Wake Up Call

 I was still groggy when the wake up call came. Sometimes it seems the days are long and the nights are short. I lay in the bed a moment somewhere between partially asleep and partially awake. I contemplated rolling over for a few more winks but decided to get up. It was dark in the room when I rolled out of bed. I groped my way to the bathroom and then to the closet. 

I grabbed some clothes, shaved, dressed and headed out of the door. Not before Brenda rolled over and asked what I was doing. I could not explain that God gave me a wake up call and I needed to go pray. I mumbled that I had a lot of work I needed to get done. That was true. I really was being summoned to prayer also. It was an earlier start than normal. No distractions. 

There was much to pray about. Family, friends, and flock. I also needed to listen for the still small voice of the Lord. I asked for anointing to study and deliver God's word this week. I read scripture hoping for a fresh word from the Lord for me personally. I did not feel hurried. I was nice to linger longer without a schedule to keep. 

I have not slept with an alarm clock in decades. The Lord chooses when to wake me up. He decides when to summon me to supplicate. Many nights I'm awakened at some early hour. I seek Him and then go back to bed for a short nap before going to work. He has the right to give me a wake up call whenever He wants. 

Prayer is my passion. I love time shut up with my Father. I'm a novice at prayer. Though I have practiced it for over four decades there is so much I don't know.  There are answers I have not secured. There are revelations I have not received. There are mountains that still have not moved. I welcome the wake up calls. I'm not saying it is always easy. I went to be at 7:30 p.m. last night. That made getting up early today easier. Some days it is hard to drag these tired bones from underneath the covers. When God gives those wake up calls, He has something on His mind. My response is to be attentive and present. Maybe He will let me catch a nap before the football game tonight. 

Surrendered

A boy suffering from birth complications, 

Saved by God for unknown explanations,

Growing up in abusive adult behavior,

A wounded young man needing a Savior, 

A youth pastor, football game appointment, 

A lost soul filled with life's disappointments, 

A repentant prayer and dramatic conversion,

A welcomed deliverance from sin's diversion,

A Sunday night and God's clear invitation, 

To preach the word for gospel transformation, 

Why me, a nobody with so much history, 

Why me, one so ordinary to tell His story, 

I seek to live totally and fully surrendered, 

For the Holy One who's still my defender. 

Unsung Hero

 There are lists of prominent Christian people God has used in significant ways. There is no use recounting them here. They have been talked about and written about already. That is not the purpose of this post. Today, I'm thinking about all of those faithful Christians whom God used, but their names have faded from the pages of history. Obscure people who served in out of the way places. I'm thinking about one person specifically. Her name is Doris and she lives in Lufkin, TX where she has lived with her husband for over 50 years. 

Doris is quiet. I don't recall ever carrying on a lengthy conversation with her. She does not prefer the spotlight. She is content to minister behind the scenes. The impact she had on my life is incalculable. To tell a small part of her story I have to travel back in time. 54 years to be exact. 

Doris is married to Charles Roberts. He is better known to me as Brother Charles. He is my pastor. He baptized me as a teenager and guided me through the early days of my ministry. That is only part of the story. Doris played a crucial role in my life before she even met me. 

The Roberts lived in the same neighborhood I grew up in. I used to play football as a kid in the yard next to theirs. A popular teenage girl lived across the street from them. She was the best friend of a girl I dated through high school. I spent a lot of late nights over there hanging out. Sometimes we sat in the yard talking way past bedtime. One day  Doris looked out at me through  the window and told her husband, "I'm praying for that young man." She didn't know me. We had never met. Why would she pray for me? God was up to something and chose to include her. She repeatedly told Brother Charles that she was praying for me. I don't know how long that continued. 

Fast forward a couple of years. Denman Avenue Baptist Church, where Brother Charles served as pastor, called a new youth pastor on staff. He was a fiery courageous guy from North Carolina. He hit the ground running. Eli Bernard is the man who shared Jesus with me in a football stadium where Jesus saved me. I've shared that story many times. What I have not shared nearly enough is the unsung hero of Doris Roberts tenaciously praying for a lost teenage boy she did not know. She could not know how the story would turn out. 

