2 Corinthians 1:20 says “All the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through me.”
There are 3000 promises found within the Word of God. The first is found in Genesis 3:15, when God promises a delivered would come and crush the head of the serpent, and bring restoration to mankind. The last is found in Revelation 22:20 when Jesus says “Surely, I am coming soon.’
Our daily provision as God’s beloved come directly from Him promises, which hold the golden key to opening the gates of heaven and closing the gates of hell.
Because of man’s fall, the promises of God became necessary in His desire to restore our relationship with Him, and to both worship Him and reign with Him. To be honest and frank, God did not create us to be robots or slaves. We were made in His image as co-laborers, working with Him to demonstrate His goodness over all the He made. But don’t get it twisted – being a co-laborer in no way makes us co-equal!
Since the fall of man, we live in a fallen world, and we have fallen world issues. As a consequence, we are prone to hurts, setbacks, storms and the like. The good news today is that when we are in need of a spiritual breakthrough in our lives, we can call upon the mighty name of Jesus Christ, employing His power in our world. When you call upon and proclaim the name of Christ in prayer, God will give you a promise within the Scripture that will bring you out and cross you over any obstacle that surrounds you. You can rest on it! How? Knowing that God’s promises are going to be fulfilled! Now it is unlikely these promises will come to pass on your schedule… but when God deems the time is right, your promises will get God’s ‘green light.’
Isaiah 40:31, Jeremiah 29:11 & Romans 8:28 are powerful verses of Scripture that seek to push and prod us to keep on going, with a resolve to see what God does next!
• You need to shout about the fact that your next is on the way.
• You need to smile today, knowing that as long as God is still on the throne, you can always depend on the fact that He has another move. That’s what’s next!
Contrary to what the world or the Devil says, it isn’t difficult to have faith in a God who NEVER fails. Check His record – He’s a God Who’s never lost! The more we feed our faith and starve our doubt, the more we grow in an unwavering confidence and unshakable anticipation in what God has promised to the ‘Faith-Walker’.
What is faith? Faith is reaching out in the darkness and knowing you will feel the hand of God reaching back on the other side.
Keep going; keep growing, and keep the faith… never doubting in the dark what God has shown you in the light of His Word. Be blessed!
What does it mean to be poor? What does it really mean to be rich? Do we know the different between poor & being broke? Between being rich & being wealthy? What makes a rich person rich and what makes a poor person poor?
Hold that thought.
All around the world, schemes for making money abound. Opportunities for amassing wealth are a part of our everyday society.
But some rich men are poor, rich men. Some poor men are rich, poor men. This is what we learn in Proverbs. Solomon is the author of Proverbs. Solomon, a son of David, became known throughout the ancient world for his wealth and opulent palace, as well as his great wisdom. Instead of asking for riches, prominence or power, Solomon one day asked God for wisdom. God granted his request, and he became known among many as the wisest man to ever live on the earth. Throughout the Proverbs, we learn that God’s wisdom and wealth are best managed with the virtues of honesty and integrity.
Mark it down – God hates dishonesty.
In Proverbs 11:1 it says that ‘dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord.” This verse refers to people who would cheat others in the marketplace To get ahead, many merchants would overcharge their customers in order to top ahead on their ‘bottom line’ at the end of the business day. The overcharging may have amounted to only a few pennies per sale, but God despised this practice.
Honest people, on the other hand, do what they can to make things right, even when it costs them something.
Now lets be honest – wealth can make you dishonest. When Solomon speaks of ‘dishonest scales’ he is referring to dishonest business practices. In Mark 7:11-12, Jesus would go on to denounce religious leaders – men who should’ve been moral examples – for succumbing to the power of money by twisting the law to increase their profits. Money (and power) has never had so many ways to cause people (even godly people) be dishonest, shrewd, manipulative, cunning and evil. Don’t be naïve about its power to tempt you and trip you up. Wealth and riches gained by fraud will never satisfy. In fact, Proverbs 20:17 says that a person who tries to manipulate this divine order of God and His will for us to do right by others (this goes beyond money) will end up with a mouth full of gravel.
Never allow the selfish desire for more things, money and power – and to get ahead – cause you do be dishonest, or step over others, in the process. Deuteronomy 8:18 tells us to ‘…remember that it is God Who gives you the power to gain wealth, in order to confirm His covenant that He swore to your fathers…’ If you are a Christian, then you need to know that you are ‘ingrafted in Christ’ (2 Cor. 5:17), and it is ‘…the blessing of God that makes one rich…and He adds no sorrow to it.’
