Mind Dump

I can remember when I figured out that Santa Clause was not real. I believe I was about 8 years old. Christmas had come and gone and my brother and I had really racked up!! One day we were playing in the house and we found our way into my mom's closet; a place that we were never to go. Now I know why. This was the place our toys were kept. It was also the place that my mom kept a few of the boxes of the toys that "Santa" had just left a few nights before. I have never been a smart guy but I could always put two and two together.

I remember feeling horrible. The reason I didn't get certain toys wasn't because Santa was watching but it was due the fact that my mom and dad didn't get them for me!!!

After being in ministry for a number of years I am starting relive some of those same emotions. You see I have always thought of myself and a good judge of character. I spend time with people and listen to them and watch them; sometimes without their knowledge and I can just figure them out. But what I am finding is just how wrong I can be. People who I thought had discernment faithfully watch TV preachers that teach false doctrine. I have people in my area that love a man who doesn't believe in The Trinity!!!! There are people who will nod and smile to your face and vote in ways that support your agenda...then on Monday they will spread gossip and miss-information throughout the community.

The past 10 days have been humbling to say the very least. I have been reminded of just how flawed and imperfect I am. It has also been a week of mind battles and spiritual warfare.

It is weeks like this one that make the return of Christ all the more sweet. Hurry Lord Jesus!!!!!

Wow...

Check out this video that someone sent to me this morning. Take 12 minutes and watch this.

It Never Fails!!!

Sometimes when we sit down as a family to eat the phone will ring and my wife will say, "It never fails!" This is a quote from her grandmother. It seems like the telemarketers just know when your about to eat and they show up right on time.

I am convinced that Satan is the same way. For the better part of three months every sermon I have preached as been about Jesus Christ; His Divinity, His humanity, His Substitutionary Atonement, His Imputed Righteousness, and the Justification issued by God. With God's blessing people have been moved. Conviction has been brought on. People are asking the tough and real questions about their salvation. And I know the Devil just hates it!!!

There has been opportunity to exercise true Church Discipline. God is giving me opportunity to confront heretical theology in some of my members.

God is moving and working and bringing glory to His name and Satan can't stand it! That is why he has shown up and is doing some things of his own. I have members fighting mind battles of fear and doubt. I have others struggling with emotional issues like depression. Some are even fighting the battle with their flesh trying to not to get angry and take things personally.

I have never been more mentally and spiritually fatigued. But I am also excited that for reasons I can't explain we have become worthy of such satanic opposition.

Please pray for my church and for me and above all else pray that God would be mighty and that He would be glorified!!!

The Marvelous Magnet

My personal Bible study and sermon time has solely revolved around the person and work of Jesus Christ. Not fluffy...make you feel good junk but doctrinal study. But I must admit that all of the wonderful doctrines surrounding Christ invoke within me more worship and awe than any pragmatic sermon or book.

Let me give you an example. The Crucifixion of Christ is so wonderful that if we only had the scriptures that deal with the death of Christ that would be enough to warrant our fear and worship of God forever.

Spurgeon called His crucifixion the "Marvelous Magnet." He said, "Preach Jesus Christ. That is the recipe for catching men's ears and laying hold upon men's hearts."

What a wonderful truth...The Son of Man lays His life done willing; to be crushed; to be cursed; to be cussed; so that sinful men might be saved!!! Who needs these modern day "ear tickling" messages and books? What could possible be better than the thing that Luther referred to as "The Great Exchange?" Christ was crushed for our sin and we received His righteousness? The imagination of man could never cook up something better than that.

Eggs, Toast, and Revelation

Monday morning I had breakfast with a good friend of mine at The Huddle House....man I love the Huddle House. We talked about many things; mostly college football. However in the middle of bashing Georgia's offensive play calling, my friend began sharing something that is still blowing me away on Wednesday.

The Church is trying to be more than it was intended to be. You see the most important thing in my life is my personal relationship with Christ; being right with the Thrice Holy God of creation. With this primary relationship comes responsibilities. For example its my job, given unto me by Christ, to evangelize and then make disciples. This according to the Great Commission, which is a call for every individual disciple. The next relationship in the created order of things is my marriage. I am called to be a husband. This marital relationship led to children which is third in the order of things. I am a father!!

What has happened throughout the ages is the church which comes after personal relationship with Christ and family has taken it upon herself to try to relieve me of my duties in the other relationships. As a result people are forsaking their God-given responsibilities because we have this idea that when the collective is doing okay we are all okay.

For example; I wonder how many people never share their faith because their church has a visitation team or FAITH team or something similar? How many people never serve in missions because they sprinkled their conscience clean by giving money to Lottie Moon? How many parents never open the Bible at home and disciple their children because they think the Youth Worker or Children's leader is teaching them all they need to know?

Are the previously mentioned programs bad things? I don't think so but they don't take the place of what I am called to do and be personally. The church exists to be a support for a person's individual faith and for the family. She doesn't exist to take the place of those things. As a pastor my conviction is to be a leader that places responsibility where it belongs and to preach and teach and pray in a way that would empower people to be what God created them to be; not to take away from those things.

Man...its amazing where God will show up and reveal things!!!

Best Baptism Service

Last night I got the chance to see the best baptism service of my life. Thad a man from my church got to baptize his oldest son, Nate. It was so intimate and sweet. Words can't really do the whole thing justice. After the service I told Thad that his pastor was jealous. I can't wait to lead my children to Christ and Baptize them.

And We Wonder Why People Don't Know Christ

After my son's pediatricians appointment I went by Lifeway to look for some material for men's bible study at my church. Man I hit the jack pot too....I found some Charles Spurgeon sermons on men in the Bible. But just a few shelves over was some of the most horrible garbage I have ever seen being passed off as a bible study. Yes that's right you can learn how to be a follower of Christ with the Beverly Hillbillies bible study. There was also one for I Love Lucy, Andy Griffith, Gilligan's Island and Bonanza.

I didn't know if I should laugh or set the store on fire. I thought is was a joke at first but it wasn't. Is this what the church has come to? To be honest I don't even know what to say except heaven help us!