Jesus did save me through Eli's witness. I ended up in that church and I bet nobody rejoiced more in that room than Doris Roberts the day Brother Charles baptized me. It was the culmination of years of praying. A year and half later, I bet she rejoiced again when I walked forward on a Sunday morning to tell Brother Charles and the whole church God called me to preach. That was 42 years ago. 

God gave Doris the assignment to pray for a sullen, insecure, wounded, and lost teenage boy. She accepted that assignment and took it seriously. God had a plan neither of us knew at the time. By faith she believed that I would get saved one day. I bet she never thought I would preach God's word. She never considered the fact that God would call me to write multiple books and nearly 1,700 posts read by over 750,000 people. 

She is the unsung hero. She deserves to be recognized for her investment in my ministry. God used her powerfully in my life. I'm thankful for her and humbled by the love of God to go to such extremes to reveal salvation through His Son Jesus to me. Like Paul Harvey used to say, "Now you know the rest of the story."

God's Training Ground

 I think most people would agree that typical days are fairly routine and mundane. Life can fall into a predictable rhythm. When we are asked how our day went, the typical response is that it was good or it was fine. There are some days that are so memorable they stick in our minds. These are days when the events are unforgettable. Your day could have started off routine and one phone call could change everything. It could be positive news or negative. I prefer to focus on the positive. 

I imagine that shepherding sheep was not all that exciting for David. Most days must have been mundane. Leading sheep from meadow to meadow and to water is not that exciting. Perhaps David amused himself watching the lambs skip and jump playfully. There were the rare occasion when a lion or bear attacked the sheep and he had to defend them. Other than that it must have been boring. It was not a glamorous job. David had no idea those days of watching over the flock were training ground for a larger mission. 

David also entertained himself by playing the harp and singing songs. He was a gifted musician noted for his skill. On those long days and night David sang to the Lord. It might have seemed like wasted time, but it was training ground for the work God had in mind later in David's life. 

One ordinary day, God spoke to the prophet Samuel informing him that he was to anoint the next king. God instructed him to go to the house of Jesse and He would designate which son was to be the next king. Jesse brought seven sons before Samuel. God rejected all of them to be the king. David was the youngest and did not get an invite. David was summoned and God chose the shepherd boy to be the next king in Israel. It was a day David would never forget. He must have been surprised when Samuel took out the horn of oil and anointed him. 

Those days watching sheep were not wasted days. They were training days. Just like he cared for sheep and defended them, so would he care for a nation and defend them. God used the music he made to be included in a large portion of scripture called Psalms. David endured mundane days before God revealed His true purpose for the young shepherd. 

God does the same things in our lives. I don't know where you are and what you are doing that seems monotonous. Maybe it is getting through school like the young man I talked to earlier today. Maybe it is an entry level job. Perhaps you are dreaming of a career change. Maybe it is just enduring day after day. God can use where you are to train you for His purpose. He might be molding you into a leader. He could use volunteer work in a local church to prepare you for a larger assignment. We just don't know. 

I'm betting David did not wake up on the day recorded in I Sam 16:1-23 thinking to himself, "Today is the day I will be anointed the next king over Israel." That is the way God works at times. He shows up and surprises us with His plans. You may think that God could never call you to do anything for Him of significance. You may believe you have nothing to offer. You are a prime candidate for the kind of people God is looking for to match an assignment. He is not looking for the smartest or most talented. He is looking for people most others overlook like David so that He gets more glory. Read I Cor 1:26-31. You might be in your training ground today. Don't be surprised if God shows up on an ordinary day to do something extraordinary in your life. 

Don't Forget to Say Thank You

 Yesterday, First Southern blessed Brenda and I with multiple cards for pastor appreciation month. Those cards included blessings for us. Some included money while others included gift cards. They showered us with their love. They are a loving and generous flock. 

I spent most of the morning writing thank  you letters. Why? On the day I made my call to preach public to the Denman Avenue Baptist Church in Lufkin, TX, Brother Charles Roberts whispered some advice to me after most of the people came and shook my hand. He said, "Don't forget to say thank you when people bless you." I guess he knew that a preacher gets blessed a lot. Just a couple of weeks ago one of our church members bought our lunch on a Sunday after worship. We did not even know they were in the restaurant. That has happened numerous times. A couple in our church gave us a push lawn mower soon after we purchased our house. Another man did some repair work on one of our vehicles refusing to take payment for it. We had a blow out coming from Amarillo one day. Turns out that car did not even have a jack in it. I called one of our deacons for help. Another deacon rolled up and saw us stranded. I can't say for sure, but the following day some money showed up on my desk for the purchase of new tires. I think one of them blessed us. I could go on and on with the blessings. 

