One Pastor's Perspective

If I asked God for His wisdom, would I accept it?  If I asked God to show me the things in my life that have become stumbling blocks (both to me and to others), would I have the strength to remove them?  If I asked God to show me the baggage from my past that prevents me from being everything He has called me to be, would I trust Him enough to put that baggage out of my life?

As we enter this Holy Week, we pause and think about all that the Crucifixion and the Resurrection means to US as followers of Christ.  As we come face to face with all of this, we must grapple with the above questions.  When we see more clearly Who He is, we realize more clearly who we are.

IF ….

October 4, 2015.  Another day that will live in infamy for the great state of South Carolina.  This was the day the Great Flood of 2015 hit us so hard, especially Columbia, Sumter, Charleston, the Grand Strand and many areas in the center of our state.  Florence didn’t escape unscathed:  I have many friends in and around our city who had flooding in houses and buildings.  As the storm slowly moves away from us, the task ahead to rebuild is daunting.  But we’ve been here before.  And sadly will probably be here again.

Yesterday, this storm wasn’t so impressive.  After living in New Orleans for three years, I had honestly seen worse flooding.  Hey, I have walked to class in worse.  But New Orleans is a different beast …  A city, built below sea level, with infrastructure to pump out massive amounts of water.  And believe me, New Orleans HAS to have that capability or it would be underwater after about two normal weeks in the summer.

Not so for cities in the center of our state.  Cities well above sea level.  Cities that haven’t seen flooding like this in 1,000 years (and I wonder who was here 1,000 years ago to record such, but that is another story for another day).  But again, soon the sun will shine, the winds will blow, and it will be time to disembark from this ark and rebuild.

And my thoughts are drawn to THE CHURCH.  To MY CHURCH.  To YOUR CHURCH.  Because, as sad and devastating as this event is, we now have an opportunity to impact the world around us.  And, Ebenezer, we won’t have to go far at all to find folks who need our help.  In fact, I have already been blessed to see Facebook posts from men and women in our church offering to help whomever has need.  THAT IS THE CHURCH BEING THE CHURCH.  God is happy about that!!  I am, too!!

I am praying for my state.  And I am praying for OUR CHURCH, the BODY OF CHRIST, that we will unite and seize this opportunity to make a difference in our world.  Join me???

Yesterday I delivered the second sermon (in a series of six) based on the Membership Covenant of Ebenezer Baptist Church.  You might say this is a “back to the basics” approach … What it means to be a member of Ebenezer (and basically ANY church) meets “Our world needs us to be THE CHURCH now more than ever.”  Yesterday’s entry was about giving ourselves up for God.  Allowing all that we are and all that we own to be disposed of by God in whatever manner He chooses.

Now, a confession:  I am NOT PERFECT.  I know … I know … SO many of you are disappointed to learn this now.  I mean, after all, if THE PASTOR isn’t perfect, WHO IN THE WORLD CAN BE???  (In all seriousness, there was only ONE perfect Man that ever lived.  And we crucified Him.)

I struggle.  Sometimes these sermons are mostly for me.  If the above news really does bother you, I am truly sorry.  But facts are facts.  Just like you, I am an imperfect vessel.  The difference between us and the world is this:  Jesus Christ can take our imperfections and use them in MIGHTY WAYS.  He can overcome our imperfections and prepares us to carry a PERFECT MESSAGE to a lost and hurting world.  We are imperfect … He is STILL PERFECT.  Always has been and always will be.  And He wants to use YOU and ME.

And when I think of these goals, these ideals He sets for me, I KNOW He can help me reach them.  If I will only rely on Him and trust Him totally.  And when I fail, I dust myself off and get back on the horse.  How about you??

I hope you have a great week.  And I hope you have many opportunities to serve His kingdom this week!!!

PRIDE …

I was talking this week with some friends and this truth came to light:  MANY, MANY of the problems we face in life can be traced back to PRIDE.  Our pride.  The pride of others.  PRIDE is often a culprit and major player in the problems of our world in the year 2015.

So …  How are you doing with PRIDE?

We try to justify pride.  Too many of us think we are the only one in the world with the answers.  I have caught myself thinking IF ONLY I COULD TAKE CONTROL … I COULD FIX ALL OF THIS.  When we foster that idea in our hearts, PRIDE stops us from listening to the opinions and viewpoints of others.  No matter how brilliant we might think ourselves to be, a different perspective will ALWAYS shed more light on a subject.

So … Now for the mind-blower.  I believe GOD is ONE GOD.  He is very real and He is not bound by time, space, dimension, or any other construct we can imagine.  He knows all of the thoughts and hearts of men and women.  He knows the very number of hairs on your head RIGHT NOW.  WHY NOT LISTEN TO HIM???

