More

 Now to Him who is able to do far MORE abundantly beyond all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us. [Eph 3:20] God is a God of more. What do I mean? Whatever we ask of Him, whatever we can imagine Him doing for us, He can do more. Abundantly more. 

Let's pray and believe God for more. I don't know what that means for your situation. We all face different challenges where we need God's intervention. What is your more situation? Maybe it is multiple things. Do we really believe Ephesians 3:20 is true? Is God a God of more?

Let's believe Him for more souls to be saved. As long as there are unsaved people in this community I should serve and pray with a more mentality. How large does the church need to grow. My answer will always be one more until there are none more to be saved. I believe God for revival where more of His power is displayed. More repentance. More fire in the hearts of people. More spiritual awakening. More glory to God for the dramatic results. More prayer. More hunger for Him. More dedicated believers. 

Let's trust God for more finances for missions and kingdom of God causes. Let's trust dollars to be multiplied into hundreds, and hundreds into thousands, and thousands into millions. Not to pad our pockets, but to expand the work of God around the world. Let's trust God in our personal finances with more so we can give away more. 

May God enlarge our faith to believe Him for more. More contributors and fewer consumers in our churches. More sacrifice and service than convenience and being served. More dedicated followers of Jesus. More holiness and less hypocrisy. More fruit bringing God more glory. May we all be moved to believe God for more. No matter how impossible things look let's trust God for more. As a result, may God intervene in impossible and improbable ways so we have more testimonies to share. He is a God of more. Let's pray and believe that. 

Solitude in the Sancutary

I often retreat to the sanctuary in the middle of the week to simply sit before the Lord. I sit quietly reminding myself of all the spiritual victories that have been won in that space. I think of the many God encounters over the the years. I reminisce about all the sermons and salvations. I contemplate the weddings and the funerals. There is solace found there without the crowds. 

It is just God and me in those moments. Sacred moments. I sit and soak in His presence. He longs to be longed for by His people. Most Sundays we are so rushed I wonder how many times we miss Him. I'm contented with Him in the solitude of the sanctuary. No crowds. No musical instruments playing beautiful songs. No singers lifting up heartfelt worship. 

It is quiet. Gives me time to reflect. It affords me time to listen. To bask in His presence. He is what I yearn for most in this life. He is the object of my pursuit. I find Him in the still quiet places and moments. We commune in the solitude of the sanctuary. Sometimes I just sit. Other times I pray. On a few occasions I sing to Him. It is sacred time. 

Today, I sat in my usual seat staring at our white wooden cross surrounded by stained glass located above the baptistry. I thanked Him for opening the door and calling Brenda and I to move here. I thanked Him for the people who make up this church. I thanked Him for what He has already done in just over a year. I dreamed about all the seats filling up and needing to haul out more chairs. 

It was quiet. Just the sound of the building creaking under the force of the wind. I did not turn on any lights. I sat before the cross thankful that Jesus saved me. Humbled that He called me to the task of proclaiming His word and shepherding people. A task I am not adequate to do without Him. Thankful that I get to do that right here at First Southern in Fritch, TX, or Fritch America as the locals like to say. 

My worship encounters in the solitude of the sanctuary are sacred. They are focused. There are no distractions like the flow of the service, the sermon to be preached, and people all around me. Don't get me wrong. I love our worship services. Our worship team are anointed by God. Our people are enthusiastic in their worship. They truly hunger for God's word. They are encouraging to me. 

Sometimes you have to forsake the company of people to keep company with God. Jesus departed the crowds and found a deserted place to pray. Mark 1:35. We must do the same thing too. We live in a world of constant noise and hustle. Communing with God requires the opposite of those things. We need silence and solitude. You have to fight for those moments. You have to prioritize those times. When I leave the office and go to the sanctuary or the prayer room, there is always other work I could do. I took time to go to both places today. You know what? I have been more productive today than any day in the past few weeks. I studied for the message on Sunday morning, read scripture, and wrote more posts today than I can recall writing in one day in a long time. I think it all stemmed from some solitude time in the sanctuary.  

Break The Silence

 Lord, how often have I asked, sought, and knocked, 

Yet, hearing from You lately has come to naught,

I know You see and I know You hear whatever I say, 

I don't understand why Your voice is silently stayed, 

You say we'll find You if we search with all our heart, 

I must be doing something really wrong on my part, 

Your silence is maddening and I plead it will soon break, 

Pleading You will speak clearly for Your merciful sake,

My ear is attentive and my motives are purely clean, 

It is You I desire most and on Your truth wholly lean, 

Please break the silence and speak to this longing soul, 

Your words are life to me and with them I'm made whole. 

A Closer View

 O Lord, how I long for a closer view, 

For the things in eternity and of You, 

I yearn to commune in Your presence, 

Caught up in Your glory and imminence,

Your majesty to bask and to behold, 

More revelations of You may unfold, 

I won't be content to worship from afar, 

 Pushing to get glimpses into heaven ajar, 

You are my obsession and my pursuit, 

Without You I'm hopelessly destitute, 

I press in hoping to get a closer view, 

To continually discover more of You. 

Storms Are Coming

 Storms are predicted tonight into tomorrow with heavy flooding possible. A lady told me today store shelves were emptying fast. When bad weather is predicted people panic. They make preparations. They button down the hatches and prepare to ride it out. 

What baffles me is that more people do not prepare for the ultimate storm that is coming. The world as we know it will not last forever. There are wars and rumors of wars as Jesus predicted. It seems we are on the brink of another world war at anytime. We are at war with Iran. Russia is at war with Ukraine. China is at war with us. It could all come unraveled. It will at some point. 

There is a coming event that will reshape the world as we know it. Chaos will follow. Death tolls will rise. Lawlessness will abound even more so than today. What is that event you ask? The rapture. The word rapture means snatching away. God has a set day on the calendar when He will send Jesus back to get Christians. People will be snatched up to heaven. Millions and millions will suddenly disappear. That will usher in the age of the Great Tribulation. Seven years of escalating judgments from God. 

Eventually there will arise a world leader the Bible identifies as the Anti-Christ. The world will band together under his leadership in a one world government using a one world currency. A one world religion will arise at this time deceiving people away from God and Bible truth. Those judgments from God will be cataclysmic. The Anti-Christ will sound like a voice of reason in troubled times. That will be a lie. He will be a pawn of Satan and will force people to worship Satan or lose their life. 

I don't see people preparing for that coming storm like they are for some heavy rains. The rains will come and go. There may be flooding. Property may get destroyed and it is possible some may lose their lives as we deal wit the after effects of Hurricane Pollo. The rains will stop. Life will return to normal. Once the rapture comes, those who are left behind will experience suffering beyond anything they can imagine. Will it be too late to turn to Jesus for salvation? No. Those saved during the Great Tribulation will be called Tribulation Saints. That does not mean they will escape the suffering in the world. Many will be martyred during that time. 

I am just one more voice offering a storm warning for any who would listen and turn to Jesus now in preparation. This storm will be horrific. God will deal with people in His wrath for all who rejected His offer of forgiveness and salvation through His Son Jesus. He will pour out righteous indignation. There will be nowhere to hide. Even for the rich who are now building underground homes. They will not be safe there if they have rejected Jesus. Please heed this storm warning before it is too late. If the rapture occurs and millions upon millions of people suddenly disappear and you know those people to be Christians, I urge you to immediately turn to Jesus and ask for His salvation. Then hang on. The next seven years will be the hardest years of your life and in human history. 

Be Different

 It seems to me that many people who claim to live differently are only replicas of what they see other different people doing. The LGBTQ crowd wear similar clothing and hair styles. People get ink on their bodies in order to stand out and to communicate a message blending in with all the others who sport tattoos. Some grow their hair long while others cut their hair short. People buy the latest fad clothing to blend in with the in crowd. If someone has the newest cell phone, others are quick to get one too. It is common now not just for people to have a smart phone but to also have a smart watch. 

It takes courage to be different. It takes more courage to be different and be yourself. I recall Bible college. One of my Bible professors was shocked when he saw me enrolled in his Introduction to Ministry class. He saw me as just another football player. He had no idea God placed a call on my life just months before enrolling in school and his class. I wore cheap $5 t-shirts I bought at K-Mart. Because we were not allowed to wear shorts in class, I wore the same pair of black sweat pants with the legs pulled up to my knees all week. There was nothing from the outside that identified me as a preacher. I was different. All these years later, forty to be exact, I'm still preaching. Many of my classmates fell by the wayside along the way. I just plodded along down difficult paths in obscure places. 

We took a preaching class in college. Dr. Robert Smith taught us how to outline a sermon. There was the introduction, the three main points, and the conclusion. For each point we were to explain it, illustrate it, and apply it. I floundered clumsily with that style. Like forcing a square peg in a round hole. I don't know how or exactly when it happened, but God helped me to discover my different style. Unique to me. I preach off key words and phrases. There are no three points. I've been preaching that way for several decades. It is different. One man told me it was hard to take notes. It is different but it is also what God leads me to do. 

I recall when Brenda and I were first married that I walked into a barber shop and told her and him that I was looking for the haircut for the rest of my life. Military style. High and tight. Only I never suspected I would lose most of my hair, so the haircut evolved into higher and tighter. Every two weeks like clock work. Brenda takes the number zero setting on the clippers and burrs all the hair away. I typically wear jeans, an untucked shirt, except on Sundays, and sneakers to the office. I still wear a tie on Sundays while most preachers have opted for the tieless look. I too did that for awhile, but went back to my standard dress pants, dress shirt, and tie, with dress shoes look. Dressing like that is like putting on my football uniform. When I wear that garb it is all business. 

