Messages From The Mountain

One By One

2012-01-27T09:25:00.000-06:00

(Picture is of my mom and dad, Wade and Naomi Reeves, at Christmas 1955. My dad's sisters Dixie Austin (left) and Ruth Tant (right) still live in Nashville, TN).

This morning's Facebook posts brought news of the passing of a sweet man from my growing up years at the Holmes Road Church of Christ in Memphis. Ted Bounds was one of those men who had a very profound and encouraging effect on my life. Even in recent years, confined to a motorized chair, he would always have words of appreciation and encouragement whenever I would see him. I am grateful for his life of faith and dedication.

Last week I learned that another friend and mentor from my growing up years had passed away. George Hutchison was an elder in my home congregation and later moved to Williford, Arkansas, where I did some of my early preaching. I can't begin to estimate how many times I stayed in the Hutchison's house - as a high school and college student and even as an adult. Some of you who have heard me preach may have heard the illustration of the man who "watered" his house during the dry summer months to keep the foundation from sinking. That was George. He and Kathleen truly blessed my life. George is one of the people who gave me a love for restoring old cars. He was always working on at least one in his shop.

The passing of these two men coupled with that of my mom last summer reminds me that those of my parents' generation are quickly "going down the valley one by one." When I stop to realize all of the changes that have taken place in my life in the past year it almost takes my breath away. A new ministry. A new home. Developing new relationships and friendships while leaving others behind. And yet all of those changes pale with the realization that both of my dear parents have moved down that road and are now at home with the Lord.

No longer am I able to pick up the phone and call "home." No longer do I have a place to lay my head (and my burdens) down as freely as I could at their house. A place of security and safety. A place of unconditional love and acceptance. A place of physical and spiritual nourishment, affirmation and rest. It is a hard realization and a difficult adjustment.

But wait! I am quickly reminded that there is such a place - a place of quiet rest. A place of full release. A place of joy and peace. "Near to the Heart of God." I would not know of this place had it not been for the influence of Godly parents, family and friends like Ted and George and countless others who pointed me in that direction by their faithful lives. Now it is my turn. I must be the one pointing my children and grandchildren along with the next generation of Christian young people and preachers to the home that transcends anything this world has to offer. It is a formidable challenge that cannot be neglected.

"Oh Lord, please help me to continue the legacy of faith and dedication set before me by those who have gone on to a greater reward. For one day I, too, shall take my final glance at this life before turning and stepping down into the valley myself." In Jesus Name, Amen!

2012-01-23T13:27:00.000-06:00

Every year the editors of the Webster Dictionary pour over thousands of publications in search of new words or new definitions of old words. In 1982 a new word was added to the English Dictionary because of the amount of usage it received in the press and other places. What word am I talking about? It's the word (or phrase) "Couch Potato." According to the dictionary "Couch Potato" is defined as “a person disinclined to activity or exertion, especially one who spends a great deal of time watching television.”

Do you know anyone who fits that description? You can almost picture them sitting on the couch watching TV with a bag of chips in one hand the remote in the other hand and a blank stare on their face. Perhaps that even describes you?

It is certainly not physically healthy to be a couch potato. The hours of inactivity coupled with the added calories of junk food leads to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and may even lead to heart disease, diabetes and other physical conditions that are detrimental to one's health and well being.

While being a "Couch Potato" is unhealthy from a physical perspective there's another condition which is just a dangerous to one's spiritual health. That's being a "Pew Potato." What is a "Pew Potato?" It's someone who comes to church and sits on a pew but never does anything else They never try to help another person. They never seek to serve someone in time of need and never do anything to help the church (which is the body of Christ - Eph. 1:22-23) grow. They just come and sit - month after month, year after year.

Are you a "Pew Potato?"

The Bible says that God created you and me for a life of service. In Ephesians 2:10 Paul writes, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Just as our physical bodies are designed for exercise and exertion our spiritual lives have been created for the purpose of ministering to the needs of others. The reason why many people are miserable and empty is because they have never poured themselves into a life of service to others. They think everyone should be serving them.

We’re saved to serve. We are not saved to sit.

In Segovia, Spain is a Roman aqueduct built in 109 A.D. For eighteen hundred years, it carried cool water fromthe mountains to the hot and thirsty city. Nearly sixty generations of men drank from its flow. A recent generation, however, saw the great aqueduct and said, "It is so great a marvel that it ought to be preserved for our children as a museum piece. We will relieve it of its centuries-long labor."

They laid new iron pipes to transport the water and gave the ancient bricks and mortar a reverent rest. Almost immediately the aqueduct began to deteriorate and crumble. Without the flowing water to keep the mortar moist the brick and stones began to sag and collapse. What centuries of service could not do idleness quickly destroyed. So it is with our spiritual lives.

Jesus said, "Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave" (Mt. 20:26-27). There is no room for a Pew Potato in the kingdom of God.

A Priesthood of Believers

2012-01-11T12:57:00.003-06:00

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pt. 2:9).

In Old Testament times God’s people relied on men called “priests” to be their representatives before God. Ordained priests first appear in Israel’s history at Sinai, when Israel constructed the tabernacle. Israel as a whole was referred to as a “kingdom of priests” - Exodus 19:6. Within Israel God chose Aaron and his sons as priests or ministers in his house. They are brought near to “stand and serve” - Deuteronomy 10:8; 18:5.

The functions of priests were many and varied. Priests cleaned house by performing sacrificial rites, sprinkling blood on the furniture and utensils of God's house and cleansing the earthly sanctuary with the blood of bulls and goats. If the house became defiled, God threatened to leave his house and his people, thus the role of the priest in maintaining purity was extremely important.

Priests were sacred butchers, butlers, and bakers. They butchered the animals, ground the grain, and baked the bread that was placed on the altars. Yahweh’s altar was his table - Ezekiel 41:22; 44:16, where priests offered his morning and evening “bread” - cf. Leviticus 3:11; 21:21-22. Priestly ministry at the altar was their “table service” before God.

In the holy place, priests kept the lampstand in working order by trimming wicks and replenishing oil (Exodus 30:8; Leviticus 24:1-4). Each morning and evening they offered incense (Exodus 30:7-8), and each Sabbath they changed the twelve loaves of bread on the golden table (Leviticus 24:5-9). Through their work, the King’s house was well lit, aromatic, and supplied with daily bread.

The priests' work involved with service to both the literal “house” of the Temple and service to the nation or “house” of Israel. By their teaching and judging priests served as guardians of Israel’s holiness. By teaching the law (or Torah) to the people - Leviticus 24:8 - they trained Israel to distinguish between behavior that was "holy" and that which was "unholy" and helped them to be holy as God is holy.

When they sanctified or cleansed the temple or house of God they were restoring worshipers to fellowship with God. They led Israel to Yahweh by offering his bread on the altar, and also in leading the people to lift up the “bread” of praise and thanksgiving. When they offered incense on the golden altar they were also offering intercessions - cf. Psalm 141:2. None of this priestly service was for the priests alone but for the Israelites whom they represented.

The “High Priest” was specially designated as the one who would go into the Most Holy Place of the temple once a year to sprinkle the blood of a goat upon the “mercy seat” (Ark of the Covenant), In doing so he became the “mediator” between God and men.

You and I do not live under the Levitical priesthood. When Jesus died on the cross He became the supreme sacrifice for our sins once and for all - Heb. 9:12. He is our High Priest - Heb. 4:14-15,and as His disciples we are “a royal priesthood” -1 Pt. 2:9. With the arrival of this new and better priesthood through Jesus - Hebrews 4-5, 7) Christians united to Christ who is King and Priest become priests and kings in him - Revelation 1:6; 5:10. All that the Levitical priests did in the tabernacle and temple were shadows of things believers now do in reality in the heavenly sanctuary. And, just as the Aaronic priests served Israel by serving in God's house so is ministry by Christians in the church.

We are all guardians of God’s holy house. We are called to distinguish between holy and unclean and to maintain the purity of God’s household - the church. All believers offer the sacrifice of praise through Jesus, the Bread of God. Every Christian offers the incense of prayer in the holy place of God’s house, and through practices of forbearance and forgiveness we keep God’s house clean. Through using the gifts given by the Spirit, each member of Christ’s body contributes to the edification of the whole. Paul reminds us that in this was we “grow up in all things into Him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” - Eph. 4:15-16.

In the old order, priestly service was housekeeping by a select group. In the new order, all are priests, called to the ministry of building the body.

In the church that Jesus established there was no “clergy / laity” system whereby the work of the church was done by a special class of people. God’s intent is that we all be involved in the great mission of “speaking the truth in love" (Eph. 5:16).

That's "The Way I See It."

Acknowledgement:

Priesthood of Believers

         Oct 29, 2010        

         Peter Leithart        

Being a "Then-Some" Person

2012-01-05T10:57:00.000-06:00

Jesus said, “If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles”(Mt. 5:41). Herein is one of the great truths for living a happy life. It has long been my observation that people who are willing to do more, sacrifice more and give more are much happier than those who are content to meet only the minimum requirements of life. The happy people are those who do all they are asked to do “and then some.” They meet the expectations of their job, “and then some.” They devote themselves wholeheartedly to their families, “and then some.” They give time and effort to help others in the community, “and then some.” In every case it is the “then some,” – that second mile effort – that brings about joy and fulfillment.

