Insignificant

 Millions of people feel insignificant. What about you? Insignificance means to be too small to make any impact. It means being so unimportant that nobody listens. It means having minor worth so that there is little to no influence on those around you. How many reading this feel like you qualify on all those fronts? You feel small in this world. I spoke to a cleaning lady for an organization a few years ago. While I worked there I made a point to notice her and speak to her each day. She was very quiet and went about her job dutifully never drawing attention to herself One day she made a statement I have not forgotten. She commented, "I am just one of the invisible people around here." She saw herself as just a cleaning lady. I saw her as a person who did her job well without complaining. She had significance in the eyes of God and those who took time to notice her. She was not invisible even if she felt that way. 

Perhaps some of you feel invisible. You do not have a high profile or respected vocation. You get overlooked. You feel unimportant. You feel insignificant. If that is you, I have some good news from you. We have to go all the way back to the book of I Samuel. Let me set the context. Israel's first king Saul disobeyed God, and God determined to remove him from the throne and chose another king. In I Samuel 16, the prophet Samuel goes to Bethlehem to trust God to reveal who would be the next king. 

God instructed Samuel to go to Jesse's house. Jesse brought in his sons. Strong strapping men. From oldest to the youngest each son was presented to Samuel. Eliab stood before Samuel and Samuel thought, "Surely this is the Lord's anointed." God spoke, "God does not look the way man looks. Man looks on the outward appearance but God looks at the heart." I Sam 16:7 One by one each of Jesse's sons stood before Samuel and God rejected each of them. Samuel inquired if Jesse had any other sons. Jesse indicated he had the youngest who was out looking after the sheep. 

There is only two ways to interpret this. Either David was not summoned with is brothers because it was too inconvenient to call him from the fields and to leave the sheep unattended. Another interpretation is that David seemed so insignificant to his father that he did not bother to call him believing the other seven sons were seen as more important to Jesse. I lean toward the second view. 

David was the youngest. The runt of the litter. He was probably picked on by his older brothers. He had the job of watching the sheep. Maybe his brothers did the same job too, but we do not read that. The brothers ridiculed him in chapter 17 asking about his few sheep. David is described as ruddy meaning red, with beautiful eyes, and handsome in appearance. He walked into the room unsuspecting that his entire life was about to change. His destiny was not be a shepherd for life. God had a bigger destiny. To rule as a king.  When David stood before Samuel, God spoke, "Arise and anoint for this is he." I Sam 16:12 God handpicked David to be the next king. There would be training before he would sit on the throne through tribulation. God chose David. A son and brother everyone else overlooked. Everyone but God. 

I Cor 1:26-29 reminds us that when God is looking for people to go on mission for Him, God chooses the weak, the foolish, and the despised to shame those who are wise, strong, and noble. Put another way, God chooses insignificant people to do very significant things for Him. That is great news. You may feel overlooked by everyone, but God sees you and just might choose you to do something very significant for His glory. People who get passed over in junior high and high school might be the ones who accomplish great things for God. God sees invisible people. He sees those whom others view as insignificant. God chooses and uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. God sees you. You hold great value to Him. Wait on Him and surrender to Him. Make yourself available to Him. He might chose your seeming insignificance to do something very significant just like He did with David. 

Sin Will Cost You

 The battle against sin is as old as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Since then, every person who trod this planet, with the exception of the Lord Jesus Christ, has sinned. Sin stains the pages of scripture. Sin makes headline news everyday. Sin is the topic of gossip when another person fails morally.  Educated and uneducated alike struggle with sin. Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Church Christ, Assemblies of God and non denominationals all struggle with sin. Preachers and pew sitters all face the same temptations to rebel against God. 

Sometimes sin is fun. That is the reason people do it. Just because it is fun does not make it right or a healthy choice. Sin will cost you. Sin will cost you more than you ever wanted to pay. One decision to eat forbidden fruit in the garden has cost humanity for thousands of years. The tempter will always be ready to entice people to choose sin over choosing submission to God's way. Sometimes people get away with transgressing without suffering immediate consequences. There will be a day of reckoning. A day when God calls people into account. There are other times when people pay the price for practicing sin. 

The ultimate consequence is eternal damnation to hell. Any person without a saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will suffer eternally when they die or at the glorious appearing of Jesus and the rapture. Those left behind will endure great tribulation. If they never turn to Jesus, they will discover the cost of sin to be horrific. People who die without ever repenting of sin, turning to Jesus as their Redeemer, and trusting Him to be saved will find the high cost of sin a terrible trade for the temporary pleasure they enjoyed. Eternity is a long long time to be wrong. 

There are other costs as well. The addict probably did not think one sip, one toke, one shot, or one pill would lead to a life of slavery to substance abuse. The sexually deviant did not think one moment of passion could turn into an unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease. One click on the computer or the phone can lead to bondage to debauchery. Even to criminal activity. 

The cost of sin included Jesus dying on the cross. I thank God that the grace He offers through His substitutionary death is greater than sin. He forgives sin. Read Ps 103:12 and I Jn 1:9 for a reminder. His grace is greater than the cost of our sin. He is willing to forgive. Praise Him for pardoning people. That does not mean that there might not be consequences. Gal 6:7-8 God will forgive the adulterer, but that does not mean that the spouse will. The act of adultery could cost a person their marriage. God will forgive the embezzler. That does not mean that charges will not be filed and incarceration follow. God will forgive the abusive parents, but that does not mean the children will stay in the home. 

Sin will cost you more than you ever wanted to pay. It can also lead you further than you ever wanted to go. Addiction, abuse, theft, rape, murder, abortion, lying and so much more. We best stay prayed up and keep our head on a swivel so that when temptation comes, when sin is crouching at the door ready to pounce on us, Gen 4:7, we must trust that God has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness II Pet 1:3 and a way of escape I Cor 10:13. Jesus also has the power set slaves free from sin. Praise God His grace is greater than sin. 

Healing the Wounded Spirit

 People get abused. People get bullied. People get wounded in their spirit. You cannot see it like a wound in the flesh where you can see a cut or bullet wound. The wounded spirit is invisible. The wounds are just as real. Gaping wounded hearts have been slashed, cut, stomped, and beat up by bullies and other wicked people. Many suffered these wounds in grade school and carry the wounded spirit far into adulthood. They suffer from poor self esteem and trust issues. 

I know. I was sexually abused by multiple people in my extended family as well as a neighbor when I was too young to understand or defend myself. Once I got whipped with a bullwhip by an alcoholic uncle. The psychological scars lasted longer than the physical ones. I carried, and to some extent, still carry those wounds inside. 

People with wounded spirits often suffer in silence. They rarely talk about their wounds and become convinced nobody really cares anyway. People watch bullying take place and many do nothing to stop it. Authority figures turn a blind eye. The subtle message is nobody has the compassion or courage to defend the helpless. Where are those who will put a stop to the pain being inflicted on helpless victims. 

For my part, Jesus healed, and is still healing, my wounded spirit. I am thankful He loves the outcasts and the underdogs. I am grateful He has courage and compassion to enter into the pain and bring healing to wounded spirits. His word declares that God is near to those brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.[Ps 34:18]. Jesus knows that all people were created in His image. [Gen 1:26-27] He gives people intrinsic worth. He stands up to the bullies and abusers. They do not get away their heinous acts. They will pay for them in eternity if not down here on earth. [Gal 6:7-8]

I plead with all the wounded spirits to go to Jesus to find healing and hope you so desperately need. I also urge you to open up to someone you trust. You may feel like a victim today, but through Jesus you can experience victory. You also can stand up for others wounded in spirit with courage and compassion showing the way to help and hope. 

He Lived

 In 1879, the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote a note about George Whitfield, who evangelized England and the American Colonies in the 1700's. Spurgeon wrote, " HE LIVED. Other men seem to be only half-alive;, but Whitfield was all life, fire, wing, and force." How many of us are only half-alive? How many meander through their days without passion or purpose? Many people go through the motions every day. It is like they sleep walk through their lives. Robotic in routine. Passionless and purposeless. 

On the other hand, there are people who live like George Whitfield. The man was a fireball for God. He preached himself to an early grave proclaiming Jesus multiple times a day. He gave little thought to taking care of his body. He was consumed with a mission to win as many people to Christ as possible. Even when doctors advised him to slow down he refused. He did not just live. He lived for the Lord Jesus. He lived a life that had impact. He left a large influence on his times and on all who read about him. HE LIVED. 

The Apostle Paul was another person who really lived. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he penned my favorite verse. "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain." [Phil 1:21] That sums it all up. While we have breath in our lungs we should live for and in Christ. We surrender ourselves to Him. We yield ourselves as vessels in His hands. We live with eternity in mind purposefully on mission for Him. That is living. We should long to live life to the fullest. To make the most use of the time we have, the gifts and abilities given to us, and live until the very end. 

That kind of living is much more than clocking in and clocking out on a joy that pays the bills but is not enjoyed. To really live is more than being stuck in a loveless marriage. It is more than dutiful enduring worship services. More than changing diapers and shuttling kids from one activity to the next. It is living with God fueled passion and God ordained purpose. 

When people think about you, do they have the same thoughts that Spurgeon had for Whitfield. We should make it our aim to really live while we are alive. To be fully present and engaged in whatever we are doing. Like me right now locked in getting these thoughts into print. I have no idea how few or many will read it. I do not know if it will resonate with anyone. I feel alive when I write and preach. I know in those moments I was born to do those things. Preaching and writing make me feel alive. There are people who have never discovered the purpose God created them to fulfill. When they do, they will come alive. 