My youngest son used me in an illustration recently in a sermon he preached. He said, "My father is a very intense man." That is part of my uniqueness. It is different. God poured an extra measure of passion inside me at creation. He put a drive in me that has not waned since childhood. He redirected that passion and drive when He saved me. In an age when people want to blend in, I don't mind marching in a parade of one. I see the world differently. I require lots of solitude with God instead of chasing the crowds and applause of men. I'm most contented when shut up with God in the secret place. 

Caleb was also different. The Bible describes him as having a different spirit about him. I am not saying we need to be odd, perverted, or strange. We should not be ashamed to be different in this world. To raise our kids differently. To be governed by a different set of priorities than most. To have clearly defined moral boundaries and convictions from which we do not stray. God made us to stand out for Him and not blend in to conceal Him. It's okay to be different and not work hard to fit in with the crowds. They are fickle. Just be different and be the person God created and intended you to be. You will not please everyone. You will please your Creator and His pleasure will last through eternity. 

I'm Sorry Lord

 The previous Sunday I had a message prepared. All through the worship I could not sing, but kept my head bowed in prayer. I felt unsettled about the message. A flashing scripture text crossed my mind. I wrestled with which message to preach. The impression to preach the flashing passage felt more pressing, so I changed the message on the spot and preached the unprepared message. Only God knows if it did any good for anyone. 

All last week I busied myself with other tasks knowing I did not need to study for Sunday morning. I ventured to the prayer room Sunday morning before anyone else arrived at the church to pray. Once again I had a flashing thought of a scripture text come across my mind. For the first time in the week, I questioned if I was supposed to preach the prepared sermon. That is when I felt convicted. Not one time during the previous week had I even asked God what He wanted me to preach. I just assumed I would preach the prepared message. I repented and told the Lord I was sorry for not seeking Him about what to preach. 

Through further prayer, I felt convinced to change the message to Mark 11:22-24. It was a message on faith and prayer. After the service, one of our ladies came up to me and said she knew that message was meant for at least one person in the service. She did not go into any details, but knew the message helped her friend. 

Can God do that? Does He love people enough to change the message to speak directly to them? Yes. I believe He does that. Trouble is sometimes preachers are so tunnel visioned on what they have prepared that they are not open to a change in direction prompted by the Holy Spirit. This has happened to me numerous times over the years. After a while, people know that sermon titles and texts in bulletins are never set in stone. I try to go with God's direction over mine. 

As this Monday unfolds, I want to learn from my mistake last week. I already asked God what He wants me to preach this week. In the past, there have been many messages I studied to deliver, but never preached them. God kept interrupting. I eventually discarded them. I'm starting to wonder if that is what God is doing this time. If He does not want me to preach that message, but to lean into Him for direction about the next message. Something fresh from Him. 

God knows the hearts of the flock. He knows what He wants to say to them and what they need to hear. He is aware of every event in their lives. It is imperative that preachers listen to Him and not get stuck in our sermon series ignoring His promptings to alter our course. I know the dilemma this creates for the preacher. There is security in study and preparation. That should never override God's leadership. There have been many times when I asked God why He didn't reveal the change in messages earlier in the week so I could study. I think that is the point. He does not want preachers relying on their study. He wants us to rely on Him. 

Some sermons are eloquent but lifeless. Some messages are informative but not inspiring. Some messages are intellectual but without fire. The better path is sensitivity to His leadership and to preach what He gives us. Not what we create. I personally commit to seeking on the front end so that I do not have to say, "I'm sorry Lord," because I didn't get  His heart for what He wants to say to His people. He knows best. Preacher brethren, we must submit trusting, and obeying. 

Overcoming Adversity

 We all face adversity at times. Jesus does not sugar coat it in John 16:33. He tells us in this world we will face tribulations. Adversity comes to believers and unbelievers alike. You find that some of the main Bible characters faced adversity. Joseph from Genesis was falsely put in prison after being sold as a slave by his brothers. Moses faced the Egyptian army and Pharaoh. He also faced a hard-hearted Israelite nation who disobeyed God and doubted Him repeatedly. Naomi lost her husband and two sons in a foreign land. Job most certainly faced multiple adversities.  

We should not be surprised when adversities hit our lives. Farmers and truck drivers are facing the adversity of escalating diesel prices. The cost is passed down to the consumers who see ginormous increases in groceries. I know someone recovering from one surgery and yet needing a second one on another body part. I've talked with discouraged people who cannot overcome the constant onslaught of adversities. They barely get through one crisis when another hits full force. A man told me yesterday he had to deplete his bank account to get current on a bill he did not even know he owed. I could see he was frustrated and knowing his past I knew he just wanted relief. 

Overcoming adversity takes getting your mind right. You have to knuckle down and resolve to grit your way through the hard times. I'm not saying there will not be pain. Thoughts of quitting may be entertained. Throughout my life I've found examples of people who overcame adversity and tried to learn from them. Let me give you just three of them. 

It was Jan 2, 1994. The Dallas Cowboys were playing the New York Giants in the last regular season game in New York. The winner of the game would win the NFC East Division title and get a first round bye in the playoffs. It was a tough physical game. In the second quarter, running back Emmitt Smith separated his right shoulder. He finished the game. Each hit, each time he carried the ball shot sharp pain through that shoulder. He didn't just play the rest of the game. His team rallied around him. He ended up with 168 yards rushing and 61 receiving yards. Dallas barely won the game. Commentator legend John Madden said, "It was the gutsiest performance I ever witnessed." Smith's performance moved Madden so deeply he broke his strict rule of not talking to players personally after the game. He went to the Cowboys locker room to congratulate Smith. Resolve of the human spirit can be powerful. It can certainly help overcome adversity.  

The Lord Jesus Christ accepted and endured the cross with joy. Hebrews 12:2 Every lash of the cat of nine tails would make most give up. The twisted crown of thorns jammed into his skull would have made many quit. Add to that the nailing of the feet and hands. Then there was the suffocating as He hung on the cross. To get air a crucified person had to push with nailed feet and pulled with their nailed hands to get a few breaths. It was agonizing adversity. Jesus endured it. He suffered as a Savior, but ultimately defeated sin, death and the grave with His resurrection. Jesus overcame adversity. He can help us do the same. 

Paul faced adversity. Read about them in II Cor 11:24-28. Yet he also wrote "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13 Even in prison he wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice." Phil 4:4 He wrote about learning to be content in whatever circumstances he had to face. Phil 4:10-12 Paul knew the resolve and strength he found in Jesus to overcome adversity. That same strength is available to each of us too. God helps us through the rough patches. He gives us endurance to persevere. He gives us faith to not lose heart. Luke 18:1

From Helpless to Hopeful

 There are many helpless people facing helpless circumstances. Consider the spouse desperately trying to hold the marriage together with a partner who just wants out. Consider the single parent working themselves to the bone and constantly juggling schedules to make sure the kids are fed, clothed and where they are supposed to be. Think of the worker doing all he can to earn a living for his family. Even working overtime does not meet all the financial obligations in this economy. Take the jilted lover who is broken up and broken hearted. What about the addict who is so stuck and down and out that they cannot see any hope of getting free. 

My mind drifts to a grieving husband who buried his 27 year old wife this week and is left alone to raise their two year old daughter. His world has come unraveled. It seemed like a nightmare only it really happened. He tries to keep things together for his daughter, but his heart and faith are crumbling. He feels helpless. Can he ever become hopeful again? 

There is a path from helpless to hopeful. You will find that path nestled in the pages of the Bible. Consider David. In his early life, he became very popular after killing Goliath. People sang about Him. They celebrated his bravery and accomplishments. King Saul grew jealous. Twice he tried to kill David by hurling a spear at him. He eventually hunted David down like a fugitive who committed a crime. Twice David had the opportunity to kill Saul. He refused to touch God's anointed. 

We find David in a helpless state in I Samuel 22:1. David was on the run from King Saul. He went to an enemy country to find refuge and pretended to be insane letting saliva run down his face and beard. He ended up in the cave of Adullam. In my opinion this is the low point of David's life. The prophet Samuel told David he would be the next king. He is helpless. Even though he married Saul's daughter, that did not save him from the king's jealousy and obsession with killing him. David ran for his life. Everything was unsettled. To make matters worse, some real low life men joined David in the cave. David needed time to regroup, be encouraged in God, but these men sought David's company and leadership. David left his family, friends, and country to preserve his life. 

In that helpless state David wrote Psalm 142. Here are some of the phrases David wrote. "I poured out my complaint before Him." "I declare my trouble before Him." "There is no one who regards me." "There is no escape for me." "No one cares for my soul." David is helpless. He is depressed. Just where the Devil wants a child of God. 

David does not stay there. He finds hope in God. Check out these statements. "Bring my soul out of prison, so that I may give thanks to your name." "The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me." That word will is future tense. David is turning to hope as He considers what God will do in the future. 

David also wrote Psalm 34 from this helpless place in the cave of Adullam. He reminds himself of the hope found in God. In verses 18-19, he anchors himself to that hope. "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out o of them all." When David wrote the Lord is NEAR to the brokenhearted that means the Lord is present and approachable. He does not leave us in helplessness. He walks with us. He helps us. He delivers us. Even though we face many afflictions, He brings us through them all. Death, disease, divorce, and other difficulties. David went from helpless to hopeful and so can we if we take it to God and wait long enough. He can bring you out of your cave Adullam. He can replace helplessness with hopefulness. We all could use more of that. 

He Wants You to Know

 What if you could slow life down? What if you get your mind to be still for a few moments? What if you could block out the distractions and press your spirit closer to God? What if you could get so still before Him that you knew He was present in that moment? What if you heard each whisper from His mouth? What if He said to you, "I want you to know ...."