Imagine how such an attitude could affect the church. What if every member of our congregation resolved to be faithful in attendance - “and then some?” What if we truly gave as we have been prospered – “and then some?” What if we supported the various programs of work as much as possible – “and then some?”

I heard of a man who had become dissatisfied with his wife and wanted a divorce. The attorney told him that he would make the necessary arrangements with one stipulation. “To make her really miss you,” he said, “go home and for one month do everything in your power to make her happy. Give it your best – ‘and then some.’ It will drive her nuts.” The man did as instructed and gave his best – “and then some.” When he returned to the attorney all of the paperwork was ready but he immediately protested. “How could I possibly divorce such a sweet gal? Tear those papers up at once!” What had brought about the change? It was his “then-some” attitude.

If you’re discouraged with how your life is going. If you’re discontented with your family, your friends or the church try going the second mile and giving just a little more. You’ll discover that the difference between “tri” and “triumph” is just a little “umph!”

FAITH

2010-10-20T15:29:00.000-05:00

"Abram."

"Wha... What? Wh.... Who is it?"

"I AM GOD."

"G...G...God? What do you want?"

"I want you to get up, pack your belongings and move."

"Bu....Bu... but God I am settled here. I like it here. There's plenty of land for my flocks. I've grown prosperous here. It's comfortable..."

"Get up and Go!"

"Go where, God? Do you have some place in mind?"

"I will show you... Go"

The writer of Hebrews makes the comment regarding the above conversation, "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going" (Heb. 11:8).

What was it that enabled Abraham to do such a thing? Was it courage? I don't think so. In fact, on several occasions Abraham was so afraid of what might happen to him that he coaxed his wife into lying in order to save himself. Was it personal initiative? No. There is nothing in the entire episode of his life to suggest that this was something that he initiated, He was not fulfilling a long-held desire or launching out on a personal endeavor for success. He was not trying to get ahead, move up the corporate ladder or increase his salary.

This move was God's idea. Not his. There was no profit motive. No desire to improve his surroundings. No thought that his family would be better off or that life would be easier. It's hard to imagine the grass being greener on the other side of the fence when you don't have a clue where the fence is much less what's on the other side of it.

But Abram left. He did not know where he was going. He did not know what was ahead of him. He did not know if he would ever see members of his own family again. He did not know . . .

He only knew one thing.

He knew WHO he was going with.

Abraham's security was not found in a place. It was not found in being surrounded by the comforts of familiar surroundings and people. He significance was not tied up in his job. His calling was one of faith. He believed in God. He followed God. He obeyed God. It did not matter where that faith took him or what it called him to do. He believed and he lived according to that belief.

"What does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness" (Rom. 4:3).

The late and esteemed preacher, N.B. Hardeman used to warn his preacher students about, "sitting down in a tub of butter." That was his way of reminding them that a life of faith is not without sacrifice. Abraham had his sight set on something much bigger than his current circumstances. "For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God: (Heb. 11:10). He was ready and willing to move onward to greater service and ministry in the Kingdom of God.

And the result . . .

"These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect" (Heb. 11:39-40).

That's The Way I See It.

THE POWER OF PREACHING

2010-10-14T13:48:00.003-05:00

I've just completed reading a short book by Willie Cato entitled, His Hands and Heart - The Wit and Wisdom of Marshall Keeble. I've had the book on my shelves for years. It was part of the collection that came from my uncle Larimore Austin of Nashville, Tennessee, following his death. Even though I've had the book for quite some time I have to confess that I've just now gotten around to reading it.

Marshall Keeble was a well known evangelist among churches of Christ during the first half of the 20th century. He was born as the son of former slaves in 1878 and passed away in 1968. He was still preaching and going strong at the time of his passing. During the years of segregation between the races Brother Keeble preached to everyone regardless of their skin color. He baptized thousands.

One thing that impresses me about Keeble was his belief in the power of preaching the Gospel of Jesus. He was not interested in all of the "fluff" that characterizes many churches today. He often said, "just let me stretch out a tent somewhere and start preaching. God will do the rest." Though Keeble did not complete a "formal" education he was certainly knowledgable of the Bible and believed strongly in Christian education. For a number of years he served as the President of the Nashville Christian Institute, a school which trained preachers.

On one occasion as he preached a white man jumped up from the crowd and struck Keeble in the face with a pair of "brass knuckles." Keeble fell to the ground but quickly got right back up and resumed preaching. On several occasions those who opposed his preaching were later baptized by him. He was determined to never allow resentment or bitterness to build up in his heart.

Cato tells of one interesting incident that broke the heart of the aging Keeble. Asked to preach at a large municiple auditorium Keeble had looked forward to the opportunity for months. Just before he was to speak word came to him that the organizers of the event did not want him to extend an invitation. "What?" Keeble shouted. Despite his protests the organizers were undeterred and Keeble respected their wishes. His message was noticably subdued and afterward according to Cato brother Keeble prayed openly for God's forgiveness at not going ahead and doing what he knew to be right.

I recently heard of a church where the preacher was told, "we don't want you to preach over ten minutes." The rest of the time was to be devoted to "praise and worship." Believe me when I say that I am all for "praise and worship." However, to subdue the preaching of the Gospel is to shut off the very "power of God unto salvation" (Rom. 1:16).

I'm glad I had some extra time this week to read this long neglected volume from my shelves. I wish more of our young preachers in training would be exposed to the courage, faith and fortitude of men like Marshall Keeble.

That's The Way I See It!

THE HEARTBEAT OF MINISTRY

2010-10-06T13:36:00.000-05:00

Religious researcher George Barna has compiled more infomation on America’s spiritual values and the growth of churches in our country over the past thirty years than anyone else I know of. Here are some interesting comments from Barna with regard to the growth of a church.

“Many churches do not have a clear sense of God’s vision for ministry. Until that vision is clarified, articulated and owned by the congregation as their very heart-beat—as the thing they want to be most obedient to, as something they want to exude tremendous passion for—the church is really going to struggle. If there’s no such vision or mission, you become just a caretaker church. You merely put in your time. And we really don’t need that type of church.”

I think Barna's comments are applicable to many congregations today. Every church needs to regularly ask itself some identifying questions, "What is our mission?" "What is the reason for our existence?" "What do we have a passion for?" "What is the heartbeat of our congergation?"

Many congregations have never articulated this. It's true that a lot of us have our own ideas of what the church should be about but somehow we've never come together to arrive at that common heart-beat that must define us.

I don’t think we have to launch some extravagant or complex strategic planning session to arrive at the answer to these questions. Nor do I think its necessary to devise or develop some catchy phrase or slogan. The answer is found right before us in scripture. Listen as Jesus describes the works of his disciples in Matthew 25:31-45.

"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' 37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' 40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' 41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.' 44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' 45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'"

When you boil it all down our mission, given by God Himself, comes down to one simple concept - "Honoring God through Blessing Others.” The old saying in indeed true. “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

That's The Way I See It

Polluted Water / Polluted Hearts

2010-06-14T14:43:00.000-05:00

Nearly all Americans are alarmed by the current crisis occurring in the Gulf of Mexico. For the past six weeks oil and gas have been gushing from a damaged well following the tragic explosion of a deep sea oil rig. Eleven men lost their lives in the explosion and the resulting oil spill will cause millions if not billions of dollars of damage to the livelihood of communities along the coast not to mention harm to the environment. Just this morning I saw a news report showing a pelican covered with slimy, greasy oil. How sad. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those whose lives are being affected by this tragedy.

There is another type of pollution, however, that concerns me even more than that occurring off our southern shores. It is the pollution of the world that affects the hearts, minds and lives of so many Christians today. Through the influence of the news media, entertainment industry and internet we are being bombarded with a tidal wave of worldliness that threatens the very heart of our commitment to Christ.

Listen to the admonition of scripture:

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Mt. 5:13-16).

“Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:9-11).

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” (Jas. 1:27).

A young lady went into the kitchen as her mother was preparing a salad for dinner. The daughter asked her mother for permission to attend an “R” rated movie. The mother remained silent but immediately reached down into the trash can, picked up shells of broken eggs, coffee grounds and a handful of other trash and threw it into the salad bowl. “Mom! What are you doing?” the daughter asked. The mother wisely replied, “if you don’t mind filth in your mind why should you mind it in your salad?”

Christian, your salvation has been made possible because God loved you enough that He allowed His sinless son to die for you. He expects you to live a distinctive life that refrains from the moral pollution and filth of the world. This includes avoiding every appearance of evil, dressing modestly and refraining from immoral situations (including immoral music, movies, web-sites, relationships, etc).

I pray for the successful clean up of the Gulf oil spill. I’m praying even more for the people of God to clean up the pollution too many of us have allowed in our hearts. .

That's The Way I See It...

WHEN A CHURCH SPLITS

2010-05-25T11:59:00.003-05:00

Did you hear the one about the fellow stranded on a deserted island for five years? When he was finally discovered he was eager to show his rescuers the complex of grass huts he had built. There was the sleeping hut, the kitchen hut, the living room hut and the gym hut. Pointing to a hut with a cross on the top he said, "that's where I go to church." Someone noticed another hut down the beach that also had a cross on top of it. "What is that hut?" they asked. The reply was instant, "that's where I used to go to church."