Brenda and I have tried to be faithful to say thank you. We try to send out thank you letters. We have done this for over three decades of ministry together. It is important. We do not take blessings for granted when we know the sacrifice people make for us. 

We certainly don't take the blessings from God for granted. They are too numerous to count. We cannot give Him enough thanks. I know in a little over two weeks we will be in the Thanksgiving Holiday season. Challenges will be issued to be thankful for something everyday. Preachers will preach on gratitude. I am thankful for the advice of Brother Charles telling me not to forget to say thank you. I am going to contact him now and thank him for such great advice. I hope you will take to this heart and not forget to say thank you to those around you. 

A God of Second Chances

 When our sons were little we had a rule. If you get in trouble at school, you get in trouble at home also. Our oldest son Taylor was in daycare. He was not older than five when he got in trouble at his daycare. When I picked him up, they told me about it. He and I rode home quietly. He broke the silence and asked a question etched in my mind. He grew up hearing me preach and heard us talk about God and forgiveness in the home. He could not remember the word forgive. Here is what he asked me. "Dad, will you give for me?" I did not understand what he meant. He explained himself and I deciphered that he was asking to be forgiven. 

We have all needed a second, third, fourth, and so forth chance with God. I started needing forgiveness when I decided my white bedroom wall looked like an art canvas to color in elementary. Mama came in and scolded me the first time. As soon as she left the room, I shut the door and locked it to continue my art. She finally convinced me to unlock the door. She gave me a spanking. When she left again, I locked the door again deciding I would not unlock it again. She eventually had to take the door knob off before I stopped. I used up a lot second chances in that one episode and have needed God's forgiveness more times than I can count since then. 

When people mess up, they live under condemnation and shame. They feel it from others and mistakenly feel it from God. Satan is the accuser of the brethren. He loves to heap shame and condemnation on people. To make them think they cannot ever be forgiven for their wrongdoings. He is a liar and what he plants in people's minds are lies. You don't believe me. Believe what God says.  Read Ps 103:3, Ps 103:10-12, Rom 5:8-9, Rom 8:1, and I John 1:9. All of those verses speak to the subject of forgiveness. 

We do not have to be defined by our mistakes. Abraham was a liar and yet he is listed in Heb 11:8-9 as a person with great faith. We can rewrite the script. Our past should be left in the past. We can't go back and undo poor choices and mistakes. We can only trust God for another chance and move forward. Some people have a hard time with this. They continually beat themselves up. They can't forgive themselves for offenses committed. If Holy God is willing to forgive and give us a second chance, shouldn't we learn to forgive ourselves and give us a second chance as well. 

I will long remember that incident with Taylor after daycare. I learned a lot from his little perspective. Continually I need God to "give for me" with a second chance. He is in that business. 

A Thousand Deaths

 Galatians 2:20 is a challenging verse. It refers to living the crucified life. It is a verse about dying to self so the Lord Jesus Christ can live through us. To live this kind of life means dying a thousand deaths. It means saying no when you would rather say yes to sin. It means dying to plans and agendas that may not align with God. 

Dying a thousand deaths will come in little things and big things. I have a deep conviction about watching movies with foul language. I get that conviction from Exodus 20:7 where we are commanded to not take the name of God in vain. Before going to see any movie at the theater my family knows I want to know if there is any offensive and profane words in it. There have been times I had to walk out of a movie theater. Recently, I had to walk out of a play several people from our church went to see together. Very early on in the play profanity was used I could not sit through. That is dying a thousand deaths. It would be easy to sit through it. To go along with everyone else. God would not let me do that. So, Brenda and I got up and left. 

Dying a thousand deaths might require staying up late or getting up early to pray. It might mean serving when you would prefer to be the one getting served. It might mean giving away prized possessions or much needed money. It could include doing what God wants you to do on a day off rather than getting to do what you want to do. It might include fasting when you prefer to feast. The crucified life is not one grandiose act of dying to self. It is the act of dying a little more every day. 