God wants you to know you are loved beyond your comprehension. Rom 8:35-39. You are loved on your best days when you do everything right. You are still loved on your worst days when you sin rebelliously even though you know better. You are not loved more on the one than the other day. The depths of His love is unfathomable. Every other love pales in comparison. His love is perfect, unconditional, and enduring. God wants you to know today that His love toward you is not earned. It was His choice. It was His idea. John 3:16, Romans 5:8 You are loved beyond measure. Will you accept that love and let that form the foundation from which you build your life. 

He also wants you to know you can be forgiven. It does not matter what you have done. Such horrible things that you cannot forgive yourself. Such wicked behavior you have kept it secret. You cannot even speak of it to those closest to you. Even though you live with constant guilt, shame, remorse, and under condemnation, forgiveness is available to you. It does not matter what you have done. He is willing to pardon past and present trespasses. Ps 103:12, I John 1:9 His forgiveness is there for the asking. Jesus died to remove that sin. To remove the guilt, shame, and condemnation. We just have to ask Him for it in repentance. 

He also wants you to know you were created with intelligent design. You are not a mistake no matter the circumstances of your conception. God had you in mind. You are also created with purpose. God wants you to know that your life has meaning. That He fashioned you with an assignment in mind. It is your job to seek God for that calling on your life. You may think you have made too many mistakes and that you are too old as life passes you by. It is not too late to start with God. To find a purpose where you are planted. It could be in less than pleasant circumstances. Incarcerated. Homebound due to poor health. Isolated and lonely. In an abusive environment. God can reveal purpose to you. You can become an intercessor. Your testimony can help others battling what you have endured. You can love people others neglect. Your life has purpose and meaning. Ask Him to show you what to do. 

He wants you to know that even if you have failed, you are not a failure. The Bible is filled with people who failed and yet God still used them. He used a prostitute named Rahab. He used an adulterer and murderer in King David. He used an impulsive hot tempered man named Peter. He used a religious terrorist who murdered Christians named Paul. You are not defined by your failures. You are defined by who God says you are. If you have trusted Jesus as your Savior, you're redeemed and part of His family. You are not a quitter. God put valuable stuff in your life like perseverance and faith to keep trying. 

He wants you to know that life is hard and life is fragile. Painful moments surface. Death happens. People can wound you deeply. In all of that, God is the place we can run and hide. He is the place we can find strength to get through the hard days and long nights. God is always available to help. Psalm 46:1, Ps 50:15 When life gets difficult, God wants us to know that He will not leave us or forsake us. Joshua 1:9 

These are just a few of the things God wants us to know as we journey through life. Maybe one of these things really hit home. Maybe one or more is just what you needed to make it through the day, the night, the trial, the pain, and despair. He just wanted you know He is there and He cares. 

Hard Times

Birthdays come and go. Some are considered milestones like when a teenager turns sixteen and get their driver's license. Some lament turning forty. They bemoan the fact that they are no longer young, but labeled middle aged. Sixty-five is another big one as people reach the age of retirement. I am no longer in my fifties, but made the jump to the sixties. I guess that means I'm officially classified as a senior adult. 

The night before I turned sixty, I told Brenda about my plan. I routinely get up early to ride the Peloton bike my sons got me for Christmas. Those rides range from six miles to over twenty miles. I told Brenda that night to celebrate my birthday I was going to ride thirty miles. I have ridden my road bike further. I once rode it fifty miles and one hundred miles. Not on the Peloton. Twenty-three miles was my record. I wanted to break it just to show that at sixty I am not washed up. That I could push myself to do hard things.

I am not going to say it was easy. Especially not on my bottom. It took awhile to complete. When it was all said and done, I made the thirty miles plus five more. Puddles of sweat formed under the handlebars on the floor. My clothes were just as soaked as if I stood in the shower wearing them. My legs were shaky when I dismounted. 

Why such a feat? I like to challenge my mind and body to do hard things. We live in a society where most things are easy and convenient. We push a button on our phone to order food, remote start a vehicle, lock doors, and even turn the lights off and on. We have gone past pushing buttons on a remote control. We can just speak what we want to watch and the television will go to that program or movie. 

Living with such luxury makes us soft. Doing hard things makes us tougher. Mark my words. One day all this technology is going to fail us. Those dependent on their cell phones will be horrified one day to realize cell towers have been shut down and nobody has cell service anymore. One day all our entertainment devices will be disabled and the only programming we have access to will be a one world government propaganda to brainwash. To get us to conform and renounce our Christianity people will be forced to accept the mark of the beast, which the Bible forbids any Christian to do. Many will go along to get along. They will do whatever is required to save their hides. Devout believers will die violent martyr's deaths refusing to renounce Christ. Hard times are coming. I see signs of it everywhere. 

Our soft churches are not prepared for such times. When persecution really starts, will the mega churches still be filled? Will our churches still have people show up? There are many parts of the world where serving Jesus is costly. These followers of Jesus understand persecution in a way most of us have never experienced. How will American Christians respond when they are arrested, tortured, and killed? None of us knows. It is my belief that we very well may live long enough to find out. 

Faithful followers of Jesus have lived hard in gospel hardened places. They have a rock hard faith that is not easily shaken. They are steadfast in their commitment. They are resolute in their determination to be faithful to the very end no matter what it costs. Contrast that with people who wake up and opt not to go to worship because it is raining. Contrast that with those who bow to the idol of family and use them as an excuse for not being fully devoted to Jesus. Hard decisions are coming for American Christians. Hard decisions that require hard faith and conviction. Will this wishy washy church age stand firm when that time comes? Time will tell.  

Courts or Prison

 There are two opposing forces at work in this world. The King Yahweh who rules over the affairs of men. There is also Satan who tried to usurp God and was cast down to earth. He rules as the prince of darkness. These two are in constant opposition. God is more powerful and knows the Devil's days are numbered. He is allowed to go about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. [I Pet 5:8] He is powerful, but he is not all powerful. He is a liar. He is a deceiver. 

God offers us an invitation to come into His courts. We don't deserve it. We, who are flawed and unfaithful, never deserve entrance into His courts. We are extended an invitation to come into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. [Ps 100:4] In His courts, we find joy forever in God's presence and pleasures forever. [Ps 16:11] In His courts, we are offered refuge, strength, and help. {Ps 46:1]

What does Satan offer? Those who follow him will only get an eternal prison sentence. Oh, some may enjoy passing pleasures that sin provides. They will be short lived and cannot compare to the misery of the prison of hell that awaits those who reject God's love and forgiveness. This prison is called hell. It is described as a place of outer darkness. There is no light to comfort and illumine the way. It is more than just physical darkness. It is also spiritual darkness. Hell is also described as a bottomless pit. Imagine the sensation of falling and never having your feet planted on solid ground. It is described as a lake of fire. Fire may be the most common description of hell prison. Imagine the sensation of burning and the intense heat, but never getting a moment of relief. It is a place of weeping and gnashing of teeth. It is a place of torment and agony. 

According to [Matt 7:13-14], there are more people headed for the prison of hell than the courts of God in heaven. That is a sobering thought. People live out their lives. They choose their own morality never knowing they are storing up wrath for themselves in the day of judgment. They do what they want. They refuse to have anything to do with Jesus, God, the church or religion. They think by not believing God is real that it will all work out in the end. One second after those people take their last breath they will see how Satan lied to them. Billions will perish into everlasting condemnation with no hope of escape. 

Even though a loving God sent His Son Jesus to take the punishment for people's sin, rejecting that love to the end will result in the full wrath of God being poured out on those who refused to believe. Unrepentant people will be sentenced to the prison of hell because they believed it was not real. Satan will smirk because he stole, killed, and destroyed another soul. [John 10:10]

On the other hand, many do believe in Jesus. These are the saved who come into the courts of God. These are the ones snatched from sinister Satan's grip. These are the ones who get eternal life and will escape the prison of hell. You have a choice. Courts or prison. 

Mortify the Flesh

 Christians have two natures. We all have the sin nature. The bible refers to this nature as the flesh. It is our human nature. That nature that is opposed to God and His laws. It is the nature that is drawn to sin. That carnal nature wants to sin. On the other hand, we have the spirit nature. This is the part in us that wants to obey and honor God. This is the nature that resists sin. 

We need to mortify the flesh. The word mortify means to subdue and deny self. You can only mortify the flesh by resisting, saying no, and refusing to give into temptations. Temptations of the enemy are enticing. You could have said no to sin 1,000 times in a row, but the flesh is relentless and can trip you up on the 1001st times. Mortifying the flesh means crucifying the flesh. Read Galatians 2:20. Paul said he had been crucified with Christ. He was not talking in the literal sense. Symbolically and spiritually Paul advocated crucifying the flesh. That means dying to the flesh. I promise our flesh will not give up a single bit without a life and death struggle. Go ahead and test this. Choose an area of your flesh you want to crucify. Pay close attention how that area of your life will refuse to surrender to the cross of Christ. 

If I decided I wanted to physically crucify my body, and grabbed hammer and nails I would not be able to complete the task. I could painfully get the nail in my feet and in one hand. What about the other hand? How could I nail the other hand to the cross if I already had a hand nailed? Somebody would have to do it for me. In the same way, you can't just decide to mortify the flesh, or put another way, to crucify the flesh. God has to do that in us. He has to mortify that carnal nature. It will resist, rebel, and refuse to submit. It is a supernatural work of God to mortify the flesh. THE FLESH NEVER GIVES UP. 