Like it or not that's the culture we live in. Some people change churches almost a frequently as they change clothes. Churches experience difficulties and problems arise leading to a split. People leave. Hearts are broken. Relationships are marred by caustic comments and hurtful words.

I want you to know, however, that a church split does not have to end in tragedy. In the late 1950's the Whitehaven Church of Christ experienced such a split. The matter was complicated even further by the fact that two brothers held opposing views on a particular matter. A group of folks left and went a mile and a half down the road where they purchased property and started a new congregation that became known as the Holmes Road Church of Christ. This is the congregation where I was taken as a baby and where I grew up, was baptized, served as a youth ministry intern while in college and even met my future wife!

Here's what I remember about these two churches. By the time I was a teenager and had any consciousness about what was going on the two congregations had long ago set aside any ill feelings toward one another. They cooperated regularly in community events, supported each other's activities and held each other in high esteem. Today I am the preacher for what was formerly the Whitehaven church. To this day the two congregations work together in a spirit of brotherly love and harmony.

Church splits, although they are often coupled with feelings of bitterness and betrayal can ultimately work out for good. In the case of the Whitehaven and Holmes Road congregations there were two active and growing churches that have made a huge difference in the kingdom for over fifty years. In order for this to happen, however, some critical things must occur.

1. Forgiveness must be extended freely on the part of all involved.

2. A spirit of co-operation must replace a spirit of competition.

3. Leadership in the respective congregations must lead the way.

4. Everyone must understand that the ultimate goal is the salvation of souls and spiritual development of people in an environment where they can best serve and grow.

Jesus prayed for unity. It is through this unity that the world comes to believe that Jesus is Lord. Oh, how needful it is for God's people to stop fighting "turf wars" and help each other against our common foe - the great adversary - Satan.

That's The Way I See It!

ONE OF A KIND

2010-05-13T09:45:00.003-05:00

For as long as I can remember the name Smith Howell has been etched in my conciousness. Growing up in Whitehave, a southern suburb of Memphis, I often heard of this man who was an elder in the church, an engineer and architect for a local TV station and a master of many pursuits. My sister dated his youngest son for a couple of years in High School and on occasion I would have opportunity to "tag along" and visit in the Howell's home.

Smith's accomplishments were legion. He constructed the first studios for WREC Radio and later Television in Memphis. He once built and piloted a 98 ft. yacht for Hoyt Wooten, the owner of the station. He built a 5600 sq. foot fall-out shelter on the Wooten estate in Whitehaven. He loved mission work and made four trips to Malawi after he was 77 years old. The last one at age 91. In Malawi he designed a Bible College, a church building and an orphanage to care for 500 AIDS orphans. He was a dreamer and a doer.

Of all the opportunities I have had in life and ministry the privilege of knowing Smith has been a highlight of my life. I was 42 and he was 86 when I moved back to the area where I grew up and began preaching for the Goodman Oaks church. At that time Smith had been serving as an elder for nearly 50 years! In my first meeting with the elders Smith was asked to pray. He cried as he prayed. His words were so sincere and meaningful. He prayed for me and my family. He prayed for the church. He told God how much we all loved Him and how much we needed Him. As I left that initial meeting I knew that I had been in the presence of a spiritual giant.

Over the past eight and one/half years Smith and I have grown closer. We have made many visits together in hospital rooms and in people's homes. Sometimes we would just ride around old neighborhoods or rural settings as he would talk and reminisce. While we would nearly always talk about God and "church stuff" on occasion Smith would say, "today we are not going to talk shop. We're just going to enjoy ourselves." Inevitably we would end up at the Picadilly Cafeteria or Captain D's Seafood. Smith always paid.

Many evenings my phone would ring and Smith would be on the end of the line. "I just called to tell you I love you," he would say. When my wife was suffering the ill effects of chemotheraphy he would call nearly every day to check on her and tell us he was praying for us.

Several years ago he walked into my office one morning and said, "I want you to have this." He laid a set of keys and a vehicle title on my desk. They were to his blue Cadillac. "I don't need to drive anymore and you need a good car to get around in." That car was especially meaningful because Smith had purchased it from another long-time friend and preacher, C.W. Bradley.

He was 94 when he went home last week. Though his body had steadily weakened over the past several months his mind was clear, crisp and sharp through his final days. "I am ready to go home," he told me. "Please pray that I can go home." I did. Peacefully and quietly the angels slipped in and beckoned. He left with them without a trace of discomfort or pain. He was ready.

At his funeral I made this statement. I have worked with approximately 45 different men who have been elders in the various places I have preached. They have all been good men. A few of them have been exceptional men. With no disrespect to any of them past or present, however, I must say that Smith was in a category all to himself.

He often said, "It only takes being there one time at the right time to make a difference for a lifetime." Smith, you were there for me at the right time. You have made a difference in my heart for a lifetime. I love you!

That's The Way I See It

Torn Apart

2010-05-12T15:04:00.004-05:00

When my father was a boy growing up in Nashville, TN, he witnessed a particularly destructive church split. When the simmering feud broke into open conflict one Sunday morning the local sheriff was called in to seperate the parties and maintain order. Ultimately the church split with a sizable number of people leaving to worship elsewhere.

If my dad knew the reason for the division he never told me. In my own life and ministry, however, I've witnessed enough church conflict to understand something of the dynamics which lead to open division.

At one time I was convinced that most division within churches was personality based rather than doctrinally based. I am no longer sure of that assertion. From what I have seen and heard in various parts of the country it seems that much of the division going on in churches today does have a doctrinal flare to it. Among the restoration movement our situation is not unlike the division that occurred during the split among Churches of Christ and Christian Churches in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With increasing frequency it seems that fundamenal matters dealing with our view of God, the Bible, salvation and worship are becoming "ground zero" for much of the conflict I read and hear about today.

Every congregation is comprised of people who offer a variety of viewpoints on these and many other "issues." The larger the church the more varied and pronounced those differences tend to be. We need not wonder if conflict will arise in such settings. It will. The question is "how do we handle it?"

Conflict is neither right nor wrong in itself. It means that the beliefs, preferences and views of some are different than the beliefs, preferences and views of others. Sometimes those differences may concern matters of opinion or personal preference. At other times they deal with fundamental issues of faith and practice. The crucial matter concerning conflict - all conflict - is how we approach it.

As Paul wrote to his "sweetheart" church at Philippi he sought to address the conflict between two sisters, Euodia and Synteche. In Philippians 4:2 he urges these women to "agree with each other in the Lord." He further instructs his "loyal yokefellow" to help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel" Philippians 4:3. Paul's answer to the question of divisiveness is quite evident, Agreement is to be found, "in the Lord."

Given the context of the letter Paul's admonition for these two women must mean that they are to possess the mind of Christ he refers to earlier in Philippians 2:3-4, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

We do not know what the matter of dispute was between these two Christian sisiters. Whatever it was the only solution for it was to be found, "in the Lord." Is not the same true today?

Whether the matter at hand is doctinal or preferential in nature much of the division that exists within the brotherhood could be eleminated if we practiced the spirit of unselfishness Paul sets forth. If more of us had the hearts of servants as demonstrated by the "mind of Christ" - Philippians 2:5-8 and fewer of us insisted on "our way or the highway," we could often keep conflict from becoming the deadly divisive demon that cripples the church, divides families and brings heartbreak and sorrow into the body of Jesus.

That's The Way I See It.

MY BIGGEST PROBLEM

2009-08-26T08:46:00.003-05:00

My biggest problem . . . is me!

Sometimes when things go wrong in my life I try to find someone else to blame my troubles on. There are plenty of candidates out there. They range from family members to friends, to co-workers or fellow church members. Being the fallible human beings they all are it's inevitable that I can find some inconsistency with them somewhere in an attempt to justify my troubles. And if I can't find anyone I know to blame my troubles on I can always turn my attention to the federal government and society at large. If that doesn't work I can go to the ultimate extreme and blame God Himself. Remember the tactic used by Adam in Gen. 3:12 when God confronted him about his sin. "The woman you put here with me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it."

Sometimes when things go wrong with my life I try to find greener pastures elsewhere. A new job or a new church, I reason, will surely be an improvement and help me to be happy and free of stress, worry and trouble. More than a few times in my years of ministry I was convinced that prosperity and contentment was found somewhere else and made a move that turned out to be ill-advised and foolish. While there may be an initial rush of adrenaline at our "new" surroundings we inevitably wake up to the fact that we are the same person with the same weaknesses and imperfections we had before and the place where we have moved has it's own unique difficulties - sometimes much worse than our previous experience.

I suppose we're all like this to some extent. It's much easier to blame others for our troubles rather than owning up to them ourselves. It's much easier to move to another town or even change jobs or churches than face the difficulties that arise where we are.

You see . . . my biggest problem... is me!

I cannot control everything that others around me do or fail to do. I cannot change the fact that sometimes people do rotten things and behave in a manner that is far from being "Christ-like." (I often do the same things by the way). I cannot always change my surroundings and circumstances whether it's my geographical location, my job, my church or my home.