May God help learn to live and not exist. May He help us to make our days count. As the Psalmist wrote in [Ps 90:12], "So teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom." We only get so many allotted days. We only get so many trips around the sun. While we have this gift we call life let us LIVE! Jonathan Edwards famously made a list of 70 resolutions to live by. One of his was to live with all his might while he did live. We are surrounded by people who are just trying to survive life. Others just to endure life. Where are the people who squeeze everything they can get out of life? Who use their days productively for God to do more with less abilities and resources than others. May it be said of each of us at our funeral or memorial service, "They lived. They lived life to the fullest."

The Tunnel of Tribulation

 Life is made up of different seasons. There are joyous occasions to celebrate like a first date, a first kiss, a wedding, the birth of a child, the blessing of grandchildren, and other milestone moments. People gather. They have wide smiles spread across their faces. Most people are overjoyed on such occasions. 

On the other hand, there are long stretches of life we call the tunnel of tribulation. I refer to it as a tunnel because it is long and dark. You can't see the light at the end of the tunnel when you enter or even when you are in the middle of it. It is disorienting. It is not pleasant. The one thing you want is to get through the tunnel of tribulation as fast as possible. Sometimes this season lasts much longer than we desire. 

We've all endured this tunnel of tribulation at times. It may come in the form of death of an aging parent or even the premature death of a child. It may involve navigating the turbulent adolescent years with a child. It could involve one financial set back after another. It could also include working through a wounded spirit due to abuse or bullying. This may also be a season of declining health. The tunnel of tribulation could involve numerous situations. 

We should not be surprised. Jesus told us we would experience such tribulations. He told us in Jn 16:33 that we would have tribulation in this world. In Him, we can find peace to endure it and find courage because He has overcome the world. Peter wrote in I Peter 4:12-13 that we should not be surprised at the fiery ordeals we faced that test us, and to remember that people all over the world face tribulations. It is part of the human experience. 

We can get bitter. Many choose this option. They grow bitter toward  God, family, friends, and coworkers. These are unpleasant people to be around. They have a doom and gloom attitude about everything and everyone. You can also choose the option of faith. To trust God to get you through the tunnel of tribulation to better days. This is perfectly illustrated after God delivered Israel through the parting of the Red Sea, they came to a place called Mara in the desert. The only body of water in the place was so bitter they could not drink it. They complained to Moses and grumbled against God. God instructed Moses to throw a tree into the water to make it drinkable. Right after this God led Israel to Elim. There were 12 springs of water and 70 date Palm trees to find shelter. The Mara season did end and the season of Elim came. Ex 15:22-27

Some of you are in Mara. It is the tunnel of tribulation. By faith believe that Elim is also coming. We endure Mara to get to Elim. The tunnel of tribulation does not last forever. You never know when your season of Elim will come around the next bend.   

7 Days to 7 Minutes

 A lady revealed yesterday in our Bible study class that she is looking for another vehicle. I shared our story about the two vehicles in the last month through God's provision. I told her what God did for us I knew He could also do for her. I then asked if she was wanted it debt free. She said that would be nice, but she had about $7,000 set aside to purchase one. We stopped teaching and prayed for God to help this lady get a new vehicle. 

I told her after the prayer that I am going to ask God to provide for her in the next seven days. That is when a second lady spoke up, "I have your car." They talked about some details while we all listened. I slammed my fists on the table and shouted, "Look at God!" That is when the lady with the car commented, "You said seven days, but God may have done it in seven minutes." I knew I had to write about that incident. 

I love it when God answers in seven minutes and not seven days. I have lived long enough and walked with God long enough to know that sometimes the answers to our prayers do not come in seven days, nor seven weeks, nor seven months. Sometimes God's delays may take years. That does not mean that He does not hear the first time. It does not mean that He does not care. There are all sorts of factors involved in God's timing. The point is He is faithful and loving. 

So loving in fact that at times He says no to the things we request of Him. I am very thankful for the times He says yes. I've also learned to be thankful when He denies my request because He knows what is best. There are so many prayer denials that I can look back in hindsight and see the handiwork of God. He saved me from some wrong choices. It is best to trust God's guidance and His timing when it comes to answered prayers. 

There are times when He chooses to answer quickly. Yesterday was a surprise. To see God go to work that quickly for several people to witness excited us. It was a boost to our faith. The lady had need of a car. Her car is no longer safe to operate. She lives out in the country and needs dependable transportation. Her resources are limited. God saw her need. He heard her petitions. His resources are unlimited. According to Ps 24:1 and Ps 50:10 the whole earth belongs to the Lord and everything in it. He already had possession of her car. It was just a matter of time for Jehovah Jireh to transfer that vehicle into her possession. LOOK AT GOD!

One Third

God did it again. I've asked and believed God for six vehicles without any debt for my family for the past two years. God did the first one when a family gave Brenda a 2013 Ford Edge. She still cries driving it to work in thankfulness to God for His provision. We still rejoice that God did it again. He came through in answer to prayer to meet a need in our lives. 

God did it again today. A couple made us a deal on a 2013 Nissan Armada where we could afford the vehicle without going into debt. He provided again. One third of the six vehicle miracle has been performed. Why would I doubt Him to perform the other two thirds of this miracle. I have sons still in school driving dilapidated vehicles with no ability to afford to get a new one. Two of the other sons are established in their careers, one without a vehicle, and the other with a worn out one. I ask God for His provision so neither son has to go into debt on transportation. I also ask and believe for six vehicles because it gives God more glory. This is my first chance to glorify God once the vehicle was transferred into my possession. I praise Him. I give Him all the glory. He did  it again. 

I had planned to get my vehicle last after God supplied all the others. I had to put my 2004 Yukon in the shop. They told me the engine could not be repaired and I needed a whole new engine along with other issues. That forced me to need a vehicle quicker than I anticipated. God anticipated it and met the need. I am humbled by the power of God. Humbled by His faithfulness. Humbled by His ability to do anything. Truly nothing is impossible with Him. 

God has already provided two vehicles. According to Ps 24:1 the whole earth and everything in it belongs to Him. Including four additional vehicles. He has access to each of them. When it pleases Him and glorifies Him the most, I believe He will transfer those four vehicles into our possession. I am ready and willing to testify of God's faithfulness for each of those like I am doing for the first two. 

I recall one of the first times I told anyone I was praying for six vehicles with no debt. People were skeptical. If I had the money to pay cash for the vehicles, I would not even bother God except to seek direction for which to purchase. I committed to God to not go into debt for vehicles anymore. So we ask and trust. This means a lot of waiting. On days like today, it is exhilarating. It enlarges my platform to brag on God. It allows me to tell what great things He has done for us. What He has done and continues to do for the Edwards He can do for any of you. One third down. Two thirds to go. 

Where Did You Lose It

 Where did you lose it? I'm not referring to some lost item you have not been able to locate for some time. I am referring to your passion and love for God. Where did you lose it? Did you willfully choose to disobey God? Can you go back in your memory to a specific instance where you pulled a Jonah refusing to obey? Many have done this in the past. 

You know when you lose your first love. You find yourself numb from His presence.  Your heart hardens. You may do the same things you did before such as pray, read your Bible, and gather for corporate worship only something is missing. It feels like you are just going through the motions. Doing the routine like rituals instead of pursuing a loving relationship with the Lord. Can you go back in your mind to a sinful choice that started the slow drift away from Him? 

Maybe you got hurt. You may even blame God for the pain. You question why He did not protect you. Some go so far as to blame God for inflicting the pain. You have never been the same. You carry a deep seeded bitter grudge against God or someone else. It has hindered your love for God going on years. 

Many people pack the pews on Sundays who lost their first love. They act like everything is the same on the outside as they go through external motions. It is the inside that becomes callused. Cold. We are living in a Laodicean church age with lukewarm believers justifying their condition. They are not cold. They may not be hot either. They exist somewhere in the middle. Such living makes Jesus want to vomit. It is a hard word, but one that is needed. Lukewarm living makes Jesus sick to His stomach. [Rev 3:15-16] 

If we want to be restored to our first love, we have to discern where we lost it. Some lost it in a never ending cycle of busyness. Some of that busyness might even be for God. We can stay so busy doing things for God that we miss spending time with God. Is that where you lost your first love? 

 [Rev 2:4-5] The Laodiceans were commended for doing many things well. They worked hard and persevered through trials. They endured for the sake of the name of Jesus. For all the good, Jesus had one thing against them. They left their first love. He called them to repent and remember from where they had fallen. Can you recall times in your walk with the Lord when you loved Him more, had more passion to serve Him, and were closer to Him. We are all called to remember those times and to repent going back to what we did when He was our first love. 

He is supposed to be first in importance. First in priority. The supreme love of our lives. Our highest ranking love. He deserves our greatest affection, our most passionate pursuit, and our highest priority. To fail here is to fail at the very heart of our relationship with Him. The masses show up and offer shallow worship, ritualistic prayers, apathetic attitudes toward His word, and petrified hearts to His moving. 

It's time to go back to where we lost it. It is time for repentance. It is time for renewal and restoration of that relationship with our Savior. Pleading with Him to return our desire for Him to be our first love. It is time to adjust our lives accordingly. It is time to come back to our first love putting Jesus in His rightful place. 

Who Is God

 By listening to some people talk you would think God had a last name as in the word damn, short for damnation. Who is God? Is He one of many gods. A search on the computer reveals historically there have been over 18,000 gods. Get this straight. There may be 18,000 little "g" gods. There is only one God! He called Himself "I am that I am" in Exodus 3:14. He is self existent. He is self sustaining. Put another way, that simply means He was not created. He has always been. 

