Gotta practice what you preach...

Well it has been a while and quite a bit has gone on and yet at the same time we stand at an impasse. In our search for a Pastorate it has taken us down several roads that we had wished we would have not had to travel but God, in His infinite wisdom, has placed us here for a purpose. What I have discovered is that through these journeys the roads can be frustrating, taxing, and sometimes leave you in a place where you need not to be: wondering what God is doing.

My wife and I have had the opportunity to see God’s wonderful provision for our family in many different ways. And those times have always shown us the greatness of the Almighty Father. But at this point in our life we are on the preface of something that we do not completely understand and for sure would have not planned it this way, but that is where this thought (and post) take me this afternoon. God doesn’t always work in the ways that “I” think are the best it is always what He knows is the best!

I was recently preaching in San Antonio and said something there that made a lot of sense as I said it but now I have to “Practice What I Preach” in a way. I told the congregation that God planned the entire world and never once asked my opinion on how things should work and in what ways He should make them. With that in mind I realize that the Lord did a fantastic job without me and allows me to enjoy His wonderful creation every day (Even when it is stupid cold outside.) But now we are in a point of our walk where we do not see the end of the path and the illumination seems not to be as bright as it once was. So what are we to do?

Trust in the Lord! I realize that my God has a pretty good idea about what He is doing and has placed me on this path because of His will and now it is my job to Trust Him! But what is wonderful is that He has built a base with me to show me and my family that He is trustworthy! He has provided so wonderfully in the past, who am I to thing that He won’t provide the same way in the future. I am just going to trust Him and pray that my faith will not waiver but stay strong in Him!

I don’t know several aspects of this journey yet: Where God will lead me to Pastor, What will the people be like at the Church where our Pastor, How quickly will our Home sell, What part of the Country will God call me to, What am I having for dinner tonight is still up in the air at this point…but what I do know is this: God knows exactly how He is going to lead, how He is going to provide, and since my God is Good and since Romans 8:28 is still in the Bible I know that I will keep on loving my God and it WILL work out for Good. That’s my God and that is just what he does…Amen and Amen!

A Family Circle of Prayer

Something sweet happened the other day when we were spending time in prayer. My family and I spend time together in prayer every day. It is a very sweet and needed time in our lives and seldom goes by that we do not spend our family devotion time together. Even when I am out of town I make sure that I call and gather my family together so we can spend time in prayer together. It is always a sweet time and I would not replace it for anything. We spent time praying over a specific need and as we finished wiping the tears away Dylan made a discovery that touched our hearts. He looked down and saw our footprints indented in the carpet to where we made a circle with our feet. Immediately my wife and I welled up with tears again seeing the blessing in this beautiful sight.

In the believers life we are constantly being pulled in different directions. Wether it be work, or school schedules, or extracurricular activiies, they are all pulliing us in different directions. In today’s world we have Moms trying to balance careers along with family life. Dads worker longer hours while they are trying to advance in their careers to make a little or lot more money. Kids trying to have the “Well Rounded” childhood and are involved in several different extracurricular activites. All of these things going on and you know what ends up suffering, our time with the Lord, but more specific then that…our time with the Lord as families!

As a look at the Church today I realize that we have programs, we have groups, we have worship practice and so many more things which are wonderful blessings in their own aspects, but what I do not see is a calling of the Church back to a time of family worship. I have known many believers over the past several years, and in conversations with these individuals and families I notice that people are so busy with Church they get to busy for God. How backward we have become. As a Pastor one of my biggest fears is that my children would become more familiar with the routines of Church, the programs of Church, or the aspects of Church instead of the wondrous God who died for the Church!

As my son looked down and saw the footprints in the carpet I realized that I need to be more zealous then ever in my ministry to show people the need and blessing that comes from time together as a family. I heard a statement made years ago and wanted to broaden it for famlies sake. A family that is to busy to pray is to busy for God. Let us search our lives and schedules and make sure that we are first and formost with God in prayer and in worship.

To be or not to be…that is the question.

This quote from Hamlet (Act 3: Scene 1) is such a wonderful quote, for it transcends the literary context found in Hamlet and can have bearing on many facets of life or in the case of Hamlet death. This is what has lead to the posting of this blog this morning. Please understand that there is not an involvement of death in the context of this thought, however the statement is not only applicable it is the best way to describe the future of this Pastor.

When I surrendered to be a Pastor I had an ignorance of all the aspects of what that meant, but over the past several years I have been schooled in the knowledge of “Politics” in the IFB Church. One thing that has always troubled me and at the same time challenged me is the aspect of, “It is not what you know, it is about who you know.” How this has been revealed to me even the past several weeks and is now the dilemma that we once again face.

God’s calling for me to Pastor a Church has never been a question in my mind. Even through difficulties of personal attacks, financial hardships, vicious and brutal lies being spread about my family and me, God has never caused me to doubt the calling he has given, but even through all the difficulties mentioned and unmentioned the greatest of all is not those, it is simply about who you know. I find it so interesting that this is such a difficult facet of trying to find a Church to Pastor, but it is the dilemma that was faced by so many. It is to a point that if you don’t go around trying to get to know everyone and trying to be a good politician then you may not be able to find a ministry to serve in someday. Now that sounds like some good Bible teaching! (I hope the sarcasm was sensed)

And know I hope the title is now made clear, is it to be or is it not to be? Yes that is truly the question! In the context of the situation I face, it seems the” be or not to be” has no bearing or relationship to me but in truth and sincerity it is mostly about the “Who” that know me and how well the “Who” is known. How tragic, but nevertheless is the circumstances we are in. It screams to me of the Church in Corinth who had a problem with man identification instead of Christ identification.

