We Are All Important

 People think that introverts are shy. We are not shy at all. In fact we can talk to people, including strangers easily. So what is an introvert then? An introvert is someone who can thrive without an excess of external stimulation. We do not need to be the center of attention. We do not have to be the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral.

Tonight I went to support our Halloween outreach and fall festival. It became busier as the night wore on. Lots of people, families and children of all ages. Very loud environment with the music playing. Lots of cute, and not so cute, costumes. And by 9pm I had had all I needed to feel satisfied. I did my part by being there. This was not about me and what I like. It was about those who came to participate.

Introverts are not uncomfortable in crowds. But we do not need crowds to feel stimulated. Introverts need people, but in smaller doses than some others need people. Introverts make a good second fiddle.

We all are the same in some ways, and we all are unique in some ways. If we were all the same how boring that would be. But we are all needed and we are all important and we are all a part of God's grand adventure as the body of Christ, the local church.

My Struggle With Halloween.

 I do not know why, but since my wife died Halloween has been the hardest national holiday for me to handle. In the first few years after Kathy's death I used to get in my car and drive around Prescott for hours. Just driving. Maybe stopping now and then. Until finally I would drive home and go to sleep.

For years no parents took their kids out on Halloween night like in olden times. And we ended up with candy and no one to give it too. This was sad for us, but good news for me. 

Our church does a Halloween night outreach with booths and games and a play. This give me a reason not to be home alone on Halloween night.

No other holiday bothers me like Halloween does. I do not know why. But I have a plan that keeps me away from home on this creepy night. 

Victory Over the Roaring Lion

 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour." 1Pet.5:8

I always thought of this verse to mean that the devil is on the prowl, looking for our unguarded moments or our sinful dalliances, to pounce on us to gobble us up so to speak. I looked at him as a mugger who robs us and beats us up and leaves us for dead. Like the gangsters and thugs who want what we have and who take advantage of us when we are somewhere we ought not to be.

Pastor tonight said that the devil is out and about looking for a weak believer to entice them to sin and rebel against God. Like Eve in the Garden.

We are called in the text to be sober and to be vigilant. The word sober means what you think it means. Do no be drunk on alcohol. Be a sipping saint and do not be surprised when you find a roaring lion in your house. The word vigilant means to be watchful. Do not get taken by surprise. Be aware of your surroundings. Be aware of triggers that send you over the edge. The devil is a master at deception, making himself into an angel of light to appear god-like.

The final word is that we cannot do this on our own. We need the Lord's help every day. We do our part, and God will do His part.

"Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:7

Funerals or Memorial Services: The Same Thing?

 I went to a memorial service this morning for a brother who has died. A good man, and family man, a hard working man, a Marine, and a Christian man. He leaves behind a large family and many friends.

We call it a memorial service, not a funeral. When you attend a funeral it is a somber affair. There are family and friends there. There is a short service. But it is not a joyous time at all. A memorial service is for those left behind when someone dies. I wonder if they think that keeping the service focused on Heaven will make it easier for the family. I think that it does not matter what we call it, these services are sad times when we remember the death of a loved one.

I wonder if Pentecostals do not know how to grieve or how to mourn. We want to be happy and joyful all of the time. The joy of the Lord is our strength. They are in Heaven with Christ. We are saved, why should we be sad?

But we are sad. We lost someone dear to us. We lost someone that we thought that we could not live without. We are sad, we are angry, We are shocked, we are confused. We are everything but joyful.

I would rather have a funeral where people can cry as they reminisce. Weeping may endure for a while, but joy will return in time. In the mean time, let those who loved them grieve and mourn for them for a while. Stop trying to make a sad time happy.

Lord, help this family. They lost a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a friend. No one will ever take his place in their lives.

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5

James and Paul

 All of the first wave of converts in Acts were Jews. All of the original apostles were Jews. It is no wonder then that the New Testament writings by James and Peter and John sound more Jewish than Christian.

Theologians point out to us that there was no small dispute between James, the brother of Jesus and the pastor in Jerusalem, and Paul. Paul goes to great lengths explaining and expounding on the doctrine of salvation by grace alone.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Eph.2:8-9

James challenges this doctrine teaching that salvation is by works.

"What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him?" James 2:11

James out lines the works that faith inspires and promotes. But doing good works alone is the Law, not grace.

If it were not for Paul, we would not be saved today. Paul took the Gospel out from under the covering of the Law and made it available to all people, everywhere. God used Paul to make the Gospel good news for the world, not just a wing of Judaism.

Did you know that those who put together the New Testament to make the Bible almost did not include James? But it's there and it is useful for doctrine and instruction. We use the whole Bible because it is all God's words to us about Christ.

The new is in the old concealed, the old is in the new revealed.

Is Your Belly Your God?

"whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame-who set their minds on earthly things." Phil.3:19

We live in a society where diet, exercise, nutrition, and healthy eating are big business.  I wonder if we are guilty of making our appetites our god? By focusing on diet and nutrition are we setting our minds on earthly things?

When you have to think about food all of the time, or when you have to think about nutrition all of the time, is that making you happy? Or is that making you feel stressed? Do you think that you are better because you think that you eat better?

Show me where you spend your time, your talent, and your money, and I will show you who your god is. It is the Lord Jesus, or your belly?

Life is a Marathon

 Here's a quick note. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. Show me someone who sprints fast at the start, and I will show you someone who runs out of gas about halfway through the race. 