In I Timothy 1:17, God is described in several ways. First, He is a King. Not just a king. He is the King. A divine and sovereign ruler over the affairs of the universe. People are subject to Him. He is the ultimate authority in the universe. Many refuse to believe that. Many deny that He even exists. He has outlived and outlasted all of them. He will do the same with current skeptics. 

Next, He is eternal. That is hard to wrap our finite minds around. We live in the limitation of time. We have a date of origin and will have a date of expiration. God has neither. He has always existed. He will never die. He does not age. He is not an old grandfatherly deity decrepit and too feeble to work wonders. He is as vibrant, strong, omniscient, as He has ever been. 

He is immortal. That means He is imperishable and incorruptible. God does not age. He is not weakened with the passing of time. He is not slipping mentally. He cannot be destroyed. He is not challenged. He has no rivals. He stands alone as the supreme deity.  Unequaled. Incomparable. Exclusive. Distinguished. 

He is all the above and invisible. He is unseen. His works are visible. He is not. In fact, nobody can see God and live. That is what God told Moses in Exodus 33:18 when Moses asked to see God's glory. God responded that nobody could see Him and live. He put Moses in the cleft of a rock and let Moses see the backside of His glory. Moses face radiated with glory a long time afterward. 

Even saying all of that does not scratch the surface. God is like an iceberg plunging deeper than we can see. He is like a mountain that no person can ever climb to the summit. He is wiser than we can comprehend. Greater than we know. He is therefore to be honored. That means He is to be valued and respected. The masses give Him no value nor do they consider Him worthy of any respect.  He will have the last word and people will honor and respect Him in the end. 

We are to glory in Him. The word glory means to praise in approval. We have the choice to glory in Him voluntarily now. The day will come when people will do it involuntarily. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. He will not be toppled ever. He will not be outlasted. He will stand uncontested as the only God through the ages forever. That is just a small sampling of who God is. 

A Deeper Commitment

 The older I get and the longer I've followed Jesus, I find myself longing for a deeper commitment to Him. To not be satisfied with past experiences or my current level of devotion. I know there is always room for improvement. There is closer communion with Jesus possible. There are new heights to discover and deeper depths to explore. There is more. 

I want to know Him more. Our youngest son, Turner, who is studying to be a youth minister and a psychologist, recently asked me if I could ask God for one thing what would it be. I did not hesitate to answer. This has been a matter of prayer for a long time. I want to know Him more and hear Him more clearly. N\I don't content to settle for what He can do for me. I want to know Him more. I want draw closer. I do not want to settle to know more about Him. Many Christians do that. They settle for gaining information. I want a closer relationship. I know that cannot happen without spending more time alone in His presence. To prefer His company over the company of the crowds. That is why one of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 63:8 in the King James Version. "My soul followeth hard after Thee O God." Following hard is more than a verse. It is an attitude of life. To be in constant pursuit of God to know Him more. Paul wrote that we should strive to know God in the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings in Phil 3:10.

Another sign of a deeper commitment is to please Jesus more. Put another way, that simply means to obey Him more. To do the things He commands us to do. Like tell others about Him. I just walked out of a meeting with two ladies from a volunteer organization who will be using our facilities in the near future. I will probably never see these two ladies again since they are front people for the volunteer group, and will not actually be a part of the team that comes. After our business ended, I asked them both where they would spend eternity, and talked about Jesus' death on the cross taking the place for our punishment. I did not put them on the spot for a decision. I did please Jesus by spreading His good news. I wish I always did that. I missed an opportunity with a lady at Sonic earlier this morning. I don't always please the Lord. Many times I fail and must come back to Him in repentance. It is my desire to please Him more and more in all areas of my life. To strive to submit and be empowered by the Holy Spirit to live in holiness. I Pet 1:15-16

Another way to show deeper commitment is to glorify the Lord more. In John 15:7-8, Jesus told us one way we glorify Him is to bear abundant fruit. In Matthew 5:16, He also instructed that we can glorify Him by doing good works. That is my desire. To glorify Him when I preach, teach, write, and serve. Not trying to draw attention to myself. Not seeking to be honored. Deflecting accolades and attention to Him. I coached football, basketball, and baseball to glorify God. I wrote books and numerous blogs to help people and glorify Him. I desire to glorify Him by the way I endure trials and suffering. I want to glorify Him by answers to prayer when I get to testify to brag on Him. He gets the glory when we baptize someone. He is glorified through a sermon or gospel witness, He deserves all the glory. It is all about Him. Not about us. 

We can show deeper devotion to our God and His Son Jesus Christ by constantly striving to know Him more. Our commitment is demonstrated and we continually discipline ourselves to please Him more. He is most pleased when we deflect any person glory and deflect it all onto Him. 

Fellowship of the Burning Heart

 Jesus appeared to two people walking on the Emmaus road in Luke 24. They did not recognize Him at first. It was only after He broke bread and gave it to them that their eyes were opened to understand the risen Jesus was in their presence. Immediately Jesus disappeared. The two made a curious statement in [Luke 24:32]. They commented, "Were our hearts not burning within us while He was speaking to us."

The year was 1947 and renowned teacher, Henrietta Mears, taught at a retreat where several young men and women were in attendance. Several would later play prominent roles in ministry endeavors. Among them was Bill Bright, who founded Campus Crusade for Christ, and Richard Halverson, who later became Chaplain of the U.S. Senate. That night Mears challenged the young men and women to fully commit themselves to the cause of Christ, and to be expendable for Christ. A few of those students went silently to a study room to pray. 

Those students and Mears wrote out a contract and signed it to remember their decision to fully commit to the Lord that night. They pledged to maintain devotions through prayer and Bible study for the remainder of their lives. They pledged self denial and to live disciplined lives for the Lord. They also pledged to holy living. Lastly, they pledged to witness for Jesus and to bring at least one person to salvation every twelves months. They identified themselves as the Fellowship of Burning Hearts. 

The famous preacher and author A.W. Tozer also wrote about the Fellowship of Burning Hearts. He identified those included in this fellowship as those who loved Jesus Christ. Not just a casual love. To love Jesus with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength. [Matt 22:38]  He wrote that those in the fellowship would love Jesus and enjoy the worship of Him so much that they would not have to be entertained in worship services. Tozer continued that for those in this fellowship Jesus was their everything. Their all in all. People in the fellowship would abandon themselves to the pursuit of Jesus. They would also be unashamed to testify for Jesus to those who did not know Him. 

The fellowship of burning blazing hearts was formed informally over seven decades ago. Some have joined this fellowship over those years. Most have never even heard of it. Do the things Mears and Tozer wrote about describe your relationship with Jesus? Or do you find yourself a member of the fraternal order of lukewarm living? 

You cannot passionately pursue Jesus and not have Him set your heart ablaze. It is impossible to live in Laodicean lukewarmness when you spend time in the presence of the foremost burning heart of all time in Jesus Christ. Will you abandon yourself to Him? Will you pursue Him relentlessly as Mears and Tozer did? Tozer even wrote a classic book titled, The Pursuit of God. I long to be a part of this fellowship of burning hearts. Never satisfied but always hungering for more of Him. Unashamed to testify about Him. Seeking to burn more and more in His presence. Contented in Jesus and not needing nor even desiring to be entertained as a cheap substitute for substantive and soul satisfying worship. O Lord, let me burn for you so hotly and brightly that others are attracted to the flame and set ablaze as well.   

Holy Ambition

 From as far back as I can remember I had ambition. I used to sit in elementary classes practicing my autograph because I had ambition to be a professional athlete. I worked out in my junior high and high school years alone in the hottest part of the summers to excel in sports. I pushed my body and mind through ambition to succeed so I could play college football. 

When Jesus saved me, He did not take away my ambition. He redirected that ambition. It became a holy ambition, or at least it started out that way. I never dreamed I would become a pastor and preacher. In my early years in ministry, my ambition was to lead the biggest youth group in town. I worked relentlessly sharing my faith with students and saw dozens and dozens get gloriously saved. God grew that youth group. We saw multiple rows of pews filled with teenagers on Sunday mornings. We were big and influential. 

I left that ministry to become a pastor. My ambition to see the church grow intensified. We did grow in that first church. We doubled in size. It was during this season that God had to refine my ambition. I wanted the growth because I wanted the accolades. We won the award for the fasted growing church in our area one year. It was hollow. Between when we turned in our attendance statistics and the time I received the award our church split. Over the next few years attendance dwindled dismally. I cut my salary voluntarily several times. We met outside in the warmer weather on Sunday evenings because we could not afford to run the air conditioning all day on Sundays. I did not tell the church that, but they probably knew it. 

Over and over again I kept that ambition to see churches grow. To baptize more people. To see attendance increase. Always ambition for more. I struggled with contentment. Instead I chased ambitious success. God had to refine that ambition. I encountered systematic failure over and over again. Failed church plants. Decreasing attendance. Relocations. Only to experience more failure. 

It took decades for God to get me to a place of real holy ambition. To become kingdom of God minded. To reset my mind to not ambitiously focus on building my kingdom. Matt 6:33 exhorts us to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness first. Paul challenged us to learn to be content in all circumstances in Phil 4:10-12. Holy ambition means to let God set the parameters of our ambition. I am still driven and focused. Still forward focused. Still ambitious. I set a goal this year to lead a minimum of 12 people to Christ. I ambitiously set a goal to baptize 100 people this year. I have never even seen 50 people baptized in my ministry. Only God can do that. Here is the difference than in my early ministry. I wanted to grow and baptize people because it was biblical, but I also wanted the recognition. 