Abraham Kuyper served as the Prime Minister of the Netherlands in the early 1900’s. An influential neo-Calvinist Pastor, Kuyper established the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands in 1892, a group that merged into the Protestant Church in the Netherlands in 2004. Abraham was one of the most extraordinary men of the nineteenth century – a theologian, a linguist, a college professor, politician, statesman, philosopher, scientist, and humanitarian. While he was younger in pastoral ministry, he was a rationalist (one who believes the criterion of truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive), until one day a devout Christian peasant woman became influential in his drawing closer to Christ in a personal way. Among his many notable works, Kuyper wrote a book on the systematic theology of the Holy Spirit. Kuyper believed that the Holy Spirit had been too much neglected by theologians, pastors, and the every day Christian. Dated April 10, 1888, he acknowledged in a preface that what he and his predecessors (most notably the 17th century writer John Owen) were insufficient in answering the attacks and arguments against the Holy Spirit that were being raised in more recent times. He also mourned the general lack of interest in the Person of the Holy Spirit shown by many Christians in his day.
He said,
“For although professing Christians acknowledge the work of the Holy Spirit, and all that it includes, and all that flows from it, yet the various groups into which they divide represent it in very divergent ways…He that has not first staked off the entire domain in which the Holy Spirit works can not successfully measure any of it, to the winning of a brother or to the glory of God.”
“Even tho we honor the Father and believe on the Son, how little do we live in the Holy Spirit! It even seems to us sometimes that for our sanctification only, the Holy Spirit is added accidentally to the great redemptive work.”
Today…Kuyper’s words are still relevant, should pierce the heart of every Christian, and resonate throughout the work of those who serve in Christian ministry.
It is my prayer and aim to continually make the Holy Spirit a vital spiritual organ in my every day walk with God the Father and God the Son; and employ His presence and power in my life. This is also my prayer for those who read these scattered points today.
In the words of C. H. Spurgeon, “I believe in the Holy Spirit.’
It has been four months since last blogging on February 8, 2021. In February I was excited about the year, blogging weekly, hesitant about the covid-19 vaccine, excited about new relationships, sad about the ending of old ones, but overall optimistic about 2021.
Following that week, DFW experienced a major snowstorm. Amid the accidents, deaths, power outages, and the like, I was trying to navigate through my own challenges and storms. In the strangest way, I have experienced some great losses but even some greater gains.
If there is anything we continue to see in the midst of a continued pandemic are people’s true colors. I’ve found myself saying to myself over and over again, in the midst of the world’s anxiety, people lashing out at others, cutting off others, and the like, ‘Man…that is not them’ or ‘They are acting out of character’ or ‘That’s not the person I/we know’. Here’s the truth – the person who shows up when the rubber meets the road, or when there is a crisis or victory, is really who they are. We think that some people are acting out of character when, in reality, that is who they were the entire time.
Being in the church world, and in the world in general, it’s going to happen to you and I. And as strange as it seems, you will and I will sometimes be the antagonist. Let’s face it – we are not always our best selves. There are times when we simply weren’t all that impressive to God and others, and the others who were around in your not-so-impressive state determined that was the sum total of YOU, and kept that permanent snapshot of you in their mind and narrative.
This blog may seem vague and akin to a maze probably because on one hand it is. I cannot be detailed because it simply applies to so many dynamics in my life in 2021 that it seems almost surreal (yet liberating). On the other…I need those of you who read this to apply it to YOUR experience in your own life, now or when you need it later (because you will!)
I guess that brings me to the first lesson I’ve learned thus far this year – God is teaching me to be quiet and be still. Ecclesiastes 3:7 says, ‘there is a time to search and a time to count as lost, a time to keep and a time to discard, a timeto tearand a timeto mend,a timeto be silentand a timeto speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.…’ Quite a number of times, I’ve found the Spirit of God restraining me when I wanted to speak up. Don’t get me wrong, I have fumbled on this a number times; but I’ve certainly grown here. Cowardice has NEVRR been apart of my disposition. That is – the Inability to say what I need to say because I’m scared of what somebody thinks has never been one of my problems. So this is a new arena for me; and I do fail from time to time. What I’ve learned is to fall, and then get back up and do it again. You’ve heard the saying: ‘nobody can misquote silence.’
The second thing I am learning is to stop making so much effort trying to explain yourself to people who are committed to misunderstanding you. Without any pun intended, this point needs no explanation. But I can say that my GREATEST critics today (without exception) are those I’ve invested the most time, energy, explanations, sit-down discussions, defended the most, given pleas for their understanding, all to no avail. While I do not regret having a good heart; I shake my head for wasting my time. What it has done is cause me to find the root as to why I sought approval and validation from people who I knew weren’t buying into me fully at the beginning, and felt the need to try and win them over anyway. Here’s the sad reality – most people will tell you what they think you’re worth or what you represent for them at the first meeting. You chose to either prove them wrong or affirm their warped and twisted psychology of you by suppressing your intuition and by attempting to supply their toxic need. It’s called CODEPENDENCE.
