Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Post Memorial Day

Yesterday was a day in which we were given the opportunity to recognize and remember the wonderful men and women who have served our nation in the Armed Forces.  We were given the privilege to recognize and remember the true sacrifice that these individuals as well as their families have made so that we could enjoy our freedom.  I realize how blessed that I am as I stand to declare the Word of God in the midst of a nation that still honors the privilege of the freedom of speech.  I am truly grateful for those men and women who have been deployed to war zones around this world so that freedom could be protected and defended.  I am grateful for those men and women who place their lives in harms way even as I am writing these words on this Tuesday morning.  We must NEVER FORGET these brave heroes who offer their service so that we could enjoy the opportunities of being an American.

My Dad is a WWII veteran.  He served in the infantry during the European theatre and fought in some of the major battles toward the end of the European campaign.  He is 85 years old at this present time yet his patriotism is still as strong as it was during the days of his youth.  I want to offer a kind reminder to each of us.  We must make the honoring of our military to be more than just a "holiday" event in our lives.  Take the opportunity to thank these soldiers any time that you encounter them.  Do not wait until the next Memorial Day in May to offer some kind words to these men and women and do no wait until next Memorial Day to express your patriotism.  We must express our thankfulness to our military forces and we must express our thanks to God for the blessing and privilege to live in America.  I realize that we are facing all types of problems and circumstances in our nation yet we still live in the greatest nation in the world.  We are given the opportunity to express our thanks to God for this privilege through our service to our fellow man.  Look for an opportunity to serve others and you will find your life enriched through this act of kindness.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Thankfulness

I want to begin this morning by offering thanks and praise to God for His protection last night during the storms that moved through our area.  Some of the surrounding communities received damage but our immediate community was spared any damage or destruction.  Our prayers have been with the victims of the tornadoes that have been very destructive in the Midwest over the past few days.  I feel that I need to share my heart regarding some words and phrases that I have heard or read over the past few weeks.  We have heard talk of the "judgment of God", "the wrath of God", "the vengeance of God", or even "the fury of God" being revealed and released in the storms that have stricken the Southeast and Midwest over the past several weeks.  Many of these phrases have been used in connection with the need for America to "repent" and turn our hearts back to God.  I truly believe that America is in need of a great awakening which will lead to a revival or turn around in our attitudes toward God and toward our fellow man.  But I also believe that we need to be careful and not place the full weight of guilt and sin upon the backs of those people who lost their lives, their possessions, or family members to the destruction of these storms.  Each one of us have plenty of room to draw closer to God and each of us have "weights and sins" that need to be laid aside in our race of life.  I do believe that God does speak to us in the midst of difficulties and I believe He does speak to us through the fury of nature and other national disasters that take place in the course of human history.  History books have recorded great outpourings of the Holy Spirit in the midst of very trying circumstances.  We do not need to miss those moments of opportunity to recognize the voice of our Father calling us into His presence for comfort, reassurance, and in some cases repentance.

Here is a thought that I believe the Holy Spirit placed in my heart this morning.  We have seen and heard the videos of people who were caught in the terrible throes of these storms.  Many of them can be heard praying and crying out to God for mercy and help.  I am sure that if I had been in that same position some of those same words would have been heard coming from my mouth.  I am a firm believer that the Word of God teaches us to cry out to God in times of trouble and challenge. What if we prayed just as fervent and serious in the times of blessing as we do in the times of challenge?  What if we offered God praise in direct proportion to the times that we seek His assistance?  What if we honored God in the time of plenty as well as in the times of lack?  What if we looked to God as the Answer for all of the ills of life and not just the moments that we are in need of rescue?  I am not just making reference to these terrified people who were caught in the midst of theses devastating and destructive tornadoes; no, I am referring to all of us who are alive at this very moment.  Don't you think that God is talking to all of us and not just to a segment of our nation?  A great sadness has swept our nation; a great outpouring of concern and assistance has swept our nation; and a great desire to pray for these victims and survivors has swept our nation.  But will we allow the Holy Spirit to grip our hearts and draw us near to Him so that we can see the salvation of our family and friends?  Each of us need to answer that question and each of us need to respond to the Holy Spirit in obedience and surrender.  I for one choose to make the appropriate response to God to the best of my ability.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Weekend Reflection

