Reflections
It is hard to believe I haven’t blogged in three (3) months. Nevertheless, here I am. God be praised for the journey.
The last time I wrote, I had just begun my preaching series through the 7 churches of Revelation. This past Sunday, August 30, 2017, I finally concluded. One commitment I made during the process is to not break the series. By God’s grace, I did not. Whenever I stood in the pulpit of Shiloh, the Lord allowed me to continue, amid the challenges of working through the texts, holidays, personal desires not to cover certain issues (i.e.-Jezebel), I forged ahead. During the course of this study, I received a couple of reminders of how there seemed to be no love entailed in my sermons. One brother who has become near and dear to me noted that he had to duck and dodge as I preached. Someone expressed that they had felt that perhaps God was not pleased with them. At first, I felt bad regarding such comments while going through the series. But then I had to remember Christ’s aim in the Book of Revelation: REPENT!
One of the most difficult things, in being a preacher, is communicating to the hearers how hard it hits us before it ever reaches the pulpit. I am convinced that it must touch us if it will ever touch anyone else. It has also challenged me to work harder and do better in communicating the love of God, even in the hard passages. The fact it – Revelation (as it relates to the 7 churches) doesn’t mention the love of God. But I hope to always communicate that God’s love is present from Genesis to Revelation. Therefore, I am always grateful for ways to become a better communicator of God’s Word.
This week, in the midst of my pastoral duties, I’ve been working my way through the three parables tucked away in Luke 15. However, I think I am going to preach a couple of messages on encouragement before I delve into dealing with God’s love for the lost. My hope and prayer is to do better on this platform; and chronicle my journey in my pastorate, marriage and parenthood without getting myself in any trouble. I am learning that the people we least expect often peer into (and sometimes misinterpret) the things you intended to purely help someone understand the journey… I hope and pray to continue that dialogue here….all for the glory of God.
Kraig Lowell Pullam 
Thank you Brother Pastor for staying the course and not wavering from your God directed path in your just finished series. It will continue to bear fruit within and among the flock. Lifting you in prayer for your next series venture but, yes, it is good to give the folks a week or two to regroup before jumping into the next one.
God bless and “preach on.”
The good thing about planning a meal menu (series) ahead of time is it allows you to stay focused and not be distracted from your diet plan. I usually try to balance an Old Testament series with a New Testament series; Ten Commandments with Love and Grace; a Psalms/Proverbs with a letter; and a character with letter of Paul series…. you get the idea. Keep staying the course and the menu plan God has given you for the people God has given you. I hear, You are doing great.
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This unit of our Sunday School lessons has been titled God’s Unfailing Love, and the task has been to teach that God has revealed that love by sending His Word through His prophets.
Even though the prophets came to point out what was wrong, the people were blessed to have a God who loved them so much, that He would enlighten them, and not leave them blind to their ways.
And even though the prophets came to pronounce consequences, the people were blessed to have a God who loved them so much, that He would correct them, instead of leaving them stranded by their error.
You have faithfully served that task. You are revealing God’s unfailing love.
Preach on, pastor. Preach on.
Sis. C. Thank you so much for your insights and encouragement. This is a very great explanation and summation of how God worked through the prophets of old. You and your family have continued to remain in my daily prayers. Really wished I could’ve physically been there with you all a few months ago in Galveston. We love the Crayton’s!
bravo….
Wow Reverend!!! I am currently dealing with the same sermon series and response. Thank you for your overview and experience.
May God give you the strength to continue His work.