Third, God is teaching me to ride with the people who ride with you. During the pandemic, I have seen a number of mutual friends, church people, colleagues, family members, etc…. where they have fallen out with one another, but remain my friends. They both will tell me why I shouldn’t trust or like the other. I always say the same thing – ‘they didn’t do anything to me’. Now to be sure…I do have some relationships where: if my friend doesn’t mess with you, neither do I. However, that isn’t blanketed. There are times where I wait to see who shows me the character the other proclaims. So often…I have found that both parties have issues. I have even found that both parties have valid points. Then there are times where the other showed ME who they really were. This hurts, especially if I defended said church member, family member or friend. I strongly believe in the statement: In God we trust, everybody else we thoroughly investigate.
God is also teaching me that even some of the people who ride with you are only riding with you to hear your plans only to undermine them. It’s just a fact – some people hug you to find out where they can stab you. It is also a fact that some people remain in your circle just to find out your strategy and your business. Not everyone in your corner is on your team; and many people who are smiling in front of you are not clapping for you. In like manner, just because people are NOT applauding for you, doesn’t mean that they are your enemies. Some people just aren’t your flavor and you are not theirs. Be okay with that. But here is what I am learning: you do need some Judas’s in your camp sometimes to fulfill God’s purpose in your life; but make sure they aren’t in your inner circle. You will never reach your full potential when the people in your cabinet aren’t rooting for you. I have a friend who put it this way: some people are on the front row of your life; and you need to determine who is on the second row, etc. And then you need to find out who doesn’t even deserve to be in the auditorium. Which brings me to another lesson I’ve learned in this season…
Finally, I am learning that you must be okay with some closing acts. It’s so hard to say goodbye. It really is. We so desperately want to hold on to the things and people who’ve made us smile, laugh, cry tears of joy, created memories with and the like. On one side, please know that if you are trying to hold on to a reality that they are not, then what are you really holding on to? An illusion? They didn’t feel the same; and so you owe it to yourself to move on. On the other side…if those smiles, laughs, and tears of joy came with misery, lofty expectations you could never reach, fear of approval and being liked – you need to look at the entire picture, not just your selective snapshots of the good. Maybe you’re addicted to abuse, mistreatment, the fear of abandonment, or not being enough. And I guess I should ALSO say – if you don’t let the wrong people go, the right people can and will never enter your life. I can think of many examples in scripture of how God’s new beginnings came after some necessary benedictions. Learn the blessing of having some funerals.
I could go on and on, but here is what I wish to plant into the orbit of my own blog – learn from your experience(s), and allow God His providential right in using those experiences to make you better, stronger and wiser. Allow God the opportunity to shape snd mold you into a more refined and better image of your true self.
It is also important for you to determine that the people who don’t like you, hate you, mistreat you or betray you may have done those things because of their own deficiencies or personal struggles that have nothing to do with you. Quit taking it personal. We are all on a journey; and we all need space to grow, learn, fall, get back up, say we are sorry and experience forgiveness.
Amid all of my losses and struggles (as many of you reading) I have experienced some of my greatest blessings and miracles in 2021.
I am praying for you; and that second half of 2021 even exceeds the previous.
What about you? How has God been blessing and challenging you in 2021? If this blog is a blessing to you, please subscribe and share with others. I would love to hear from you.
Yesterday, Tom Brady & the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated Patrick Mahomes & the Kansas City Chiefs (31-9) in Super Bowl 55. So many were intrigued with the prospect of a forty-three year old Tom Brady (who some call ‘The G.O.A.T.’ in the NFL) could overcome the challenge of defeating the defending QB Super Bowl champion of 26 year old Mahomes (aka ‘The Kid”). Many wondered. Vegas placed their bets. Two opposing teams gave their best. Only one team won!
People desperately want to win at life. Whether it is a career, a relationship, a job situation, a bet, or game, or a quarrel… Everyone wants to succeed in everyday life, and Christian’s are no different. People search frantically for tips from books, horoscopes, periodicals, tarot cards, and from ‘experts’ on TV talk shows. Tragically, it seems as if Christians and Christ-followers are looking everywhere to learn how to ‘win’ at parenting, in finances, the workplace and other areas of life. Whether it is Dr. Phil or Dr. Oz or Oprah or Delilah After Dark or Dr. Laura – these persons will always fall short. Our greatest strength and clearest direction is sanctioned and situated in God’s Word; and not the manmade ideologies that direct the world.
