Faithfulness

I have yet to see the end of God’s Faithfulness. 

I have attempted, without success, to exhaust the faithfulness of God.  In my 42 years (43 this year) I have seen time and time again the endurance of God’s goodness to me and my family. I’ve doubted Him, complained to Him, complained about Him and He is still faithful. 

I read a verse that said “when we are without faith, He is still faithful” 

I’m beginning a series tomorrow at Covenant Life (I don’t preach many series’) on the faithfulness of God.

I’m considering putting these and others into a Dropbox and making them available for download. I believe they will be some of the most important messages I have preached. 

If interested please let me know. 

Ministry, church and other things

Pastors get tired.

What a way to start a blog huh? It’s true though, we become exhausted at times.

Pastors many times work second and third jobs, take care of family, work on the church property, worry about families/members in the church, pray, study for messages as well as personally, worry about church finances and personal finances…. We get tired.

Why would anyone choose a profession that usually has no retirement benefits, no overtime pay, has costumers that will name a street after you one week and run you out of town on that street the next?

Money? Fame? Recognition? These things are rare in ministry.

Growing up in a pastors home I decided at an early age I never wanted to do what my Dad did. People walk out when you drive up in a new/used car, when your vehicle is too nice/not nice enough, clothes are too nice/not nice enough on and on it goes.

Why pastor a church?

It’s because of the call. I was called to pastor at a young age and realized I needed to learn something about the profession. I began watching my Dad intently, how he prays, his love for people, his desire to see lives changed and all of a sudden people were no longer a frustration, they were a joy! I began to see that God uses ordinary lay-people to minister to Him just as much as the pastor!

When as pastors, our focus is inward, people are a frustration. If it’s all about us we will never be satisfied with their “performance”.
However, when our focus is on helping others reach their full potential all of a sudden they become a wonderful part of life. Our members/attendees become folk we can laugh,cry and rejoice with. There is a joy in serving people instead of complaining about them not serving us.

I think about my Dad often when I am ministering to an individual. His character has always been focused on meeting the needs of people. There were many times I encouraged him to go to greener pastures, bigger churches, more money etc…but he stayed. Now, I talk to people regularly who, had he left, would possibly never have met Jesus.

So you see, the reward truly is in service, in ministry, in loving. The long days and longer nights, the tears, the laughter they all lead to words I want to hear “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”

Until next time.

How do I vote?

With this years election looming closer with every sound bite I thought it necessary that I place my input into the arena.

This years election will likely boil down to the sitting President Obama and Mitt Romney. Of course there will be the usual lookey-loos that will vote for write-in’s, Gilligan, Daffy Duck etc…

We, as believers are in a true tight spot. I’ve said for many years “Vote the Bible” yet this year we will possibly not have this option. On the conservative side we have Mitt Romney, a Mormon. Mormonism is a religion based almost exclusively on good works, some tablets left to Joseph Smith (who was, by all intents and purposes a raging alcoholic) by an angel and a few books none of which use scripture as their basis.

On the liberal side is the sitting president Obama. A man who has repeatedly insisted that he is a Christian while supporting the Muslim brotherhood, speaking out for abortion rights and, most recently, expressed personal support for same sex marriage. These are not Christian beliefs and thus nullify any claim to Christianity.

So who do we vote for if we are voting the Bible? Neither candidate comes in line with scripture, at least, not in a manner that substantially separates one from the other.  It is truly the first time in modern history where one candidate has not appeared more “Christian” than the other.

In searching Scripture I find that we are left with no answers regarding two choices that are not in line with traditional Christian beliefs and doctrine.  What I have found though is this, if there is no obvious choice it means that God has a plan. You see, every time God’s people have had no way out, the plan of God began to be revealed. The Red Sea, the lions den, the fiery furnace and numerous others. God always showed up when there was no choice but to go through it.

This year, as believers, since we have no clear biblical choice, we must vote for the candidate that more clearly aligns with the teaching found in Scripture. Abortion, healthcare, poverty, homosexuality… These are all important social issues to be considered and they must be viewed in the light of Scripture. Which candidate more clearly aligns on the side of Scripture?

While there are numerous other topics and issues to be discussed and debated I do understand that according to Scripture the nation gets the leader they deserve. If we who are believers will return to a
life of prayer, fasting, giving, love for our neighbors and other biblical teachings we will find that our leaders reflect that same doctrine.

So who do we as believers vote for this year? Search Scripture, pray, fast, seek the mind of Christ and remember, when you’re in a tight spot, God has a plan.

Until next time

I love Easter eggs!!!

It’s true, I do love Easter eggs. I love watching the children in our church hunting them, counting them, painting them, even eating them. I don’t love that some inevitably get left behind and, if they’re real, begin to smell like, well, eggs.

I love Easter eggs because they are a work of art that a child, parent, thoughtful grandparent or guardian has poured time into to create.

I love Easter eggs because they are a reminder of childhood many years gone by. They present wonderful opportunities for pictures, stories and bragging rights for the one who collected the most.

I love Easter egg hunts and I’m proud.

I love Easter egg hunts for an entirely different reason as well.  I love Easter eggs because it means that it is the one day out of the year that many people celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, the one day out of the year that they attend church, the one day out of the year that I, along with preachers/pastors all over the world get to bring a real, living Jesus to a dying world.

Yes, the religious folk will say something to the effect “Easter egg hunts will send you straight to Hell” I like to think otherwise.

I prefer to think that because our church and so many others are having an Easter egg hunt we will have a few hours in which to preach Jesus, to tell of the wondrous love that He has for a world gone mad and see broken lives begin to be restored through the power of the Gospel.

I know that an Easter egg hunt in itself will not and cannot save one single soul, but I do know that because of an Easter egg hunt I’ll get to present the wonderful story of the resurrection of Jesus, see the convicting power of the Holy Spirit on the life of a parent or child, and offer a life worth living to someone who only came to church…because of an Easter egg.

The Resurrection

In contemplating the Resurrection this week I have learned that there is so much more to Easter than what we’ve ever imagined, or at least I’ve ever imagined.

God has really spoken to me these last few weeks regarding this Sunday, the day we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. In doing so my life and thinking about Easter will never be the same.

If I could post them all I would but, time constraints forbid. I’m saving it all for Sunday.

I invite all my friends on Facebook and followers on Twitter and even the haters (haha, I know you’re out there) to be my guest this Sunday morning for what will truly be the capstone of ministry at Parkside this year

515 S. Canton St in Mexia