Thank God for whom all blessings flow!  This was a wonderful weekend as we were able once again to experience the rich blessings from God.  Friday was an unique day in the history of New River Worship Center.  New River is the church plant of which I am serving as lead Pastor.  We were privileged to sign the closing paperwork on a building and piece of property which will serve as our new Worship and Outreach Center.  This building provides much needed room for us to be able to expand the ministry call that God placed upon our hearts many months ago.  It is a dream come true for this infant congregation but we truly believe that God is leading us in this direction.  The building will require remodeling so that it can become the center that we need to reach the community that surrounds us.  God has blessed the local church body in many ways over the past year and half.  We have outgrown the present building and we are in great need of room to expand the ministry outreach.  Many of you may feel led to send us an offering to assist the process of construction or you may feel led to volunteer your time and abilities to the project once we begin.  Feel free to contact me via my email address if you need further information concerning either of these opportunities of assistance.  I will remind you that we are recognized as a 501C3 corporation by the Internal Revenue Service.

The presence of the Lord was awesome in the service on Sunday morning as the Church Board reported to the congregation concerning the closing on the property.  We had been in this process for over 5 months as we worked with the bank and sought God for direction.  We identified the miraculous as the bank was willing to lend this infant church an adequate amount of money to purchase the property.  Financial institutions just do not make those type of decisions but God provided the favor and appraisal that we needed to see the project come to fruition.  The song declares; "You (God) deserves the highest praise..."  Yes, our God deserves our highest praise each and every day that we are on this earth.  I desire to offer to God more than just my words, I desire to offer my life to God in the form of a living sacrifice.  I desire to serve God to the best of my ability.

But the greatest blessing of Sunday was not the information about the building.  The greatest blessing was the presence of the Holy Spirit as we worshipped God with passion, fervor, and strong desire.  We lifted our voices and hearts to the Lord God Almighty and allowed Him to speak direction to our local body.  We need to be walking correctly in this time in which we live.  We must be committed to the "Father's Business".  These were the words that Jesus used to teach us that He came to "seek and save the lost."  The Spirit led us into a strong presence of conviction and humbling ourselves at the conclusion of the sermon. The presence of the Lord was still in the building even after we dismissed the congregation.  A lady came forward and gave her life to Christ.  Here is the interesting part of that story; we have seen the mother give her life to Christ, we have seen the daughter give her life to Christ, and we have seen the granddaughter give her life to Christ in Youth Ministry.  Three generations out of the same family have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ.  It may take a building to house people but it will take the heart of God to reach people with this message of salvation.  Take a moment today and ask God to reveal His heart to you for fallen mankind.  And then ask Him, "What would you have ME to do to reach someone with your life changing love?"

Friday, May 20, 2011

Judgment Day

Many of us have heard about the group of people who believe that tomorrow will begin a sixth month process of the end of the world.  Many pundits, talk show hosts, radio commentators, as well as ministry leaders have expressed their opinions regarding this issue.  Some of these opinions have both been positive as well as negative.  The purpose of this post is not meant to express my personal opinion on this issue but to express a warning that I believe the Spirit put in my heart yesterday. 

First, I believe that the people of God must live in a daily preparation for the return of Christ whether this return is a collective one for the church or a personal one through death.  We must also live out a daily commitment to the sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The responsibility of the church is to make sure that every inhabitant of this world has the opportunity to receive Christ as their personal Savior.  These two mandates must not get lost in the "fog of debate" concerning the validity of the view of the group which believes that Judgment Day will begin on Saturday, May 21st.

Second, we must not allow the debate concerning the validity of this belief to lose sight of the Biblical promise that Christ will return and take His people to be with Him for ever.  I still believe in the promise of the Rapture.  The Word of God still declares that Christ went away and that He will return again for those who are looking for Him to return.  The Bible still declares that there will be a terrible day in which the Judgments of God will be poured out on this world.  We must not allow these declarations of scripture to become obscured and lost in all of the confusion, derision, and speculation regarding the activities that are supposed to take place on Saturday.  We are still given the mandate to live with the understanding and knowledge that these events will take place and we need to make our lives count for Christ and His Kingdom.

Finally, let us live in the Hope that Christ is at work at this moment in our lives.  I must cherish the gift of life that God has given to me and recognize the gift of life that God has placed in my fellow human beings.  These recognitions allow me to live with the desire to fulfill the purpose and plan that God has for my life.  These recognitions help me to position myself to live for the good of mankind and not for the destruction of mankind.  These recognitions allow me to live with thanksgiving and praise flowing from my heart on a daily basis.  Regardless of what takes place on Saturday, May 21st let us live with the assurance that Christ is real and alive and that He still reigns in the affairs of mankind!  