Today, I shun the recognition. I want to glorify God. I got an email last week from the editor of a denominational magazine wanting to do an article on our church. I prayed over it and did not feel a peace about it. I want to guard against pride or ever stealing glory from God. I prefer to do my work with ambition, but behind the scenes where only God sees. I don't want to be in the spotlight. The only recognition I desire is from God. He will reward in eternity. I do not desire the accolades and my pride certainly does not need it. God gets the glory for 100 baptisms. My name or even the name of our church is not the focus. God saving people is all about His glory. It is all about Him. John the Baptist put it perfectly when he said in John 3:30, "He must increase and I must decrease." That is holy ambition. 

A Thousand Compensations

 I have served smaller churches most of my ministry. I have never had retirement set up as part of a salary packages. I will have to work as long as I am physically and mentally able to do so. No problem because I love my work. Small churches mean small salaries. On more than one occasion I have worked bi-vocationally. I am here to say emphatically that God makes up the difference. God's provision for pastors come in a thousand compensations. 

I heard that last statement today listening to a pastor speak on a podcast. God provides for pastors in a thousand compensations. Brenda and I have seen that repeatedly over the past three decades. It may bore you, but I am going to make a list of things God provided for us. Vacuum cleaner. Beds. Chest of drawers. Chairs. Dining table. 9 vehicles. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. Televisions. Bags of groceries. Tuition payments for school. Tanks of gasoline. Suits. Ties. I could d go on and on. God makes up the difference when there is lack. 

God proves Himself faithful to His people over and over again. He also does this for His pastors in unique ways. Many congregations are not able to adequately compensate their pastor. Some just choose not to do so even though they have adequate resources. It doesn't matter. God is able to make up the difference. His storehouse is amply supplied. He never runs out of resources. According to Ps 24:1 the whole earth is His and everything in it. Ps 50:10 is a reminder that our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills. He can meet any need. He knows every address for His people. He can get His provision to those who need it most. 

In I Kings 17, God used ravens to provide for His prophet Elijah. Night and day God commanded the flight of the ravens to deliver meat to His servant. How out of the ordinary. Miraculous. He is able to do those kind of things even to this day. I experienced it again this morning. 

My time with the Lord this morning landed in I Kings 17. My faith was lagging. My vehicle had multiple mechanical issues. I planned to take it to a mechanic and dreaded the diagnosis. Before the morning was over, I experienced God answering another prayer of provision. Provision in answer to something I've prayed for at least two years. I was offered to buy a vehicle that we can afford without going into debt. The offer left me speechless. I certainly prayed for God's provision of vehicles. I just never saw the means by which He would make that provision. Just another reminder that in my life God has a thousand compensations besides my salary. It is humbling, astonishing, and cause for rejoicing. He did it again. 

I asked God for six vehicles without any debt. I did not ask Him for brand new vehicles. I asked Him for debt free vehicles. God has provided two of the six in the last month. If He can do that, and He has, I trust that He can certainly provide the other four in His way and in His timing in a thousand compensations. To my God be the glory. 

He and God Had a Deal

 I just finished preaching another funeral for a person I never met. This has been a regular ministry in my life for decades. There are numerous people out there not connected to a church or a preacher. Their loved ones die and somebody has to preach that funeral. God has seen fit that I do it repeatedly. It is not my favorite thing to walk into a room of complete strangers and have to talk about death and eternity. It is part of the calling on my life. I have preached numerous funeral services for people I did not know. In fact, of all the funerals I preached over the past twelve months up here in the Texas Panhandle, I can't say I knew any of them. I've preached more funerals in this past year than I did in our previous church in five years. 

I met with the family yesterday and took notes as I listened to stories about the deceased man. He was 86. His wife died 13 years ago. It was not an easy road for him. I gathered as much information about the man as I could. In situations like that I am most interested in one thing. Did the person trust Jesus as their Savior at any point in their life. I was told that he was alright with God. He and God had a deal. 

If that deal did not include repentance and turning to Jesus for salvation, then no deal was ever made. God doesn't make exceptions to John 14:6. The only way to heaven is through Jesus. He continuously offers mercy and grace while people are living. Once people die it is too late. Their fate is sealed. It's not based on good works. Eph 2:8-9. We are only saved through the gift of grace trusting in Jesus. 

I hope the deceased man today understood that and surrendered his soul before it was too late. I preached a pure gospel message. No sugar coating. Right along the Roman Road of Rom 3:23, Rom 5:8, and Rom 6:23. We don't like death. We don't even like to talk about death. It is a reality. We all have to face it at some time or another. Heb 9:27 records the truth that we all have appointed day to die. I saw that at the cemetery looking at grave markers. In one family, a son died at 26 and a brother or a father died at 40. Very young for both. Whether we live to a ripe old age of 90 plus or younger, we all have an expiration date. After that comes judgment. We all face God to give account for our actions. Only the grace of God reconciles our indebtedness because of sin. That is the only deal God ever makes. Nobody gets off the hook. God cuts no special deals or makes any other special provisions. It is grace alone, in Jesus alone, through faith alone. I hope it is the deal you have going with God. 

Astonished by the Power of Prayer

Most people pray at one time or another. Not all people pray expecting to get answers. Most of us know the disappointment of praying earnestly for God to intervene in our circumstances. We get accustomed to not receiving what we ask God to do. This begs the question whether we pray believing or whether we just make wishes when we pray.

In Acts 12, King Herod arrested Peter. He had him surrounded by 16 soldiers at one point. One night as Peter slept chained between two guards, an angel showed up. The angel woke Peter, made the chains fall off, and led him out of the prison past the guards. The iron gate leading outside prison suddenly opened. Peter followed the angel in the street and then the angel vanished. 

While Peter was in prison, many people were gathered praying for him. We are not told specifics about what they prayed. I imagine they prayed for his protection, strength, and deliverance. Peter showed up at the home where they were praying. He knocked on the door until the servant girl Rhoda recognized his voice and in her joy ran to tell the others. She didn't let Peter in, so he kept on knocking. When Rhoda told them Peter was outside, they thought she had lost her mind. 

I find that interesting. They prayed for Peter, but did they believe that God would really deliver him? I don't think they expected Peter to get out of prison. God answered their prayers in dramatic fashion. It does not seem they actually believed God would help. Isn't this the way we pray at times. We voice the words expressing our desires, but do we really anticipate God's miraculous intervention?

I'm disappointed when God does not answer. This past Wednesday night I asked God to save some people at our student gathering. I presented the gospel. Several students indicated they were unsure where they would spend eternity. Nobody responded. I sat in disbelief. 

There have been other times when God has saved several in answer to prayer. I've already reported in previous posts that eight times we have received blessing vehicles from God in answer to prayer. Many testify God has healed them through prayer. Revivals have been born through prayer. Peter got delivered from prison in response to prayer. 

God still astonishes in answer to prayer. So keep praying. Keep P.U.S.H.ing. Pray Until Something Happens. Sooner or later God will astonish you too with something grand. When the time is right, when it is His will to do so, and when He can get the most glory, He will astonish over and over again with the power of prayer. 

Mercy Triumphs

Every person plodding through life on this planet has transgressed the commands of God. We are all guilty. We have all sinned and rebelled against holy God. None are exempt. It does not matter what prevailing political correct views are. God established the standard of right and wrong before any of us were born. The times may change, but God's truth is timeless. His standards are not compromised. 

There are billions of people on this planet. Some follow Jesus. Most don't. Some do not even believe He exists. Those people make up their own rules. They do whatever they want without fear of consequences. It pains my heart to think of all those people facing God in judgment. God is perfect in His love. He is also perfect in His justice. He will hold people accountable. All people. According to [Matt 7:13-14] there are more people headed toward the judgment of destruction than those headed toward heaven. 

It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God. [Heb 10:31] The anger of God is just as perfect as His love. That anger will be poured out on those who spurned His offer of mercy. His full fury will be unleashed in the day of judgment. Many who thought they were okay will be horrified to find out the mercy they rejected is the mercy they need, but it will be too late. That is the bad news. 

The good news is that mercy triumphs over judgment. [James 2:13] The word triumph means to boast, exult, and glory. The mercy of God is greater than His judgment. We don't deserve mercy. Not me. Not you. Not any of us. Yet God in His love and kindness leads people to repent [Ro 2:4] and receive mercy. What a wonderful gift of grace. A free gift to us, but a gift that cost Jesus dearly. His sacrifice paved the way for mercy. That mercy triumphs over the wrath of God. Mercy is the door opened by Jesus' death and shed blood to salvation. 

I'm humbled that God offered me mercy when I deserved condemnation. I don't boast except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. [Gal 6:14] He is my hero. He is my Lord. My Master. My Savior. His mercy triumphed over what I deserved. Instead of being sentenced guilty, He declared me righteous because of mercy. A mercy still offered to the masses. A mercy that still triumphs. 

After God's Own Heart

 I am listening to music by a Christian artist I cut my teeth on as a new convert named Steve Camp. He wrote and sang a song titled After God's Own Heart. He sang how he longed to be what God wanted him to be. Those words echoed in my soul 30 years ago just like they do today. To draw nearer. To learn more. To encounter more of Him daily. To be consumed with the obsession to pursue Him. 

To be a man after God's own heart means being a broken man. The painful blows of God's chisel, as He shapes us into vessels He can use are, hard to endure. The chunks that must be cut off are excruciating. At times we may feel like giving up because the cost of following is high. It requires surrender, sacrifice, suffering and the fiery trials of sanctification. 