Mortifying the flesh is not a one time decision. It is a daily decision. Maybe even an hourly one. You have to choose the path of surrender to God. He makes the spirit nature more dominant and subdues the sin nature. As long as we live in these bodies, we are going to fight against the sin nature. It is not impossible to overcome. It is just impossible to overcome in our ability. 

Mortifying the flesh is not pleasant. It is painful. To say no to things your flesh wants to say yest to is excruciatingly difficult. You will be going against every natural desire, craving, yearning, and longing to do evil. Even some natural things that not bad. Try fasting from food. Try abstaining from television or social media. Try sleeping less so you can pray more. You will find yourself in a war. When the flesh is mortified, the battles are easier. You say yes to God and no to sin. It is that simple, when we mortify the flesh repeatedly. 

The Old is Better

Theologian J.C. Ryle once wrote, "In matters of theology, the old is better." He wrote that in 1864. It is in the lengthy introduction to a book written in 1655 titled, The Christian in Complete Armon, by William Gurnall. That book is a massive volume of 656 pages. I am only 1/6 of the way through it. The context of Ryle's statement came from reading contemporary theology books of his day. He thought they were shallow in comparison to the older theology books. 

Gurnall took 656 pages to write about 18 verses. I recently read a contemporary book by a best selling author who took 238 pages to write about hundreds of scriptures. This is true of many contemporary books. Those who trod the ancient paths in past centuries seemed to have a depth with God and greater insights into His word than modern sojourners. 

Life was different in the 1600s. There were fewer distractions. People took more time to read, reflect, pray, and study the Bible. My shelves of numerous books are a mixture of old and new writers. For the most part, the books that stir me the most, and by the way are the hardest to read, are older books written in past centuries. 

Few people have the inclination or the discipline to plow through a 656 page book. I assure you it is not speed reading. It is slow meditative reading if you hope to get anything out of it. Some of my spiritual heroes have recommended this book. I slowly plow through one page after another, needing to come up for air often to breathe common air. Gurnall wrote at a spiritual altitude than I have ever climbed. It is a mind bending read. That is good. It is good to be stretched. Good to be challenged. Good to think deeply. 

I am sure many will debate Ryle's statement that the old is better when it comes to theology books. I tend to agree with him. I recall something John Piper once wrote, "Raking is easy, but all you get is leaves. Digging is harder, but sometimes you find gold." Reading old books can sure slow the pace when you set a goal of a number of books to read during the year. I'm readjusting that goal. It is not about the quantity of books read, but rather more about the quality of books read. Gurnall's book has survived 375 years. I recently picked up a book at a bookstore for $1 written in 2025. I don't think they will reprint that book for the next 375 years should Jesus tarry. 

I think we have become intellectually lazy, especially with the introduction of artificial intelligence. It is so much easier and convenient to let this technology think for us. We had better beware lest we be deceived by false information. It is good to think. Reading an old and challenging book does for the mind what a vigorous workout does for the body. Maybe along the way we will be inspired with deep thoughts and wrestle with complex truths. Okay Mr. Ryle. I take up the challenge to see if the old is better.  

Ministry Marriage

 There is a special bond when God creates a ministry marriage between a pastor and a flock. It is a bond that defies description. It is unique. It is spiritual in nature and mutually beneficial. When God puts it together, it's one of the sweetest things on this earth. The love flows both ways. Prayers are exchanged. Service is given. Sometimes sacrifices are made. 

A man commented to me at the football game Friday night that if preaching did not work out for me I should consider law enforcement because I have a commanding presence. I replied, "I have the greatest job in the world." Getting to be a pastor was not a choice. It was a calling from God. It still is a calling from God and that currently roots Brenda and I in Fritch, TX. The calling is more than preaching. It is also shepherding people. Caring for them. Nurturing them. Loving them. Protecting them. 

There are many pastors who just use people in the church to their advantage. On the other hand, there are mean spirited churches who gobble preachers up and spit them out leaving lots of hurt in the aftermath. Neither of these is healthy. When God weds a pastor and a church together it is like a marriage. There is commitment. There is love. There is also honor and respect. 

I never planned to move to so many different churches. With one exception, I believe I have followed God's leadership in leaving and going. One time I got it wrong and paid a high price for it. I am now serving the eighth church as pastor in our ministry. We have kept in contact with people from several of those churches along the way. Just last week I talked with dear friends from FBC Paradise and Brenda and I attended a banquet celebrating the 120 year anniversary of FBC Seminole on Saturday. We shook hands and hugged necks with multiple people there we love and cherish. 

The following morning we were back at FSBC Fritch where I taught and preached. We loved on the people here and enjoyed a fellowship meal with them after church. Later that night, Brenda and I sat at a table with another couple for a prayer meeting that we do not always get to spend time with. People make ministry special. It is the bond between a pastor and the congregation that unites in harmony. We have loving, generous, hard working, and thoughtful people in this church. They sacrifice. They bless. They encourage. They show gratitude. It is an honor to serve here. 

I have often wondered what it would be like to serve a church for decades. I have not been afforded that opportunity. I can only imagine the bond deepens over time. The love grows. The mutual respect increases. Shared experiences create closeness. Sorrows endured together make the bond stronger. A ministry marriage should endure. Pastors should not look for greener pastures. Churches should not constantly run the preacher out of town. The desire of my heart has always been to stay at one church for decades. 

I remember well when God made it clear that we were to leave our beloved FBC Paradise people. My last Sunday I could barely preach from weeping. I never thought we would leave those people. When I said God made me, I am not exaggerating. We had a lifetime of work to do there. FBC Seminole embraced us right from the start. We experienced moves of God with those people unlike we ever saw before or since. Leaving Spring Creek was hard. Some were upset and others even mad. Brenda told someone that we preached about following and obeying God and we had to live out what we preached. I did not pursue First Southern Baptist Fritch. I did not send them a resume. Someone sent it without my knowledge. They came after me. God had His sovereign hands all over it. 

God taught me a valuable lesson early in my ministry. I was in college and served a church outside Atlanta, GA as a summer youth intern. I felt deeply in love with those students. On my last day we had a big youth event scheduled. Later that night I was to hop a plane back for the DFW airport. I cried through the evening as my time to leave approached. I contemplated rearranging all my plans and transferring to a different college so I could stay with that youth group. God whispered something in my soul something I've never forgotten, "I love them more you do and will take care of them." That does not mean the bond ends. 

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

 The word ashamed defined means embarrassed because of a person's actions or association. Surely there has been a time when the actions of someone you were associated with embarrassed you and made you feel ashamed to even be near them. The reasons may vary but feeling ashamed can be common. When our third son, Tucker, was around five or six, we went to the grocery store. We made the guys hold our hands walking in parking lots when they were little. Tucker instinctively reached for my hand. That was not unusual. What weirded me out was when he interlocked fingers. He was old enough that it did not feel natural. I did not make a scene, but was ashamed to be seen interlocking fingers with my son walking into the store. 

That is not the thought on my mind. In fact, it is just the opposite. It is not feeling ashamed. Specifically not being ashamed of the gospel. Not being embarrassed to be associated with the Lord Jesus Christ. Not embarrassed by His death on a cross. Not ashamed of the resurrection. Not ashamed of the whole message, and what that means for people in society. You could categorize people in hundreds of different ways. I will only to do so with two. Lost. Saved. 

Let me address lost people first. People are born sinners. It is our natural inclination to sin. Sin comes easily for all of us. We all do it. The Bible confirms this fact in Rom 3:10-11 and Rom 3:23. I don't think that news is a revelation to anyone. We've done wrong and we know it. Here is the part people don't always have straight in their mind. There are consequences to sin. Not just consequences in our lives. There are eternal consequences. Rom 6:23 informs us that the wages of sin is death. Eternal separation from God. Judgement in hell. 

Here is a fact. None of us can do away with or undo our sins. It is like a criminal record stacked against us. Picture Satan as the prosecuting attorney bringing up every wrong we've done. God is the judge. We were helpless. I only stated half of Rom 6:23. The last half informs us the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus took the punishment for sin each of us rightly deserved. To repent of our wrongdoings and embrace God's gift through Jesus of eternal life is what we call salvation. Jesus is our defense attorney. Only He paid the penalty for our guilt. We are justified because He took our punishment. 

I am not ashamed of that message. There is nothing embarrassing about it. Jesus performed a heroic act. People act ashamed of it though. The word gospel literally means "good news." It refers to the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Jesus. That is the greatest news in the world and the greatest news that was ever personally shared with me. That message changed my life when Jesus saved me. It is a message I am eager to share with others. 

Paul writes in Romans 1:16 that the gospel message is the power of God to everyone who believes. God empowers that message when it is shared and when it is believed. God transforms lives through that message. There is power in it. Miraculous might you could say. That is also something I am not ashamed to be associated with.

Consider the fact that few Christians share this message with lost people. Some are afraid to do so. Others feel they do not know enough to do so. A few are ashamed of the message because it is not popular in culture and they do not want to be rejected. Christians have been persecuted through the ages. Many have been tortured and killed for their unashamed association with the gospel message. Why would any Christian be ashamed of that message? That message is the hope for the world. It is the hope for every abuser, addict, adulterer, agnostic, and atheist. Jesus is the hope of the world. That is nothing to be ashamed of. Count me and many others I associate with as the Fellowship of the Unashamed. May we stand strong and proclaim that good news until our last breath. 

Preparation for Revival

 I have been a student of revival since the mid 1980s. I have shelves lined with books about revival. I have other shelves on the topic of prayer. Those two things gripped my heart as a college student and with rare exception have continued to do so for over 40 years. It continues to do so today. 