In the beginning of the Christian life everything is new and everything is exciting. You cruise along enjoying all that God has for you. But as the years roll on, we find that often we spend our time yearning for those good old days. We find that we have spent a lot of spiritual energy to get where we are, and find it hard to refill those spiritual gas tanks.

You need to make it to the end of your life looking forward. You need to find both the will and the stamina to keep on going. God never ages or changes, but we do both.

Nothing in life is exactly the same at the end as it was at the beginning. We change physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Some things get better with age, and some things just get old.

If you feel empty and if you feel like life is over, find a way to connect with the Lord. Find something that you can do. Life must be lived to the end. Even if you walk the last mile home, you need to get there.

Be Careful How You Hear

 "And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming." 2Thes.2:7-8

Some people read this text and they assume that he who restrains is the Holy Spirit. They also teach that after the rapture of the church the Holy Spirit is removed from planet earth. As though all that God is doing in the end time is dependent on the church being present, and once the church is gone God cannot or will not do anything. Reading Revelation and I see God at work on every page past chapter three. The Holy Spirit is still present, still active, and still powerful. Both now and forever.

I also wonder if he who restrains is God, who will use the rapture to entice the antichrist to play his hand. God did that before, in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.

" But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." 1Cor.2:7-8

God is in control. His will and his plans will happen like He planned. The church plays a role as salt and light in society. But once we are gone, we no longer play a part in the end times drama on earth. 

Not everything in the Bible is just for us. Some things are written for those who will read it during the Great Tribulation.

"Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him." Luke 8:18

Why Talk About Grieving?

 You may wonder why I talk about grieving in this space. First, it is normal to grieve the death of a loved one. The closer you were to them, and the longer you were together, the deeper your grief over their death will be. The death of your spouse, a mother's grief over the death of her child, are heart breaking events in life.

I think that we feel like grieving is a lack of faith. Or that we should always be happy and at peace as we are new creatures in Christ. But God made us as we are with our feeling and emotions and fears, as well as our triumphs and our faith.

If your child is hurt or angry do you, as a parent, cast them off forever because they have an outburst of fear and pain and emotional distress? No, you find a way to help them, to hug them, and to get them through their upset time. You do not spank a child because it is crying and distressed, do you? This is how God deals with us in our times of emotional distress. God is the adult in the room when we are falling apart.

One day you will experience grief over the death of a loved one. I can help you when that time comes.

Grieving is proof of your love. A failure to grieve calls into question the sincerity of your love. The time to love is while they are still alive.

Pharmageddon

 Pastor Mitchell preached his Pharmageddon sermon one service. My wife had been on psych drugs to help her through menopause. She felt better for taking the meds. But she responded to pastor's message, she repented of drug addiction, and she got rid of her meds.

Doctors mean well. But my doctor is always trying to find something wrong with me. I resist his efforts to make me sick. I go see him when I am ill. But enough with this prescribing pills to cure normal life.

I did not know if I would survive my journey through grieving the death of my wife. But while I needed support and help, I did not need meds to make it through. It is normal to not feel good sometimes.

Turn off your TV and learn to think again. Unplug from social and be normal again.

How Much Is Enough?

 Many years ago, when I was still a new convert, pastor Mitchell preached on America's greatest sin. Any guess what that sin was, and still is? Pastor said it was covetousness. The love of money. It is interesting that something like this has been obvious to wise observers for many years.

We should have the best health care in the world. Why don't we? The love of money. We should have the strongest economy in the world. The best education system in the world, the best government in the world. Why aren't we the best? The love of money.

The love of money thinks that he that has the gold, makes the rules. The love of money will lie to make more. The love of money will cause us to sacrifice our faith, family, and friends to make more. 

" For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." 1 Tim.6:10

It is our love of money, or our fear of never having enough, or our lust for the influence that money buys, that produces unthinkable evil on the human race.

There is only one cure for greed. It is not prayer and fasting. It is not witnessing. It is not reading your Bible. The only cure for greed is to give. You must pay God His tithe. And you must give over and above your tithe. Giving at all is good. Giving at church is better.

How much is enough? I say, enough is enough!

One final thought. A world without God is a covetous world. The more of God, the more generous society becomes.

A Victory Report

 It's a long story. Several years ago my property taxes got paid twice. They have been trying to figure out how that happened for two years. Yesterday, FedEx delivered a check to me for a refund for tax overpayment.

It wasn't miracle money per se. But it was totally unexpected. And I am grateful that I obeyed God during conference to give a particular amount of money in the offering. I believe my obedience in giving triggered the county tax authority to be able to finally get this money back to me!

I find that obeying God is both general and specific. We do what the Bible tells us to do. We also obey the Holy Spirit to do or say specific things. I find that when the Spirit moves us there is a confidence and peace that allows us to follow God's lead.

It was nice to get a small windfall. I didn't have any pressing needs. It was property tax refund so I can save it to pay my property taxes. But I want to give God the glory for this blessing on me!

Thermometer, or Thermostat?

 "I have given them your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of this world, just as I am not of this world. I do not pray that you should take them out of the world, but that you should keep them from the evil one." John17:14-15

A question that is often discussed is; is the local church a thermostat, or a thermometer? Do we control the atmosphere around us, or do we simply see and reflect on what the world is doing?

Theology 101. World is not planet earth. It is the Greek word cosmos. It basically defines as the systems by which the world works. Government, business, education, economic, etc. It is how man, unshackled from God's law, runs the world. It is how people live and how societies organize and how nations govern without God's input or influence.

