One Pastor's Perspective

THIS is the 1,200 post of my blog!!  At least, since we moved it off of the church website and onto blogger.com and then to WordPress (which I LOVE!!)  When I think about this blog and what it means to me, it’s quite therapeutic.  I write about things that are on my heart.  Sometimes it gets me in trouble.  I’ve occasionally had people come to me, offended by the words written.  And, then again, I’ve had some come to me in tears, telling me I wrote that “just for them.”

Rest assured that I write these things from MY HEART.  They are not the official views or opinions of Ebenezer Baptist Church, although I’d like to think they line up pretty close to those views 99% of the time.  With all of that written, here is something that might be useful in life:

I recently blogged about the value I place on trustworthiness.  I think most of us feel that way.  We want to surround ourselves with people we can trust.  Inversely, when someone proves to be untrustworthy over and over again, we tend to migrate our lives away from them.  Several months ago, I found myself in a personal conflict with a local business man.  He told me what I wanted to hear and I was content to continue doing business with him.  Then the truth came to light.  I tried to continue but it just didn’t work out.  When I find myself engaged with people I know I cannot trust (and they make no effort to rebuild that broken trust), it REALLY stresses me out.  Best thing I ever did in that situation was find a new place to do that business.  I am much happier now, and I am sure he is, too!

Walking away from situations like that, there are two lessons to be learned:

1.  Did you do EVERYTHING you possibly could to repair that relationship??

2.  Are YOU being transparent and trustworthy in the relationship, be it personal, business, church-related, or whatever??

None of us are perfect.  And we are all recipients of the Grace of God Almighty.  And we need to do everything we can to give that grace away in our lives, TOO!!  That convicts me and reminds me that no one is perfect, and neither am I.  Yes, I place a premium on trustworthiness and there is a point in time when a relationship moves beyond it.  But I must do everything I can to keep it from getting to that point.

And THAT, my friends, is post #1,200!

Monday … the only good thing I can say today is “I have my health!!”  But, then again, that’s a lot for which to be thankful.  All around us there are signs that remind us to be thankful for life, even on a crummy Monday (and one that is extra crummy because of a tough weekend).

Maybe this is what Paul was talking about when he wrote of finding God’s strength in suffering in 2 Corinthians 11 & 12.  When he thought about it, nothing he had to endure even compared with the cross of Christ.  So, maybe a Monday when I simply feel like I didn’t get enough sleep is NOT THE END OF THE WORLD!!  So, maybe this day ahead won’t be so tough after all??

Today will be what we make of it … and our attitudes will play a large role in deciding if it is tough or not!  Hope you have a great day!!!

That title has nothing to do with this blog entry, except for the fact it is my FAVORITE line from the movie “Airplane!”  (Not that I’m recommending any of you go watch Airplane, because if you are not into absolutely stupid guy humor, it’ll be a waste of your time …)

Fog … Condensation forming that is light and airy, and hanging in the air just enough to prevent good visibility.  This morning I was driving up McCown towards the church and when I got to Mark Phillips’ house, I couldn’t even SEE Genevieve Pettigrew’s mailbox.  Thick fog requires a knowledge of the road to drive in, a little luck, and a lot of faith.

Fog presents a great analogy on faith.  In New Orleans, there is a double-bridge called the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway.

(Facts about that bridge copied from Wikipedia:

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, or the Causeway, consists of two parallel bridges crossing Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana, United States. The longer of the two bridges is 23.83 miles (38.35 km) long. Since 1969 it was listed by Guinness World Records as the longest bridge over water in the world; in 2011 in response to the opening of the longer Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China, Guinness created two categories for bridges over water: continuous and aggregate lengths over water. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway then became the longest bridge over water (continuous) while Jiaozhou Bay Bridge the longest bridge over water (aggregate).

The bridges are supported by 9,500 concrete pilings. The two bridges feature bascule spans over the navigation channel 8 miles (13 km) south of the north shore. The southern terminus of the Causeway is in Metairie,Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. The northern terminus is at Mandeville, Louisiana.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Pontchartrain_Causeway

Thank you, Wikipedia, for making all of our lives greater.)

When fog sops these bridges in, the police force for these bridges (Yes, the Causeway has IT’S OWN POLICE DEPARTMENT) will stack cars two or three together and tell them to follow the police car in front.  The cars go across in a tight line, with speeds going as low as 20mph (depending on the thickness of the fog).  The key here is have faith in the person in front of you … DON’T LET THEIR LIGHTS GET OUT OF YOUR SIGHT.  The bridges are relatively straight, but you’d better follow carefully.  Great faith is required, because if the policeman doesn’t know where he is going and You are following his lights, if he goes over the side I guess you are next.  And then, the next guy.  And then, the next guy.  Not a fun thought.

Everyday presents opportunities to follow with faith.  Spiritually, Satan pumps the fog in all around us.  In front of us.  Behind us.  And the Holy Spirit is there.  He is always there.  Waiting to show us the way God wants us to navigate.  The only really “safe” way, even though it might lead through treacherous territory.  No matter how thick or dangerous it might seem, if we follow Him closely … if we TRUST HIM … we will make it safely to the other side.

So:  Which will you choose today, on this foggy day in Florence, SC???

Tommy Dowling always told me we need to focus on the POSITIVE.  Sometimes we focus too much on the negative … And I am here to tell you that, as pastor to this church, I DO see good things happening.  I DO see people building the Kingdom of God.  I DO see people being obedient and pursuing God’s will for their lives and pursuing it for His church.