We win through WISDOM. Wisdom emanates from God. We learn from God through His WORD.
Proverbs 1:1-2 speaks of our gaining of wisdom. The main word for wisdom in Proverbs (hokma) includes being moral but goes beyond that. It is the ability to make the right choice, even when there is no moral law directing us in a specific area. The three marks of wisdom are: discipline, discernment, and discretion.
Let’s take discipline. In verses 2 and 3 of Proverbs 1 we see instruction – training with strong accountability. It means being drilled and examined by an instructor who constantly remains in your face. So then, how does wisdom come?
Proverbs 27:5 tells us that it comes through the personal confrontation of a friend. Proverbs 26:11 tells us that it comes from our mistakes. Proverbs 3:11-12 tells us that it comes through the suffering and difficulty God allows in our lives.
To be certain, wisdom springs forth in us each time we journey through the wilderness and through the storms in our lives.
Wisdom’s trademark is when we become disciplined through every trial, test, and even temptation. This disciplined wisdom is not given to impulse, but to learning how many things require prayer, silence, peace, and surrender. Just as a musician can only become skilled through persistent practice, and an athlete can only become physically competent after rigorous training, so wisdom is won through the discipline of searching after God’s heart through His Word.
How have you grown in your daily walk with God in wisdom? What helps you become a more disciplined disciple and follower of Jesus Christ?
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Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn her seven pillars. 2 She has slaughtered her beasts; she has mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her young women to call from the highest places in the town, 4 “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!” To him who lacks sense she says, 5 “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways, and live, and walk in the way of insight.” – Proverbs 9:1-6 (ESV)
There’s an invitation for you!
In Proverbs 9 we see of Wisdom and Folly as rival young women. Each of them are preparing a lavish feast; and both of them are inviting people to attend. Solomon gives a disclaimer – Wisdom is a responsible woman of character while Folly is a prostitute serving stolen food. Wisdom appeals to the mind and heart. Folly appeals to the senses and impulsivity. Solomon contends that it is easier to excite the senses, but the pleasures of Folly are temporary and destructive. Conversely, the satisfaction that Wisdom brings yields lasting results, though often slow in it’s activation and can be easily abandoned by distractions, personal pursuits, and legitimate demands.
Lady Wisdom calls for us to find the right directions to her house where the feast awaits us. What moves us toward growth in either Wisdom or Folly are ultimately the love, commitment, and priorities that drive us. Think about it this way – you cannot overcome unforgiveness if your driving force is being in control. You cannot overcome bitterness or slander if you are driven by the approval of people. You cannot overcome workaholism if you are consumed by the accumulation of status, money, or affirmation. What we learn in choosing the invitation to join in and attend to the feast with Wisdom is more than WILLPOWER. If we ever seek to gradually grow and become ‘better’, it is through a reordering of our desires that will bring wisdom.
The way of wisdom is not through a quick fix, trending gimmicks, or a dramatic turnaround. The way of wisdom is traveling down the road each day that entails long training and daily discipline and….FOCUS. While focus can be mind and will; it is HEART. Proverbs 4:23 instructs us to, ““Guard your heart above all else, for from it flowtheissues of life”. Don’t just believe in the goodness of God–but savor Him and His power and His heart in WORSHIP. God desires our unreserved pursuit of Him, such that our desire pursues to dine and commune with Him as we seek His face and heart, not only his hands (what He gives).
“Come and dine!” There are two houses and two invitations. Again….wisdom offers you a banquet of bread, meat, and wine; folly offers you stolen bread and water. Wisdom promises you life, but if you eat at folly’s table, you will die.
The banquet described in Proverbs 9 has an interesting parallel to Christ’s parable described in Luke 14:15-24. In Christ’s parable, many are invited but never make it to the celebration because thy are sidetracked by other activities that seem more important at the time. Today, don’t let anything become more important than your pursuit of God and your search for His wisdom.
What or who is vying for your attention today? Pastors and leaders…how are you deciphering what is pressing versus what is a priority? Christian…is there anything in your life that knocks God off of the throne of your heart, and inhibits your pursuit of God fully and completely?
Wisdom. Folly. Which house will you enter?
Please share your thoughts in the comments. I would love to hear from you!
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Growing up as a “PK”, aka “A Preacher’s Kid”, and the son of active church members, this is a question I heard quite often. After one of the church members would come up to us, give us a gift or a piece of candy, my mother would assert, “….what do you say?” The correct response was, “Thank You!” Growing up, I was a very quiet kid. Preaching at 15, followed by college, ministry, and pastoring pushed me out of my proverbial shell. But in those moments as a little child, after receiving the gift, I would hold my head down, stare at the ground, with no expression.