This is not popular Christian theology. This is about surrender, sacrifice, submission and maybe even suffering at times. It is about the continual act of denying self. It is about dying to our will and submitting to His will. Dying a thousand deaths it not easy. It is difficult when the selfish part of us resists and rebels. A truly effective life for God is a yielded life. The crucified life. It is painful to keep dying to self a little more and a little more. Until the day comes when you are so caught up in living for and pleasing God that it gets easier to die to self each day. To deny yourself the pleasure of a purchase in order to give your money away to someone else in need. The crucified life means that you are constantly available to God as a vessel. The crucified life means that you deny yourself the instant gratification of sin for the greater joy  found in seeking and serving God. May we all learn to die a thousand deaths. 

Did You Finish It

 God put us on this earth for a unique purpose. Yours is different than mine. He intentionally designed us  for His assignments. Many neglect those assignments and go out on their own doing what they want to do. They never take God's plan into consideration. Some just flounder through life. When you discover your purpose and live in it, I call that living in your sweet spot. What is your sweet spot? Mine is preaching and writing. I am most alive and contented when I get to do those two things. 

I don't know what your assignment is. Here is the focal point. One day God will hold accountable His followers, "Did you finish it?" Whatever it is for each of us. For stay at home moms, did you finish the task of raising your kids to love and honor God? For the business owner, did you lead your company with integrity and treat people your employees right? Were you a faithful steward of the money you made? For the coach, did you develop character in your players turning them from boys to young men? Did you coach for the higher goal of glorifying God rather than just wins and losses? For the doctor, did you treat your patients with kindness and compassion? For the factory worker, did you give good effort on the job and were you a team player? To the pastor, did you shepherd your flock faithfully? Did you finish the job or jobs God gave you to do in your lifetime?

Some people never even consider this. They hop from job to job. They get frustrated because they are in jobs God did not design them to do. It is never too late to discover your God ordained purpose. I talked with a man this weekend who did not get called to preach until he was 42. He had a successful job in the corporate world. He walked away from that to follow His purpose. He has only served one church as pastor and he is still there after 17 years. He is finishing the work God gave him to do. That does not mean that everyone will have a long tenure in one place they work. The point is are you finishing the work God gave you to do?

One day I will be gone. Should Jesus tarry, this church will have to find a new pastor. I'm closer to the end of life than the beginning. Part of finishing the work for me is to keep writing these articles. They will live long past my death. They are accessible around the world. One day I will write my last one. Who knows when that will be. When I put the last period on the last sentence I will have finished it. One day I will preach my last sermon. I don't know when and where that will be. When I complete the task of preaching it and my time comes, I would like to be able to say to the Lord, "I finished the assignment you gave me. I tried my best." 

I Tried

 Everyone of us will leave this earth one of two ways. Jesus could return and call us home through the rapture. The other option is we will die. Either way, we one day will have to face Jesus to give account for our lives. Those who trusted Jesus for salvation will enter heaven. Those who rejected Him will be condemned to hell. 

The group Mercy Me had a hit song several years ago, I Can Only Imagine, written by lead singer Bart Millard. What will we as Christians say to the Lord on that day? I heard the story of a much used preacher who contemplated that communication with the risen Lord. The given response was, "I tried. I did the best that I could."

Can we say the same? Can we tell the Lord that we tried? We did the best that we knew how. We tried to love Him the best that we could. We tried to serve Him the best way we knew how. We tried to point others to Him. We tried to obey His teachings. We tried to love others the way He does. We tried to believe Him even when life got hard and things did not make sense to us. 

I make a confession. I do not try hard at everything. A few years ago, Brenda and I were at a marriage retreat. They held a competition to see who could put a small jig saw puzzle together the fastest. It frustrated me. I cannot recall ever putting a jig saw puzzle together. Brenda worked at it patiently. I tried a few pieces and she kept telling me they were not the right fit. Finally, I just let her do it. I did not try as hard at that as I do riding my bike or lifting weights. 

I believe God deserves our best. Read Col 3:17. Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. We are to try our best as an act of worship to the Lord. Col 3:23 reminds us that we work for the Lord and not for men. Therefore, we should do our work heartily. We should put our heart and soul into whatever we do. In other words, to try our best. I am not suggesting that we not give our best work to other people. The point is the ultimate motivation should be that we try our best to honor God above all other motivations. 