The world hates us because we do not let them rule over us. We have our own financial system. We have traditional families. We pay our tithes and we stay married. By simply living the Christian life and walking by faith and not by sight we shine as lights in a darkened world.

The local church will never influence the bigger world around us. We are not going to lower ourselves to rule a godless world. We have civic duties; we vote, we pay taxes. We use banks and modern technology. But God takes priority and His will is paramount in our daily lives. When God says give, we give. When God says go, we go. When God says send, we send. When God says speak, we speak.

I think that it is interesting how the Lord says, not to be taken out of the world, but to be kept from the evil one. Jesus understood who is the spiritual power behind the throne, who really runs the world we are pilgrims in.

"For he looked for a city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Heb.11:10

Faith: An Action Word.

 "But he said to them, why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith? And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" Mark4:40-41

I see two things in this story.

First, there is Christ. He was there, even though he was exhausted and sleeping. Christ was fully Divine, and fully human. Who is this man was the question that the disciples had. 

Here is your theology lesson for today. The ark of the covenant was a wooden box overlaid with pure gold inside and out. In that box there were the two stone tablets on which God wrote the Law. Jesus is seen in the ark; humanity overlaid with Divinity, containing the word made flesh.

Second, there is the lack of faith. Jesus was surprised that his guys had no faith. The lack of faith produced fear. God expects us to do our part and He forbids us from doing His part. Calming the storm was their part. Actually making it happen was God's part. If they had said, peace, be still, the storm would have stopped.

We never see the apostles acting like this after Pentecost. The Holy Spirit is not someone to pray to. The Spirit is God at work in the earth. The Holy Spirit helps us do our part.

Faith is an action word. It is evident only when we do something. Praying, preaching, giving, etc.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews13:8

Praying For The Sick

 We pray for Tom Payne almost every service. We pray for a miracle recovery. In doing this are we giving simple people a false hope? We have begun to pray for Michelle Aulson and Andrew Lucas also. They need prayer. but not miracle healing prayer.

There is a time for Divine Healing. Someone to physically lay hands on someone and see them miraculously made well. There is a time when we need to lift someone up in prayer for strength and comfort and peace. God will answer those prayers too.

Tom Payne needs strength to deal with his treatment. Michelle and Andrew need strength and courage and rest. The Gallup church needs a pastor until Tom is able to resume his duties there.

Hope is a powerful thing. Hope of eternal life is a valuable resource for us. That no matter how bad it gets, it will one day end. We are not like those who have no hope. We do not sorrow like those outside the church.

Our desire to help can actually hurt. People dying of cancer cling to the hope that something will work. They go through treatments that make life worse and not better. We pump people full of drugs to alleviate the symptoms instead of helping them put their affairs in order.

The best years of our lives were the last years I had with my wife, Kathy. We did our best to make her life as comfortable as we could. She died too young. But we did not prolong her life as an invalid.

Doctors are trained to fix things. They are not trained to guide terminally ill patients to the end of life.

Pentecostals are trained to heal the sick. We are not trained to care for the elderly and the terminally ill.

Pastor Mitchell did not linger. Kathy did not linger. Let them die with dignity.

Lessons Learned in Grieving.

 The death of a loved one shows us some things about ourselves, about life, and about God.

Grieving is not a time to be strong. It is a time to be human. Everyone who has loved someone will grieve that loved one's death. It is natural. It is normal. Grieving death is proof that you are human.

Grieving is the way God designed us. God made us the way that we are with all of our emotions. Grieving may scramble or short-circuit your emotions for a while. But God will help you and you will feel better soon.

Grieving is proof that you loved someone. You grieve their death because they meant so much to you. If your spouse can die and you feel nothing it makes me wonder about the bond of marriage that connected you in life.

Grieving the death of a loved one is a time to reevaluate your priorities in life. You will be surprised by how much your opinions change as a result of grieving. Grieving will change you.

Grieving is a journey. It is not a destination. But, there are things about death and loss that stay with you even if you marry again. That spouse who died occupies a unique place in your life that no one else can fill.

People in the throes of grief need us to be there, to be near, and to be quiet. Job's friends were a great support to Job until they tried to fix him.  Quoting scriptures to a grieving saint is fingernails on a chalkboard to them.

Grieving brethren are not contagious. They are broken. Part of them has died. But it is not dangerous to be around them.

When my wife died part of me was irreparably broken. Only God can heal a broken heart. Only time will allow a broken person in grief to heal. It is the only part of life that time can heal.

Jesus wept. So did I.

Stepping Stones Through Grief.

 Pastor's sermon on sipping saints made me think about how to survive the holidays after the death of a loved one. To those in the grief journey, the holidays can be a minefield of emotional danger. Facing the reality of a major holiday without the one you cannot live without can send us into emotional turmoil that is hard to process. And if you think that your grieving is over, the holidays can be a trigger to bring all of those emotions roaring back.

What is grief? Grief is our natural response to death and loss. It is natural to be sad when someone dies. It is also natural to be angry when someone dies. Someone has said that grieving the death of a loved one is suffering, but without dying.

Here are some guidelines to explain what grief is. these are the Seven Stepping Stones Through Grief.