In leadership we understand that every member of our team has an innate desire to be valued, needed, recognized, applauded, included. Each team member should be valued in the leader’s eyes. Of course, this applies to any relationship or friendship, and in any other arena where teamwork and comradery are involved. Leaders should be the first to recognize the accomplishments and achievements of others. Most people serve and work better when they are affirmed, applauded, and told they are appreciated for their work, commitment, loyalty, and faithfulness.
It is not by accident that Genesis 1:27 affirms for us that our first parents, Adam and Eve, were created in the image of God. The theological term we often use for this is imago Dei….that we are made in God’s image. This is not merely an anthropomorphic spotlight (hands, eyes, etc); but it is more an expression of our inherent, internal qualities and are intrinsically tied to who we are. These entail our tendencies (the good ones), our proclivities, are attributes, and the like – but without sin. We like intimacy, and we are prideful. We can become jealous, and despise enemies. Of course, these qualities and characteristics come from God – but He possesses these attributes without sin. Our sinful nature is what makes pride and jealousy and despising our enemies and our pursuit of intimacy so dangerous.
Here’s another one – God loves and craves affirmation. There are many examples in scripture of God seeking and desiring His people to bask in His presence, affirm His goodness, relish His power, massage His ego, and give Him the praise He so rightly deserves. As a matter of fact, when having a conversation with a Samaritan woman at a well, Jesus tells her in John 4:24 that God is “seeking worshippers….”.
How does this apply to you and I in this moment? I’m glad you asked!
I am sure you have so many things to complain about. Maybe there are some mistakes you’ve made in life recently that simply do not reflect the best version of ‘you.’ There is so much good in the worst of us and so much bad in the best of us that there can often seem very little good in the rest of us. There are so many who have lost their lives during this pandemic (with numbers continuing to rise), people who are apprehensive about the new vaccines, and fears and anxieties are high because of financial challenge, relational instability, loss of friendships, and the like.
In the midst of it all….I contend there is something you have left. There is the gift of your praise and worship and gratitude to your Father! Whatever you are facing today, the more you lavish your affection upon Him, He will fill you with His presence and His power.
In your hurt….thank Him. In the midst of your despair….worship Him. After your errors…return to your place of worship, and bow before Him.
There are things and people and problems and situations in your life that will seek all of your attention and allegiance today. Consequently, the things that have your allegiance and your attention, will also have your affection. The Bible calls these ‘idols.’
I want to encourage and admonish you – whenever you are tempted to amplify non-essential, temporal things, shift your attention toward the God Who longs to hear you talk to Him (Jeremiah 33:3), long for Him (Psalm 42:1), and abide in Him (John 15).
What do you say? Tell Him “Thank You!”
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It is hard to fathom that we have been in the midst of a worldwide pandemic since March of 2020 (6 months ago and counting). To say that our world has changed would be an understatement.
In the midst of it all, I think there will be some good to come out of this season. On the positive side, I would like to assume society is becoming more sanitized, germ-conscious and aware of our environment and space. On the negative end, I think we will become even more anti-social, guarded and socially-distant in the days and years to come. It doesn’t seem so far-fetched anymore, to think of a world where humans colonize to other planets, where everyone wears space suits, helmets with purified air, and a reality where there are no hugs or external fellowship; and where ‘social distancing’ now has a name.
The primal factor in my moving to Dallas Fort Worth was to lead the people of Shiloh in Fort Worth. That being said…my life naturally began to revolve around them for over three years (at the beginning of the pandemic). So it is quite natural to initially have felt a sense of ‘lostness’ not being able to interact with, visit or ‘fellowship’ with the people who’ve become my family. In the strangest way…in all of my years of pastoring, I have never felt ‘closer’ to my congregation during this season of life and ministry. For this, I am grateful. Of course, there have been some with whom have been unable to connect. But calls and cards have been a godsend.
So many people are anxious, fearful, confused and frustrated in the midst of this pandemic and Covid-19. I thank God for media and technology; but in some way, the media has had it’s way of pushing people mentally into overdrive. Even worse, most are not aware. To be sure, it seems that people, and the world, have gone absolutely mad, crazy and out of control. This seems even strange to write, when it seemed as if we were the aforementioned before 2020, and would’ve been so sure it couldn’t get any worse; atleast not so quickly. Even in churches, there is a great divide. There are some who think it is too soon to open (with many experts saying there will be a second wave during flu season) and others who are saying, ‘We do everything else, and go everywhere else.’ Add to this, the political debate we’ve forced upon wearing masks or not. Leaders, it often seems now, are in a lose-lose situation, in whatever decision they choose to make.