What I can do . . . and this is the hardest part . . . is change me! I can seek to exercise greater patience and love towards those who have failed me. I can seek to draw closer to God in my spiritual life by rededicating myself to Him and giving attention to my personal spiritual development. I can resolve to work harder, fly higher and straighter, love others more deeply and endure hardships with grace. In doing so I will grow strong and bear fruit. Why? Because I have dealt with the real issue at hand. It's not the people in my life, my surroundings, my job or my circumstances that make or break me! It's me! "For as he thinks within himself so he is" (Prov. 23:7).

FORGIVENESS

2009-08-07T14:03:00.008-05:00

At the first congregation where I preached (almost thirty years ago) there was an elder and deacon who had experienced a disagreement with one another. To this day I have no idea what it was about. The thing I do remember is that they did not speak to each other. Looking back it's both tragic and humorous to think of the ways they would avoid each other at the back door of the church building. When one would inevitably meet the other he'd turn his head or look down at the floor before quickly walking away. I remember thinking at the time. "Here we are pleading for unity among religions and we can't even find it among ourselves." Sad, indeed.

At first I couldn't understand why these fellows wouldn't forgive each other. I would stand in the pulpit and go on and on about the need for unity, forgiveness and love. Nothing happened... at least nothing then. I was relieved to learn many years later that the two men had reconciled and put behind them whatever grievances they had with one another in the past.

I have to admit that it's a lot easier to preach on forgiveness than it is to practice it. On occasion I've experienced a bruise or two along the way that have been hard to handle. Feelings of betrayal and bitterness are difficult to overcome. Satan waits for such opportunities to instill hatred in our hearts. It can happen anywhere. At home with our families. At work. At church - yes, particularly at church.

But there's no option really. Forgiveness is both a necessity and a command of the Christian life. Jesus reminds us in Mt. 6:12 - "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." Then He adds, "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins" (vss. 14-15). It's a hard thing to forgive those who have hurt us. It is hard to allow old wounds to heal and to make yourself vulnerable as you seek the restoration of that relationship.

I must hasten to add, however, if you think it's hard to extend and receive forgiveness just try withholding it. A grudge is like being stung to death by one bee. It will attack you over and over diverting the attention of your mind and forcing you to obsess upon the injustice you feel. It will destroy and tarnish relationships for the rest of your life unless you let it go, lay it down permanently and move on with your life.

I'll be preaching about forgiveness this coming Sunday morning at Goodman Oaks. It would be a pleasure to have you!

That's The Way I See It! .

THE LATEST ON TAMI

2009-07-20T23:02:00.006-05:00

Thank you my precious friends for your continued interest and concern in Tami's health. For those who regularly visit my blog my apologies for not writing much over the past six weeks or so. It has been a busy summer made even more so by Tami's illness. Though I will try to write a little more frequently please bear with me if that does not happen. I am currently working on a writing project for 21st Century Christian's Adult Quarterly Series. I think it will be in the '09-'10 Winter Quarter or the '10 Spring Quarter.

Tami had her first visit with the oncologist today and the news was not exactly what we had hoped for. It was our hope that he would say that her prognosis was very good and perhaps a small amount of mild chemotherapy as a preventative would be all that was needed. The news we received was that the tumor removed was of a very rare and aggressive nature. It is so rare, in fact, that there are no clinical studies as to the effect of chemotherapy on the long-term survival rate. This particular cancer travels through the blood stream and can reoccur anywhere anytime. It is highly aggressive. The type of chemotherapy used to combat it is very harsh and carries a number of side-effects including possible heart damage. Still, Tami has pretty much decided to go ahead with it. The next step will be a PET scan and echo-cardiogram on July 30th followed by another consultation with the Dr. on August 11th with the chemo to begin shortly thereafter.

In the meantime Tami feels good and looks great. She and I had several relaxing and enjoyable days in the Smoky Mountains of east Tennessee last week. She is planning on returning to work when school begins - teachers return on August 3rd, students on August 10th - and will give it her best and go as long as she can. The Dr. told her to do what she felt like doing. She will especially have to guard against infections - not an easy task when you're working in a school with children every day.

What is God teaching us? Patience - yes. Taking life one day at a time? Undoubtedly. Trust? Absolutely. He is in control. We know that He is going to lead us according to His will. God is good . . . all the time! And we are so thankful!

UPDATE ON TAMI

2009-06-28T16:02:00.007-05:00

Let me begin by expressing my heart-felt gratitude to all of you who have demonstrated your love and care for our family in the past several weeks. The initial report of Tami's cancer followed by surgery just six days later were something like being broad-sided by a Mac truck! All of this came as we were in the midst of moving our daughter and grand-daughters from Jacksonville, FL to their new home in Olive Branch, MS.

Tami is doing very well. She is recuperating well from the surgery and this past week we received an encouraging lab report showing that there was no indication the cancer had spread outside the tumor itself. All of the margins and lymph nodes were clear. Good news indeed.

The saga is not quite over for us. She is being referred to an oncologist who will probably prescribe some type of chemotherapy for several months as a precautionary measure. We are hoping, however, that any such treatment will be of a mild variety that will not carry with it harsh side-effects.

There are no words that can describe the love we have experienced from Christian friends throughout the nation. We have had calls from people in every church where we have formerly worshipped and ministered. So many have sent cards and many have made phone calls. The food brought to our house by folks here at Goodman Oaks has been abundant beyond measure (and I might add - quite tasty too)!

L.O. Sanderson, a well known song-writer among churches of Christ, and the father of my longtime friend and mentor, Leon Sanderson, wrote a song that sums up my feelings. "Tho I through the valley of shadows, o're mountains and troubled sea, and oft in the darkness have traveled, the Lord has been mindful of me. The Lord has been mindful of me. He blesses and blesses again. My God is the God of the living. How excellent is His name."

Tami's Illness

2009-06-24T13:07:00.004-05:00

Many of you are aware that my wife, Tami, has had a re-occurence of breast cancer. Six years ago she had a lumpectomy followed by six weeks of radiation. We have been fortunate in that she has had no further problems until now.

Unexpectedly, a tumor was recently discovered. At first the doctors thought it was merely an abscess but with testing determined it to be carcino-sarcoma. A very rare and aggressive cancer that occurs in only about 1 or 100 cases of breast cancer. It is actually two types of cancer and thus is difficult to treat. Last Thursday she underwent a mastectomy and we are currently awaiting the lab results. It is likely, according to her surgeon, that she will have six months of chemotherapy.

We are appreciative of your prayers. We know, above all else, that the "judge of the earth will do what it right" (Gen.18:25).

CHURCH HEALTH

2009-05-26T13:32:00.008-05:00

Over my years in ministry I have learned to not evaluate a church strictly by numbers on an attendance or offering board. Such statistics rarely reveal the true nature of a congregations spiritual health. Don't misunderstand me, I think numbers are important inasmuch as they represent souls. However, I've known some churches with large numbers who were not very healthy when it came to relationships within the body. Likewise, I've known other churches that though small in number were characterized by strong relational health.

A lot of congregations I know of are like the lab report I received. There are some positive things as well as some areas that need work. Many of our churches are blessed with outstanding resources and enormous talent. Still, we face some formidable challenges regarding our spiritual strength and stamina. Consider that in a lot of congregations...

Too many people have come into our midst and then left without a trace.

It's been far too easy for people to become lost in the crowd.

We do not do a good job of assimilating new members into our work.

Visitation in one another's homes is rare.

When it comes to developing relationships we have basically left it up to the individual member to sink or swim on their own.

Jesus said, "By this shall all men know you are my disciples, that you have love one for another" (John 13:35). I sense a longing among many of us to obey this command of Jesus as we grow healthier relationships and seek to know one another better. It will take all of us doing our part to make this a reality. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:15-16 - "Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." May we work together to improve our spiritual relationships check-up.

DUCKS QUACK / EAGLES FLY

2009-04-23T09:23:00.010-05:00

Let me share with you a story that comes from Harvey MacKay, author of the New York Times #1 bestseller "Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive."

Harvey was waiting in line for a taxi at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie and freshly pressed black slacks, Wally the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back door. Harvey noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside — spotlessly clean.As Wally slid behind the wheel, he said, "Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf." Jokingly, Harvey said, "No, I'd prefer a soft drink." Wally smiled and said, "No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice." Almost stuttering, Harvey said, "I'll take a Diet Coke." Handing Harvey his drink, Wally said, "If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today."

As the taxi pulled away from the curb, Wally handed Harvey a laminated card and said, "These are the stations I get and the music they play if you'd like to listen to the radio." As if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey the air conditioning was on and asked if the temperature was comfortable. The driver then advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. Wally also let Harvey know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

"Tell me, Wally," the amazed passenger asked, "have you always served customers like this?" Wally smiled and looked in the rear view mirror. "No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabby's do. Then I heard some guy on the radio saying that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, ‘Stop complaining. Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck. Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd." "So I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers unfriendly and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more."

"I take it that has paid off for you," Harvey said. "It sure has," Wally replied. "My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year, I'll probably quadruple it." Wally the cab driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like a duck and to start soaring like an eagle.