1. Shock. Also known as PTSD. Especially if you were the one to discover that your loved one had died.

2. Numbness. Your body's response to overwhelming shock and emotional overload.

3. Disbelief. This isn't happening. They will be back soon. 

4. Reality. You resign to the facts that they are dead and gone forever. You do not like it. But it is so.

5. Alienation. You went from a couple to a widow. Friends forsake you. People ignore you.

6. Reinvention. What now? What next? First glimmer of hope.

7. New Normal. Life after grief. Living with loss. Moving on in life.

There is no check list to grieving. There is no time limit. We all grieve and we all suffer and we all survive. Grieving is simply proof that you truly loved. The best thing you can do is to embrace your grief and let grief work it's way through you. Suppressing grief only drags it out.

God is not surprised by, nor is He shocked by, the words and emotions of grieving people.

The Greatest Miracle?

 There are churches who believe that salvation is the greatest miracle. I wonder if what they are really saying is that salvation is the only miracle. These are churches who believe that anyone can be saved from sin. These same churches also do not believe that you speak in tongues when you are filled with the Holy Spirit. These are churches that will pray for you when you are ill, but do not heal the sick. These are churches who stand upon the Bible as the inerrant Word of God. And these are churches who have no real life illustrations but who only preach Bible stories. These churches believe that Jesus did what he did because he was God. And these are churches who think that miracles ended with the death of the last apostle. 

So we find that God can work a miracle to save you. But then God's grace does nothing more for you. It's all pie in the sky, in the sweet by and by. Only once in a great while, and often in the foreign mission field, God might work a miracle.

I believe it is time for God to take the field for us. It is time for the church today to fulfil it's Divine calling in the earth. Preach to the poor, heal the sick, cast out devils, raise the dead. It's time for those who name the name of Jesus to do the greater works that Jesus said we would do in His name. Amen!

These do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

Successful or just Mean?

 Have you ever noticed how arrogant and insensitive successful people are? It is so common that we begin to think that being mean to people is a mark of truly successful people in all walks of life. We might expect a drill sergeant to be harsh, but does this translate into the business world or academia?

How about in the church? Should we just give pastors and leaders a pass as we watch how they treat those under them? Or should those in leadership in the church exhibit different qualities than those in the world?

In our Fellowship, pastoral influence is based partly on spiritual genuineness in their walk with the Lord Jesus. Pastoral influence is also partly based on their relationships to those in their church and those under them in ministry. In our Fellowship, influence is based on trust. Do we trust the man who preaches to us on Sunday morning? Has he proven himself to be trust worthy?

You do not have to be smiling and cheerful and nice all of the time to earn trust. You have to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. You have to be able to minister without prejudice. You can never take information spoken in confidence and preach it to the whole church or conference body. You have to tell the truth, and you have to be right most of the time.

An arrogant, selfish, mean pastor may work in some organizations. But in our Fellowship you have to set the standard by which anyone in your church could follow your example and still get to Heaven in the end.

I am grateful for my pastors and the ministry that they bring to my soul every week.

The Blessing Of Fellowship

 I'm glad we have our home Bible study tonight. When you live alone you are glad for every opportunity to get together with your church family for fellowship. Yes, we do hear Bible truth. But it is the fellowship that I love the most. We do have food. But fellowship is why I look forward to these gatherings.

Church meets many needs in our lives. It's not just the preaching, it's the gathering. To sing in a corporate setting, to worship out loud with brethren, to see friends and family. But fellowship is important too.

I see a pattern in my thoughts. While we need ministry that speaks to us, we need fellowship with people of like, precious faith just as much. People are dying from loneliness around the world. You know when I get lonely? On Friday nights when there is no home Bible study.

I have been saved over 50 years. I rarely get tired of the assembly on any level. God is not limited to the times when we are gathered together to help us. But there seem to be things that God only does when we are gathered together.

"When the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting." Acts2 1-2

"...Now, therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God." Acts10:33b

"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." Matthew18:20

Manna and Money

 This morning in my daily Bible reading I read about when the manna first appeared. In that time words were spoken that apply to us today.

"So when they had measured it by omers, he who gathered much had nothing left over, and he who gathered little had no lack. Every man had gathered according to each one's need." Exodus 16:18

In this unique time God had made provision for the people by providing manna. It was not a time to get rich. It was not a time to set by for the future. It was enough for that day. And it is interesting that, no matter how much they scooped up, it measured out to be just enough for that family for that day.

There is a pattern here that can apply to us today who walk by faith and not by sight. We are not like those who spend their lives gathering up as much as they can. The Bible does not condemn wealth until we set our riches above God and make money an idol. We judge from scripture that what we dedicate the first and the best of our time, our talent, and our money to, is our God.

Jesus teaches us that when we pray, to ask the Lord to give us enough.

"Give us this day our daily bread." Matthew 6:11

No doubt Jesus had the manna in mind when he said this.

God makes provision for us in good times and in bad times. Let us not be like the gentiles who have no hope.

Winning While Being Blitzed.

 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you." Isaiah 43:2

Tonight, our pastor preached a very strong and encouraging message from this text. Is.43:1-4

First, there will be trouble in life. You will pass through floods and fires. Being saved does not exempt us from troubles from people or devils or ourselves. 

Second, there is help when the blitz is coming at you. You may think that it is over or that all hope is lost. But if you are still alive and if you have any glimmer of hope and faith, you will make it through everything. Jesus promised never to leave or forsake us no matter what.

Third, there is always the God factor in life. Crisis in Chinese is a dangerous opportunity. When the blitz is on, there are weaknesses to exploit if we can only see them. God can help us and open to us opportunities as long as we do not lose heart. We need to see beyond our current difficulties.