I recently asked God what I needed to do to personally prepare for revival and to lead His church to prepare for revival. The answers are not new. They are laid out plainly in scripture. It is a matter whether we are willing to obey and put forth the effort. I have said this numerous times over the past several decades. When most people ask God to send revival, they have no idea what they are asking. REAL REVIVAL IS COSTLY. 

First, it will cost genuine repentance. We are more prone to generic repentant prayer. Real repentance gets specific. It hurts. It leads to brokenness as God reveals the true condition of our hearts before Him. He demands a change of mind and a change of direction. Back in 2010, we were preparing for revival in FBC Seminole. In a time of repentance and confession of sin, I was convicted about some DVD movies we had at the house. There was offensive language in some of those movies that did not honor God. I did not even tell my family, but I went home when they were out of the house and gathered those movies and threw them away. Sometimes repentance will lead to a change of doubtful habits you are engaged in. It might also include the way you use your time.

 It takes courage to sit before the Lord and to pray Ps 139:23-24. Search me, O God and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. God sees our heart whether we pray this or not. The point is not for God to discover what is in our hearts, but for Him to reveal those things to us so we can repent and return to Him. Many people want no part of that. 

It is not surprise that to prepare for revival we must pray. Statistics show that most people pray an average of three minutes a day. Not thirteen or thirty. THREE! That kind of dedication to prayer will never move God to send revival. People say they believe in prayer, but when they pray it is not very long according to research and those prayers sound more like a Christmas wish list. The kind of prayer that moves God to send revival is an all in affair. You lose track of time. You are blood earnest in your petitions. The amount of time required in personal and group prayer is irrelevant if you truly want to see God move in supernatural ways. People will attend Bible studies, worship services, concerts and conferences. Plan a prayer meeting and attendance will dwindle. I have seen it in every church I have served. Many churches do not even have prayer meetings because they know people will not show up. 

Another common element of preparation for revival includes forgiving others and restoring broken relationships. I received a text earlier today telling me about a person who says she will never attend this church again because she was offended by the actions of another lady. A concerned member asked in the text what can we do? Matt 18:15-17 spells out what to do about broken relationships. When I relayed the fact that those two need to talk, I promptly received a replay that the offended woman is unwilling to do  this. That is why so many have broken relationships. We would rather talk to others about our offenses rather than to the one who offended us. When God sends real revival, people get right with one another. Relationships are restored. Past offenses are forgiven. 

Maybe because of these three life altering changes in behavior some are unwilling to do may describe why we do not experience revival often. People are unwilling to make these necessary changes. Which demonstrates to God we are not serious about wanting Him to send revival. We are content to live without it. All the while, the church becomes more apathetic and powerless in a dark culture that needs a sweeping move of God. May God move us to personally prepare for His outpouring. 

Don't Fear

Take a look around. Pay attention to the news. Read social media. Read newspapers. What emotions do those elicit? Do you come away with peace, joy, and hope? Do you walk away fearful, depressed, and anxious? There are plenty of things that can produce fear all around us. Last night I drove out to the lake to reflect. I parked on a cliff overlooking Lake Meredith. The wind blew briskly. I saw the waters swirling below. Instead of peace I was reminded that several people have drowned in that lake this summer. Fear of the water snaked into my thoughts. 

We can fear droughts and floods. We can succumb to fear with a doctor's report, the economy, and retirement. We can fear for our families. We are tempted to fear the moral decline of the nation. We can fear upcoming elections and the end times. 

Isaiah 41:10 is good medicine to overcome fear. Right off the bat we are told not to fear. In light of some of the things listed above, fear seems the natural response. God does not tell us not to fear without reason. He says not to fear because He is with us. That is like working with a personal protector. Before things ever get to us they must first get through Him. Even when tragedies happen, He is there. He does not abandon us. He is sufficient to meet us where we are. If He is with us we have hope. 

Therefore, we do not have to be dismayed. To lose heart. God walks with us to get through the tough stuff. He strengthens us to endure through it. He promises to do that and to help us. Helping might look like just helping you breathe as you feel the weight of the world crashing on you. Helping may be comforting you in those nights of weeping when sleep evades. Helping may be unexpected provision to help you make it through the financial crisis. Helping may be causing faith to float again so you can pray. Helping may be consoling your broken heart. Helping may just be Him holding you and listening as you vent. 

He also upholds us. He sustains us. When our lives are crumbling, He is our support. He holds us with His righteous right hand. The root word of righteous is right. He upholds us with His right hand. His hand that is incapable of doing wrong. Our belief in that will be tested. There are times when our lives don't make sense. When our circumstances will test everything we believe about God. He is right in what He does. That is hard to believe when you stand beside your deceased loved one. It is hard to believe when you get laid off or when you have a repair bill you don't have money to pay. Trust me I have been there. I have learned that if I trust God long enough He always proves that He is faithful. 

I am right hand dominant. That means might right arm is a little stronger than my left arm. God promises to hold us with His right hand. Biblically the right hand symbolized power. God promises to hold us up with His powerful and strong right hand. He will not fail. His strength is never compromised. No matter how heavy the load or massive the burden, He can still support us. 

For all of those reasons, we do not have to give into fear. We can choose to stand in faith taking God at is word with verses like Isaiah 41:10. There are many others for you to discover to help you in your battle to fight fear. I hope this helps you to fight for faith and against fear. 

Take a Stand

 It was not supposed to be a heroic act that would start a movement. It was just one small act that turned into a giant groundswell of courage. Rosa took a seat at the front of the bus. The law required black passengers to give up the front seats to white passengers and go to the back of the bus. She refused to do so. She was arrested and black supporters initiated a one day boycott of riding buses. When she was found guilty, the boycott lasted 381 days until segregation on the buses was ruled to be unconstitutional. Rosa Parks is famous for taking a stand even though she was seated. When once asked why she did it, she simply replied, "I was tired."

Sometimes you have to take a stand. When our oldest son, Taylor, played peewee football, the coach asked if anyone could not practice on Wednesday nights. I raised my hand among the parents and was the only one to do so. There were many other Christian parents associated with that team. Not one of them took a stand for reserving Wednesday night for church activities. The coach chose other days for practices. 

 I have seen this same thing over and over again with other parents. Schools schedule practices and other events on Wednesdays. Last year some football games were scheduled on Wednesday. What do Christian parents do? They bow down to the wishes of the school. If Christian parents took a stand and refused their child participating, the message would be heard loud and clear. If half or most of the teams or students did not show up, but supported their local church activities, those school events would be rescheduled. 

Eric Liddell was a preacher and track star. He made the Olympic team for England. He later discovered they scheduled his race on Sunday. He refused to run. Even when bullied by his coaches and other Olympic officials he refused to compromise his convictions. He ended up running the 400 instead of the 100 which was his specialized event. God honored his stand and he won the gold medal in the 400. 

Parents have to take a stand with their children. They have to draw boundaries about what is acceptable and not acceptable. This will not make parents popular with their children or even with other parents. God entrusted the raising of your children to you teaching them wrong from right and what godliness looks like. Brenda and I had to say no to a lot of things for our sons. Like movies, cartoons, certain kinds of music, or even spending the night in certain homes. We also made church a non negotiable. Even to this day when our adult sons come to visit, we communicate Bible study and worship attendance are required. 

All through the book of Acts we read about Paul taking a stand for Jesus in community after community. Many times his message was not well received. He was run out of more than one town. Once he was stoned and dragged out of the city left for dead. Incredulously he survived. He went and preached in a nearby town and days later returned to the same town that stoned him fearlessly preaching the same message. He was often beaten. He was arrested. He still took his stand. 

So did Richard Wurmbrand. He was a Romanian pastor arrested and tortured for his stand for Jesus. He was severely beaten in prison by the guards. Sometimes just for praying at night. Once when a soldier who beat him often asked what he could possibly pray about so often to incur the beatings, Wurmbrand replied meekly, "I am praying for you." He nearly died in prison. When he got out, he wrote a book titled, Tortured for Christ. God used that book to strengthen Christians in persecuted countries all over the world to keep taking a stand. 

Please take heed. If you take a stand, especially one for Jesus, be prepared to suffer. This dark world hates the Light of the World. For thousands of years dark forces have tried to silence the message about the gospel and the Lord Jesus Christ. Many have died for taking a stand. Many are tortured, arrested, and exiled from their families because of their saving relationship with Jesus Christ. The day very well may come in the United States when the same thing will happen to followers of Jesus. Will we take a stand when that time comes?

Tragedy

 In the natural order of things, children are supposed to bury their parents. Parents age. Their bodies grow frail. While it is never easy, children know their parents will not live forever. I recall the last day Brenda and I saw her mother in the hospital along with her two sisters. I knew she would not live long. We were scheduled to move the next day to Fritch. Her mom gathered us all around the bed and told us she was ready to go. She died the next day while we packed the moving trucks. While it was hard, it was not unexpected. 

It is not natural for a parent to bury a child. It happens. It is tragic. I heard of two such incidents. A pastor and his wife are grieving the unexpected death of their adult daughter. She died in the hospital early Sunday morning. Another family is grieving the death of their son who died in a car accident. He was a sophomore in high school. Both tragedies. 

Many questions surface on such occasions. One of the most common is why. I got some wise insight into this one day from a widow. She was a young widow with three little boys the same ages as our four sons. In fact, several of them became friends over the years. Her husband was a fireman. He was on his way home after his shift and tragically died in a car wreck. It was unexpected. 

One day the widow's mother in law vented and cried out to her daughter in law, "Why? Why did this have to happen to us? Why did we have lose a son, husband, and father?" This wise beyond her years widow replied, "Why not us? We are not any more special than anyone else that tragedy should not come to us?"