He encourages us to LOVE HIM WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE.  He encourages us to LOVE EACH OTHER SO MUCH WE WOULD GIVE UP OUR LIVES if need be.  He encourages us to WALK IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM and FIND HIS WILL FOR OUR LIVES.

I am not perfect … But I find that, the more I pursue His will for my life, the more my own pride has to take a back seat to Him AND to others.  My pride causes so many problems that it definitely needs to DECREASE as His presence INCREASES in my heart and life.  Others don’t need to see ME … They need to see HIM.

So … how are you doing with this?

The Shema … HEAR O ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE GOD!!!  Those words from Deuteronomy 6 taught the Children of Israel a truth about God that is irrefutable.  God is ONE.  God is GOD ALONE.  And our best response to that is to LOVE GOD WITH ALL OF OUR HEART, SOUL, MIND, BODY, STRENGTH.  With everything that we are, we should LOVE the Lord.

That idea is bantered about on many Sundays across our world as people gather to worship OUR GOD.  The One True God.  And we do Him a mis-service when we leave out the rest of that passage.  Deuteronomy reminds us that we should keep these words UPON OUR HEARTS.  We should think about these things all of the time.  Because God knows and nature has proved that whatever is on our hearts will be coming out in our lives.

We are called to impress these truths on our children.  NOT to force them into faith … Faith and belief must come from their hearts.  BUT we have a responsibility to teach them the truths about God that we have seen in our own lives.  If God means anything to you … If He has done ANYTHING in your life, you really should tell your children.  TELL THE WORLD!!!  They both need to know that God is real and He is active in the lives of His people.

We are told to tie these truths on our hands and foreheads.  Many devout Jews achieve this with the use of a device known as a phylactery … A small leather box containing scripture written on small pieces of paper.  If that works for you, DO IT.  I also like the thought that everything we do with our hands, and everything we do with our heads (with our minds) should be scriptural.  We should be LIVING by the Word of God.  If you do this, your children and those around you will know it.  You don’t have to be showy about it … The cream will always rise to the top.  They will see it if it is true of your life.

Write them on your doorposts and on your gates.  Build your homes on the foundation of the Word of God.  If you do this, God will walk every step of this life with you.  There are times when life will be tough and there are times when life will be a great celebration.  God will be with you in BOTH!!

He is always there.  He always cares.  Do you give Him His rightful place in your life?

In August, 1991, Diana and I took steps of faith that were FRIGHTENING and would change the courses of our lives. I walked away from a promising career in information technology to pursue a call from God. I did not know much back then (still don’t), but I knew God was calling me to serve Him in ministry.

One of the first ministers with which I served told me something I didn’t understand in those early days … Something that puzzled me, troubled me, and stuck with me for these 24 years. He said “If you can be happy doing ANYTHING else, do it.” With my ISTJ self, I wondered if he saw something in me that I didn’t see: Something lacking. Something unworthy. I wondered if I was exuding a vibe that said “THIS GUY DOES NOT BELONG HERE!!!”

I struggled with that.

Twenty-four years later, I know EXACTLY what he meant. I moved my family to New Orleans, and what a CULTURE SHOCK that was!!! We moved from there to Florence, SC, and twenty years later we are still here. I have survived tremendous heartache serving in a church. I have watched friends I dearly love move far away from me. I have buried friends and people I love … I’ve done that TOO many times. I have made people so angry with me their looks almost HAVE killed me. I have welcomed babies into this world, and watched them grow into wonderful adults. I have officiated weddings, and watched couples thrive in a world that asks them “What is the use of marriage?”

I certainly HAVE NOT seen it all. Every time I start to even think that, something happens to remind me I live and serve in an imperfect world. And with all of those things written, there is one thing … One reward that I receive over and over again that makes me so thankful for this journey to which God called me many years ago …

THE COOLEST THING is this: I get to pour into the lives of young ministers and help them!! God has put me in a place where I have young ministers all around me. Some from my “youth ministry” days… Some since those days … But there is NOTHING like watching these young men and women grow in Christ and pursue His will for their lives!!! Watching God unfold His plans for them, and watching them succeed!! Watching them figure out the KEY to success: OBEDIENCE!!!

I get this front-row seat to the greatest show in the universe!! GOD’S PLAN!!! And there is nothing like it. Yesterday I grabbed a cup of coffee with a college kid who is headed in this same direction. And there is nothing more rewarding than watching God grow people like that.