Trying to serve and please God must become a top priority. There are some who offer the Lord second rate service and half hearted devotion. That is not honoring to Him. Your best may look differently than someone else giving their best. When we come to worship it should be our desire to sing to Him. Whether we are on key or off key is not the point. He wants our hearts engaged in exalting Him. He wants our focus in reading and studying scripture. None us will be perfect in attempts to worship and serve the Lord. We can try our best. 

Failure or Faithful

How do you define success? Is it defined by your job title and salary? Is it defined by the number of people who know and admire you? Is it defined by how many toys you accumulate, or the size of the house you live in? Maybe it is defined by the car you drive and the clothes you wear. 

Jesus measures success much differently than the world does. Some of the most successful people in His eyes you never hear about. They are not rich in material things but abounding in spiritual wealth. Some of the most successful people to Jesus endured suffering. His success metrics are different. Please allow me to introduce to you to one success story. 

Many people have heard about John the Baptist. He was a prophet. He prepared the way for the earthly ministry of Jesus. He pulled no punches. He called the religious leaders of the day a brood of vipers. He preached a message of repentance and crowds responded getting baptized by John. After Jesus came on the scene to begin his earthly ministry, we do not hear a lot about John. 

John was arrested in put in prison for calling out the sin of King Herod. Herod's wife hated John. She manipulated for John's beheading. You can read about that in Mark 6. Before his death, John heard about the things Jesus did. John faced a crisis of belief. He had doubts and sent someone to question whether Jesus was the Messiah. 

Jesus' response is curious and challenging. He said in Matt 11:5-6, The blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me. 

Jesus did not directly answer John about whether He was the Messiah. He just laid out what He did and left it up to John to believe. The phrase "blessed is he who does not take offense at Me," means blessed are the people who do not stumble or get tripped up over Jesus. Author, Gene Edwards, interprets that phrase as will you serve a God you do not understand? Will you remain faithful when you can't make sense of your circumstances? 

People could easily make a case that John the Baptist was not successful. He dressed funny dressed in camel's hair and ate weird food like locusts and honey. He had a short ministry. At the height of his popularity, He took a backseat to Jesus. He got arrested and had his head cut off. That does not look like much of a success story. Not until you consider what Jesus said about him. In Matt 11:11 Jesus commented on John, "Truly I say to you among those born of women there has not arisen anyone Greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than him." 

Jesus viewed John's faithfulness to the assignment God the Father gave him as success. John preached boldly. He called people to repentance. He fearlessly called out sin. He did not get swayed by political correctness or popular opinion. Jesus saw that faithfulness to the mission was success. Fancy titles, large salaries, and luxury living do not always equate to success in the Lord's eyes. There are Jesus followers who labor in thankless jobs in obscure places, but they are faithful. They do their work as unto the Lord and not unto men. Col 3:23. They are not failures to Him. Faithfulness matters to the Lord Jesus Christ. He sees the work you do. He notices the night watches, the attention to detail, the long labors, and the lack of fanfare for what you do. Others may view you as a failure. The Lord views you as faithful and a success. That will all be sorted out in eternity for believers. 

Let me encourage you to keep pressing on. Take to heart the truth of Galatians 6:9. There will be reward for your faithfulness if you do not lose heart. You are not a failure. You are faithful and great in His eyes. Not a failure, but rather a faithful servant. One day you will hear Him say, "Well done good and faithful servant." 

Keep Your Vows

 Have you ever made a vow to the Lord? Perhaps you were in a crisis and you made a vow that if God would help you out of your distress, then you would do whatever he asked of you. Many do this and do not hold up their end of the vow. What is a vow? It is a solemn promise, a pledge of personal commitment made to another person or to God. 

There are wedding vows. I remember standing at the FBC of Hurst, TX and repeating vows to Brenda to love her and commit to an exclusive marriage relationship with only her. That was a grand day. 35 years later we still honor those vows made back on June 29, 1991. Military people take a vow or an oath to defend the country against foreign enemies as well as domestic enemies. Other vows are made to God. 