Following after God's own heart is not for the faint of heart. He has the right to help Himself to our lives anytime He wants. He can require us to go anywhere, to do anything, at anytime He wants to command us. It does not matter how great the suffering or sacrifice. Compared to His suffering and sacrifice on the cross; no cost is too great to pay. No demand of His is too high. 

People say they want to follow Jesus. What many mean is that they will follow Him as long as it is popular to do so, convenient, and His invitation to follow does not lead to danger, risk, or make us uncomfortable. The call to follow Jesus meant suffering and death for most of the disciples. My family has sure paid a high price for following Him. Is it worth it? Absolutely without question. One millisecond in heaven will confirm that. 

Day after day we must be in pursuit of God's heart. To feel what He feels. To love whom He loves. To serve like He served. To be singularly focused on going hard after Him. [Ps 63:8] KJV Chasing His heart in devotions, spending ample time in the prayer closet, digging deep in His word, and seeking to live out the truths found there. 

It's interesting that as I finish this post another Steve Camp song is playing. It is my favorite song by him titled Living Dangerously In The Hands Of God. That is my desire. To live dangerously in the hands of God. What does that even mean? It means not playing it safe. It means a life of complete surrender. It means a life of radical obedience. That is what following after God's own heart means. May we each be compelled to risk everything in faithfulness to His call to follow after His heart. Even if it means living dangerously.  

Organic Discipleship

 I am very fortunate in the fact that God sent a man to share the gospel with me. I have written about that incident on many occasions and will not do so again. My focus today is on what happened afterward. The same man who introduced me to the Lord Jesus Christ is the same man who visited my home a few days later inviting me to church. I could not tell you the last time I had been to church before that. I am confident in saying it had been years.

I do remember how nervous I was to walk into that large church for the first time. I found a home at Denman Avenue Baptist Church. I cherish my time among those loving believers. I learned Bible truths from Brother Charles Roberts and the youth minister Eli Bernard. It was Eli who personally  invested in me for a couple of years before leaving that church to serve a church in Florida. Eli taught me how to study the Bible. He also taught me how to share Christ with others. 

He taught our whole youth group how to witness to a lost person. We did not just learn information. He had us sit in groups of two with one role playing a lost person and the other talking to them about how to be saved. He then took us out on the town where our schoolmates gathered to share Jesus with them. We watched Eli's boldness. I also got the chance to observe him in person when I went with him to make home visits. Numerous times I watched him talk about Jesus to teenagers and their parents. Without warning one night Eli knocked on a door and stepped backward saying, "It's your turn." I fumbled through that gospel presentation but did it. I was so nervous. Looking back I am so glad he did that. It fueled a fire in me to share Jesus and equipped me to be able to do so.

Eli followed the example of Jesus in discipleship. Jesus taught the disciples. He also modeled ministry for the disciples. They heard Him teach. The observed Him in action. He did not stop there. He also sent them out to do the work of making other disciples. This is exactly what Eli did for me. He made an investment in my life of greater value than my college or seminary education. He taught me. He modeled for me. He also sent me to do ministry without him by my side. 

I once asked Eli what I could do to repay his investment in my life. He told me to go do for others what he did for me. The truth is he is still investing in me all these decades later. I've tried to tell others and make other disciples. I've invested my life in many students and adults over the years. I fall woefully short of what I would like to do. I currently meet with a couple of guys to disciple them. I wish there were more. I trust God there will be many more in the future. 

That is the organic way of discipleship. I believe it is more effective than offering a class or teaching a conference. This is the way Jesus did it, and if His followers adopt the same organic method of discipleship it will have a great impact. 

A Month of Good News

It is hard to believe we are already in the month of April. Flowers are blooming. We actually reached 102 degrees last Saturday up here in the Panhandle of Texas. It will reach 80 today. We get to celebrate Resurrection Sunday on April 5th. A day to reflect on the crucifixion and rejoice over the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. We serve a risen Savior. He is alive today seated at the right hand of the Father on the throne. He waits for the day when the trumpet sounds and God says, "Go get your bride." We as the church are the bride of Christ. One day, I believe sooner than later, Jesus is coming back for us. That is all good news. 

We all have opportunities to share the good news with those around us. I've had numerous opportunities in the past several days and continuously look for others. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. [Matt 9:37] He exhorts us in the next verse to beseech Him to send out more workers. That is my prayer. That more of His followers will feel compelled to share the good news of the gospel to family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and people they encounter in the routines and rhythms of life. 

The stakes are high. Everyday people perish into hell without having trusted Jesus for salvation. Some are ignorant. I fell into that category as a teenager. Nobody clearly explained the message of Jesus to me until I was 17 years old. A complete stranger told me the story and Jesus transformed my life. Even to this day, 43 years later, I am humbled and awed at what God did in my life back then. It is the good news I share with others constantly. I want others to experience what I experienced. It is not just good news. It is the best news in all the world. 

I believe that if we just asked God to put opportunities before us to share this good news, He would orchestrate some strategic conversations with seekers. Seekers are those who are asking spiritual questions. They are interested in spiritual things. This is a sure sign God is at work, because nobody seeks after God on their own initiative. [Rom 3:11] When people get interested in the things of God it is evidence of God at work. We need to join Him in that work. Always prepared to tell the good news. Eternity weighs in the balance. O God, please send all of us as workers into the harvest. May You bless us with many souls getting saved by Your grace. May we not be ashamed of the gospel [Rom 1:14] for it's the power of You for salvation. 

Rejected

 I saw this young high school girl approach a group of students asking if she could take a selfie with them. Those students were from a different school than the girl one who wanted to take the selfie. Every one of them turned and left declining the selfie. I know the girl who wanted to take the selfie. I have never in my life seen someone rejected more by her peers than she is. She desperately tries to fit in. Everywhere she goes she is isolated from the group. EVEN AT CHURCH. 

She tries to make friends. She excitedly acknowledges other students when she sees them. They all reject her. Not one time have I ever seen her sitting with a friend. I see her with her sister and parent, but never with a friend. It breaks my heart. To see her so blatantly rejected repeatedly crushes my heart. She is ripe to be taken advantage of by some evil hearted boy who will use her for self gratification and reject her afterward. 

She is not the only rejected person. These people are numerous. They lurk in the shadows because their wounds are deep. They learn over time not to trust others. Some were rejected by parents early in life. They may not have been kicked out of the house, but they got the message loud and clear that they were not loved or wanted. Some of them will go their whole lives without knowing love. Not feeling the support system of those who care. Their precious hearts will get harder until they are petrified in self preservation to protect themselves. 

Jesus loved the unlovely. He did not reject them.  The lepers. The blind. The lame. The demon possessed. The immoral. He loved them and accepted them. He touched them and transformed them. That can't always be said about His churches. Many are judgmental. Instead of the church operating as a hospital for sinners, it acts like a members only welcome country club. Lonely people might be tolerated, but they are certainly not welcomed and embraced in some faith communities. 

I was told a story recently of a rejected woman in another community. She felt like nobody cared for her. Not one single person. In desperation she went to social media. She made three posts pleading for anyone who cared to reach out to her. Nobody did. Each post got darker as she explained her living conditions and the condition of her heart. Not one person reached out to her. Her last post  reported she had given up on humanity. 

A few hours later she walked to some train tracks and waited. When she heard the train coming she resolved what she would do. She stepped onto the tracks in front of the coming train when it was too late for the train to stop. She was killed instantly. All because she was rejected. She lost hope. She cried out for help. Many people saw her posts, but nobody got involved. Nobody cared. The woman died alone with a broken heart. I wonder if she ever  experienced the love of Jesus. Did she ever get saved in younger years. It is heart wrenching to think this lady could have sought  relief in death only to find the flames of hell a much worse torment than she ever knew in her life. 

It comforts me to some extent to think that perhaps she was a Christian. Unlike some people, I do not believe suicide is the unpardonable sin. Jesus said the unpardonable sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. It comforts me to think that after she died, if she was a Christian, that she experienced the greatest acceptance and love in the after life. 

I experienced rejection as a child. The last one picked on the playground for teams. Rejected by friend groups. Rejected by girls until I was in high school. Rejected by more churches than I can count to become their youth pastor or pastor. Rejected by people planning youth camps and revivals in favor of other evangelists. It hurt. My solace? A loving Savior who accepts me and a wife who does the same. What Jesus did for me He can also do for all rejected people. His love and acceptance are life transforming. 

Clapping for Joy

 Imagine a court room. Only this court room is not of earthly origin. Imagine it is heaven. God sits behind an exalted desk as the Righteous Judge. The prosecuting attorney is a slimy fellow know as the Accuser of the Brethren. The defendant is another hopeless sinner. One by one offenses are read out loud. The sinner can only hang their head in shame because every accusation is true. Guilty on all accounts. Shame and condemnation abound. The Righteous Judge listens attentively taking every trespass into account. 

Suddenly the defense attorney rises and says, "Your Honor, the debt has been paid. Every offense has been atoned. Father, I died on a cross to take all the guilt on myself and bestow righteousness onto them." With those words God the Father brings down the gavel pronouncing the sinner pardoned and not guilty. 

That is part of a message I preached yesterday morning. I gave the invitation for people to ask Jesus to rescue them. I exhorted people to formulate their own prayer asking Jesus for salvation. I asked people to indicate their encounter by lifting up their hand. I scanned the room, but saw no hands lifted. I did see a woman sitting to my left clapping her hands slightly in a circular motion with pure joy on her face. We dismissed the service and I glanced in her direction when I walked past her. She had tears in her eyes and clutched her daughter's hands. When she reached the back, I asked if she prayed for Jesus to save her. She smiled and told me she did. I gave her a high five. 

