One Pastor's Perspective

It is 5:53am, and I am about to get into my car and go to the church. I really should just put a bed in my office for Thursdays like this . . . The fourth Thursday is my turn to cook prayer breakfast for the youth. The menu?? Chocolate chip pancakes and bacon. YUMMM!! (Well, the kids sure eat em up.)

Prayer breakfast is a great ministry. I remember years ago when we started it as a monthly thing. It has really evolved into something good. It is really neat for me to still be here at Ebenezer and see God working through the years on things that were once thought trivial! It just confirms to me that there are very few trivial things in the kingdom of God!! Everything has a purpose!

(Okay, maybe Diana and I are not elderly YET, but this is us)

Today’s funny from Mikey:

While on a road trip, an elderly couple stopped at a roadside restaurant for lunch. After finishing their meal, they left the restaurant and resumed their trip. When leaving, the elderly woman unknowingly left her glasses on the table and she didn’t miss them until they had been driving about twenty minutes.

By then, to add to the aggravation, they had to travel quite a distance before they could find a place to turn around, in order to return to the restaurant to retrieve her glasses.
All the way back, the elderly husband became the classic grouchy old man. He fussed and complained and scolded his wife relentlessly during the entire return drive. The more he chided her, the more agitated he became. He just wouldn’t let up one minute.

To her relief, they finally arrived at the restaurant. As the woman got out of the car and hurried inside to retrieve her glasses, her husband yelled to her, “While you’re in there, you might as well get my hat and the credit card.”

(To subscribe, go to http://www.mikeysfunnies.com/)

God is doing so much around us, and it is exciting. AND we need to pray, pray, pray about all of it. Pray for each other, because we have some families that are really going through the fire right now and need all of us. Pray for God to unite us: A friend was telling me about an Ebenezer member openly talking about how awful it is that we voted to build, and how they are probably going to leave. My first prayer is that God will align their hearts with what He is doing, and if not, that He will lead them to the right place. Pray that the devil will not be able to work his way between us. Pray that we will be strong in the face of temptation, because temptation will come. Pray that we will be obedient in every way when the time comes to obey.

Are you part of a family?? I KNOW you have parents . . . But, are you part of a family? I several families in this world. Of course, my parents and their families are tight-knit, and that is a good thing. Diana and I do make it back to Greenville ever-so-often as we did this weekend. It was a short trip, but something we love to do.

I have families in Greer and New Orleans as well. In Greer, there are still some folks at Fairview Baptist Church that remember me serving on their staff. I would say that they are family. I also have family in Harvey, LA, and other points on the map, from our days at Woodmere Baptist Church. I have gone back for weddings, get e-mails and cards, and they are still considered family by me.

And, of course, there is my Florence family . . . Ebenezer. We have been here for almost 13 years. This is home, and my family. And I love my family. Easter used to be a depressing time, because it is a family holiday and we could never go back to Greenville . . . Now, I love spending it with my Florence family.

Family is something we have at Ebenezer. All churches do not have it or even desire it. But it is perhaps the greatest trait of EBC, and I am thankful.

Resurrection

JESUS is not in His grave! Friends went to His grave on that first Easter Sunday 2000 years ago and He was NOT THERE!! He is risen, and because He lives, we face life with an all new outlook and gusto! We have NOTHING TO FEAR from sin and/or death!

So, when the ol’ Easter Bunny tries to steal the thunder today, remind your kids and those you love of the REAL meaning of Easter . . . Jesus Christ. And, you Ebenezer people, COME to CHURCH today!!!

He always is at work around us, inviting us to join Him. And His work is always fantastic . . . Beyond our description and even our imagination. God is up to something this year on Holy Week, and I can’t wait to worship on Sunday!!!

Pray for our church, and pray for those around us who do not understand the true meaning of Easter. Pray that they will somehow see that true meaning in us!!!

(By the way . . . Bobby Knight on ESPN??? Still not gettin it.)

What do you do when your encourager becomes discouraged?? When the one who keeps gas in YOUR tank runs out of gas?

I fancy myself an encourager. At least, I hope people see that and hear that from me in a genuine way. I guess every pastor is required to be somewhat of an encourager, but I would like to think I do it a little better than some . . . Especially to those around me. ESPECIALLY to my staff and family.

These days, I am finding that there ARE some things that are not as black and white as they might seem. There are times when I encourage those I love to go on and do what we all think to be right, and then step away and wonder if I am doing the RIGHT THING. Not about biblical or ethical issues, mind you, but I am finding some things in life to be very hard to understand and a little harder to categorize. And when you care about someone, that adds another element to the mix that clouds things up.

Sometimes it gets harder and harder to pump people up when they are seeing no return from their passions and abilities. I wonder if I am setting them up for a harder fall, or should they just play through the pain? Yes, there are only so many team cliches in my database. What happens when I run out???

This morning I realize it is time to pray, pray hard, and trust God to give me the right answer. AND, I know I need to be willing to follow Him, even if the right answer is not the one I expected.

Yesterday, in preparation for the softball game, I had to go by the field after picking Drew up and take care of something. As I get there, I discover two of our outfield signs are GONE. The “Sonic” sign (which is really cool and is probably hanging up in someone’s room now) and the Cale Yarborough Honda sign (which had a lot of detail on it, so I cannot imagine why they took that one). WHY????

I would only imagine it to be vandalism . . . Several items have been stolen lately, or so I am told, but those would have no value to anyone but US. And, it will cost us $80 per sign to replace (which we sell as a fundraiser, so it is money we really do not have).

So, if you see a 4 foot x 8 foot Sonic OR Cale Yarborough sign floating around Florence, please let me know.

Holy Week, for any Christian, is a time to slow down and reflect on what our faith is really all about. NOT JUST a time to think about Easter, but a time to really look at the earthly life of Christ and the events that led to that old rugged cross we sing of . . . And, think about all of this for a moment.

This week began on what we traditionally call Palm Sunday, a time when many, many people lined the road coming into Jerusalem for the triumphant entry: Jesus, saddled on a donkey, slowly riding through the praise and palms. People giving him the coronation-style parade and shouting praises to Him. Some of those same people would, in less than five days, yell “CRUCIFY HIM!” when asked what to do with Jesus over Barabbas, a hardened criminal they asked to be released.

You think YOU could have a bad week?? Nothing compares to what Jesus faced that week. Around the church, Easter is the pinnacle of what we do. And we take it seriously. And the devil knows that, and tries to make this week the most difficult.

We cannot let him win this battle, because we know Who wins the war!!