What an amazing story. Life is like that. When you do more than what is required, give a little something extra and go above and beyond the call of duty you will find blessings that you cannot imagine. Paul wrote in Colossians 3:23 - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,"

That's The Way I See It!

THE GREAT PHYSICIAN

2009-04-10T12:12:00.006-05:00

I recently got "written up" by another preacher. Okay by me - even though he never bothered to call me and ask me about the matter personally. His gripe was that I spoke at a university he considers to be "unsound." I'm sure there are things at that university I would not agree with. I am also pretty sure that there are people there who are not what they profess to be. That's true of any human institution. It's true of the university my fellow preacher attended and it's also true of my alma mater as well.

It reminds me of an incident Mark records near the beginning of his gospel in Mark 2:15-20.

"Look at him. What's he doing speaking with those folks? He must be one of them. Those sinners! He must be a sinner too. We knew it all along." What hard hearts those Pharisees and legalists had! When Jesus visited in Matthew's house there were many tax collectors and sinners eating with him and his disciples. As these Pharisees and teachers of the law witnessed this they began to question the disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners" (Mk. 2:16)?

Perhaps the temptation was there for Jesus to launch into a religious debate on judgmental attitudes, pride and haughtiness. I'm sure he could have blasted these ultra-conservative nit-pickers with their stuck up snobbiness and pinned their self-righteous carcasses to the wall. However, that was not why He had come.

One simple statement said it all. "It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners" (vs.17). His mission was to seek and save the lost. He would go anywhere, meet with any group, any time, any place - for the sake of spreading the good news of the Kingdom and bringing health and healing to a sin-sick world.

And my friends - I will do the same!

That's The Way I See It.

NEAR TO THE HEART OF GOD THROUGH JOURNALING

2009-04-03T10:36:00.003-05:00

Many years ago I heard my father-in-law, Ed Harris, preach a sermon about prayer. In the message he made the suggestion that everyone should keep a "prayer journal." The idea was to write down the specific things for which you were praying and then go back to review them periodically to see how they had been answered.

I was skeptical at first but on New Year's Day in 1983 I took a small stenographer's tablet and a pen and began to write. It was awkward at first but there was much going on in my life at that time. I was in my early twenties preparing to graduate from college. Tami and I would soon be expecting our first child. We were wondering just how and where the Lord would use us. I filled up page after page as I wrote my requests down each day. As time passed the pages became filled not only with requests but also with words of praise and thanksgiving as I sensed God working in my life and I saw answers to the requests that were being made. Before I knew it the front and back of each page in that little tablet were full. I moved on to another tablet and then started buying thick legal sized record books at bookstores. In the past twenty-six years I have now completed over twenty-four different journals - many of them have over 300 pages. I realize that this may not work for everyone but here's why it works for me.

First, it causes me to take the time to slow down. I often pray in a hurry while I'm driving to an appointment or scurrying along from one spot to another. Journaling forces me to sit down and be still. It requires me to concentrate on the words I am writing and to have clarity of thought and purpose. In the process of journaling not only have I disciplined my mind I have also been able to improve my writing skills and even my handwriting.

Another blessing of Journaling is that it enables me to look back over my life and see how God has worked. Sometimes he has answered my requests as I had hoped for. Other times, (thankfully), He has answered in ways that were not what I anticipated. At times I would be frustrated and wonder why God would not grant my request. However, as the pages of the jounal are turned without fail I come to see that the end result was much better than anything I could have anticipated on my own. Journaling has added structure and discipline to my days.

I try to write s little something every day. Sometimes it is only a brief paragraph or two. At other times my thoughts will stretch on for two, three or even four pages. It helps me remember that even Jesus would often go off to a lonely place to pray and be alone with His Heavenly Father - Mark 1:35ff. If you're looking for a way to truly draw near to God may I suggest that you give this practice a try. You may surprise yourself.

That's The Way I See It.

WHAT IS GOD'S WILL FOR MY LIFE?

2009-04-02T07:31:00.005-05:00

Have you ever been faced with an important decision and wondered, "What Is God's Will For My Life?" We must be careful to not make the same mistake Ahab, King of Israel made. Before joining forces with King Jehosaphat of Judah to go into battle against Ramoth Gilead Ahab agreed to Jehosaphat's request to, "first seek the counsel of the Lord." However, the 400 prophets Ahab consulted were merely "yes" men who told Ahab what they knew he wanted to hear. Jehosaphat sensed this and asked, "Is there not a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?" (1 Kings 22:7). Ahab's answer is revealing. "There is one man through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah, son of Imiah" (1 Kings 22:8). Sure enough, when Micaiah was consulted he gave a much different picture of the battle to come than the 400 prophets who had responded favorably.

I've made a few decisions in my life that tuned out to be disastrous. Well . . . maybe more than a "few." Usually they were cases where I had made up my own mind and gone forward without seeking God's counsel. This brings to mind an interesting question. "How can we know what God's will is?" Here are some things I've learned.

First we must study the Bible. Paul says that, "everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope" (Rom. 15:4). The enduring principles of God's will do not change. As we see His will revealed in the lives of people in the Bible we can know something about what His will for us is. God is not inconsistent with Himself.

Secondly there must be prayer. I mean really heartfelt, deep and meaningful prayer rather than merely repetitious phraseology. Jesus often went away to pray in solitary places before facing moments of trial and decision in life. He prayed all night before commissioning the twelve apostles. He prayed in the garden before his arrest with such great intensity that his sweat became drops of blood. If the Son of God needed such times of communion with His Heavenly Father before moments of decision surely you and I need them too. And may I add that we should also enlist the prayers of others whom we trust and know to be Godly people. Remember that James says, "the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (Jas. 5:16).

Third, I believe it is important to follow up on Jehosaphat's directive that we seek counsel. What is the advice of the best people you know? Exercise caution to ask a variety of people who are Godly and wise. Do not make the mistake of seeking out only those who you know will give you a particular answer (i.e. what you want to hear). Seek opposite viewpoints and prayerfully weigh the options.

Once you have done these three things I believe it is possible to make a decision with the full confidence that you are doing God's will. Make your choice, set your sail and move ahead enthusiastically. Do not wring your hands and look back thinking, "I wonder if I made the right choice?" In the words of the old Nike shoe commercial, "Just Do It!"

That's They Way I See It!

BLEST BE THE TIE THAT BINDS

2009-03-24T13:58:00.010-05:00

I just got back to my office after having lunch with a fellow-preacher who lives on the other side of our county. What a blessing. We talked and laughed and shared our experiences with each other. We remembered with great fondness some people and places that have been a part of our common experience. We prayed together. It was wonderful. Though my friend and I have known each other for almost eight years and have often visited with one another in different venues we both remarked that this was the first time we had enjoyed such a sit down, heart to heart visit. As we left we both commented on how long overdue it had been and resolved to meet again soon.

The longer I live I am reminded that Christianity is about relationships and the "tie that binds." This includes our relationship with God and our relationships with others. John wrote of the link between the two in 1 Jn. 4:11-12 - "Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Just a few verses later he adds, "If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother" (1 Jn. 4:20-21).

I read with interest an article in the recent Christian Chronicle on why people leave churches. One of the reasons is that of "superficial relationships." Being the pulpit minister of a large church I know first hand what a challenge this can be. With so many people under one roof the number is sometimes intimidating. It's easy for people to become lost in the crowd. This is why a large church must develop some type of small group ministry - whether it's through Bible Classes, various activities, fellowship groups, etc... in which people can make friends and build relationships.

I am thankful for the lunch I shared with my preacher friend David. I learned some great lessons - one of which was "we share our mutual woes. Our mutual burdens bear. And often for each other flows, the sympathizing tear." Amazingly Biblical, isn't it - Gal. 6:1-2?

That's The Way I See It!

SMILE IF YOU CAN!

2009-03-23T22:12:00.006-05:00

SOARING INTO SPRING

2009-03-23T21:58:00.005-05:00

Last Friday, March 20, 2009, was the “official” beginning of spring and I was glad! It seems that the older I get the more I welcome the return of warmer weather and out-of-door activity The budding of trees, blooming of flowers and resurgence of color in the landscape always invigorates my spirit. I look forward to working in my yard, bringing the patio furniture out of storage and enjoying the evening breeze while sitting on my back porch.

But there’s something much more profound to me about spring. With the changing of each season of he year I am reminded of God’s power in creation. Going all the way back to the beginning of time we learn from Genesis 1:14 how God, on the fourth day of creation, “set lights in the sky to divide the day from the night and be signs for seasons and years.” Later, God promised Noah after the flood that, "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Gen. 8:22). The prophet Daniel proclaimed, “He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning” (Dan. 2:21). The changing of one season to the next is far more than an astronomical occurrence. It is a transition mandated by God, Himself. .

As those of us who live in the northern hemisphere welcome spring people south of the equator are actually gearing up for the cooler temperatures of autumn. On Friday, March 20, 2009, at precisely 6:44 A.M. CDT, the Sun crossed directly over the earth's equator. This moment is known as the vernal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere (“vernal” denotes "spring" and “equinox” means “equal night”). For the Southern Hemisphere, this was the moment of the autumnal equinox. Because the sun is positioned above the equator on this particular day, sunlight and darkness were approximately equal in length all over the world. A second equinox occurs each year on September 22 or 23 and marks the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the vernal equinox in the Southern Hemisphere.