Luke 15:7 reminds of us that God finds more joy over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who do not need to repent. Put another way, God delights in bringing new people into the family. He loves pardoning sinners and offering them the free gift of salvation. This young mother experienced that yesterday. Her clap of joy was the outward expression of the inward work of the Lord in her heart. We celebrate with her and look forward to her future baptism. 

The saving work of God goes on and on. All over the world people are meeting Jesus. He is transforming their lives. Those people are expressing joy through tears, clapping, and baptism. It never gets old. Adding new Christian to churches is exciting. It is a work based on the love, grace, and mercy of God. No person deserves to be pardoned by God. God does not base His pardons on the merit of our deserving it. It is solely an act of God's love demonstrated by allowing Jesus to substitute in our place taking our punishment. 

I hope God allows me to see those claps for joy in new converts hundreds and even thousands more times. I hope my joy cannot be suppressed and my excitement not be stifled. The angels do not hold back in celebrating. Why should we? May claps of joy abound among new members of the family of God. May the saving work of God spread further and broader as one saved sinner tells other sinners where to find pardon and salvation to the glory of God. Please do it over and over again God. 

Stay Enchanted With Jesus

 Followers of Jesus are not immune to suffering. Jesus Himself suffered. So did the disciples and the Apostle Paul. Through the ages Christians have been persecuted, marginalized, ostracized, and even killed. Following Jesus does not always lead to an easy road. It is a road marked with suffering at times. 

Why would Christians endure such ill treatment when denying Christ would lead to an easier life? That easier life is only temporary. There is much more that follows our physical life in eternity. Living for the temporal is a no win proposition. There is something else that drives Christians to endure dark seasons of depression, rejection, hardships, and unrelenting pressure among pagan people who want Christians silenced. The enchantment with Jesus supersedes all the hardships. 

What do I mean when I write stay enchanted with Jesus? The word enchanted means to be filled with delight and charmed. The closer Christians get to Jesus in their personal walk the more enchantingly delightful they find Him. Knowing Jesus is greater than anything in the world. Paul wrote about the "surpassing value of knowing Jesus," in Phil 3:8. He went on to write that he counted everything else as loss compared to Christ. This is not religion. It is all about a personal relationship. 

Jesus wants to be known. He wants to reveal Himself to serious seekers. Millions of Christians have learned through the ages that knowing Him, put another way being enchanted with Him, is better than anything. It gives courage to suffer. Jesus does not abandon His followers in their sufferings. He draws near to them. He comforts, sustains, strengthens, and produces perseverance. He does not abandon His people during hardships. He knows what it is like to suffer and ministers to His followers out of His experiences of suffering. 

We stay enchanted with Jesus when we seek Him daily. When we spend linger long in His presence in private devotions. Even when we question why such intense suffering comes our way. We may not get the answers we want to all our why questions, but we will discover that He is sufficient. He is sufficient in suffering. He is sufficient in pain. He is sufficient in doubts, depression, discouragement, and dry spells. He is enchanting. Reflection on His cruel death on a cross is enough to cause the greatest delight to our wounded souls. He agonized so we could escape eternal suffering. He died so we could live and enjoy everlasting life. 

Staying enchanted with Jesus means discovering more about Him. It means getting to know Him and not just about Him. It means experiencing the joy of His presence in each season of life. He rejoices when we rejoice. He weeps with us when we weep. He hurts when we hurt. He is invested in His followers. His love is indescribable. According to Rom 8:35-39 nothing can separate us from His love. For those reasons and many more we must and should stay enchanted with Jesus during the hard times. He will walk us and talk us through them. Stay enchanted with Jesus through it all. 

Transformed

 I did not deserve it. I sure committed my share of blunders. Errors in judgment abounded. Early in my teenaged years I found myself drowning in sin. Nothing I tried made any difference to stop sinning. I went to church on a few occasions with friends. It felt awkward. I did not know the lingo nor did I understand the gospel message. I thought if I went I could get some sins knocked off my account. 

On other occasions, I attempted to read the Bible. I did what you do with any book and started at the beginning. This was another attempt to erase some sins from my account. It did not take long before I got bogged down in long lists of names I could not pronounce. Some of the stories were cool to read, but I never made it to the New Testament. 

I attended some youth events for a trip to an amusement park and for a girl I was interested in dating. A guy preached, but I did not understand what he was talking about. I used the church to get what I wanted, but had no use for it after that. 

Not until my junior year in high school did somebody sit with me to carefully and clearly explain the message of Jesus, salvation, and the hopelessness of trying to work my way to heaven based on good deeds, which were not that good after all. I sat in that football stadium, while the JV football played on the field, mesmerized by the message shared with me. It all clicked. My sinfulness. My helplessness. My need for a Savior. It was then and there I bowed my head and asked Jesus to forgive me, save me, and take control of my life. He did all three in glorious fashion that Thursday night back in October of 1983 at Abe Martin Football Stadium in Lufkin, TX. Jesus transformed my life that night. He has continued doing that ever since. 

A few nights later that same youth minister, who talked to me at the stadium, stopped by my house to invite me to church. All my distant church going relatives were either Methodists or Nazarenes. This guy was a Baptist. To my knowledge, I am the only person in my family who ever joined a Baptist church. I did not know the difference. All I knew is that Jesus transformed me. I hungered to know more about Him. I attended everything I could. I followed in baptism a few weeks later. 

Did I sin again? Absolutely. I felt guilty and lived in shame much of the time. Jesus kept getting more and more of me. He continually transformed me, drawing me into a better understanding of Him and a deeper walk with Him. He called me to preach only one year later. I had very limited knowledge of the Bible when I enrolled at Howard Payne University to play football and study for the ministry. I certainly did not fit the mold of the rest of the ministerial students. My professor to the introduction to ministry class at first thought I did not belong in his class. He thought I was just another football player. He did not know what Jesus had done for me and in me. 

I am thankful for those years at Denman Avenue Baptist Church as a teenager learning the Bible from pastor Brother Charles Roberts and the student minister Eli Bernard. I learned so much from both of them. I learned foundational Bible doctrine like the inerrancy of scripture. I learned how to witness to other people about Jesus. I learned what a healthy family looked like observing the families of some of my new church friends. I learned to have quiet times and study the Bible. I read my Bible before football games on Friday nights. That church licensed me into ministry and gave me my first preaching opportunities. I cherish that church. 

My Howard Payne days deepened my faith. I learned about prayer. I learned about revival. I made lifelong friends there. I also met the love of my life Brenda. Her affectionate love for Jesus attracted me to her as much as her beauty. We dated off and on and were married on June 29, 1991. God blessed us with four sons who all met Jesus as their Savior. I baptized all four of them. We are still madly in love with each other and treasure time with one another. 

I'm still preaching and sharing the transformational message of Jesus. I delight in seeing Him do for others what He did for me 41 years ago. Every good thing I have in my life I owe to Jesus. My salvation. My wife and sons. My calling and purpose. My friends. My education. My house, vehicles, books, bicycle, furniture, clothes. All of it blessings from my King Jesus. I owe Him my life and seek to live sweetly surrendered to Him who transformed my life. 

Looking Back and Believing for Future Faithfulness

 Where did the time go? My mind races with childhood memories and dreams. I'm classified as a senior adult though I have no intentions of joining AARP. Where did the time go? One day I was playing football for the Lufkin Panthers dreaming about playing in college. I blink and then I'm playing for the Howard Payne University Yellow Jackets and meeting Brenda. I fast forward and I'm a youth minister at Rochelle Baptist Church in the tiny community of Rochelle, TX. Next, I graduate from college and move to Fort Worth to go to Seminary. I dreamed of serving a church and waited for a door to open. I taught youth Sunday School in the church Brenda and I attended until God did open a door at Spring Creek Baptist Church in Weatherford, TX where 30 years later we returned as pastor. 

Time passes and Brenda and I get married. I started a ministry career serving at different times as a youth minister, evangelist, pastor, and church planter. There have been numerous youth camps, revivals, and retreats. We moved multiple times following God from one ministry assignment to another all over the state of Texas east, west, central and north. We enjoyed wonderful blessings of God in most of those places. We endured excruciating hardships in a few. Along the way God blessed us with four little boys who grew up into four men. 

Now I sit in my office in Fritch, TX located in the Texas Panhandle 30 minutes north of Amarillo. We have been here 11 months. In that time, we found a house and secured a loan located less than 30 seconds driving time and less than one minute bike riding time from the First Southern Baptist Church where I serve as pastor. Hardly a day goes by that I do not plead with God to pay that house loan off early. We have seen numerous people saved and baptized. The church has grown modestly. The people have endeared themselves to us as we seek to bond with them and the community. I've worked hard to earn the right to be called pastor and not just preacher. Even the last 11 months is a blur of activities in my mind. 

Truth be told, most of my time is spent looking forward. There are so many things I prayerfully believe God to do in the future. More salvations. Many more baptisms. Great moves of His Spirit.  Transformation of lives, families, churches, and communities. There is so much more I believe God wants to do. I'm not thinking about retirement or slowing down at my age. I'm ramping up for greater moves of God. Trusting for strongholds to be torn down. Hoping for Jesus to rescue the perishing. Travailing for revival. Believing for a growing church that impacts the community. 

My head is filled with many memories. Some pleasant and others not so pleasant. I'm not stuck in the past though. Dreams compel me by faith to the future. There is so much more to trust God to do. So many more testimonies of His future faithfulness to share. This is not a time to gear down and coast into retirement. Retirement is not on my radar. I'll retire in heaven. As long as God gives me breath, mental clarity, and a body to hobble up and down from the pulpit, imagination and inspiration to write, I have work to do. I believe for God's future faithfulness to empower me to be His productive servant until my time on earth comes to an end. I hope what I leave behind brings no recognition for me, but great glory for my King Jesus. 

