It is Tough

One of the most difficult things Becky & I have had to do in 26 years of ministry is what we did Sunday. When we have poured 7 years of our life into people and we have to tell them we are leaving it is tough! But when God says I want you elsewhere it is right to follow God. Becky & I have resigned from 3 churches when God moved us. Yesterday was by far the hardest. If we could keep our composure it would help, but those who know us know that we cry often. Yesterday was one of those time. Even though we know without a shadow of doubt we are following God's will it is tough when we love the people and they love us. It has been a 7 year love affair and "breaking up it is hard to do". We told our beloved Southside people yesterday that we have accepted a call to a church in Oklahoma. We thank God for the opportunity and the challenge ahead.

Joy Came Thanksgiving

Becky & I spent part of Thanksgiving Day at First Baptist Church Enid, Oklahoma with our daughter Marquita and her husband Brian who serves as Pastor of Worship & Missions. They were involved with their family and the church family serving Thanksgiving dinner there in their Fellowship Hall. Their church served meals to anyone who came. Over 700 people were served. There were homeless and poor and some who just wanted to have a meal with someone because of loneliness. One of the things I did was to help Brian deliver meals to home bound and others. My heart was blessed as I saw the gratitude on the faces of those to whom we delivered meals. One lady gave us a thank you card and was so grateful for the meal and it being brought to her. Another joy came in being able to share Jesus with a man who Becky & I ate lunch with. Probably the greatest joy of all was seeing families working together to serve others. Everyone who came to help had a job. What a joy to see the elementary age children, high school and college students walk around serving hot roll and butter, preparing plates, picking up plates when people were finished eating, washing dishes and so much more. All seemed to have a bounce in their step and excitement in their voice. They knew they were ministering in Jesus name. It was a church family working together to serve others. I am thankful that I was a part of this kind of Thanksgiving day. That is what this great nation is all about- Serving others!!!

The Value of Scripture

The value, the importance of SCRIPTURE can never be over emphasized. First of all the greatest purpose of it is to show us how we can belong to God. Secondly, it shows us how to live. I feel so blessed to be able to be alive in a time when SCRIPTURE is so readily available. I hurt for those who lived in a time it was not available and they had to depend on others to tell them about how to live. The Bible gives me an answer for all difficulties I face, the joy that I celebrate, there are not enough words to describe what it means to me.

As I read I Timothy 3:14-17 this morning, I am reminded of the importance of SCRIPTURE and it causes me to value it even more. The transformation it has made and is continuing to make in my life is indescribable! I had lunch with a young man yesterday who said, "my wife & I were talking this morning that if God never did another thing for us the rest of our lives, I would feel blessed already". How true! SCRIPTURE brought him to that point. Can't end without writing our the SCRIPTURE I read this morning.

"But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, (15) and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. (16) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, (17) so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work".
II Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV)

I encourage you who read this blog to read and meditate on this SCRIPTURE and thank God for all SCRIPTURE!

Attitude of Gratitude

My Quiet Time today was from I John 4:1-3 which is about discerning God's voice, and I began to express thanks to Him for being able to hear him when He speaks. My thoughts drifted to Thanksgiving coming up next week. I expressed my gratitude to God for Him speaking through His Word, speaking silently to me and in other ways. We as believers have the privilege of praying to our Heavenly Father, hearing Him in prayer, hearing Him through His Word each minute of our lives so how grateful should be!!!

I desire that my life be characterized by gratitude. He tells me to have an appreciative attitude in my worship of Him in Psalm (95:2-7 & Col. 3:16); in giving (3 Cor. 9:12); in relationships
(Phil. 1:1-3) and so much more. Gratitude brings joy to our lives! In I Thess. 5:18, the Lord mandates our gratitude in all things. He know that gratitude affects our hearts and our hearts determine who we become.

A continuing attitude of gratitude keeps us aware of His presences, causes us to focus on Jesus, diminishes our pride, keeps us focused on the purposes of our lives, reminds us of our dependence on Him, replaces worry, depression & wrong attitudes with peace and joy! When we maintain an attitude of gratitude, no matter what come in our lives, we will find joy and peace!!!