As we witness another transition from one season to the next I hope you will stop in the midst of the brilliant, unfolding scenes of beauty and praise God for His wonderful wisdom, power and might.
That's The Way I See It!

I HAVE A HARD TIME WITH THIS

2009-03-07T12:47:00.008-06:00

Okay. So do I understand that "blogging" is supposed to be spontaneous, random and off the cuff? Not exactly my style of writing but I suppose you could say this post is going to be like that.

I go back in my mind to an experience that occured over twenty years ago while I was preaching for a congregation in LA (lower Arkansas). For several years Tami and I had been friends with a couple who were a very active and important part of our church family. They had been co-ordinators of our annual VBS for several years and had often visited in our home and we in theirs. It was a warm and mutual friendship. Then one day, "poof!" They were gone - worshipping elsewhere. "It's not you" - they said, "we just needed a change." There had been some dissatisfaction with a few decisions made by others and suddenly they were gone. No explanation. No "goodbye." Nothing. Just gone.

I'll never forget how much that hurt. And though it has happened on other occasions over the past thirty years I must confess that I have never quite gotten beyond the point of feeling somewhat personally betrayed when someone I've sought to minister to and care for ups and leaves without even the courtesy of a "goodbye" or an explanation of why they felt the need to do so.

Then again, I realize that comings and goings are pretty much standard fare in church circles. I guess for everyone who has left where I've been and gone somewhere else there's been someone else who has left somewhere and come to where I've been. Frankly, I doubt that they said "goodbye" where they were. Probably just came over to visit one Sunday, liked the atmosphere and the people and decided to stay.

I just wish we had deeper relationships with one another in the body of Jesus. Relationships that were to the point that we felt a little more responsibility to each other before pulling up stakes and moving our tent to another spot. On one hand it would be reassuring to know that their leaving was not personal. On the other hand, if it were something I had done, a word from them might help me make a needed personal correction or correct something gone askew in the work of the church.

Just thoughts . . .

That's The Way I See It.

THE SADDEST EPITAPH

2009-02-18T19:22:00.010-06:00

One thing about it. The fellow laying beneath this tombstone wasn't kidding, was he? I've seen some pretty hilarious epitaphs written on tombstones over the years. Here are some of my favorites.

From North Carolina comes this one . . .

Come blooming youths, as you pass by ,
And on these lines do cast an eye.
As you are now, so once was I;
As I am now, so must you be;
Prepare for death and follow me.

That's not too funny until you read what someone wrote underneath it . . .

To follow you
I am not content,

How do I know
Which way you went.

I particularly like these "classics" from the Old West . . .

Here lies Lester Moore.
Four slugs
From a forty-four.
No Les
No More.

He was young
He was fair
But the Injuns
Raised his hair

Bill Blake
Was hanged by mistake.

Here lays Butch.
We planted him raw.
He was quick on the trigger
But slow on the draw.

We get a pretty good chuckle out of these humorous sayings. It makes you wonder, however, about what someone will one day write on a piece of marble or granite about you. I'm convinced there's no sadder epitaph that could be written than the words of James 4:2, "You do not have because you do not ask..."

God has a table of spiritual delicacies just waiting for our consumption. He longs to share his blessings with us and invites us to pull our chair up to the table and feast heartily. How do we do this? Through the simple yet profound act of prayer. The writer of Hebrews tells us that because of what Jesus has done you and I have the splendid opportunity to come "boldly before the throne of grace to obtain help in our time of need" (Heb. 4:15-16).

Jesus said it like this... "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened" (Mt. 7:7-8). Why not stop everything you're doing right now for just a moment. Stop and pray. Thank God for His blessings. Tell Him you love Him. Ask Him to provide guidance in your life.

The saddest epitaph - "You do not have because you do not ask" . . . oh yes, how sad.

That's THE WAY I SEE IT.

THE WAY I SEE IT

2009-02-10T20:42:00.011-06:00

Speaking of seeing things the fact is that I haven't been able to do so for a couple of months out of my left eye. I told several folks that I felt like John Wayne's character, Rooster Cogburn, in the movie "True Grit." The character, known for his trademark black eye patch referred to himself as "a one-eyed fat man." Hey - if the shoe fits you wear it - right?

Anyway, I hope all of that is changing. Last week I underwent a surgical procedure on the eye known as Vitrectomy (and no, it's not any kin to that other surgical procedure that begins with a "v!" In a vitrectomy the surgeon makes an incision in the eye and removes the blood-filled vitreous (clear naturally occuring gel inside the eye) and replaces it with a clear solution. In the process of this procedure it was discovered that I had a slight tear in the retina which required repair and the insertion of a gas bubble in the eye. Following the surgery I had to lay on my side looking down for 72 hours. Sound like fun? I was about to go nuts! I know several folks who have had to do this for a much longer period of time. All I can say is they are much better patients than I am.

Today, six days out from surgery I am beginning to see again out of the eye. It's very faint and unfocused but the doctor assures me it will clear up given time. I'm reminded of Paul's comment in 1 Cor. 13:12 - "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face." I am so thankful to be on the road to having full vision once again.

I'd like to say "thanks." First - thanks to my loving Heavenly Father for his blessings and for enabling some very talented people such as my physician, Dr. Lawrence Gordon and his assistants as well as the nurses and staff at St. Francis Hospital who cared for me so beautifully. I also want to thank my brother and shepherd Marty Brownfield for standing in for me Sunday and preaching a magnificent message on prayer. Thanks to Bud Hall for filling in teaching my Sunday School class and to my shepherd Phil Anderson for coming and staying in the room with Tami while I was in surgery. Thanks to all of our elders here at Goodman Oaks for their special help and their insistance that I take time to heal and recover properly. How blessed I am.

So that's how I see it today! And thankfully I will see it even better tomorrow!

DEFEATING DISCOURAGEMENT

2009-02-02T17:39:00.009-06:00

The late Batsell Barrett Baxter, a well known and beloved preacher among churches of Christ, told the following story. “A young man ran for the legislature in Illinois and was badly defeated. He next entered business, failed, and spent the next seventeen years paying back the debt. He was in love with a beautiful girl to whom he became engaged, and then she died. He then tried to get an appointment to the United States Land Office but was refused. Entering politics again he ran for Congress and was badly swamped. He became a candidate for the U. S. Senate and was brushed aside. In 1856 he became a candidate for the Vice‐Presidency and was hardly considered. In 1858 he was defeated by Douglas.

One failure after another, and they were dark failures and great disappointments.Here are enough failures to cause a man to give up and quit. However, the story has an unbelievable ending for we remember that two years later, in 1860, this man who had been so consistently dogged by failure was elected President of the United States. Not only was Abraham Lincoln elected President, he went on to become one of the most highly respected men in the history of the entire world. No American stands higher in the esteem of people around the globe than this man who had the deep determination to press on, even after repeated failure. One cannot but think about what might have happened if Abraham Lincoln had given up.”

What is discouraging you today? Some have lost jobs. Others are dealing with health issues. A few are involved in conflict with other individuals at work or at home. Are you ready to quit? Please don’t. There is hope – a light on the horizon – a promise of better days to come. In 1 Corinthians 15:58 the apostle Paul said, “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Hang In There My Friend,

THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT!

Personal Note: I will be having eye surgery on Wednesday of this week in an attempt to restore vision to my left eye which had been blinded by a large hemorrhage. i certainly appreciate your prayers. I hope to be back with a new blog next week.

"Redeemed How I Love To Proclaim It"

2009-01-26T15:26:00.006-06:00

`Regeneration." "Redemption." "Salvation." I'm thinking about the amazing process by which one who is a sinner finds forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul sums it up succinctly with his words in 2 Cor. 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" God takes the sinner, discards his sin debt and completely regenerates him (gives him new life.) This redemption (buying back) is made possible only because of what Jesus has done. "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Cor. 5:21).

During the 19th century Queen Victoria ruled England for decades. A popular monarch she was fond of going outside the castle walls to visit with the working people in the city. One day she and her entorage visted the refuse dump where the garbage from London was brought and sorted. Workers sorted out old dirty rags and sent them to a nearby paper mill. They explained to Queen Victoria that the old rags would be shredded, bleached and then pressed into the highest quality linen stationary available. Sure enough, several weeks later the queen received a box of beautiful stationary with her image cast as a watermark on it. An accompanying note explained that the paper was made from the dirty rags she had seen during her tour.

The Biblical metaphor is apparent isn't it? Isaiah said, "all our righteous acts are like filthy rags" (Isa. 64:6). There is nothing in me that is good enough to deserve God's favor. Yet, because of Jesus that's exactly what I receive. I am redeemed. Renewed. Regenerated. Saved!

THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT!

OUR NEW PRESIDENT

2009-01-20T15:39:00.014-06:00

This week our nation inaugurates our 44th President—Barack Obama. As a Christian I am under a solemn obligation to pray for those who lead our nation. Paul instructs, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Tim. 2:1-2).