I have always felt a deep compassion and brotherhood with the Old Testament prophet, Jeremiah. Have you ever read his story? There were times in his life where he had to go and stand for God when no one else would. When he KNEW he would be ridiculed. When his life would be threatened. Against all forces, he would have to stand. And it was a lonely life for him.

I will admit, the lonely part does not apply. I am thankful for a great family, good friends who follow Christ with all of their hearts, and a great church. But there have been many times when I knew I had to say something that would draw anger and opposition. Things God clearly puts on my heart to say. This has happened several times in my 24 years of ministry. Being a Meyers-Briggs ISTJ, I DO NOT enjoy conflict. But I know deep in my heart I have to obey. No matter how much it hurts or how scary it might be.

Just like Jeremiah. There were times in his life where he thought God was his one and only Friend. For almost 20 years, I have tried to be the best Youth Pastor and then Pastor that I could be at Ebenezer Baptist Church. I have really tried to lead people to follow Him at all costs, because I know that is my calling. I KNOW that is what He wants me to do.

And I know, no matter what happens, He won’t leave me to waste away in a pit or in an Egyptian prison. And for that, I am thankful. But this Jeremiah thing … It is just not fun.

I wonder what you would do … If you passed by a burning building and KNEW there were children, or elderly people in there who could not get out if left to their own devices. If at all possible, I tell you I would. Life is too precious and I couldn’t live with myself if I just stood outside and listen to their screams.

What would YOU do??? (Take a moment and answer)

Okay, so most of us probably WOULD try to help them. We certainly wouldn’t stand by and watch them die without doing SOMETHING … RIGHT??? And, we CERTAINLY wouldn’t just post it to Facebook, or Tweet about it, or take time to call our friends and talk about it … RIGHT??

OKAY, then why is it when we have a friend … or a brother or sister in Christ … who is struggling with life and we seem to know certain details about that struggle, why in the WORLD would we just take time to talk to others about it … or post to social media about it … or just plain out gossip, many times about things we don’t really know about … WHY in the world would we do these things INSTEAD OF GOING TO THAT PERSON AND HELPING THEM???????? Why would we allow a brother or sister in Christ to potentially self-destruct without doing anything that could possibly help them?

And you read this and might be thinking: This doesn’t really happen. And, sadly, I can tell you with certainty that it does.

I think it was the Experiencing God study that first brought this idea into my mind … That God reveals Himself to us in at least four ways: Through Prayer, through His word (the Bible), through the Holy Spirit, and through the Body of Christ. I had never thought about it before, but Henry Blackaby hit the nail on the head with that thought!! As I have lived my life since then, I’ve become keenly aware of how God does this in each of those avenues of life. And all four of those avenues have become so important to me!!

Prayer is far more than we make of it. Years ago I read a book titled “Mighty, Prevailing Prayer” by Wesley Deuwel. That work really stretched me to realize prayer is far more than something I do around my quiet time or at meals. Prayer has really become this ongoing conversation I have with God. Sometimes when I drive, I have a spoken conversation with Him (and I am sure people who see me driving think I am a loon). And that is okay … I would never give up my times talking to God. But prayer is MORE than talking. There are definite times in this conversation where I have to be still and allow HIM to get a word in edgewise … When I fail to do that, my prayer is ineffective because it is a monologue of my thoughts. It is so important for prayer to be a true, two-way conversation. Some will say I am crazy for writing that. Let them say it!!

It would be so hard to write what I really believe about reading the Bible. About God’s word. It really is living, breathing, and sharper than a two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). One of the things I love about it is the fact that every time I read it, the possibility exists that God will reveal something completely new and different to me. That brings in the work of the Holy Spirit, helping me to see what God is saying to me in my current circumstance (whatever that may be). God’s word is full of strong examples of His character and His consistency as He deals with US, the pinnacle of His creation!!

That is not the only work the Holy Spirit does in this revelation … The Holy Spirit convicts me of my sin. The Holy Spirit directs me into places where God wants me to go. I wish I could say I follow Him without exception or mistake, but I do not. And the Holy Spirit helps me learn from my mistakes. He also intercedes for me at the throne of God in times when I don’t even know what to say … Or what to pray. WOW!!

The Body of Christ also plays a role in the revelation of God to His people. My brothers and sisters in Christ encourage me, urge me, give me feedback, affirm me and affirm the work of God around me. I see His hand in so many things my brothers and sisters say and do. The Body of Christ, when we are clicking on all cylinders, are a wonderful revelation of God to each other and to the world!!

All four of these work together. All four of these are so important. All four of these will lead us to those divine appointments God has for us everyday. Please see the value of all of these!! Please don’t miss your next appointment!!!!!