People suffer in this world. People experience pain, sorrow, and tragedy. It is not fair. This world is not fair. Evil exists. Pain permeates. Suffering suffocates. Tragedies trample. It is part of the curse of living in a sinful fallen world. Bad things happen to good people. There are even times when good things happen to bad people. Job was a righteous man and he suffered immeasurably. See Job chapter one. In one day he lost everything but his wife and his health. In chapter two he even lost his health. 

We are shocked when tragedies happen. We should also be shocked when they don't happen. The protection of God is taken for granted. Consider the millions of germs and multitudes of diseases that float around. It is amazing that we are not all sick and dying. Think of all the vehicles traveling up and down the roads. It is amazing that we make trips and our vehicles or approaching vehicles do not malfunction causing us to crash. We take God's daily protection for granted for years and then quickly blame Him when tragedy comes like what happened on 9-11. 

It is a wonder that God protects us at all. Nations have turned from Him, rebelled, revolted, and rushed off to offend Him in multiple ways. We try to shove Him out of every fabric of society. We legalize things He calls offensive and wicked. We embrace immorality, the occult, and mock Him and His word. He is still patient with us. He still loves us. That does not mean that tragedies won't happen. They do. Sometimes they are far away like an earthquake, tsunami, or hurricane. We don't feel the impact because it is so far away. Sometimes tragedy hits much closer to home. Like the Panhandle of Texas in 2024 when wild fires ravaged ranch land and communities. Estimates are that in Fritch, hundreds of homes were destroyed. It was tragic in loss of cattle, property, and even a few loss of lives. 

The older I get the more I learn that tragedy is part of life. Some may go through life and not experience any. Others may suffer multiple tragedies in one family. I can't answer all the why questions in a way that will satisfy hurting people. I can point people to the hope of heaven for people who believe in Jesus for salvation. I can love people through the pain. I can preach, teach, and write truth that offers a glimmer of hope through the tears. One of the greatest truths is that God is near to those who are broken in heart and He also saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18-19. I also find hope in Psalm 46:1. I am reminded what Jesus said in John 16:33. Hopefully these words help us get through the hard times.

Chasing God

 Several decades ago I came across two books that ignited a passion in me. The first book, The Pursuit of God, written by A.W. Tozer ignited a fire in me to know God. To be more specific it was one chapter and one verse that captured my heart and mind. Ps 63:8 in the King James Version is written, "My soul followeth hard after Thee; Thy right hand upholdeth me." That phrase followeth hard grabbed me and has not let me go for decades. It is that verse I named this blog after. Follow hard. Since that day, I've followed hard after God. Not to know about Him. I'm chasing to know Him. To get closer. To get a more intimate view. 

The second book is titled, The God Chasers, by Tommy Tenney. The whole book is about the pursuit of knowing God. That book also ignited a passion in me that still burns to this day. I chase God day after day. There is more of Him to know. There is more to discover. There is more to learn. There is more to experience. 

Why do some people settle for the crumbs of knowing about God when we can taste and feast on knowing Him. To pursue and chase God will require a reorienting of priorities and passions. Ps 16:11 informs us there is fullness of joy in God's presence. People fall for the lie that there is fullness of joy in possessions. Our souls crave a closer communion with God. That craving can only be satisfied by Him. Nothing else will satisfy. 

Chasing God means pressing in closer to Him in devotions rather than going through religious routines. It means setting aside more time seeking Him and maybe less time in front of the television. It means reading the Bible more like a love letter than a history book. It means making our highest ambition seeking Him relentlessly rather than seeking earthly things. 

Let me ask you. How many God chasers do you personally knows. A dozen? Less? Are you one of them? Nobody is going to chase God for you. It is your decision. Nobody is going to set aside time for you to chase Him. You have to intentionally carve time in your schedule to do that. My wife has not been an early morning person until the past decade. She gets up way before the sun to chase God in Bible reading and prayer. She is exhausted at the end of the day, but she will sacrifice sleep to chase God each morning. That is just one of the things I love about her. She challenges me to chase God harder. Maybe this little post will ignite something in your like Tozer and Tenney did in me to chase God. 

The Prayer Room

About 100 steps down the hall from the side door of my office sits the prayer room. The ornate wooden door going into that room is something beautiful to behold with deep engravings. Step inside the room and you see a hand made kneeling bench with a tiny table behind it where a church directory and Bible are located. To the left there is a table with a prayer log and prayer requests cards. Nestled in the corner is a chair, night stand and lamp. There is a heater for the winter months. 

Since coming to this church in April of 2025, I have spent many hours in that prayer room. I can go in and lock the world out. Lock out all distractions. Lock out everything that would keep me from communing with God. Nobody knows when I am in there except when I tell the secretary. In that prayer room, I find peace of mind. I unload heavy burdens. I wage war against the spiritual forces of darkness. I ask and secure financing for ministry projects. I pray for revival. I also listen a lot. 

Jesus discussed the topic of a prayer room in Matt 6:5-7. In verse six, He calls the prayer room the inner room. He reminds us that the Father sees and hears what is done once we shut the door to the prayer room. Those times are so sacred people cannot really talk about them. The Father sees what is done in secret and will reward you. Sometimes those rewards are internal and invisible to the watching world. Other times, those rewards are displayed outwardly for the watching world to see.  

Consider all the things that have been by products of what is done in the prayer closet. Astounding answers could fill up the pages of multiple books filling up a library. Victories have been won. Addictions have been broken. People have been saved. Revivals were sparked. Spiritual awakenings swept nations. Droughts have ended. Prodigals have returned. Marriages have been healed. Diseased bodies have been restored. Broken hearts have been mended. I could on and on. 

God still listens and answers prayers made in all kinds of places. I love prayer rooms. FBC Seminole had a prayer room I frequented often. Spring Creek Baptist Church had a prayer room I visited often to pray and many times just to listen. I already described our prayer room here. I have a home office where I pray as well as praying in my office here on our church campus. That is the highlight of my days. Nothing I do on any day is more important than time spent in prayer. 

To develop a prayer life you must become comfortable with two things. First, you must get comfortable being alone. My friends over the years called my time in prayer "solitude pie." We ministered at youth camps and suddenly I told them I had to go be alone. Prayer is cultivated in seclusion. I'm not suggesting there is no place for corporate prayer. There certainly are times when we need to gather with others to pray. There must also be times when we seclude ourselves to be shut up alone with God.

Another thing you will need is silence. For awhile it drove me crazy that someone put a clock on the wall right next to where I pray in our prayer room. The noise of the second hand ticking distracted me. Thankfully someone relocated that clock to the far wall where I do not notice the noise. There are times when I play instrumental music while I'm praying. Most of the time I pray engulfed with silence. In a noisy world, I crave the silence. I meet God in the silence and solitude. Silence and solitude are foreign to many caught up in the rat race of life. 

For those always on the go let me ask a question. How is your soul? What is the condition of our soul? I'm not asking about your involvement in a local congregation. I am not asking about your ministries. I'm asking about the spiritual health of your soul. Are you dry? Are you empty? Are you overflowing with living water? Are you experiencing the abundant life Jesus offers. John 10:10 Can I challenge you to reorient yourself to the prayer room to commune with your Creator. If you don't have one create one. Nobody else may notice, but He will and will reward you. 

Taking God at His Word

 Scholars estimate that their are around 7,000 promises of God in the Bible. Some do not relate to us. They were intended for God's chosen covenant people Israel. They were specified for that context. That does not exclude the fact that there are many promises that are intended for us today. Many people talk themselves out of believing what God promised. 

As a child, if my mother or grandparents promised to take us the park or to the lake, I took them at their word. Being persistent in nature, I am sure that I wore them out all day asking when we were going. If they made a promise to do something, I believed what they said and expected them to follow through. It is no different with God. 

Take for instance Psalm 37:4. That is a promise with a condition. If we do our part, we are to believe that God will do His part. I have prayed and stood on this promise many times. I have also seen God come through with this promise on multiple occasions. Here is another one. I John 5:14-15. The promise is that God will answer our prayers if we pray according to the will of God. Keeping that in mind, Jesus made another bold promise in John 14:14 when He said, "If you ask Me anything in My name I will do it." ANYTHING!

Are we willing to take God at His word. I ask Him for 100 baptisms annually. I ask Him for revival that consumes our church and the whole Panhandle of Texas. I ask for the opportunity to come along side churches that are about to die and partner with them to see them revitalized and thrive once again. I believe God to continually remove all debt so that Brenda and I will have greater ability to give to the kingdom. I ask for disciples who go and make other disciples. I ask for transformation for the community of Fritch and others as well. I ask for a national spiritual awakening before Jesus returns. I ask the Lord to break down strongholds and to push back the darkness over the land. I ask for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit of God in ways we have not seen before. I ask God to speak to me clearly. I ask Him for greater anointing to preach, teach, and to write. I ask for His glory to spread. 

I think those things are definitely in the will of God. Why would I not expect God to keep His word. Most of the above listed things are kingdom minded first. Most of them are not self centered. I know it is the will of God to save people. I can ask boldly in faith for God to keep His promise that we will constantly see people saved and their lives changed. I take God at His word about that. 

We had a powerful service today. The worship was phenomenal. Multiple people came forward for prayer. His word was powerful. Over lunch with some church members, multiple people kept talking about how great the service was today. I agreed with them with one exception. NOBODY GOT SAVED TODAY! That would have made it a great service. I know God wants people to be saved. So I ask for it constantly. I take Him at His word to do it. 