One thing I am sure this pandemic has done in most settings – be it with our family, in our friendship circles, in marriages and relationships, in the world or in church, and any interpersonal way – people have shown their true selves and their actual motives. Guess what? So have we!
As a Pastor, it is one of my tasks to not only encourage my parishioners and family and friends; but to encourage and lift other leaders and pastors. Philippians 4:6 encourages us not to ‘be anxious’ about anything; and Galatians 6:9 instructs us to ‘be ye not weary in doing well.’ Joshua chapter 1 in it’s entirety is always an encouragement, and it a chapter I have been lead by God’s Spirit to read daily. While this season is a wonderful opportunity to grow, focus on God, become more Christlike and centered on God’s Word; and to become more serious about what concerns God, I am afraid many of us are missing the opportunity, letting the moment pass us by. It is so important to use every moment during this ‘waiting room experience” as an opportunity to grow, focus, search the depths of your own soul, cherish every moment and person and to make yourself better and stronger.
This has been my goal and also my prayer. While I felt the results of others’ anxiety and ‘busyness’, and experienced the loss of my Aunt (Janice Pullam) since my last blog, and some whom I know who’ve experience illness and their own loss, I believe God is refining me. In the midst of challenge and change, God has blessed me to enroll back in school, and begin preliminary work for my Ph.D. I have continued to write; and shape my thoughts for publication in the future. God has also used this season to gradually break me out of my fear of being on camera, and all that entails. He is certainly challenging my nerves and my patience with others and compassion for people. I am also grateful and humbled that God would see fit to allow me to celebrate 4 years of Pastoral ministry at Shiloh on the 4th Sunday of this month. While it has not gone without it’s fair share of challenge (particularly in 2020 and during this pandemic), I am clear that it was God Who led me to beloved Shiloh MBC in Fort Worth; and He will order every step, with joy for the journey. Certainly….I appreciate every member of Shiloh who knows and believes that Shiloh is Christ’s church; He will keep it; and God has called us to love, lead and live like Jesus Christ in our own lives.
I’m wondering – what have you learned during this pandemic? How has God grown you durning this season?
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Admittedly, I am ready for this pandemic to be over. More recently, I’ve found myself wondering if the pandemic will ever end. Maybe I’ll look back upon this blog, grateful for the challenges 2020 presented; and smile at how we made it through this time, thankful for the vaccine created; and overwhelmed at all of the blessings that emanated from this time in all of our lives. Of course, with all of the news, opinions and rumors…from the spikes in new cases to the notion this may last two years to the hypothesis which says this is the ‘new AIDS’…people are drawn to fear, cynicism and anxiety. That being said…I miss my parents; my brothers; and my Shiloh family.
I’ve been preaching to a crowd of ten or less for about three months now. The early days of my pastoral ministry were full of empty chairs, a few amens; and quiet moments following the preaching event. You would think I, of all people, would be in my element; and at home in such an environment. The issue is, for me, I fell in love with the PEOPLE of Shiloh; and not the place. The place is beautiful and prestigious. Built in the 60’s, it is dated, but there is a regal flair about our church facilities. But the people of Shiloh – I can write a book about the uniqueness of our members. As I have contemplated the past few years about how we can grow, build a state of the art College ministry to attract the students of TCU and Texas Wesleyan; and expand our men and women and couples ministries to galvanize and facilitate ministry to ‘families’, I often wonder where will we find those persons who will ‘click’ and ‘stick’ to 1) such an eccentric pastor (I admit I am special. But so was my predecessor, so most of the members accept me) 2) such a unique, eclectic group of great people. I conclude that God will do it. I am seeing Him placing us in a position to move us to that reality.
Leading up to Sunday was both challenging and unusually peaceful and empowering. Somehow, what I had been wrestling with for some time in my own life, God gave peaceful reassurance that He would be with me and stand by me. Actually…not that He is with me; but that I am with Him.
We celebrated our high school graduates!!! I look forward to the month of June because every year we celebrate them on the 2nd Sunday of this month. For many years, Pastor Acie Jefferson, who pastors in Houston, would share with the graduates an uplifting message. This year, I was led to get someone local; and also someone who had ties to our congregation; Rev. Michael Green, from Concord Church, in Dallas. Because of the pandemic, things changed. I encouraged our Minister of Youth (now in charge of Graduate Recognition) to preach. He implored me to speak to our graduates. Lord knows I’ve been talking so much during this pandemic that it has seemed so hard to remain fresh; and especially relevant to these young people. He suggested that this year is different; and in the midst of a worldwide crisis, they need to hear from their spiritual leader. Now I don’t know if he was just trying to get out of speaking; but I accepted the challenge. I have preached every Sunday since the pandemic started; and taught every Wednesday night. As strange as it seems, I’ve enjoyed it! Though it is quite tedious; and I pray God’s people are being blessed…I am grateful that our people keep returning.