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Quick Thought

Throughout this day God has reminded me of the strength and power that stands behind His promises. Our world is full of uncertainties. Each of us are facing our own unique set of uncertainties. Yet, we can trust in the certainty of God. We can trust in His declaration, "...I am the Lord thy God and I change not..." Remember that when things are unravelling in your life, God is still God. Remember that when situations in your life have turned your life upside down, God is still God. Remember that when the circumstances of life is breaking your heart, God is still God. Remember that when the disappointments of life have overwhelmed you, God is still God. Uncertain times afford us the opportunity to declare our unwavering faith in God!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Waiting on God

Psalm 38:15, "I wait for you, O Lord; you will answer, O Lord my God." (NIV) 

Each of us can identify the challenge we face as we wait on God to send an answer to us during our time of need.  We are susceptible to the feelings of fear, frustration, and even desperation as we wait patiently on God to work His plan on our behalf.  The patient waiting can be waiting in which we are learning to trust God with all of the circumstances of our life and not just a specific situation.  I will be the first one to admit that "patient waiting" is not one of my strongest characteristics.  I am a person of resolve and action.  I am a person that wants to take the "bull by the horns" and discover the solution to the problem.  I am a person that looks for answers in the quickest manner possible.  But I am learning that there is strength and courage that can be found in patiently waiting for God to fulfill His purpose and plan in all that I say and do.  I have not reached the full growth or maturity in this area of my life but I do feel that I am making progress one step of faith at a time.

Patient waiting does not mean that I stop praying; rather patient waiting means that I am trusting in the fact that God has my best interest on His heart as He continues to work in my life.  I am learning to allow the presence of God to refresh and nourish my life.  I am also learning that it is not my responsibility to make things happen; I must learn to wait to see what God is doing and then submit to His direction and guidance.  I am learning that God is working even when I am not able to discern or even recognize His visible presence at work.  These moments are moments in which I am learning about God but I am also learning about myself.  I use these moments to measure the growth and maturity of my faith.  I am not always satisfied with those measurements but I do understand that God is calling for patient faith that will trust Him regardless of what events that we are facing in our individual lives. 

Monday, May 16, 2011

Surgery Update

I am thankful for all of the prayers that were offered on my behalf concerning my surgery last week.  The Doctor felt that things went well and I now I am in the process of recovery which will require some intense therapy over the next several weeks.  I believe that I will be able to regain some more flexibility and mobility with my arm and hand.  It is your continued prayers that will support the therapy approach which will bring the healing that I seek.  I firmly believe that God is in charge of our lives and there is a reason that I have encountered this challenge in my life over the past 6 months.  God is faithful to His promises and He is always present even in times of challenge and trial.

I was able to share the Word of God this weekend at New River Worship Center.  I am very thankful for the physical strength and anointing that I sensed in my heart as I shared what God had placed on my heart.  As I finished the message I came to this understanding; there is a difference in the preaching of the Word of God and preaching from the heart of God.  The Word of God is always powerful and intense but there are moments in which we need to hear from the heart of God for that particular tine in our lives.  I believe that Sunday was one of those moments in which we needed to hear what was being spoken from the heart of God.  It is during those moments that we must focus our hearts on God so that we can hear what God is saying to us.  "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.."  Don't you believe that we need to take the time to listen to God?  Don't you believe that we need to take the time to put the Words of God into operation into our lives?  These are the days in which we are being compelled by the Spirit to examine our walk with Christ.  We must not grow cold or lax in our relationship with Christ.  The enemy of our soul is always interested in hindering our fellowship with Jesus Christ but we can conquer all of his tactics through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Prayer Request

Many of you have contacted me regarding my recovery from the fall that I received back in October of 2010.  I have not been able to recover the full use of my arm and hand and the Orthopedic Doctor finally referred to me a Specialist in Louisville.  They have scheduled me for surgery on Thursday, May the 12th.  The surgery will consist of three procedures which is intended to give me more movement in my arm and elbow.  Many of you have been praying for me and I certainly desire your continued prayer covering.  I will update you concerning the results of this surgery as well as the follow up therapy sessions.  I may not make any posts for the next few days due to my immediate recovery from the surgery.