Let's pray hard. Let's pray big. Let's believe for more. Exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask or imagine. Eph 3:20 Let's take God at His word. I choose to believe what Jesus said in John 15:7 that if we abide in Him and His word abides in us He will do what we ask. I want to spend my remaining days taking God at His word. 

Tough

 The word tough is defined as strong enough to endure adverse conditions. Tough is an admirable quality and advertisers seize on this. You may remember some of these toys listed as tough from your childhood. Tonka trucks. These trucks are made of steel and built for rough handling since 1946. LEGOS also fall in this category. Also included in this list, are Matchbox cars. They are made of die cast metal and have a reputation for durability. 

There are also tough people. I was surprised to learn of a couple of the toughest guys who ever lived. They proved it April 6, 1893 in New Orleans, LA. They started a boxing match. Rounds for a boxing match are three minutes. When I was kid fights were 15 rounds at the professional level. Now they are a maximum of 12 rounds for safety reasons. Andy Bowen and Jack Burke fought well past 15 rounds. They pummeled each other past twenty rounds. Even fifty rounds. The fight lasted for 7 hours and 19 min. They were in the 110th round! The referee stopped the fight declaring a draw because all parties were exhausted. That is tough. 

Not tough like Jesus. Jesus hung on the cross about six hours. Before that He endured a severe beating from Roman soldiers. The physical suffering alone was tough. He volunteered to do this. He  made the tough decision to go to the cross. Not only that, He took the sin of the world upon Himself taking our punishment so He could offer us forgiveness and the righteousness of God in return. That is tough. 

There is a football team outside of Ft. Worth, TX in the little community of Paradise. The Paradise Panthers, where all of four sons played, have a unique motto this year. "Jesus Tough." My oldest son, who still lives in the area, heard a radio interview from some of the players and cheerleaders. One of them said, "We want to be tough like Jesus because He made the tough decision to go to the cross." WOW! 

Are we tough enough to make the hard decisions? To do the right thing when doing the wrong thing would be more convenient. To make the tough decision to raise our kids right when others give into letting them do wrong. To work hard on the job when our body and mind are exhausted. To make the tough decisions to show up for worship when you are pressured by others to skip. Life is filled with tough decisions. 

When life gets tough I hope we will remember that Jesus made the tough decision to endure the cross and to do so with joy according to Hebrews 12:2. He can help us get through tough stuff and make tough decisions too. 

Taking Toxic Thoughts Captive

 Mental health is a real thing no matter what skeptics think. As of April of 2026, 59 million people were diagnosed with mental health issues. This covers a wide range of degrees of mental health issues. There are days when many feel blue, melancholy, or depressed. They may not even be able to identify the reasons. It can come on suddenly like a thunderstorm. In those seasons, hope fades, things look gloomier, and people tend to isolate themselves from others. 

Medical experts call these thoughts toxic thoughts. Those thoughts release chemical reactions in the body that are harmful. Studies have shown that thoughts are like branches on trees. When toxic thoughts release their chemicals the branches become thick and blotted. For further research on this you can look up Dr. Stryden from South Africa. 

God gives us a path to mental health in II Cor 10:3-5. Let me say up front that a part of mental health is fighting evil spiritual forces that plant toxic thoughts in our mind. Thoughts like shame, condemnation, poor self-esteem, anxiety, that God has forsaken you, that God does not love you, and that God will never forgive you to just name a few. 

Verse three reminds us that even though we live in the flesh in earthly bodies, we are in a war that is not earthly. We cannot fight this spiritual battles with flesh like our intellect, reason, and education. This war is spiritual and must be fought in a spiritual way.  The next verse states that the weapons we must use are not of the flesh. That is why self-help talks are powerless in this spiritual war. 

I was riding my Peloton in a spin class recently when the lady leading the class offered some of this self-talk. She told us to remember, "I have. I can. I will." Those words are powerless against hoards of demonic spirits released to wreak havoc on the minds of millions of people. We need something more. 

There is good news. We do have weapons that are divinely power for the DESTRUCTION OF FORTRESSES. What are these weapons? Prayer. The Bible. We fight back when we pray, even in those times when don't feel like praying. Who do you think doesn't want us to pray? Satan and demons. That is why we must pray all the more. We must do more than casually read the Bible. We need to use the Bible in our prayers. I love to pray scripture. To stand on it and believe it. That is when God destroys spiritual fortresses our enemy builds. 

Verse five tells us we are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God. Satan is identified as a liar. He is called the father of lies. Anything he plants in our minds through his minions is a lie. It is a lie that God does not love you. He settled that forever sending Jesus to the cross to die for your sins. The cross is the receipt as proof that He loves you. Rom 5:8 It is another lie to believe there is no hope. With God there is always hope. Heb 11:1 Another lie is that God can't forgive you for the bad you have done. Read Ps 103:12, Rom 8:1, and I John 1:9

The last part of that verse instructs us to take every thought captive in obedience to Christ. Have you ever experienced your thoughts running wild out of control? Imagine your thoughts being like horses. Something stampedes the horses and you have to chase them down, turn them around and lead them back to the corral. You have to do the same thing with your thoughts. Evil spirits will plant toxic thoughts in your mind. You can let them run wild out of control. You can take them captive the moment you think them and submit them to obedience in Christ. With His help we can take those wild thoughts captive and corral them. 

We may not be able to control every thought that enters our mind. Through prayer and with the sword of scripture we can fight back. In doing so, I am sure it will improve mental health. That is something we can all benefit from as we take toxic thoughts captive. 

From Pines to Panhandle

 The ways of God are exhilarating, adventurous, and mysterious. I grew up over ten hours from where Brenda and I currently reside in Fritch, TX. Most people have never heard of Fritch, a small town about 40 miles north of Amarillo. We boast a population of some 1,800 people. I visited with our mayor today who wore jeans and boots. I sat last night with many others watching our volleyball team win a match from a bigger school in Amarillo. I serve a loving flock. 

God has the ability to lead, guide, and steer our lives in ways we could never foresee. I grew up in the midsized town of Lufkin, TX. That was a far different world than the Panhandle. I grew up with the abundance of rain. Grass was green. Trees were tall. Wind was minimal. Humidity was high. Thunderstorms were frequent. We swam in rising creeks during the rain. We built forts in the woods. 

Through many twists and turns Jesus got hold of me as a teenager. He took over control of my life. I never saw myself ever becoming a preacher. I had my sights on becoming a journalist. God steered my path to Howard Payne University to get a Bible degree. I met some very important people there. Brenda, whom I married. Eric Adcock, who served as the best man in my wedding and has stood by my side all these years later. Jase Waller, whom I served with at FBC Seminole and others. 

Fast forward 37 years. Now I serve the First Southern Baptist Church in Fritch, TX. How did God get Brenda and I here? Let me state that it all started with one conversation over lunch at Firehouse Subs. Can God really speak to a person at Firehouse Subs?  That conversation got me to praying. Soon after, scriptures were brought to me through my own Bible reading, reading books, and other circumstances. God had my attention. I told Brenda in 2023 that I thought God was getting ready to move us. Two yeas passed and nothing happened. 

One morning I received an email from the pastor search committee of this church. I did not send my resume to them. For a long time, I did not know how they even got it. I later found out a retired pastor friend sent it without informing me. There was a phone interview. It is well know around here now that the last thing I said in the phone interview was, "Don't ever contact me again unless you are convinced I am God's man for you." 

They honored my request. I did not hear anything from them for five months. I received an email requesting that we come interview in person. The rest is history. Here I am sitting in my office reliving all of that. We have lived in Fritch for 15 months. We have served the church for 16 months. We commuted for a month until we could purchase a house. 

Now we live in the Panhandle. We endure more windy days than not, violent storms with hale, wild fires, snow storms, and droughts. In the summer, the wind blows feeling like a blow dryer turned on you. The winter winds cut right through necessitating me purchasing a heavy coat. In the winter months, we keep an emergency kit in the vehicles including water, food, and blankets. It is a far different world up here. A world I love. I will always be an east Texas boy who loves the Pine trees. Trees are sporadic in these parts. I am a transplant Panhandle man now. I'm learning the toughness and resilience of Panhandle people. They are survivors. 

God used scripture, people, and circumstances to navigate me from my hometown all the way up to the top of Texas. He doesn't always show us the whole course at one time. According to Ps 119:105, His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. This came home to me a few years ago. I preached a youth camp in NM up in the mountains. The path back to my cabin went next to a mountain stream and across a bridge over a pond. The first night I had no flash light. I stumbled and tripped my way back to the cabin. It is a wonder I stayed dry. I stumped my feet on rocks and roots. The rest of the week I kept a flashlight with me. That light gave just enough illumination for the next few steps. That is the way with God's guidance. Obeying God one day at a time and one step at a time, He got me from the Pine trees to the Panhandle. He can lead you too by His word. 

The Fragrance of Worship

 There is a story found in Luke 7:35-50 about a dinner party Jesus was invited to attend. What is interesting is that a Pharisee invited Jesus. Jesus often rebuked the Pharisees. He even called them hypocrites repeatedly in Matthew 23. Pharisees were obsessed with being viewed as ceremonially clean at all times. They were religious fanatics about it. They were legalistic. They wanted power and demanded the common people to live in ways they did not live themselves. 

Jesus accepted the invitation. Somebody else heard about this dinner party. A woman labeled as a sinner. She was anything but clean. Tradition says she was a harlot. Everything about her lifestyle was unclean. She was defiled, morally dirty, and desperate for change. I am sure she had a reputation. She is what eighteenth century historians called a "company keeper" in the days of Jonathan Edwards. This woman crashed the party. Imagine the awkward silence when she came into the room. 