Does this mean that as Christians we must give our complete endorsement to all of the policies of the new President and his administration? Certainly not. With all kindness and due respect may I say that I cannot and will not pray for the success of policies that will support abortion, gay rights and the dissolution of our nation’s Christian heritage. I cannot and will not pray for the success of those who would seek to minimize the influence and importance of faith in our national life. I cannot and will not support any effort that would be harmful to the cause of God throughout the land.

I can and must, however, pray for President Obama and his family with regard to their guidance, safety and well-being. I must thank God for the nation in which I live and the multitude of blessings I receive as a citizen. I must ask God to watch over, protect and guide those who will serve in this new administration and I must thank God for the fact that we have witnessed a smooth transition of power from one political party to another without the violence that characterizes so many countries of the world.

I ask you to join me in this path of prayer not only on this inauguration day but in the days, weeks, months and years to come. You may desire to visit http://www.presidentialprayerteam.org/.

THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT.

SMILE IF YOU CAN

2009-01-15T10:34:00.006-06:00

Sometimes pictures really are worth a thousand words aren't they? Thanks to my buddy Mike Allgeier for sharing these with me. Hope you enjoy them...

That The Way I See It!

ON PLANS AND PLANNING

2009-01-13T14:02:00.005-06:00

The way I see it (to borrow a phrase) "Failure to plan is planning to fail." I have recently been preaching a series of Sunday morning messages from the book of Nehemiah. I love the story of how this man was so overwhelemed by the distress that Jerusalem was in that he took upon himself the responsibility of rebuilding its walls. I particularly am impressed with these words...

"Then I said to them, "You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace." I also told them about the gracious hand of my God upon me and what the king had said to me. They replied, "Let us start rebuilding." So they began this good work" (Neh. 2:17-18).

Nehemiah's words came after he had personally surveyed the damaged walls of the city. He witnessed first hand the destruction that had been brought by the Babylonians. The walls had crumbled, the gates had been burned and the people were defenseless against their enemies. The task that lay before Nehemiah must have seemed overwhelming. Yet this man of great faith was willing to shoulder the responsibility and enlist help from among the people. He presented his divinely endorsed plan and told them of the favor bestowed upon him by King Artaxerxes. The result was overwhelmingly positive as the people rose up and said, "Let's start building."

People love to follow leaders who have a plan. They love to follow someone who knows the direction they are headed and pursues a distinct mission in life. Great people and great churches have great plans. They refuse to "fly by the seat of their pants" without a goal to fulfill and a purpose to pursue.

William Barclay said, "To be a person of faith does not mean that you are not a person who plans. We need to remember the Revolutionary War saying, 'Trust in God, but keep your powder dry."

And that really is . . . The Way I See It!

IN THE ARENA

2009-01-06T13:20:00.006-06:00

On my office wall hangs a well known quote from Theodore Roosevelt's famous, "In The Arena Speech" given April 23, 1910 in Paris. This brief quote from a rather lengthy address has inspired and encouraged thousands of people through the years.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Roosevelt spoke from experience. He grew up as a sickly child with very poor eyesight. He refused, however, to be branded as an invalid and compensated for his physical infirmities by becoming a fierce competitor in athletics (including boxing), hunting, military and political pursuits. As Governor of New York he took on the established "city bosses" and was selected by party bosses for the Vice-Presidency under William McKinley in an attempt to silence him. Certainly no one suspected the popular McKinley to be gunned down by an assassin in 1901 thereby thrusting Roosevelt into the Presidency. He immediately made his imprint on the federal government by taking on special interests and big business.

Roosevelt certainly made some mistakes. But no one could ever fault him on being passive. When he failed he got up and tried again. When he recognized an error in his life he corrected it. He loved life, his family and his friends and had a vivacious home filled with children and their pets. No wonder he remains one of our country's best loved chief executives.

When I think about Teddy Roosevelt's "In The Arena" I'm reminded of some other famous words from another man who repeatedly rose from the depths of defeat - the apostle Paul. In Galatians 6:9 he says, 'Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." It's true. Not everyone is going to like what you do. Not everyone will like you - as strange as it seems. There will be times when you are marred with dust and sweat and blood. Always remember, however, "Never give up!" Keep on fighting and trust God to bring you through victoriously!

THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT!

IT'S FOOTBALL TIME

2009-01-02T21:21:00.008-06:00

As I write this evening I hear the TV in the background with Alabama and Utah slugging it out in the Sugar Bowl. This afternoon I watched Ole Miss take Texas Tech apart. Although I am not a huge Ole Miss fan I was really glad to see them win. I really like Coach Houston Nutt and hope he has a great tenure there. Of course my two favorite teams - the Vols and Razorbacks were both snoozing away in the Recliner Bowl today. Better luck next year guys!

Isn't it funny how football compares with so many aspects of life. It takes every player on the team doing their part to bring home a victory. The ingredients of success are discipline, hard work and enthusiasm. Though a few players may have notoriety it's the anonymous ones in the trenches that really win or lose the game. A little encouragement from onlookers goes a long way. On and on the similarities go.

I've also thought of how much coaching football and preaching for a local church are similar. Both tasks are very demanding on a person. When the team (church) is enjoying a winning season the coach (preacher) is looked upon with adoring respect and admiration. However, it doesn't take much of a losing season in either profession for some folks to start howling - "change!" (Take Coach Fulmer as an example . . . or as some were saying, "please take him.")

Several friends and I were recently talking about how coaching college football has changed in recent years with the likes of Nick Sabin and Urban Meyer coming into the SEC with their fast-paced offenses. A coach must be a strategist, a motivator, a businessman and a role model. Preaching has changed too. Not only must the preacher be knowledgeable of "the Book" - he must also be proficient in speaking, graphic arts (power point), human relations and a host of other areas if he hopes to be effective in our modern world. And like the coach who is only as popular as his last victory the preacher is sometimes only as popular as the last home-run sermon he preached.

I'm thankful for churches who love their preachers "in season and out of season" regardless of the variables of life as long as he remains true to his calling to "preach the Word" (2 Tim. 4:2). Time has proven over and over again that churches who hold on to their preachers for extended periods of time - even during an occasional dry spell - fare much better in the long run than those who clamor for change every couple of years or so.

Lets cheer for our favorite teams and their coaches. And lets make sure we treat every member of the Lord's team - coaches, er... I mean preachers included - with love, respect and encouragement.

THATS THE WAY I SEE IT.

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

2008-12-23T15:14:00.009-06:00

This will likely be my final post for 2008. Tami and I are looking forward for a few days away by ourselves over the coming weekend and during the first few days of next week. Maybe this is a good time to stop and reflect on some things I've learned in the past year.

I have learned that children grow up far too quickly. Two of my daughters have gotten married this year (Emily in May and Brooke just last week). Our son, Josh, is a senior in High School. Our oldest daughter, Patti, has been away from home for several years now. I remember how often people would tell us when they were small, "they'll be grown before you know it." I confess that in those days of changing diapers, picking up toys and carrying around car seats and diaper bags there were sometimes thoughts of, "I'll be glad when they do grow up." But now that time has come and I look back with regret that I didn't take more time with them to enjoy many of the simple things in life like going fishing or taking a walk. I am thankful for the many fun things we have done together but oh, how I'd long to have just one more summer with them when there were about nine or ten years old. To each of my children may I tell you how much I love you and how proud I am of you. Being a "preacher's kid" has not been easy. Too often you have been held to a standard that at best has often been grossly unfair. I think you've all turned out, "O.K!" and for that I am thankful!

I have learned to love and lean upon my wife more and more. Though we've been married for twenty-eight years and dated for three and one half years before that I think the past year has brought us closer together in many respects as we've planned the girl's weddings, talked about family issues and spent time in conversation with one another. We try to have a "date" night each week where we go out to eat and talk. Sometimes we go to a movie or just to shop. Once every three months or so we try to get out of town together for a couple of days. This past fall we spent a Friday and Saturday wandering through antique stores and then driving through the colorful hills of north Arkansas. She is my best friend and I am thankful.

I have learned not to be too startled by statistics. Some preachers and churches gauge effectiveness merely by counting "nickles and noses." Our attendance at church this year did not increase. In fact, it probably decreased somewhat as some members returned to a former congregation from which they had originally come. Does that mean that no effective ministry took place? Were there no souls saved? Were brethren not strengthened and the bond of brotherly love enhanced? Many of the factors that produced strong numerical growth in our community and congregation just a few years ago have changed and we're going to have to recognize that and deal with it for the foreseeable future. I have learned not to panic but to continue on steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord - 1 Cor. 15:58.

I have learned that the most important thing I can do is to strive to be a man of God. At the end of the day and the end of the way it will not matter that I have preached for a 1000 member church or spoken in a host of meetings and lectureships. What will matter is whether or not I have been faithful to the profession of faith I made over thirty years ago that Jesus is the Son of God. He is Lord of my Life and I will live each day devoted to Him and His cause.

May you and your family be blessed with a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous 2009!

THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT!