I do not intend to share exactly what a pastor preaches. But this is how it ministered to me tonight. This is what I brought home with me.

On Temptation

 "be sure your sin will find you out" Numbers 32:23b

We use this scripture to warn folks that if they sin, their sin will be discovered and brought out into the open. That may be true. Could it also mean that if we put ourselves in certain situations, sin will discover a way to entice us into doing what we might not do otherwise? 

In this text the meaning was; if the tribes did not keep their word to Moses, that Joshua and the elders would find out about it. Sin is not just smoking and drinking and watching porn. Sin is not keeping your word or breaking your vows to the Lord.

We are tempted because we are human. Evil spirits cannot force you to sin, unless you are demon possessed. God never entices us to sin. We sin because we want to. 

"But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." James 1:14

Science And The Pride Of Man

 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Genesis 1:27

Why is science so determined not to believe in God? Why, after honest scientific discovery, do they by an act of determined will, choose to dismiss God in every area of natural law? I have an opinion not based on science or evidence. I think that mankind, in it's attempts to be gods, is trying to mimic God by creating man and the natural world into their godless image. God didn't create their world so God has no right to rule in their world.

We think that we can do it better. We think that because we have discovered laws governing nature that we have created those laws ourselves and therefore our world is ours to rule over. Add to this the moral constraints that honoring God as creator and sustainer and ruler of the natural world implies. If it is God's world then God sets the rules by which we live and thrive in His world.

Pride is the root of all sin and rebellion. Thinking in arrogance that we know better or imagining that we can rule wisely without God. Pride produces lies that deceive us into wrong thinking. It has been so since Adam and Eve first failed in the Garden. 

One thing is that our arrogance blinds us to not see the consequences of our actions. We make choices in life based on lies and deception and we can not begin to ponder where those choices will lead us. By the time the chickens come home to roost the experts who began the ideas are dead and gone and it is left to their descendants to deal with their utopian catastrophes.

We are dealing with social issues today that took flight in the 1960s. Many of the experts from back then did not live to see how their ideas are playing out today. And, once you believe a lie, your ego goes to work to defend your choice. It takes a real super human effort to change someone's mind once they have been deceived by a well crafted lie. It takes a miracle of God!

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them up to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient." Romans 1:28

God is not mocked, and He keeps good records. The time to settle your accounts with God is now!

Tell the Mountain | Fountainview Academy

Kingdom Builders, or Earth Fillers?

 "Then God blessed them, and God said to them, be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it;" Genesis 1:28

As I think about the future of our Fellowship, I am reminded that, whatever direction we take going forward, there are certain eternal truths are are non-negotiable. This has to do with our purpose in discipleship and church planting.

Our goal in discipleship and church planting is not bigger buildings or bigger crowds of people on Sunday morning. It is still to spread the gospel throughout the whole world, letting God provide the way and the means to do this. Not supporting everyone all the time from home. Not paying for everything from home.

We will always be called to be earth fillers, not kingdom builders. 

"And they said, come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth." Genesis 11:4

However God gives us the means to do this, and however God chooses to provide for us to do this, earth filling remains our primary goal.

I have noticed, as a layman, that bigger, older churches do not plant as many churches as smaller, younger churches do. You just have to be big enough to have the money to plant someone. That will be different from place to place. We can adjust to do what needs to be done where we are. 

Are we in the nickels, noise, and noses group? Or are we still in the how will they preach unless they are sent group? Does God have to confuse our language to get us to scatter all over the world? Or will we continue to make disciples and to plant churches all over the world?

"At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles." Acts 8:1

There seems to be a pattern of spreading out, with a central core of leaders whose job is to oversee and respond to needs in the field.  A kind of clearing house of resources or workers. There is something here to think about.

The Need For Better Preachers

 There is a big difference between those who have natural ability and those who gain ability through practice and repetition and working at becoming better. I think that this is also true of preachers.

Those of us who benefited from being under pastor Wayman Mitchell's ministry were amazed at the depth of wisdom and the ability to say a lot in a short amount of time. Pastor Mitchell could often say more in 30 minutes than some preachers could say in twice that amount of time. Pastor Mitchell, by his own admission, was not a natural born preacher.

We have learned how that pastor Mitchell used to practice his sermons in private before he preached in public.  We also know that pastor Mitchell was an avid reader. Add to that his personal walk with the Lord and it is easy to see why he had the influence that he had.

Disciples who came into the kingdom with natural ability can be a great blessing. They can also have trouble reproducing disciples under their ministry. Pastor Mitchell produced some great preachers. Some gifted preachers have not had the same degree of success in this arena. When you hit the ground running you have little patience for those who must crawl before they can walk.

Being a better preacher is so important in our Fellowship. You will only have a modest church of people just like you if your preaching is limited to your testimony. When you discover how God can minister through you to a larger audience of different kinds of people you will be amazed. You will find that the only thing limiting your influence is you. And you can be better with practice and attention to details.

God will not do your job. And you are presumptuous to think that God will work in spite of you. Those without natural ability or who have shortcomings must work harder than everyone else to have any degree of success. We all benefit from pastors who are also great preachers.

A Tale Of Two Preachers

Where I used to live, the post conference Sunday ministry was usually given by a guy who had been at conference all week and was excited to get back at it wherever he was ministering. We were all bone tired, but he was excited.

