me reach the end of that very trying book. We'll see what comes next. 

No Tears

 There are times when people live in sorrow but they have no tears. They feel like weeping but the tear ducts are dry. This happens when people suppress their emotions and are numb. Sometimes people have to hold their emotions down to cope with life day to day. The pain of the past is too paralyzing. So they choke back their emotions to survive another day. 

I wonder how people live with wounds that have not healed. How many live with griefs that never subside. How many live with disappointments and depression constantly. I believe churches are filled with such people. Masses live this way who never darken the door of any church. People get so numb to life they don't feel anything emotionally. 

I believe one of the reasons God created tears is for people to get all of that pain, those heavy sorrows, and crippling cares out in liquid form. Tears are a form of releasing internal pain. That is why people weep when someone dies. I certainly did when my grandfather died. It is one of the handful of times I wept uncontrollably. Another was sitting in my garage in Seminole. Our house was vacant. We had already moved to Paradise to start a church. The house had not sold and I needed to get a few things out of it. My three youngest sons all spent the night with friends. Brenda and Taylor stayed in Paradise. Things were not going well with the church plant. I sat in my garage alone that night with the door up and lights off and wept and wept when I thought about all we gave up to chase the dream of starting a church. 

When the emotions are suppressed the pain lingers. When the tears will not form, people carry the heaviness of their heavy laden burdens day in and out. They never really deal with the sadness. It oppresses them continually. 

That is why we must come to Jesus with our burdens. We must cast them all onto Him. [Psalm 55:22]. We were never meant to carry the sorrows of this life daily. In casting those things on Jesus, we might find tears form when we no longer suppress how we really feel. Life can be harsh. People we love die. People we love abusively wound us. People we once trusted can betray us. On top of those things, diseases surround us. Bodies age and wear down. We face financial crisis. Sin knocks at the door ready to pounce on us, but we must master it. [Gen 4:7] 

I have heard people say from time to time that they just needed a good cry. We are told in [Ps 30:5] that weeping may last for a night. It is appropriate in certain seasons to shed tears. Admittedly it not easy for some men who see blabbing and bawling as weakness. Even Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus. [John 11:35] 

Let me exhort you to let all that pain and feelings you might suppress to bubble up and fill up the tear ducts. Let that mourning well up in deep cascaded falling down your cheeks releasing pint up emotional trauma you may have carried for years. Cast all your anxieties on a great Savior who cares for you. [I Pet 5:7] Let the promise and hope of heaven renew strength to face the battles of the day where our King Jesus will wipe every tear from our eyes and there will be no more crying. [Rev 20:4]