I have made two vows to God I try to keep. One is to not go in debt on vehicles ever again. The second vow is the overarching vow that covers my life. I made it at a youth camp I was preaching in Glenrose, TX. The vow is based off of Matthew 16:24. Jesus challenges His followers in that verse to deny self, take up the cross, and follow Him. Here is my vow. "I will go to do anything, anywhere, at anytime God calls me to." Believe me when I say He has called me on that vow numerous times. At times it meant giving away money and once a vehicle. Other times it required moving to a new assignment at a new church. Several times keeping that vow meant meant sacrifice. I was serious when I made the vow two and a half decades ago. I am just as serious about keeping it today. 

Why am I so serious about my vow? It is because of Ecclesiastes 5:4-5. When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you owe! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. 

God take vows seriously. Much more seriously than many people who make them. We are held accountable for the things we vow to God. He expects us to keep our promise. He expects us to follow through on what we pledge to do. In keeping that vow, I accepted the role as a football coach, an Athletic Director, to teach the Bible in a drug and alcohol detox center, to write books, to spend lots of time alone in prayer, to say no to good opportunities and to say yes to challenging ones. My vow requires a life of surrender. God never has to ask permission to help Himself to my life and assign me a mission. Isn't that the point of Matthew 16:24? It seems to me that we are all called to live that way. 

Be careful what you vow. It would be better not to pledge to God you will do something and not fulfill the vow. We should be more reflective and sober minded in what we promise God we'll do. I wonder how many sitting in worship services are stagnant in their walk with God because they did not honor their promise to Him. Brenda's dad did that. He was called into a Rio Grande River missions ministry. He said he would do it, but got scared and backed out. His life spiraled out of control afterwards sinking into alcoholism and other sinful behavior. He eventually abandoned Brenda's mom while she was pregnant with her youngest daughter. He barely kept contact with them eventually remarrying and having multiple other children. He died in a house fire about 15 years ago. How his life and my wife's life would have been different if Raul Ortiz had kept his vow. I hope we will not make the same mistake.

Wounded Warriors

 From time to time you see wounded warriors. They faced disfigurement or amputation of limbs because of their military service. What is not visible on the outside is the PTSD many suffer daily. War is hard and there are many casualties. 

That is not what I have on my mind today. I sat at lunch yesterday with a group of pastors. In the beginning the talk was superficial. I did not know those other pastors well. I listened a lot. The talk took a dramatic turn at some point. The talk got real. Some deep wounds and burdens were shared. I don't know why, but I got to pray for these other men individually at different times. It was a privilege. I felt their pain. God moved me with compassion for these other wounded soldiers few notice. 

Pastors are expected to have their acts together. Pastors suffer too. They get wounded. Sometimes they give themselves away when they have nothing left to give. They suffer silently because many of them have no one to talk to about their problems. I'm thankful for a great wife who listens and for a band of brothers I lean on heavily in tough times. 

Pastors listen to other's problems. Few take the time to listen to them. Pastors get attacked by people and demonic forces. I wonder if they feel like they are battling alone. Pastors are the object of gossip. People spread lies without confirming the facts. Many times pastors remain silent and do not defend themselves. Sometimes others come to their defense. Pastors struggle with sin like everybody else. They feel the pressure to present a good public image, even if they know the truth is something altogether different. 

Pastors preach their guts out weekly. They do not always see people respond publicly. Many pastors feel like failures. The churches they serve are not growing and the finances are often inadequate. Like I said earlier, they are wounded warriors. They carry heavy loads. They deal with everything from triumphs in life to tragedies. They officiate weddings and funerals. They listen to others who suffer. They pray for their parishioners. They face the weekly pressure of needing to get the next sermon together. Sometimes they get wounded along the way like the two brothers I ate with yesterday. Your pastor needs your prayers and encouragement. You just might be a healing balm for them. 

What Does Repentance Look Like

 There is a story nestled in the fifteenth chapter of I Samuel where King Saul blatantly disobeyed God. He only partially obeyed the command of God. Saul justified his sin by saying he did obey God. He only partially obeyed. God's command was specific to utterly destroy the Amalekites. Saul spared King Agag and the best of the livestock. Partial obedience is also partial disobedience. 