Wind and Fire

Being a resident in the Texas Panhandle has given me a new appreciation for wind and fire. We recently had a blustery day where wind speeds howled as high as 70 mph. By the noise outside my office, it has been a windy day here once again. I heard the whistling winds in a different part of our church facilities earlier so loudly I actually thought someone was in the building whistling. 

It is very dry around here. We have had very little moisture of any kind for months now. High winds mixed with dry conditions and low humidity make for wildfires. There have been numerous this spring. One burned over 200,000 acres. The wild fires of 2024 burned over a million acres. Thousands of cattle were burned alive devastating ranchers. 

Wind and fire can be destructive. Winds from tornadoes and hurricanes cause catastrophic damage. Fires are equally destructive in the form of lightening strikes, arson, forest fires and wildfires. When the power of wind and fire are harnessed, that same power can be used for beneficial purposes like windmills, sails on a ship, and combustible engines. 

I pray for the wind and fire of God to move in the churches of this town and region once again. The wind of the Spirit blowing through congregations and communities powerfully. Empowering ministry endeavors. Convicting and converting the unsaved. The fire of God falling on cold apathetic hearts, ushering in days of  refreshing and revival, and calling people to repentance and renewal. We need the wind and the fire of God. 

Without them we have dead churches. People content themselves with stale religion without life. People sleepily sit in the pews unphased by music or sermon. The dry rot of religion keeps many people in a rut where they high center in lukewarmness. The wind and fire of God shakes up the status quo. It brings passion into worship gatherings. It produces sold out followers of Jesus who impact the world around them. Acts 17:6. 

Like I heard a preacher say, "God can do more in days than we can do in decades." The wind and fire of God unleash power like in the days of Acts. I've seen what God can do when the wind and fire fall. People get serious about God. The lost are transformed. The congregation gets clean before the Lord. The message of God travels faster and broader than in normal times. Worship is intensified. The altar gets crowded. People hunger for more of God. Those are all things I long to see again. May the Lord send His wind and fire across the land before it is too late.

One Down Five to Go

 I love testimonies. When people share what God has done it inspires hope in listeners. That is what I hope to do today. To inspire hope in people who may are having a hard time. To remind people how mighty God is and how puny our problems are to Him. He is so much more able to do impossible and improbable things than we can conceive. 

I bet most reading this know what it is like to pray in faith for something and have God either deny or delay the answer. I have been in that season. Two years ago I saw the writing on the wall. The five cars we asked God for and received debt free back between November and December of 2017 were old with many miles when we got them. After seven years, I could see each of them were getting on their last legs. I started asking God to provide six vehicles for my family without any debt. He provided five in 2017. What is one more? 

I prayed diligently through 2024 and 2025 with no answers. There were days when my faith soared high and I expected the answer to come at any moment. There were other days when doubt clouded my faith vision and it seemed God would never to come to our aid. According to Luke 18:1, we should always pray and not lose heart. So, I kept asking. At times, I even stated publicly what we trusted God to do for our family. People doubted. One person smirked, "That is a lot of vehicles." This is not the first time people have doubted God to answer faith prayers I petition to Him. God has proved doubters wrong before. I trust He will do so again. 

Three weeks ago that two years of praying paid off. God worked His miracle answer. A man met me after church and told me he was reading his Bible Saturday evening when he felt God prompt him to give away a vehicle that sat in his driveway unused. He felt like he and his wife were to give the car to Brenda and I. The transaction was completed this week. They had new tires put on the vehicle, replaced the struts, replaced the battery and had the car detailed. We could not believe how clean and fancy the car is. The car is a 2013 Ford Edge. It looks much newer. This is a crossover SUV. It has remote starting, heated seats, two DVD players with headphones connected to the back of the front seats, a sun roof, leather seats and much more. It is the nicest vehicle we have ever owned. God blessed us with the vehicle debt free. It is the tenth time God has blessed us with a vehicle in answer to prayer. Praise His mighty name. 

We have good financial credit and could have financed a vehicle. I made a vow to God several years ago I would trust Him for future vehicles and would never go in debt on a vehicle again. We trust to save enough to pay cash, for God to provide the money or to be blessed vehicles, so we wait. Waited in faith and in prayer for two years. God came through! He did it again. Praise His name and all glory to Him. We rejoice. Brenda told me last night while driving, "I still can't believe it." I can. I travailed for two years to see that miracle vehicle sitting in our driveway. God had the answer in mind all the time. He waited for the right time and the right receptive hearts with a heart to bless others. Brenda testified to the ladies at her work about the blessing. I am doing that now and will testify before the congregation this coming Sunday. 

One down and five to go. When that man told me they felt God wanted them to give us a vehicle, I rejoiced and silently prayed, "Thank you Lord. Now five more to go." The same God who provided the five vehicles in 2017, provided a Lincoln Continental before that, a Mazda 6, a Silverado truck, and a Caprice Classic in the past, is the same God I trust to replace worn out vehicles for my family. Tanner is next. His car has a slipping transmission, well over 200,000 miles, and has hail damage all over it. I am praying for him next. Turner's truck already has the transmission gone out. He is driving the Mazda 6 Brenda used to drive. The Mazda 6 is a 2006 model with high miles. Turner will be next in line. Taylor does not have a working vehicle. He and his wife are sharing a vehicle now. He does not even know I am praying for God to bless him with one. Tucker is next. His Kia is in bad shape. It is well over a decade old with high mileage, a dangling front bumper and fading paint. Lastly, I drive a 2004 Yukon. It has multiple issues and one mechanic told me needs a whole new engine. Most days I don't have to drive far. I determined up front that I would be the last one to receive a vehicle. For my other sons, I ask God to supply trucks. I will drive whatever God provides for me when that time comes. I cannot bring myself to ask for anything specifically. 

One of the first times I mentioned publicly I was trusting God for six vehicles, the listeners ridiculed me. I wish I could see their reaction when they learn God provided the first one. I will remind you that Brenda and I do not ask people to meet our needs. We ask God. The only reason I even state what we trust God to do here is so that when He does it, you will know this was a direct answer to prayer and not a random coincidence. 

I give God glory for the one. I will give Him glory for the five. I pray to the God who calls things to exist that do not exist. Rom 4:17 I don't know how He will do it. I don't know when He will do it. I do believe that He will provide another five vehicles for my family without debt. The reasons are to glorify His name, give us a broader platform to testify, build faith and hope in listeners, and build our faith to believe Him for bigger things in the future. Nothing is impossible with God. Not even five more. 

Living in the Sweet Spot

 From time to time some children hear the words, "You were a mistake. I never wanted you." This is devastating to a child. To grow up believing they were an unwanted accident damages the psyche. Read this very carefully. NO CHILD IS A MISTAKE. THEY WERE CREATED BY AN INTELLIGENT MAKER. I know I will get push back from that statement. Questions may arise as to why certain children are born with birth defects, disabled, or who will not live long after birth. The short answer goes back to Adam and Eve and their choice to sin. Their sin has impacted every person naturally born from that day to this day. Sin has cursed our world. Some of the consequences bring about sickness, disease, and disabilities. 

God creates people with purpose nevertheless. I know a disabled man, who even as an adult, has to be cared for by his aging parents. His name is Kyle. He is one of the most outgoing extroverts I have ever met. He is never shy about making new friends and talking to people about Jesus. He brings joy to everyone who knows him. His mental capacities are that of a young teenager even though he is nearly 50. He is also incredibly joyful. He impacts many people and never uses his disability to hold him back. At some point he learned to play the drums. His parents keep a set of drum sticks in the back of their vehicle so Kyle can pound away on the seat in front of him keeping the beat with songs playing. 

We are the workmanship of God created in Christ Jesus. That is how Eph 2:10 phrases it. We were created with purpose. I did not know it as a child, but God created me to preach and write. I discovered the call to write in elementary school back in fifth grade. I loved to write so much that one year I asked for a typewriter. What twelve year old asks for a typewriter? We are talking pre computer days. I did not discover His call to preach until July 4, 1985 at a youth camp. For the past 40 years I have spent my life preaching and writing. 

You have some unique calling on your life for God too. He uniquely gifted you to do something. Some teach, nurse, coach, cook, clean, manage wealth, practice medicine, legislate, practice law, write, serve in law enforcement, own a business, repair vehicles, and a host of other things. God created you for something. He gave you a unique personality, passion, and mastery of skills to do something. Some can sing, play an instrument, paint, act, organize, operate computers, fitness train, farm, and ranch. 

There is lady named LaFonda whom we employ to clean our church. I cannot rave enough about the fantastic job she does. She is diligent, thorough, industrious, faithful, attentive, and willing to go the extra mile. So much so that one weekend when we had guests ministers in town, whom we gave a tour of the building, they commented about the cleanliness of the facilities and even said something about her from the stage on Sunday morning. She does a fantastic job that testifies to her talents and work ethic. I told her last week what a fantastic she does. She has earned my deepest admiration and she inspires me to work hard at what I am called to do. No joke, as I was typing this, she just knocked on my door to vacuum the carpet and to empty my trash. I asked her permission to include her in this article. She gave me permission and said, "Nobody has ever written about me before." She seemed surprised and at first thought I was kidding until I pointed out this paragraph to her. Her great work speaks for her. If you know her, give her a pat on the back or a word of encouragement. 