This morning we had one of our missionaries preach for us. He is a successful missionary. He is doing good work where we sent him. But when he preached for us this morning he had no zeal, no fire, and it seemed that all he had was his personal testimony of how the Lord saved him years ago. He had a three point testimony and nothing more. It was hard for me to keep my eyes open. Theology 101 didn't help at all.

This evening we had a native pastor who preached with fire and enthusiasm and he seemed to be stirred by what he had experienced all week. He preached a good sermon like a pastor should. It was put together well, and for a non native English speaker, he was easy to follow and to understand. I had no trouble staying awake for him!

The mother church, who puts on a conference, is tired out by the time it is over. But it doesn't mean that we cannot be stirred by a word preached with some fire and that truly ministers. We needed it Sunday morning, we got it Sunday evening. Thank God! 

"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto you were not able to bear it, neither yet now are you able." 1Corinthians 3:1-2

I went to church Sunday morning looking for a steak, and I was given baby formula instead. No thanks.

My Post Conference Sermon

 "For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister." Hebrews 6:10

As we close the books on our 2024 conference, I wanted to take a moment to ponder some things in the Bible concerning our church and the great amount of work that goes into a conference. Every pastor knows and appreciates the volunteer labor that goes into putting on a conference. No one can put on a conference by themselves. Every one who helps provides a valuable part of the overall ministry that we put on to help our pastors and evangelists and missionaries in the field.

First, the text says that this is ministry that ministers. Ministry is not standing behind the pulpit and preaching alone. It is the various avenues of service that goes on during a conference. Inside, outside, dealing with people, or money, or children, or parking. Some in public view, some hidden away out of sight. But it all works together to provide what every attendee needs; genuine ministry.

"But now indeed there are many members, yet one body." 1Corinthians 12:20

Second, conference is work. Everyone involved in conference works to make it all work. It is not easy or automatic. We have a job to do and, like any job, it involves work. Some do a lot of work, some do a little work, but all work to make conference a success. We work because God will not do our job for us. We cannot do God's job, and God will not do our job. Conference is a big job and it take a lot of work to make it happen.

"I beseech you, brethren, (you know the household of Stephanas, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) that you submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helps with us, and labors." 1Corinthians 16:15-16

Third, we work for God because it is His work. Our text begins with God. It ends by reminding us that we are ministering to His people in His name. And because we work for God, He is faithful to reward us for our work in His name. This conference is not just a pep rally or a sales meeting. It is not just to learn Fellowship rules and make doctrinal decisions. It is a place where God can work. He can call, and rescue, and redeem, and restore, and encourage, and rebuke, all by the working of the Holy Spirit.

So, we are finished with conference for this year. I wonder who God will stir up to join in and minister at conference next year.

Growing Pains

 Last night, when it came time to pray for our pastors, no one remembered to call the church council up to help pray. This morning we got to church for prayer only to find out that prayer had been cancelled today. Eight of us prayed anyway. These do not seem like big problems, but to me they indicate some growing pains.

Have you ever seen a child who is big for his age? Taller and bigger and stronger than the others his age. But in his head he is still very young and immature. I suspect that there is a similarity in churches that experience dramatic growth. They are big in numbers and they have money to do things. But they seem to be lacking in the day to day operation of things like remembering to call up the council and announcing no prayer. We got there this morning and the building was like someone just turned off the lights and went home. Saturday morning after conference in some places and you can hardly tell that conference ever happened.

We have three pastors plus a trainee on staff. Delegation and innovation ought to be flourishing with  that many people. But it isn't. Nothing can be done without pastor's approval. Maybe it is time for our pastor to delegate some of his duties and expect innovation from his subordinates. Especially since our pastor is in demand around the world. It makes sense to me that someone needs to be trusted to do more than fill in behind the pulpit when pastor is busy. 

I am here as an outsider from another place where everything runs like a Swiss timepiece. That is the result of years of trial and error; finding what works, and what is the best thing to do. This church seems to be experiencing growing pains, where they think they know what to do, but they seem to be stumbling and unsure of what is next.

Great churches rely on the spiritual covering of their pastor. But demanding that the pastor run everything is a sure recipe to keep any movement or organization or church from growing. Do not challenge us to change the world while structuring our church like it really is us four and no more.

Conference Thoughts

 Well, our conference is over. The funny thing about saying that is that in some ways conference is just the beginning. New churches were launched. New missionaries were announced. For those going this is an exciting time. For us who send them it is also exciting, but in a different way.

Pastor Greg was our main speaker, both this morning and tonight. Pastor Greg preached two of the best sermons that I have ever heard him preach. Even though he was aiming at pastors and ministers, I got some manna from both of his sermons today.

Some of our pastors who preached this week did a good job, but there is a limit to their preaching linked to their limited experience. Men like pastor Warner and pastor Campbell and pastor Greg and pastor Rubi have a depth to their ministry; that their words go far beyond their intended audience.

Young disciples think that it is all about the anointing. All we need is for God to move. Pastor Greg told them that they need to learn how to preach better. These guys need to study and practice and learn how to be better communicators. No church will grow beyond the skill of the pastor to minister a word like apples of gold in pitchers of silver.

I counted 6 international churches and 6 domestic churches with several changes. It was a lot like Prescott, but on a smaller scale. I estimate we had around 2000 in attendance.