I shared from Psalm 105 and talked about God’s promises. It is a passage I preached from once before probably over 10 years ago. The one thing I have learned during this season (something I thought I’d mastered) is that there are many surprises with technology. Going live is really GOING LIVE. This has really been a work in progress for us. The real MVP in our church is a man who leads the media ministry in our church. The Lord placed him upon my heart after first arriving; because of his spirit. God has given me the gift of discernment (it is one of my spiritual gifts); and I knew instinctively that he was loyal, passionate, teachable and an emblazoned leader. In addition, a Prarie View A&M Grad (I’m’ partial to PV alumni; my great grandmother attended and taught there many years ago). He has worked very hard to make sure our media goes and continues. Shiloh should be so very proud of him. While people thank me for working hard to get our streaming going, and moving us into the 21st century – he’s the guy who took it, ran with it – in the midst of having a full-time job; and his own things going on. I will always have his back.
That being said…we wanted our visit with our graduates to surprise them the day before, added. On my way to church, I was informed that the video presentation would not be ready following praise and worship, as we had planned and worked on for about a month; and more than likely, it wouldn’t be ready at all. How I was able to focus on my message; in addition to some important things I needed to follow up on with our church; plus ending the note with telling our members, the graduates; and their visiting families who were tuning in – ‘oh by the way…we don’t have a presentation. But thanks for watching!’
God knows me. That’s what I do know. He knew I had something pressing on my heart; and He ALSO knew I wanted to make the day special for our graduates and also appreciate the hard work the media and our Minister of Youth did. Any feelings of not sharing what I knew I needed to share were placed aside not only by conviction, and communicating with our members; but because I couldn’t end the service. It was almost as if God was saying to me literally, ‘You won’t get out of this. Share what I told you to share.’ God’s reassurance is so overwhelmingly peaceful. When I finished sharing what He told me to share; I looked up….and the video was ready.
I already try to look for a lesson in every blog. Maybe the lesson here is that we trust God’s process. It is so very important to move when God says move; and remain still (and quiet) until God says move ahead. It is so dangerous for us to get ahead of God. It is even more dangerous to speak out of turn, when God says to keep silent. God really will fight every one of your battles – in your family, your ministry, your work environment and anything else. If you remain obedient; prayerful; walk with integrity and do right by God and love people – God will place a hedge around you; and he will also expose the antics of the adversary.
In what ways have you seen God’s hand at work in your life during this pandemic? What have you done to make it through this season? I would love to hear from you. Please comment, share and subscribe. Blessings to you this week!
If you’ve never read any of my blogs since 2008 or so, I’d encourage you to atleast read the one before this one. I would also encourage you to subscribe; as well as share this blog with someone you may know. My blogs (when I do write) are intentionally candid, transparent and brutally honest. As a ‘church kid’ I do still remain subtle and try to remain ‘politically correct’, to protect the innocent, the faint of heart; and most importantly, the people I love; and my church.
That being said….
If you take the time to read my last post back in January…there is a glimmer of excitement, hope and relief. Contained therein, there is an unspoken sense of ‘I’ve been through the storm and rain; and 2020 is going to be an exciting year.
For ALL (or most) of us….I sure seemed off. This has been some kind of year. I’ve seen so many memes referencing 2020; and how rough this year has been, from ‘Can we just skip the 2020 album, and go to the next 2021 track’ to so many others. My favorite has been the meme I saw by one of my friends I’ll call ‘CBB’. She is a former member of our church; and she never disappoints with the memes. The meme is entitled, ‘If 2020 was a slide’. The slide is a cheese grater!
For me….as I wrote my last blog, I knew God was leading me to make a decision in my own life and ministry; that I had prayed so many times about, over a couple of years. I’d promised the Lord that I would move in His time; and no matter what anyone said, I would move on His timetable. As I wrote the last blog, I didn’t even know if I’d be bold enough to obey God; or how my decision would effect anyone involved. What I did know is that I feared God, more than anyone else. My intention is not to go into details regarding any of that. My intention is to say to you – after I moved in the direction God instructed me to move, I traveled to Jacksonville, Florida for the Southern Baptist Pastor’s Conference, held at First Baptist Church in Jacksonville. The conference was empowering, enlightening; and the things I learned and the people I met simply made the time there seem like things were just coming together. I had never been to SBC’s Pastor’s conference held at First Baptist Jacksonville. My father had been while I was in high school; and Jerry Vines and Mac Brunson (their previous pastors) were two of my favorites. But it is just a plethora of encouragement, insights and empowerment.