This past weekend was wonderful as we celebrated Mother's Day at New River Worship Center.  Saturday found the men providing a meal for the ladies of the congregation and Sunday found us honoring the Mothers and Ladies with gifts, special honor and recognition.  The Lord began to deal with my heart concerning our need to recognize the value of all  humanity as I was preparing for the message for this past weekend.  The book of Proverbs reminds us that the price of a virtuous woman is "far above rubies."  We must rekindle the attitudes of respect, kindness, thoughtfulness, and sincere appreciation of humanity.  We have lost sight of the value of those people who are a daily part of our lives.  People have been devalued and demeaned in such a tragic manner but I believe that the Spirit is calling the church to lead the movement that will reverse this trend.  Will you be willing to participate in this movement?  Will you commit yourself to being a person that is committed to the affirmation of others?  Will you commit yourself to being a person that honor others more than you desire to be honored?  Walking in the true love of Christ and in sincere appreciation of others will open the doors of ministry opportunities for all of us.  We must be driven by the opportunity to minister encouragement to those individuals that God places in our lives. 

Friday, May 6, 2011

Happy Mother's Day

First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Mother a Happy Mother's Day.  I am truly blessed that my Mother is alive and still a influence in my life and the lives of my family.  I also take a moment to honor my wife's Mother who passed away over 37 years ago.  Ann's Mother was also a wonderful Mother as well as an anointed prayer intercessor.  Both Ann and myself have been blessed through the great love, prayer, and concern that our Mothers have demonstrated to us through the years of our lives.  We are grateful for the example that they have set for us as they shared their love with their husbands as well as their children.

I also want to wish my wife a Happy Mother's Day.  Ann has been a great influence and example to our children and now our grandchildren.  I am blessed that God brought Ann into my life.  She has proven to be a person of integrity and faithfulness not only to God but also to her family.  She has provided the love, encouragement, prayer covering, and example that our sons have needed and now she continues to share those characteristics with our grandchildren.  Our complete life as husband and wife has been involved in the ministry with most of these years being served in the Pastoral side of ministry.  Ann has been an example to the people that we have served and she has served as a mentor/teacher to many of these individuals over the years.  Time and space will not afford me the opportunity to truly share the great love and respect that I have for my Mother and for my wife.  Proverbs 31:10 declares the thoughts of my heart, "Who can find a virtuous woman?  for her price is far above rubies?" (KJV)  Each of these ladies as well as Ann's Mother are priceless and I am grateful that God placed me in their lives.

I encourage you to take the time to express to your Mother as well as your wife your sincere appreciation and love for them.  Hopefully it does not take the celebration of Mother's Day to cause you to recognize the important role that they have played and continue to play in your life.  But Mother's Day does afford us the opportunity to make a special effort in letting these individuals know our true feelings of love and respect.  Let us love, respect, appreciate, and recognize the important investment that these women have made in our lives. 

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Living by Faith

The words "living by faith" are on my mind this morning.  These words were contained in a song that I sang as a young Christian growing up in a church in Alabama.  If I remember correctly we sang words similar to these; "...I'm living by faith in Jesus above; trusting, confiding in His great love..."  I can remember that we sang this hymn often and with great fervor and determination.  I don't think that I fully understood the deep meaning of truth that was contained in these words until my relationship with Christ began to develop and I began to face those moments in which I was given the opportunity to trust God in spite of my circumstances.  Some of you who read this blog may not remember that song but you can certainly identify with facing difficult circumstances in your life.  The Apostle Paul shared these words with us in 2 Corinthians 5:7, "We live by faith, not by sight" (NIV).  Other translations of this passage use the words "walk by faith" but walk and live give us the understanding that we will face those moments when we must depend on our faith in Christ rather than those things that we are seeing with our eyes.