A Culture Of Marriage

My question today is, should the local church be the main support for marriage and family issues? I think back to when Kathy and I were married. Pastor Mitchell did not put us through pre-marital counseling sessions. We worked out a date with him and he gave us a book on sex to read as we got closer to the big day. Pastor Mitchell married us and he signed our marriage certificate. He was available to counsel us if we had marriage or family problems. And we made it for 40 years until death did us part. 

So what is a Fellowship church to do to encourage and support marriage and family? First, I think that the pastor and his wife set an example of what a Christian marriage looks like. This is one reason why a guy needs to be married to pioneer a church. Another thing we can do is preach on marriage from time to time. Pastor Mitchell worked out a plan where he would preach on marriage at weddings. 

One other thing that might work is to have times set aside where couples or single adults get away, like a retreat. Either a marriage retreat or something like that that people can plan for and look forward to.

I am beginning to think that it is pretty self-centered and selfish to ask the church to do something that we can easily do ourselves. Jesus took his busy disciples apart for rest and reflection. But never for marriage counseling. The Bible speaks very little about this whole subject. It's like the Bible writers didn't think that marriage was so hard that it needed their help. 

The biggest thing our Fellowship can do is to have examples for people to imitate. Kind of like discipleship for marriage and child raising. Couples working on their marriages can be a reference point for couples working on issues in their marriages.

We can cultivate a culture of discipleship. Can we also cultivate a culture of marriage?

Greater Works

 Tonight, at the end of the service, pastor Campbell had all of the young men under 35 years old come up front if they wanted to dedicate themselves to serve the Lord. I am telling you that the greatest pastors we have ever seen have not been sent out yet. The greatest churches in the world have not been pioneered yet. Pastor said that there were guys standing there who would one day be greater than pastor Mitchell. I agree 100%!

On a personal note, I deactivated all of my social media accounts. Tech is a tool that I can use, not a time waster like it has become. So that's the end of that.

To God be the glory, great things He has done!

"Most assuredly I say unto you, he who believes in me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to my Father.: John 14:12

Leaping From the Pinnacle of Success

 More men leap from the pinnacle of success than die in the valley of despair. Why is this?

One reason is that when you are desperate and not seeing results you tend to ask for God's help more. At least for a while. It is possible that, failure for a long time will make a man lose heart and give up. But since you have nothing to lose there is a chance that you could task a risk that other's may not take.

Another reason is that successful men think that they did something right that caused their success. They are the man, without whom nothing would have happened. Ego gets involved. They think that if God was not pleased, they would not be seeing good results.

We have been told that the key to church growth is the man. We blame the man when it doesn't work. When it does work we ask him to headline a conference. And then we are surprised when the successful man fails in sin and rebellion. We are sad when a failure quits, but we are outraged when a successful man fails. 

Every man has his unique place and gift from God. We must be diligent to fulfill our unique calling no matter what or where that calling is.

The wonder of it all is when God finds the right man for the right job amazing things can happen. It still is a work of God and not man isn't it?

The half Has Not Been Told

 It is still early in the week; being, as I write this, Tuesday night. But there is a strong sense that God is doing something here this week that will amaze us in years to come. Some alive today may not live to see it. But, It will happen. 

The best churches out of our church have not been planted yet. Good churches represent us and they are great examples of the validity of church planting as a means of world evangelism. But there are churches yet to be planted that will be greater than anything we have seen up until now. San Antonio will plant these churches.

The greatest leaders of our Fellowship have not been sent out yet. We have sent out good men. We have seen their leadership qualities developing. But there are even greater leaders still yet to be seen that will cause the leaders of our Fellowship to stand in amazement at what God has done through the genius of local discipleship. These will be men from San Antonio who will impact and influence world leaders for God.

The half has yet to be told of all that God wants to do thorough our local church.

Conference Excitement!

 It has been a long time since I was honestly excited about conference. I am not sure why I am now, but I am looking forward to see all that God will do here this week. And to be serving as an inside usher is a great blessing.

Pray for us that God will bless this conference in such a way as to make it memorable for all who attend.

Fire and Power

 I noticed something in adult Sunday School this morning. Pastor Rubi was talking about Moses on mount Sinai. We read in Exodus a little bit of that story.

"Now mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because the Lord descended upon it in fire. It's smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly." Exodus 19:18

I noticed in this verse the statement that it was like the smoke of a furnace. There was fire, and smoke, that reminded them of a furnace.

I could kindle a fire in my living room today. It would burn. There would be smoke. The fire department would come. And my house could burn to the ground. And if it burned to the ground, there would be no more fire. But if there is a fire in my furnace, it is fire under control, and it keeps me warm all winter.

On the day of Pentecost, fire from God was also present.

"Then there appeared to them cloven tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them." Acts 2:3

"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;..." Acts 1:8

The fire and the power both came at Pentecost. Now obviously, those upon whom the fire came were not burned up. They did what the power of the Spirit empowered them to do. For many years.

The word power is the word dunamis. It roughly means a dynamo. It is wrongly translated dynamite. Holy Spirit power is like a power generating plant that produces electricity for an entire city or factory

Revival fire is not a raging wild fire. It is fire under control. It is not destructive power, it is power to get things done. Conference time is a time to light a fire in our hearts, and to empower us to be the light of the world.

Prescott Conference Thoughts

 I vaguely remember many years ago in Prescott the first time I heard a non-leadership pastor preach during conference a pastor focused message. I do not remember what it was about or who preached it. I do remember noticing that, up until then, I never heard a sermon on how to be a better pastor before. 