Lord knows I needed it. 2019 (so I thought) was a rough year…just dealing with a suprising loss in our church family. One brother we lost was such a major encouragement to me personally. He was not a deacon or a trustee. He wasn’t an usher or a Sunday School teacher. He was just a ‘regular guy’ from Louisiana, retired from Delta Airlines; and just supported his new pastor. He had been on oxygen for a couple of years; and had been struggling through that; having good days and bad days. But I just admired how he would make his way to Bible Studies on Wednesday nights; how he would help with our security and safety personnel; and he never left church without talking to me. One Sunday I was in the foyer greeting parishioners as they departed; and he was waiting (as usual) for me to finish. Finally, he said he’d see me on Wednesday night. A day or so later, he was gone. I never shall forget doing something I advise no pastor (especially a professional chaplain) to do. There in the hospital, in front of his wife and daughter, I broke down and cried like a little baby. As some know, I am not a crier. Little did I know that God was preparing my tear ducts for 2020. I miss him so much; and he will be one of the first men I look for, after I see Jesus.
During my time in Jacksonville, my father met me there; along with a dear friend of my family, whom I call my uncle. Being an alumnus from Dallas Baptist and Southwestern Seminary, it was also a joy to see quite a few old colleagues, professors, classmates, etc. I was unsettled by the brewing tensions 2020 would bring; but excited about pleasing God.
I did something I don’t normally do, in 15 years of pastoring – I stayed over Sunday. I visited my friend, H.B. Charles’ church (Shiloh in Jacksonville). After church, I spoke to one of my best friends, Bertrain Bailey; and we shared our Sunday experiences, as we often do. Of course, I didn’t have much to say. I hadn’t preached; and I had only heard reports of the great time our people had back at home as Shiloh in Fort Worth. As we spoke, Bertrain tells me, ‘Man…I’m seeing on the news that Kobe Bryant just died.’ My closest friends know I have always been a Kobe fan; and would always argue that he was better than the inimitable Michael Jordan. As a matter of fact, my intention was to name my youngest son Kobe; to no avail. I told him, ‘Don’t play like that. We don’t play about Kobe.’ He said, ‘No dude, I’m seeing this on the news.’ From there…It has been a blur.
Kobe was, in fact, killed, along with others, in a helicopter crash; and the world rocked. Without even settling down long enough, we were hit by the Coronavirus Pandemic. And most recently, the injustices of the killings of unarmed black men and women; and the outrage that now ensues. If things could get no worse – with family members who have fallen ill, members of my church losing family members, etc; the shocking loss of Pastor Manson B. Johnson of the Holman Street Baptist Church, has dealt another devastating blow.
Here is my summation to this blog…just in case you think the world revolves around your little worries; God knows how to allow a world of bigger problems to eclipse what you are facing.
To be sure, the things in my world continue to move on and move forward. It is my prayer that God will continue to show Himself faithful, in the midst of any challenge any of us may face, individually or in this world. Never forget the words of 1 Peter 5:7, which says, “Casting all your care upon Him; for he cares for you.’
Nobody told you that the road was going to be easy. If they did, they lied to you! As long as you live this life, and seek to make an imprint, there will be challenges along the way. It is so important to:
1. Remain Prayerful 2. Trust God (In God we trust, everyone else we thoroughly investigate) 3. Follow His Word 4. Walk with Integrity 5. Write everything down, including your story 6. Treat people right 7. Let God fight your battles
The good news is – if you’re reading this blog, you made it through some of the worst times in human history!!! Just think – we get to live in this time. And God is so gracious to allow us to experience it.
Be encouraged as you go throughout this process. May you find joy on your journey!
The only way to get love is to be lovable. It's very irritating if you have a lot of money. You'd like to think you could write a check: 'I'll buy a million dollars' worth of love.' But it doesn't work that way. The more you give love away, the more you get. - Warren Buffet
My Name is Yanira Vargas. I am a Senior at Washington State University. I love all things expression and creative. I was in a relationship with my childhood best friend of 4 years, who happens to have had passed away with stage 3 brain cancer. I still believe in God, and in the beauty of mircles. Join me and embark on this journey with me.
If you’ve never read any of my blogs since 2008 or so, I’d encourage you to atleast read the one before this one. I would also encourage you to subscribe; as well as share this blog with someone you may know. My blogs (when I do write) are intentionally candid, transparent and brutally honest. As a ‘church kid’ I do still remain subtle and try to remain ‘politically correct’, to protect the innocent, the faint of heart; and most importantly, the people I love; and my church.
Kraig Lowell Pullam 