The miracles that we need are not always visible to the naked eye.  The miracles that we need may be hidden behind and beneath those things that we are facing at that particular moment.  But it is at that moment that our faith in Christ is able to see things that others can not see.  That type of faith causes a Mother to go to church and pray for the salvation of her husband.  That type of faith causes a Mother to go to church and pray for the salvation of her children and grandchildren.  That type of faith causes a Mother to go to church and express her belief in the promises of Jehovah Raphe, the Healer of our diseases.  Can you sense what it means to "live by faith" in the above mentioned moments of real life situations?  Living by faith allows us to recognize and witness the Glory of God as He reveals Himself to us during these challenging moments.  Rest assured that each of us will face some of those moments in which what we see appears to be greater than what we are able to believe.  Take note of this statement; We do not place our faith in a creed, or in a religious system, or even in our good works.  NO, we place our faith in the person, Jesus Christ, who is a personal Savior, Healer, and Provider that is involved in our daily lives.  Christ has made it possible for us to live by faith regardless of what may be in the path of our sight.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Birthday

Yesterday was my Mother's birthday.  Although my Mom and Dad are not computer savvy I wanted to use this means of communication to wish her a Happy Birthday.  My family is truly blessed because our parents are still very active in their home life as well as able to participate and contribute to the work of the local church which they attend.  I wanted to take a moment and offer praise to God for the influence that my Mother has made in my life as well as the lives of my family.  Many times we take for granted those influences and fail to express our thanksgiving to God.  On Sunday, May 8th, many families and churches will make a special effort to honor those Mothers who are living and remember those Mothers who have already passed on to their reward.  My wife will fall into the latter category; her Mother passed away at a very early age in 1974. 

Hopefully our nation's morals have not fallen so low that we depend on a "holiday event" to remind us of what the Bible teaches us regarding the treatment of our parents.  The Bible still teaches us to "honor thy Father and Mother..."  I must admit that I see this missing in the lives of many families.  It seems as though we have learned to accept many actions of individuals toward their parents that God would view as the breaking of one of the Ten Commandments.  The Ten Commandments are not mere suggestions rather they are principles that we should apply to our lives.  We have grown to accept dysfunctional as the normal practice of our society.  Children who fail to recognize their parents as a gift from God should take a moment and think of all of the orphans, those who have been neglected, and sadly those who have been abused and realize that life is not as bad as some people have to face on a daily basis.  We are truly blessed in so many ways.  I realize that parents are not perfect.  My parents are not "perfact" parents.  My wife and I are not "perfect" parents.  But my parents certainly have far more good characteristics than they do bad characteristics.  Parents make decisions that children do not understand until later in their life then they are able to understand the rationale of particular decisions.  I wish my Mother a Happy Birthday and Mothers Day.  I am truly thankful for all of the love and care that she has shared with me as a child and the love and care that she now shares with my family.  I am truly glad that God placed me in her care.

Monday, May 2, 2011

Weekend Review

This past weekend was very busy but was also very enjoyable.  I was given the wonderful opportunity to minister the Word of God to a group of ladies at a conference in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.  The theme of the Conference centered around the endless treasures that God has provided for His children.  Many of us only identify our "poverty" and we never fully grasp all the riches that the Heavenly Father has given to us through Jesus Christ.  We allow our value to be determined by the words of other people, we allow our value to be determined by the actions of other people, and we even allow our value to be determined by our own view of ourselves.  Each one of these attitudes can bring us down to a level of discouragement and defeat in regards to our relationship with Jesus Christ.  The only way that we can stop this process is by allowing the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to have full control of our lives.  Then and only then can we begin to reach our potential that God placed in us at our conception.  Do not let your life be defined by any outward circumstances.  We must remember to claim our identity as sons and daughters of God and walk in the authority of that relationship. 

I was given the opportunity to share in a wedding ceremony for two of the soldiers who attend the church plant in Radcliff, Kentucky.  These young people have a developing relationship with Jesus Christ and we are thankful that God has brought them through the doors of New River Worship Center.  They will be transferred to another base in several weeks but our thoughts and prayers will go with them.  I told you about this event in my schedule so that I could remind you about our need to cover our military forces and their families in prayer.  We are truly thankful for those men and women who place their lives in harms way so that we can enjoy the freedom of living in this great country of America.

I spoke to the church in Radcliff on Sunday about staying focused on the call that God placed in our heart as we began the church plant effort.  God was calling us to be a place of refuge for those people who had found their lives in disarray.  Churches need to understand that we are facing a society that is seeing turmoil in every aspect of their lives and they are needing to find a place of safety when they come into the presence of Christians.  Our walk with Christ must coincide and agree with our words.  Actions speak louder than words either in a positive or negative way.  Nehemiah would not leave the work that he was performing no matter how much the enemies of this task sought to interfere.  Each of us must stay committed to the cause of Christ and not allow the enemy to distract us from our course of action.