God created us with purpose. It is our job to seek Him to discover that purpose. When you are living in your purpose, it is what I call living life in the sweet spot. Have you ever hit a baseball with a bat? If you hit the ball too close to the handle it will jar your hands. It is a totally different feeling when you hit the ball in the fat part of the bat known as the sweet spot. Living life in your purpose is living in the sweet spot. I hope you discover yours. 

Unmotivated

 Have you ever felt unmotivated? Unmotivated to clean the house, go to work, complete that unfinished project, read the Bible, pray, or workout. It happens to most of us at some time or another. What do you do when you are unmotivated to do anything? Some people stay in the bed for extended periods. Others sit in an easy chair snacking and watching television. There are people who get absorbed in toxic thinking. Many just go through the motions each day. 

Where do we find motivation to be productive when we lose our motivation? Some people are self motivators. They motivate themselves into action through sheer will power. These are the early rising gym rats who do predawn workouts. These are the people who make to do lists and feel accomplished as they check one item after another off the page. These are the goal setters who strive toward a targeted goal. What if you are not one of them or even if you are, but lost the motivation to be productive? 

Are you depressed? Has something got you down in the dumps? Depressed people are not motivated people. Toxic thinking can sure impact not just how we feel, but our motivation to want to be productive. If you lose hope it is hard to be motivated to keep pressing forward. God is the source of hope. If we spend time dwelling on the things listed in Phil 4:8, we just might find a way out of depression. 

Another question to consider is are you burned out? I've learned over the years that I can push myself and my body hard for weeks on end. I also know that a day will come when I hit a wall and need to physically, mentally, and spiritually recover. The way I do this is by taking a couple of days to slow down. I pray and read. I work at slowing my pace of life. I force myself to slow down eating meals, getting ready each morning, and sometimes getting a way.  I find after a few days of this, I am recharged and motivated to hit the ground running. Just like a vehicle was not designed to run at maximum RPM's continuously for long periods of time. Doing so repeatedly will result in engine failure. The same is true for our bodies. We may not like it or even admit it, but God knew what He was doing when He designed one day to be Sabbath to rest. It is difficult to be motivated when you are not just tired, but burned out. Even Jesus took time to recharge. Mark 1:35

One final question. Are you disillusioned? Have things not worked out the way you planned? Have your dreams been dashed on the rocks of reality? Maybe you prayed your heart out until you no longer have a prayer to pray because you did not get the intended results. Therefore, you are no longer motivated to ask God for help. Maybe you worked hard at work and instead of being rewarded you get overlooked and passed over. You read stories of people in the Bible who had the opportunity to be disillusioned, but they kept trusting. They experienced breakthrough moments. Joseph went from the dungeon to second in command in the palace in one day. Gen 42-50 Martha and Mary went from grieving sisters over the death of their brother to front row spectators of Jesus resurrecting Lazarus from the grave. John 11. The disillusioned disciples went from cowards to courageous warriors for Him when the resurrected Jesus appeared to them. Luke 24. 

God can help with depression, burn out, and disillusionment. In gaining victory in these areas, He can also supply the motivation to be productive. Just a few moments ago I was unmotivated. I still chose to click on the computer and to type this article trusting God to overcome my lack of motivation. I did not even have an idea to write about. I sighed a silent prayer when the word unmotivated came to mind. Just typing the first few words in faith God made up what was lacking in motivation. Maybe this will help someone find new motivation. . 

Able to Do More

This morning while praying, I paused for a moment to reflect on whom I was speaking. God. Almighty. Omnipotent. Omniscient. Omnipresent. Meaning He is all powerful, all knowing, and all present. He is so much more capable of working than we can imagine. We don't always remember that when we pray. We often are overwhelmed by our circumstances and trials that overshadow our awesome God. We need to glance at our problems, but to gaze at our God. 

Ephesians 3:20 is a great reminder of how powerful God is. The verse starts off with the phrase, "Now to Him." That is where we have to start when we pray. The focus is on Him. Not on our problems. Not on our adversities. Not on our impossible situations. If you start with your problems, you may doubt in faithless praying. When we keep our focus on God first, our faith is encouraged so we pray more effectively. 

Our God is able. What does that mean? He is capable. He is powerful. He is mighty. Simply put God can do anything. Nothing is impossible to Him.  He is able. That should bolster faith. Increase our belief. He can do more than we can ask or think. Not just more. Abundantly more. I don't know about you, but I can ask and imagine a lot. I have a very vivid imagination. I can and have asked a lot. It is not based on our ability to pray. It is all based on His ability to answer. He does not even have to move a finger to accomplish great things. He can just speak and great things follow like creating the universe. 

What does God want you to believe Him to do? I ask that question based on the promise of I Jn 5:14-15 where we are exhorted to pray in the will of God. If we do this, we have confidence that God will answer. It just makes sense that if we are going to apply the truth of Eph 3:20, we need to believe God for the things that He wants us to believe Him to do. I did that this morning and waited for Him to guide me. I sensed Him directing me to ask and believe Him for eight things. Most of those things are related to growing His kingdom. The specifics are not important. What I can tell you is that I am powerless to accomplish even one of those eight things. It does not depend on me. It all depends on Him. He is able to do all eight of those things over and above what I can even think or imagine. 

The end result of such praying is that God gets glorified. He will be praised. People get to testify about the wondrous things that God does. That inspires faith in those who listen. It encourages those who grow discouraged in praying when they do not see things change the way they want or as quickly as they want. They are reminded that God is able to do more. I look forward in the very near future to posting more articles testifying about what God does because He is able to do more. There are answers just around the corner. Don't forget that God can always do more. 

Truth and Fire

 There are many preachers of truth. It is estimated there are five million preachers around the world. Many have been thoroughly educated in expositing the truth of the Bible. They have learned the Hebrew and Greek languages. They have immersed themselves in Bible history. They have wrestled with systematic theology and honed their skills in preaching classes. Yes, there are actually classes on preaching where students preach sermons to the professor and other students. These men fill pulpits of all shapes and sizes to proclaim God's word. They do so with great knowledge, oratory skill, and precision in expounding the texts. They are professional and polished. 

On the other hand, there are preachers who are fiery. They preach with great passion. The yell, pound the pulpit, walk all around, and preach with great emotion. They may read a text, but often incorporate many other texts in a shotgun patterned range of topics in one sermon. They are intense, laser focused, and preach hell fire and brimstone. These preachers often come from a Pentecostal background. What they may lack in education they certainly make up for in zeal. 

The preachers of truth may proclaim the Bible, but they do not always do so under the power of God. They lean on their education and preaching experience in sermon preparation and delivery. While their sermons are definitely Biblical, they are also often dry and boring. 

The fiery preachers preach with great zeal, but they do not always expound the truth of the text. They lean on emotional deliveries to get their desired results. Some of these do not any study before preaching. They just rely on the Holy Spirit to give them a fresh word from the Lord. Listen closely and you may find these people preaching the same sermon over and over again just shuffling different texts. Those texts are not exposited frequently. Any sermon without Bible truth is just a speech. 

We need preachers who will preach truth on fire. Those who proclaim the entirety of God's word and do so with the fresh empowering of the Holy Spirit. Not preaching with persuasive words of human wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power. [I Cor 2:4] We need truth and we need it on fire to come and set apathetic hearts aflame. 

This anointing with fire can't be found in the classroom, but rather in the prayer room. It can't be bought with money, but earned in the secret place in travailing prayer. We should judge sermons by their Biblical content and accuracy. We should also judge them whether they have the fresh fire infusing them in our hearts and minds. Truth and fire are needed today. Not just one or the other. We need Bible saturated sermons that are ablaze with Holy Ghost fire to brand them into our souls. 

The Tremors of Depression

 Multiple people in society suffer from mental health issues. They can feel the tremors of depression coming on them. Like ominous storm clouds building in the distance, depression comes on in waves of darkness suffocating hope. It is a place of isolation as depressed people often withdraw from those around them. Depression cripples people mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. 

Many suffer from such illness. Well meaning but ignorant people say things like, "Just snap out of it. Trust God and overcome. Look at all the things you have to be thankful for all around you." While these things may be said with good intentions, they offer little to no hope, but heap mounds of condemnation on those suffering through the dark cloud of depression. 

Depressed people may even be convinced that God wronged them, failed them, and forsook them in their moment of need. They wonder why God did not answer their prayers in the way they wanted. They question why God allowed the suffering to continue. They even blame God for adverse circumstances. They become convinced that God cannot be trusted, and therefore instead of finding hope in God, they find their perceived failure of God to be another reason for melancholy thoughts. 

What does a person do when they find the tremors of depression creeping into their thoughts? The Bible exhorts us to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. II Cor 10:5. We must be disciplined about the thoughts we entertain. Dark toxic thoughts may come randomly, but we determine whether we dwell on those thoughts. If they bring us down, we need to get rid of them as quickly as possible. One way to do this is by constantly filling our minds with truths that combat toxic thoughts. A great source of truth is the Bible with passages like Ps 27:13-14, Ps 30:5, Ps 34:18-19, Ps 42:5, Ps 50:15, Is 41:10, Jer 32:17, Matt 6:25-32, and Matt 11:28 just to name a few. 

Another thing depressed people need to do but often don't want to do, is to talk to someone. Talk to a family member, close friend, a pastor, or a professional counselor. Sometimes just talking about the source of depression helps just getting it off your chest. At other times, it may take professional help over a longer period to work through issues of despair and anxiety. 

One other tip to help is to remember that dark seasons for most people do not last forever. Those seasons come and go. Just as suddenly as the tremors of depression come they can also leave. That's hard to believe when you are in the middle of it. It feels like hope will never return. Many people who were drowning in depression can testify that they were rescued and God restored hope to them. He can do the same for you.