As a Pastor my prayer is to never fall into this snare. One of my friends, who is a Pastor in a Church, has challenged himself to also not be in the conformity of culture when it debunks scriptural authority. I am so glad for men like this who know that the Church is not about “Politics” it is about Christ and in that the “Be or not to be” should be in the hands of the perfect one who won’t get it wrong...Jesus Christ.

Catch a breath…write a post.

Well it has been quite a while since I have posted anything on here, but I realized that it is a wonderful way to express thoughts in written format so here I am…and here we go again. In my spiritual walk with in life I realize that many things happen both good and bad, some understood some not understood, but through it all I realize that the Lord has a greater plan through it all. And here we stand on the threshold of something that bears the resemblance of a road traveled before. I find myself looking again to Pastor a Church.

If you know me and you actually read this you remember it was just a few years ago that I was out looking for Churches that I could candidate to be their Senior Pastor. What an experience, both good and bad, but now it is that time again. I know that God wants me to Pastor a Church and that the Lord has prepared me for such a time as this, but at this moment we are trying to candidate at the Church where I am currently serving as Youth Pastor. What a unique experience, because I actually know the people, have a heart for them, have loved them for years, and have a great vision of what the Lord could do, but at the same time I have to prepare myself for the fact that they may not want me as their Pastor. I know that may not seem weird, but for me it is kind of weird.

What makes it weird is what would happen next…last week as I met with a Pastor friend of mine he asked a very sensible question, “What will you do if they tell you no?” Now, I had this all figured out in my mind, but I guess I never really entertained the idea before or really pondered it. So as I ponder I wonder what will happen. My standard answer is, “well God is calling me to Pastor so I will go to where God wants me to Pastor, either in Galesburg or wherever he leads.” But the implications of that are what are really interesting. What if _____ What if _____ it is the What Ifs that get me sometimes. And as I ponder this thought I have one conclusion ______________ Yep that’s it…But I realize the Lord is control and I am looking forward to whatever He will do with us. I don’t doubt His calling or His leading during this time it is just the Blank I want filled in. Soon…soon.

Welcome Superman, to 2008

Well apparently my blog and I have not had the chance to talk to each other this year so I figured I might as well take the time and see how it is doing. In all actuality, I am finishing a session in the EPA conference and one of the tools she is speaking of is Blogs and communicating to others with these resources. I have a friend in Indianapolis (shout out: What up RedHeadRev) that is a lot more dedicated to blogging than I am and I always enjoy reading his blog and now I feel challenged to share thoughts that have gone through my mind. Here we go…

Last night I am sitting in the conference getting ready to eat some chicken like substance (Haven’t quite figured out where the chef was going with this one) and I started to say to myself, “I hope this year the speaker is better than last year.” Me and I agreed, but myself was still pondering the chicken substance in front of me. At the table we are entertaining conversation with various individuals who have jobs that deal in some way or another with printing. Great conversation, but then the question should be asked how long it took before the conversation turned to Politics. I am pleased to announce, five minutes tops!

After our meaningful conversation on how bad our Governors (if you know me you could hear the sarcasm in my voice at this point.) we began to listen to Paul Baloche lead some worship. He begins to sing a song that I am familiar with but have never really listen to the words. Now the words aren’t just being sung, but are in front of me on the big screen. This guy is wonderful! You can see the Lord has given him the ability to write and praise God through song. But then he sings another called “Above All” which really gets me going now. Again it is a song I am familiar with but have never truly listened to the words but now I not only hear them, but see them. Here are some of the words that gave an impact.

Above all powers
Above all things
Above all nature and all created things
Above all wisdom and all the ways of man
You were here before the world began
Above all kingdoms
Above all thrones
Above all wonders the world has ever known
Above all wealth and treasures of the earth
There's no way to measure what You're worth

Crucified
Laid behind the stone
You lived to die
Rejected and alone
Like a rose trampled on the ground
You took the fall
And thought of me
Above all

I could have stopped there, but then we got to hear an evangelist named Luis Palau speak who did a fantastic job of challenging us to be praying for the City God has called you to (Jeremiah 29: 7) and work with them. But my focus today is on the song and the lyrics above and how it brought to mind several thoughts. When I think of all the things that my Lord has done for me, I stand in Awe, but I realize that above all, it was for my sake he went to the cross. I realize that above all, it was for me and you that he came. Out of all the things this world had to offer: kingdoms, thrones, wealth, treasures, he choose me above all. This puts me at a point of where I completely stand in awe of my great God, because he is so wonderful to me. Now flip the coin.

What about me? What about you? This world has so many things to offer: Title, Position, Wealth, Prosperity, Freedoms, Social Groups, etc. But where does our God fit in. In my life I have many things to praise God for: a wonderful wife, fantastic kids, great friends, a tremendous youth group, a spectacular Church, and so many more outstanding things. When I list these things, above all the greatest thing is my Lord, My God, My King. He is above all in the placement of my wonderful blessings, but true as well is that he is above all in the rule of things in my life. What about you? May I challenge you as the song writer wrote, as Paul says in Philippians 3:7-10, and as I realize today and hope to in the future. All things have their place, but above all, there is only one…Jesus Christ! Amen and Amen.