The prophet Samuel called Saul out on his sin. At first, Saul argued. Samuel hit hard with the truth that he heard cattle and sheep still alive. A fact for which there was no disputing. Saul made excuses that it was the people's fault. He even said he feared the people and therefore compromised. Samuel spoke like a prophet. He reminded Saul that God values obedience over religious rituals. 

Saul acknowledged that he sinned. It appeared he was repentant until you come to verse 30. Saul begged Samuel to come back with him before the elders and the people so Samuel could honor him in front of the crowd. Does that look like repentance? It looks like a sham and a show. The word honor means to put weight on and to glorify. When I use the phrase to put weight on that does not have to do with becoming obese. In the Old Testament, the worth of something was valued based on the weight. In essence, Saul wanted Samuel to impress the worth of Saul on the people. Saul wanted to be glorified in front of everyone. 

Repentance looks like brokenness. Repentance often includes tears. Repentance means coming clean before God and not putting on a show. Repentance requires contrition not honor. David understood repentance in Psalm 51. This is what he wrote after committing the sin of adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband murdered. You feel the humility, the sincerity, the sorrow over sin. I don't see that with Saul. His actions do not look like repentance to me. 

There is a difference in repentance and being sorry. Repentance includes sorrow but goes further. It involves a changing of the mind and a changing of behavior. Some people are only sorry about their sin because they got caught. Some may feel bad about their sin and ask forgiveness, but they have no intention of changing their behavior. 

Let's be honest. Hypocrisy exists in churches. Unrepentant people sit in pews and chairs on Sunday mornings. Isn't it time we get serious about our sin? God sure takes it seriously. He is willing to forgive. Read Ps 103:12 and I John 1:9. He is much more willing to forgive than people are willing to genuinely repent. I have seen genuine repentance. It can be uncomfortable to watch. Broken people bawling, grieving, and prayerfully pleading for God to forgive and restore. The end result of such repentance is beautiful. You don't see much of that in churches today. I wish we did. 

Grieved

 Father my heavy heart is crushed with grief, 

For sins I see in others and myself without relief, 

I see my failures and other's flaws abounding, 

Experiencing Your grace needed - still astounding, 

Our adversary is crafty and evil filled with deceit, 

Tempting, trapping, ensnaring continually on repeat, 

There is a better way - a path leading to salvation, 

A path of praise filled in joyous glorious exultation,

A path where our grief is exchanged for adoration, 

In God exalting worship and unbridled celebration,

Satan searches and targets soldiers each defeated, 

Wounded in the battle victories no more completed, 

Deliverance and healing needed further on ahead, 

Instead of surrender needing perseverance instead, 

Leaning everlastingly on our most holy Savior, 

Who alone has the power to change our behavior. 

Embrace the Grind

 Most people want to be successful. People like to win. Many of those same people do not embrace the grind of what it takes to succeed. Business people find short cuts, compromise convictions, and use people to climb to the top. Some sleep their way to the top trading sexual favors for promotions. Athletes don't always practice hard, but think they can just play hard during games and succeed. They don't understand the grind of working out to improve performance. 

The grind is the day to day mundane things you have to do in order improve. Swimmers have to swim. Sales people have to find new customers. Students have to study. Authors have to keep typing one word, one sentence, one paragraph, and one chapter at a time. Most of those things are not pleasant. It the grind of another shift at work. It is another early morning workout to improve your health when you preferred to stay in bed. It saying no to a short term pleasurable purchase in order to save for a better purchase down the road. It is the grind of cranking out another assignment toward earning that degree. It is the devotional disciplines you do in order to have a vital walk with God. 

The grind is often hard. It is tediously boring at times. The grind is gritting your way through hard stuff in order to arrive at a more preferrable future. Many people say they want to be close to God. Many say they want to know God. That takes time through the grind of things you hear in church all the time. Bible reading. Bible study. Prayer. Scripture meditation. Nobody sees when I get up to pray or read my Bible. Nobody sees when I enter the secret place to intercede. Nobody notices the journal entries I jot down. It is all part of the grind of trying to get to know God. 