Pastor Mitchell had said that the Prescott conference was a people's conference. That the ministry during conference was for everyone, not just for pastors and full-time evangelists. Conference was not always about reinforcing the Fellowship vision. It was about ministering to both those sent out, and to those who send and support them. It was people focused and God focused. Just like a regular church service.

The Prescott conference today seems to be Fellowship leaders preaching to Fellowship pastors to help them stay in the ministry, and to help them stay focused on keeping the main thing the main thing. As the years rolled by in Prescott it became harder and harder to just attend conference services if you were just a guy in church, not a pastor or a missionary.

My prayer is that our conference this week will be more of a people's conference. That the ministry will be on how to be a better Christian, not just a better pastor. Pastors are people too.

One last thought. I viewed the Prescott conference as a place where pastors and leaders can be preached to and can answer the alter call at the end. A place where we know you and call you by your name, not your title. It is a place designed by God to keep high fliers humble.

Conference Time Again!

 It's conference time again. We are gearing up to do our part to serve the conference assembly. We have prayed, we have painted, we have cleaned, we have saved money, and we are ready for conference to begin. Technically it begins this Monday night. but it has begun for us already.

I understand that it is conference season around our Fellowship. Only Prescott did conference in January and July. Most other conferences happen in the spring or the fall, when the weather is nicer.

My prayer for our conference is that we will be of one mind and that we will plant churches on Friday night. I pray for pastor that he will have wisdom. 

Pray for us!

Worship or Prayer?

 I have noticed something in many of the songs that we sing in church. These songs sound more like prayer than worship. We sing like we are asking God to do something. I first noticed how much of our worship music is focused on I, me, or my, and not on God. Then I noticed how much of our worship music is a prayer. It made me wonder if the people who write modern worship music know that there is a big difference between prayer and worship?

Prayer, at it's core, is communication. We speak to God and we listen to what God would say to us. How many times have you heard a pastor say that he was inspired on what to preach during prayer? Prayer is something that primarily focuses on my needs and my shortcomings and what I am asking God to do for me and my church.

Worship, at it's core, is about giving glory and honor and praise to God for what He has done and is doing.  It is not about how I feel about God. It is about how great and awesome God is. Worship in Spirit and in truth is God focused. It helps turn our attention off of ourselves and it helps us look to God.

"We all hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." Acts 2:11

When the Holy Spirit is present, the focus will be on God, not my needs or my feelings.

"For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God" 1Cor.14:2

Pastor Wayman went for a time when he seemed to preach on worship a lot. He must have seen something that troubled him in modern music. Much modern worship music was written by people who are not saved or Spirit filled but are clever in writing and arranging music. Old hymns may be out of date and out of style. But those that wrote those ancient hymns had an experience that shines through their music.

To sum this up; prayer and worship are not the same thing. Singing your prayers is not the same as praying.  Worship ought to focus our hearts and minds on the glory of God in Christ. 

"You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship...the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." John4:22-23

True worship is spiritual, not emotional. God is still looking for those who worship Him.

Inventing, or Discovering?

 Does math invent things or discover things? It depends on who you ask. Ask a math person and they might say that math invents things. I am not a math guy so I cannot give you any examples. But from my perspective as a born again Christian I think that math and science merely discovers what God set in order in creation.

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." Psalm 24:1

God created the known universe and everything in it out of nothing but His own wisdom. Every law of nature is God's idea. Every mathematical formula began in God's wisdom. The stars are light years away from us and yet God calls each one by name. Christ is God on a relatable scale. God became a man and dwelt among us. Christ is Immanuel, God with us. But God is the source and fountainhead of all wisdom and strength.

So it is the arrogance of intelligence that makes us think that we invented anything. You could spend a lifetime studying and only scratch the surface of God's wisdom.

God holds the universe in the palm of his hand. What can you hold in your hand?

"Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, measured heaven with a span and calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?" Isaiah 40:12

Why High Achievers Cannot Retire.

 Talking about Pete Rose seems out of place in this space. I do not want to talk about Pete and his baseball career or his gambling. I want to talk about why high achievers and successful people find it hard to retire.

Once you have gotten past the struggles of finding your way in life, you can begin to cruise along in your success. The self doubt is greatly diminished; you know what you can do, and you do it consistently well. You begin to amass the resume and the statistics to prove your worth to a watching world. You easily dismiss the criticism. And you can continue to do this, until you can't.

What happens when you can no longer perform at a high level? You think you can. Your best supporters give you a pass based on memories. A few people begin to notice that the emperor has no clothes, but they are dismissed by the nostalgia of those who remember what you used to do. But one thing that never crosses the successful person's mind is the thought of retiring.

It is easy to retire if you have nothing to lose. Successful people cannot retire since their drive to succeed is what helped make them great. We see this in all walks of life. People who hang on thinking they can still do it, even when it is obvious that they can't. 

It seems that only in organizations where the rules that govern it make provision for the retirement of executive officers can successful people step down. Whether it is based on age or length of service, there are tools set in place that no one can dispute.

Every generation thinks that it will live forever and that it will never grow old. Every generation thinks that no one can do this better than us. Even today Boomers look down their noses at their children and grandchildren thinking that they are lazy and stupid. We will never know until the old folks get out of the way to see what their children can do.

High achievers need someone who they trust and who loves them to be able to tell them how far they have slipped. Someone with the courage to tell that successful person that their race is run and their time in the spotlight is over.