God’s kingdom is alive and well and working at Ebenezer.  And I am thankful for it!!!

I’ve got this little brother in Christ who serves abroad … He told a story recently about his adventures on the mission field that really touched me.

You see, he is still learning a language and working hard at it, yet God uses him in mighty and awesome ways already.  He told a story about the Holy Spirit leading him to someone and how he and a friend shared the Good News with this guy … And, towards the end of the hour-long conversation, God spoke to him in the language he was learning.  (He ended this communique with a prayer request to help him learn the language more, so I see God’s sense of humor in the fact that he spoke to my bro in this language!!)  The words God shared with my friend meant “to wonder about …”  God was telling him that this guy was going to wonder about God more.  To give him a New Testament.

It just got me thinking today:  Here is this young man from the US in a foreign land … still picking up the language … and he is not only not ashamed to share, he is willing to do it in a language that he has not mastered.  No fear … no embarassment … just obedience.  And that is AWESOME!!

You’ll noticed I purposefully haven’t named him.  But God knows who he is.  And many of you might know him, too!!  But I gotta look out for my little bro’s safety.  But if you get a moment, pray for him today!!!

Courage is the stuff inside us that keeps us running towards those things that scare us in spite of the desire to turn and run the other way.  When the fray starts, we all desire to take cover.  It is natural for us to seek self-preservation.  But courage is what causes heroes to run INTO a fire when everyone else runs away.

Honestly, courage is what helps us function in situations that we SOOO do not want to be a part of … Like when we walk through difficult times with family and/or friends.  Life can take all of us down roads that are difficult when we will see some of those we love run for the hills, and some will walk with us no matter how tough.  Those that stay are the courageous ones.

Courage, and trust, and obedience keep us walking in the light of the Lord even though everything in our minds tells us to do things our way.  God has a much better plan for each of us than we could ever conceive.  When we let go, admit this, and follow Him, it takes great courage and faith.  And that is something we lack …

But today, your challenge is TAKE COURAGE.  FOLLOW HIM REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE WORLD TELLS YOU.  WHEN YOU KNOW HE IS LEADING YOU, JUST FOLLOW HIM.

TRUST HIM!!!

One of the great temptations that face each of us is a huge matter of pride … to build monuments to OURSELVES!!  It is a great temptation for every person, and church leaders / pastors are not immune from this trap.

We, as the New Testament church, have to constantly evaluate everything we do against God’s word.  EVERYTHING we do needs to point to Him … NOT to us!  If we are being honest with His word, we will build the kingdom and even build up others who are seeking to do the same.  Even if they are not part of our local church!

When we use our words to tear other people down and/or other churches, we are damaging the kingdom and not glorifying Him at all.  Yes, even if we think it is in the name of building our own church up.  Remember:  There are false prophets and even pseudo-churches out there.  There are counterfeits.  And the best thing we can do for the kingdom (and for the lost that are seeking Christ) is BE THE CHURCH GOD CALLED US TO BE.  And allow HIM to sort all of those things out.  He doesn’t need our help in this one!!  He just calls us to BE THE REAL THING.  Don’t allow yourself to be pulled down into the games people play!!

Pray that YOU, no matter what church you call home, will be an agent set on building His kingdom and not tearing it down.  And if we all do that, He WILL be glorified and His kingdom WILL grow stronger .. because HIS people are being obedient!!

“When we fail to forgive, we are merely placing ourselves in a prison of our own pain.  And the one we haven’t forgiven probably doesn’t even know it …”

That is roughly the quote I heard this weekend as we were away on our excellent adventure to Del Rio.  It’s true and it’s sad.  And it’s a matter of disobedience to God.

Jesus said if we forgive others, our Father will forgive us! And if we do NOT forgive, our Father will not forgive us! (Matt 6:14-15)   He told us not to judge and not to condemn.  To forgive, and we will be forgiven!  (Luke 6:37)

Do you think forgiveness is an issue of obedience??  Jesus is clear!  But it’s hard when we feel we’ve been wronged.  We’ve all felt this way.  And, honestly, we’ve all wronged someone else.  That is a fact of life.

So, the bottom line is this:  Are you going to obey God, or not??  You say, “It’s not that easy.  It’s more complicated than this.”  Jesus says, “Yes, so was the cross.”

What will YOU do with His words?

Jesus was a busy guy … Frequently on the move, teaching here and there, healing, wrestling with the Pharisees and Sadducees,  fighting the devil … Busy, busy, busy!!  At least, that was the opinion and viewpoint of the 12 disciples.  Their Blackberrys were CRAMMED with texts, appointments, and obligations.  And they saw their job to keep Him on track!!  (HA!)

In Matthew 19 we witness an interesting exchange …

¹³Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. ¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

All of these people were bringing their children for Jesus to bless … to spend time with them … to care about them.  “HOW DARE THEY!!  He is SOOO busy!!  (And, they didn’t even bother to clear this through Disciple Central or get it on the calendar!!)

Again, HA!  Jesus redirected all of it by reminding them:

1.  Children ARE IMPORTANT!!  (In their society, kids were little better than property)

2.  The Kingdom of Heaven BELONGS to such as these!!!

Jesus taught that we ALL need a child-like faith.  One that doesn’t assume our preconceived notions or thoughts on God OR on each other.  One that is able to trust … just trust … with no strings attached.  One that will just enjoy the time with Him without getting caught up in the pressures we put on ourselves.

So, here is your challenge:  DON’T OVER-THINK IT!!  TRUST GOD WITH YOUR ALL!!  BE MORE LIKE A KID!!

I double-dog dare you!