When you learn to embrace the grind, you don't mind it so much. I embrace the grind of riding a Peloton. I don't have people in the room cheering me on. Nor do I have a coach. It is the bike, me, and the competitors I ride against at the time listed on the screen. I only see their progress and where each of us ranks during that ride. It is a grind to pedal. To bead up in sweat leaving puddles beneath the handlebars. It is a grind to endure a soar bottom from the seat. It is a grind, but I know it helps my health. That is why I embrace it. I know the benefits. If we could focus on the benefits of the grind more than the effort, boredom, or dislike of the process, it could be more tolerable. Maybe even enjoyed as well as embraced. 

I don't know what your grind is. One of mine is writing these articles. This will make number 1,665 over the past several years. I rarely get feedback if these help anyone. I refuse to let advertisements on here to profit financially. I write because that is what God called me to do. There are days when the inspiration flows freely. There are seasons where I hit writer's block and can't find inspiration anywhere. In those days, I still try to grind. I set a goal of the number of posts I wanted to write in 2026 back in early January. It is now October 2nd. The newness of the year has long ago worn off. It is a grind to stay focused on the goal. During the late spring and summer that goal seemed far out of reach. I renewed the grind and just keep writing. If I embrace the grind, I just might surpass that goal after all. I hope you will embrace your grind as well. 

Targeted

Most people cannot recall much from October of 2002. A reign of terror covered a part of the country. Two men rigged up a Chevy Caprice Classic so that the trunk could be accessed from inside the car. A hole was drilled near the license plate where a gun muzzle was shoved through. People were randomly targeted in parking lots and gas stations where they were shot. 

It was the leading story of the time. Police were baffled and stymied in their investigations. John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo eventually were captured at a road side park. Not before they killed 10 people. Both were arrested and in 2009 Muhammad was executed by lethal injection. Malvo, who was a minor of 17 at the time of the shootings, is still incarcerated. 

Satan hates God and the things of God. He opposes God at every turn. Not that he is more powerful than God. The Devil's days are numbered. Until then he does a lot of damage. He targets both Christians and non-Christians. He deceives, tempts, ensnares, and destroys millions. High on his list of targets are influential Christian people. It was just a little over a year ago when Charlie Kirk was assassinated at one of his rallies. So was Martin Luther King Jr. Satan does not always have people killed. There are other ways to destroy people. 

Have you heard of scandalous behavior by high profile Christian leaders. I am deeply saddened to have learned of the moral failures of some of my spiritual heroes. Some got caught in dishonest financial schemes. Others had sexual misconduct allegations charged against them. In recent years, famous people have been taken down out of ministry due to sinful choices. Wicked evil forces are at work behind the scenes. 

I read the story of a pastor who flew to a preaching engagement. Seated next to him was an attractive woman. He struck up a conversation with her attempting to share Jesus with her. Turned out she was a witch. During their conversation she commented about how witches had banded together to cast curses on several pastors they wanted to take down. She showed him the list. He was shocked to see that many of those on the list were no longer in ministry due to some scandal. 

Preachers live with a target on their backs. Demonic forces are at work all over the world to take out pastors. I heard the story recently of a pastor who was arrested for beating up his wife. Behind the pulpit he seemed to be a man of God. Behind closed doors he was an abusive bully. I can tell you about another pastor who used church money to take elaborate vacations using the pretense that he was taking mission trips. There are too many stories to recount of pastors committing adultery. I was recently told of one pastor who divorced his wife and married the lady he committed adultery with. The shocker is that he is till the pastor of that same church. 

It would be easy to lump all of these fallen into one category as cheats, adulterers, liars, and so forth. I believe that among the many pastors that have fallen there are some who truly loved God, but got caught into the bondage of sin they could not free themselves. When temptation came, they said yes when they should have said no. Before they knew it, they were caught in the jagged iron claws of a bear trap of sin. They felt shame and yet continued in the sinful behavior. Satan truly stole, killed and destroyed many of them. John 10:10

We dare not say that could never happen to me. The Devil is crafty. He deceived Adam and Eve in the garden and has been doing the same things for centuries. Many have fallen who loved God. Take King David for example and his son Solomon. Every time another falls it harms the church. Just look at what sex abuse scandals did to the Catholic church and to the Southern Baptist Convention. We must keep watch. Parishioners must prayerfully keep watch over their ministers. Those ministers are targeted. None of us wants to see another fall. Pray a hedge of protection around them and their families. Pray for your local church. Our adversary is on the prowl looking for who he might devour. I Peter 5:8 

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.