You have heard of New Year's resolutions, well I challenge you to make a Thanksgiving resolution to have an attitude of gratitude from today on!

My Quiet Time Today

Many people encourage me often to write about my time alone with God so here goes! My Quiet Time this morning took me to Colossians 1:25-29. I knew that it had to be special because Co. 1:28 & 29 are my life verses. Thirty six years ago God showed me what my life was to be about. Later these verses became the definition of what I was to do and I love every moment of it. It was prior to vocational ministry 26 years ago and still is today. Until this morning I had never looked at it as a commissioning by God Himself. I see that for the first time. It is amazing how we can read Scripture over and over again although it never changes but yet speaks so plainly-- when we "get it". I finally got it today!!!

the Scripture reads: "I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-- 26 the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27 To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 29 To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me". (NIV)

I have never noticed that Paul said in verse 25, "I have become its servant by the commission God gave me..."I know that I was commissioned or called by God to do the things of verses 28 & 29

As a Believer, I as well as every Believer was commissions by Matt. 28:19-20. But I received a special commissioning by the Lord to proclaim Him, to admonish and teach people so that they may do as God says in being holy as he is holy. I am thankful for this,- as the Apostle Paul put it "commissioning". What a privilege it is to serve the Lord Jesus!!! Becky & I believe that the best days of serving the Lord Jesus is just ahead! We have the desire, the health, the energy and willingness to "keep on keeping on"!!! What an adventure the Christian life is!!!

God Speaks

Just in the last few weeks, God has spoken to me a number of times regarding things Becky & I have been praying about. Was it audibly? May have well been! It was just as plain! In my daily time alone with Him (Quiet Time) is usually where I hear Him most. Recently He spoke through Scripture to give me a promise for the future. As I shared it with Becky He later affirmed it to her. His promises from Scripture are there for us to claim and He always keeps them. The first of October God spoke to me through a guest in from Sunday morning worship whom I visited with. He didn't know he was God messenger , but I knew. I believe that He was sent by God at a time I need to hear a special word. I received that word later as I visited with him. I say all this to say the today as from the beginning of time God speaks to us and in different ways. but we must be listening for Him in order to hear Him. The purpose for writing this is to encourage those who read this and are seeking a word from God to listen closely each day and He will speak. How I don't know. What I do know is, that it comes most often from His Word, but at times it comes through Godly believers!

Veterans Day

We live in a time when so many people make little or no effort to appreciate VETERANS who have served or our military who are serving today! What a shame. I wonder if our public schools teach why we have VETERANS DAY. To many it is just a day off from work or school.

Just in case, VETERANS DAY is an annual American holiday honoring military veterans. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.)

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed an Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. The United States Congress passed a concurrent resolution seven years later on June 4, 1926, requesting the President issue another proclamation to observe November 11 with appropriate ceremonies. An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday; "a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as 'Armistice Day'."

I suppose not holding VETERNS DAY up as it was intended is lack of knowledge, lack of patriotism, lack of appreciation, taking our freedom for granted, not politically correct--who knows. Without VETERANS serving, we would certainly not be free to worship God as we do. You ask "are you a veteran"? No, I volunteered during Viet Nam, but due to asthma, I was rejected.( Makes me a reject I suppose). I have always wished I could have served in some way, but I couldn't and maybe that is why I have a deep gratitude for those who have and are serving to keep my Great Nation free. At a grave side I did two weeks ago, the man who had died was honored with a military ceremony. I stood there by the grave and tears ran down my cheeks as the ceremony took place. (Military cermonies always bring tears to my eyes and I hope it is out of gratitude) I took a moment to thank God for his service and the service of others present to keep our country free.

May God bless all VETERANS not just this Tuesday, but everyday. I urge everyone to thank a VET and those you know or see in uniform! Take a few minutes to praise God for VETERANS and for our freedom they have given us!