I am sure the Pharisee was mortified. Everything that immoral woman touched in his home became unclean. She upset everything. The Pharisee looked at her with condemnation. 

The woman brought a bottle of very expensive perfume. Some say it cost a year worth of wages to purchase. I can't help but wonder if she used the perfume to cover the shame and misery of her sins. If she could not be treated like high society, at least she could smell like it. Perfume is a curious item to bring to a dinner party. She poured out the perfume on the feet of Jesus mixed with tears. The perfume was symbolic of sacrifice and emptying herself. The tears were a sign of her broken heart. She offered no words. Just this simple act of love. The fragrance of worship overwhelmed the room. She did not care what anyone thought except Jesus. 

The Pharisee began judging Jesus for allowing this immoral woman to touch Him. Jesus read his mind and told a parable about two people who owed money. One more and the other less. Jesus asked which one was more appreciative. The Pharisee correctly answered the one who was forgiven more. 

Then Jesus dropped the hammer. He called out the Pharisee for not washing His feet when He arrived. He praised the sinful woman for doing so. Then He spoke these profound words. "The who has been forgiven much loves much. The one who has been forgiven little loves little." Luke 7:47 Jesus also said that her sins which were many were forgiven. She was cleansed in that moment. No longer condemned. She was saved by faith. 

All the while the fragrance of the perfume permeated the air. Her faith, courage, and desperation to pour such extremely valuable perfume to get right with Jesus saved her. She believed Jesus could love her, accept her, and transform her. He can do the same for anyone reading this. If you look closely enough at some of those Sunday morning church goers who look all cleaned up on the outside now, you might be surprised what they used to be like before Jesus transformed them also. Those are the ones who love much because they have been forgiven much. You can experience that too. One act of faith could lead to your own fragrance of worship encounter. 

Three Little Words

 Can three little words change your life? After all, it is just three words. I'll go even further than that. Can three little one syllable words change your life? They certainly did for me when a brown haired and brown eyed beauty at Howard Payne University said three words to me. What words? I love you. Those three little words changed my world in a way I could never have dreamed. She still says that to me three and half decades later after we said, "I do."

On the other hand, people hear the opposite three words, "I hate you." Those words damage the soul. Some never recover and spiral out of control into toxic choices trying to hide the pain. Spouses, siblings, parents, friends, coworkers, and even rivals have shouted these words. They cut deeply like a sword. The wounds may not be visible, but they are still real. 

It got me to thinking about some of the three word sayings of Jesus. How about this little command. Love one another. If people followed that teaching of Jesus around the world imagine the impact. If Christians and Muslims loved one another. If opposing political parties loved one another what more could be accomplished. If people loved one another in the work place, it would be a more pleasant environment. 

Jesus gave an invitation with the words, "Come to Me." An invitation you do not have to earn. You do not bribe, cheat, or deceive to get this invitation. It is extended to all of us. An invitation not based on merit. It is totally based on the good pleasure of the Lord to invite us to Him. He desires us more than we desire Him. 

On another occasion, Jesus said to a grieving father, "Don't be afraid." He followed that up with only two words, "Only Believe." These words were spoken to a father who had just learned his daughter died. The words of Jesus were prophetic because He brought the girl back to life again. 

One day a very influential man came to Jesus asking for help for his sick son. The father pleaded with Jesus to come before his son died. He believed Jesus could help. He wanted to take Jesus back to his home in order to get his son help. Jesus had something else in mind when He spoke three little words, "Your son lives." At that very moment the boy's fever broke and he recovered. The father learned of this later and believed along with all who were in his house. 

Three little words. What might those words be for you today? I forgive you. I love you. I am willing. I accept you. I redeem you. Ask and receive. Do you believe? Nothing is impossible. There's no condemnation. There is power in the spoken words of the Savior. Even if they are just three little words. I don't know what you need to hear today, but I am confident the Lord can speak those words to you. Words of hope, peace, strength, faith, and comfort. Words of grace, mercy, acceptance, power, and perseverance. Whatever He speaks over you I implore you to believe it like the man in John 4:46-53. Three little words can change your life. 

Problems and Pain

 Everybody has problems. They come in different shapes and sizes. They vary in degrees of severity. Some are just minor irritations. Others are mountain like in scope. Impossible to dismiss and way too massive to shove to the side. Chances are you are facing problems even as you read this. Problems you have not told anyone. Problems you cannot solve without divine intervention. 

Everybody faces pain from time to time. From scraped knees to scary diagnosis like cancer. People suffer various forms of pain. No amount of money can keep pain away at arms length. Pain penetrates when people we love die. Especially when it is prematurely. Brenda and I ate at one of our favorite restaurants a few days ago. We talked with the owner who took a leave of absence for a couple of weeks. We asked about this and turns out her mother recently died. Brenda instantly connected with as her mother died a little over a year ago. None of us are exempt from pain. 

When you put problems and pain together, God followers have opportunity to grow in faith. It is in the problems and the pain that we are forced to trust God and in doing so our faith is stretched. This stretching actually grows our faith to believe God for more. We cling to Him and His word to get us through the tough stuff. We cling to assurance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. Heb 11:1

We are told in Ps 34:18 that God is near to the brokenhearted. He saves those who are crushed in spirit. Are you one of those today? Have the problems and pain worn you down? God is still near to you even if it doesn't feel that way. Are your problems weighing you down and sucking the life from you? Cast all your cares on God and He will sustain you. Ps 55:22 Do you weep nightly in despair. Find comfort in Ps 30:5 which reminds us that weeping may last for a night, but that joy comes in the morning. Sometimes that joy in the morning may seem like a long way off. It will come if we persevere and keep trusting. 

Problems and pain are really opportunities to behold the faithfulness of God over and over again. Those are not pleasant seasons. Some of you are waiting on God and wonder why He delays. I cannot give you a satisfactory answer to that question. All I can do is testify when I have waited on God long enough and trusted Him, He comes through. Sometimes at the last possible moment. Often in ways I never expected. Now when facing problems and pain I am able to look back and be reminded of all the times God helped in the past. 

A verse I have clung to for decades is Ps 46:1. God is our refuge. A safe place to retreat and find shelter when the problems and pain get the best of us. He is also our strength. When we don't think we can take anymore, press on through another day, pray another prayer, or take any more pain, God helps us. Helps us through the next minute. Helps us through the next hour and the next day. He is also our very present help in trouble. I love that verse. Maybe God will use it to help you through your problems and your pain. 

Doing Your Best

 I confess I was not a good student in high school. I was never into math and science. I did enjoy English and history more. I calculated during my senior year that I did not have to pass my math class in order to graduate. I passed it during football season so I would be eligible to play. After that, I did not try. I don't think you understand. I did not turn in homework assignments. When our teacher passed out tests, I wrote my name on them and turned them back in completely blank. From late November to May, I should have had a zero on my report card. I think she put a 40 I am sure more to protect her. What would it look like if a teacher gave out a zero on a report card. That was what I deserved. 

I used that class to do homework in other classes, study for tests in other classes, and to read. One day I was reading a football magazine. The teacher walked by and commented, "I hope you are better at that than you are in this class." I replied, "I am." She could not motivate me. Once I learned I could graduate without passing that class, I was no longer motivated. Nothing the teacher did or said motivated me. I was the man in our home. My mother did not comment on my grades in high school. There was nobody else to do so. I am ashamed of this now. I should have tried harder. 

I was a very young Christian at that time. Nobody had ever taught me that God wants our best. I had never heard of Col 3:17 or Col 3:23. I would not learn those truths until my second stint at seminary. Even in college I did just enough to get by. I tried. Thankfully I only had one math class. The classes interested me more. I had to pass classes to be eligible to play football. I did not do my best except on a few assignments that interested me. 

I hated seminary. I never felt I fit in with a bunch of preacher boys wearing ties or bow ties. I was bored in classes with the exception of two professors. I was put on academic probation after my first semester and was suspended after my second semester. I did not do my best. I wanted to get on with ministry. God had several things He needed to teach me before He would trust me with people to lead. 

I got married in this time and God opened doors to serve several small churches. Seminary was out of mind. I can't say for sure when it happened. One day I read those verses in Colossians and was convicted that God wants our best in whatever we do. We are to work heartily as unto the Lord and not men. Col 3:23. We are to do everything in the name of the Lord. Col 3:17. 

As the years passed, it really bothered me that I started seminary but never finished. I followed the counsel of my pastor from my hometown who told me about a distance learning Seminary. You moved along at your own pace in your studies, the professors sent the assignments to you. I listened to lectures on cassette tapes. It took a while. Little by little I did the course work for each class. In 2014 I graduated with a Masters degree. I made the best grades I ever made in school because I tried my best. I fought pride but not putting that degree on the wall in my office. It sits in a box along with my college degree and ordination certificate. 

God wants our best whatever we do. School. Work. Sports. Band. Volunteer work. Not doing our best for people dishonors God. Look around. Do you see people always trying their best? Customer service is lacking in many places. Employees cut corners glued to their phones instead of the work they are supposed to do. Some employees give minimal effort just to earn a pay check. Unfortunately, many students do what I did. 

Brenda and I certainly did not let that attitude fly around our house raising four sons. We did not demand perfection. We did challenge our sons to give their best. If their best was a C in a class so be it. If they were capable of earning an A that is what we expected. Parents fail children here when they demand perfection. None of us are good at everything. 

I don't know your role in life. I challenge you to give your best in whatever you do. Do it as an act of worship. Do it for the Lord even if nobody else notices. He sees. I think He is pleased when we try our best. Even if we are surrounded by people who give less than their best. You heard the old saying, "If it's worth doing it's worth doing right." Let us be people committed to doing our best.