FOR THE RECORD

2008-12-17T00:47:00.006-06:00

Tami and I are collectors of old phonographs. We have three very old ones in our home plus a couple of old radios in my office and a 1970's console stereo in our guest bedroom. The old ones are a 1911 Edison Diamond Disc model, a 1915 Graphanola and a 1920's Columbia. All three are in working order and still play remarkably well. Through the years we have also collected a large number of old records. In the early days of phonographs each manufacturer made their own records which were not necessarily interchangable with other machines. Thus, the Edison machine only plays Edison records from the early 20th century. One unique thing about the Edison is the volume control that consists of a felt ball at the end of a cable. By sliding a control located next to the turntable the ball actually slides up into the hole of the horn thus muting the sound. Pretty innovative, huh?

Guests in my office will notice the large cabinet model radio / record player between my bookcase and window. It is a late 1940's Western Auto brand that belonged to my 2nd grade Sunday School teacher, Sue Richmond. When she moved out of her home into an assisted living many years ago I purchased it from her for $50. It, too, is functional. The console stereo at home is a Sears Silvertone purchased by my parents in the early 1970's.

A few years ago my daughter Brooke asked me one evening, "Dad, how do you play that record thingy upstairs?" "What!" I replied. I couldn't believe that a seventeed or eighteen year old didn't know how to play a record on a record player. That's when it dawned on me, "she's never operated a record player before." Her whole life has consisted of CD players, cassette tape players and ipods. I went upstairs and showed her how you could stack several albums on top of each other, hit the "auto" button and they would automatically drop into place. I hasten to add, however, there was no "shuffle" available.

I am conservative in my theology and probably more set in my ways than I care to admit. I wonder, however, if we're not guilty in church of trying to reach a Digital generation with old record player ways. My late and beloved friend, Jule Miller, wisely recognized before his death several years ago the need to transfer his Visualized Bible Study Series from filmstips to video and then to DVD's. Though the content of the series did not change, the method of presenting it had to change out of necessity.

The old saying is true - "the message never changes but methods must change." Perhaps in doing so we will learn new and better ways to communicate the record of God's Amazing Grace to the people of today's generation.

THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

2008-12-16T08:32:00.000-06:00

My preaching friend, Dan Williams, in El Dorado, Arkansas, writes the following timely article...

For the past twenty-three years I have been trudging down to the gym several times a week to pump iron, bike, and swim laps. Don’t think I report that boastfully: on the contrary, I’m not trying to bulk up or become the next governor of California or anything like that. It’s just that I have to battle an inherited disability: you see, eating runs in my family. I long ago made the unpleasant medical discovery that unless I regularly engage in some sort of activity that will elevate my heart rate and cause me to break a sweat, all those calories I consume will show up in places where I don’t want them.

Since I have been a regular gym rat for more a decade, I know what to expect this month. Every January the gym is filled with the New Year’s crowd. You know, those folks who have awakened from their holiday sugar binge and made their New Year’s resolutions to become healthier. The sudden surge after January 1 often causes delays when I want to get on my favorite Nautilus machine, but I don’t become too upset. I have learned to simply wait a few weeks, and the crowd will thin out again. It happens every year.

My personal observation in the gym seems to be typical of human nature in general. Fewer than half of all New Year’s resolutions last six months, according to a study by psychology professor John Norcross of the University of Scranton. I haven’t done any research myself, but I have developed a tentative hypothesis to explain his findings: I believe people give up on their New Year’s resolutions for the same reason they desert the gym – they arrive at the unwelcome discovery that making beneficial improvements in our life is hard work.

Few New Year’s resolutions involve eating more candy bars or taking more naps or running up a higher debt on our credit cards – those things are easy. We set personal goals because we want changes in our life that are positive, and the positive changes we desire are, by definition, difficult, or we would already be doing them.

My hypothesis is probably too obvious to win any research grants, but it does help to explain why Jesus candidly cautioned would-be disciples that following him is not easy (Luke 9:57-62). Since the Lord wants everyone to be saved and will never turn away a sincere seeker (John 6:37), I must conclude that Jesus issued such warnings to prevent disillusionment. Our Master knew full well that the “time of testing” would come for each one of us, and consequently some would fall away (Luke 8:13); that is why he wants us to be prepared for difficulties and stresses that success comes by “persevering” (Luke 8:15). And, of course, on the Cross Jesus set the ultimate example of perseverance, so that by considering his example we would “not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

So, have you been tempted to give up on your faith, to “quit church,” to withdraw into spiritual isolation? Have you hit a rough patch in the road and now you are questioning your faith? I wish I could give you some easy answers, but the Bible says nothing about easy discipleship. Following Jesus, like any other positive change is our life, is hard work. Please don’t ever think it is easy – just remember, it’s worth it.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest, if we do not give up” – Galatians 6:9.

–Dan Williams
College Avenue Church of Christ

El Dorado, Arkansas

GO KIDZ WORSHIP

2008-12-12T22:53:00.002-06:00

This Sunday at church we'll be announcing a new ministry that will begin January 11th. It's called, "GO KIDZ Worship." On that Sunday the preschool kids will have the opportunity to go to the Family Life Center each Sunday morning for a fun time of learning about God, Jesus and the Bible. I think it's a great idea and I stand firmly in support of it. What a great opportunity this will be for these kids to be involved in something that is geared to their particular age group during this hour. And what a blessing this will be for their parents, especially those who are visiting, to be able to come in the auditorium and worship attentively including being able to hear the sermon.

I know, I know - not everyone is going to like this idea. Some will say, "well, in my day my momma made me sit through church and that's the way it oughtta be!" My momma made me sit through church too and I'm thankful for it!. But my friend we are living in a very different time whether we like it or not. In many cases today, these young parents don't even bother to come to church in the first place if there is no child care available. And for those who do many spend the hour feeding the children cheerios out of a tupperware bowl, letting them draw on attendance cards or play between the pews. If you don't believe me, just ask our custodian.

So for me - the answer is obvious. I'm all for making this a productive time for all of those involved by helping out moms and dads and instructing these precious little ones about Jesus. Our elders are for it. I'm for it. And, I sure think God is for it, too.

THAT'S THE WAY I SEE IT!

PREACHERITUS

2008-12-11T07:50:00.001-06:00

Years ago I asked a Methodist preacher friend in a small town where I lived why he moved every couple of years. I remember his reply very well. He said, "we don't want people thinking that the church belongs to the preacher. We want them to know it belongs to God." As I'm sure you suspect, I certainly don't agree with many tenants of the Methodist faith. However, from personal observation I think there is some merit to what he said.

Some preachers with big egos seem to think they own the church. They feel it is their place to make the decisions, throw their weight around, lead the eldership, dictate to the membership and draw disciples unto themselves by whatever means they have available to them. I'm fully convinced that some people are much more converted to a particular preacher than they are to the Lord, Himself. I had an aunt who was particularly fond of a certain well known preacher. We used to tease her by saying we thought she believed he was a part of the God-head, Himself. It was hard for her to begin a conversation about the Bible or anything to do with church without saying, "well, brother so and so says." We all laughed but at times you had to wonder.

We preachers need to be reminded occasionally that not a one of us is indespensible. Truth be told - most of us don't have nearly the following we like to think we have. I heard one man say recently that he could take such and such a number with him to start another church anytime. Not only do I doubt that to be true I also find it to be pretty arrogant. The apostle Paul put the matter into proper perspective when he said, "I planted, Apollos watered but it was God who gave the increase" (1 Cor. 2:7-9). Every preacher has a role to fulfill - a time to plant and water then let God bring the increase. I pray that all of us who preach will remember that we are merely "servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Cor. 4:5). Let's never forget that it is God who brings the increase - not us. May that reminder help us to keep our egos properly in check.

That's The Way I See It

FATHER OF THE BRIDE PART 3

2008-12-08T23:13:00.000-06:00

Well, here I am a week and a half away from the wedding of my youngest daughter - my last one to marry. Am I ready for this? Not on your life. Of course I wasn't ready for the other two either but this one - my youngest - is particularly difficult.

I suppose I'm starting to ask all of those questions I've heard so many people say through the years. Questions like, "where has the time gone?" and "how did they grow up so fast?" Of course our youngest child, our son Josh, is still with us but only for a little while. A senior in High School this year he is already making plans to head out of town to college next year.

Are Tami and I ready to be "empty nesters?" It certainly sounds strange. And yet, I'm looking forward to reclaiming some of that spontaneity we had back in our B.C. years (B.C. = Before Children). Above all I am hoping that my children will continue to pursue the life God wants for them. I pray for them to put Him first in all things. I pray for them to love their spouses and raise their children in the "nurture and admonition of the Lord." I pray that God will bless them in every way.

I'm going to take a deep breath, put my hand on my wallet and plunge right in to the events of the next ten days. What a thrilling ride it promises to be!

That's The Way I See It!

GRACE IN ACTION

2008-12-05T18:38:00.001-06:00

A PREVIEW TO THIS SUNDAY MORNING'S MESSAGE:

At a religious conference, theologians and scholars were in a spirited debate about what is unique regarding Christianity. Someone suggested that what set Christianity apart from other religions was the concept of incarnation - the idea that God took human form in Jesus. Another suggestion was offered about resurrection. The belief that death is not the final word. That the tomb was found empty.

Then, as the story is told, C.S. Lewis walked into the room wearing his tweed jacket with his pipe clinched between his teeth and his arm full of papers. He was a little early for his presentation so he sat down and took in the conversation, which had by now evolved into a fierce debate. Finally during a lull, he spoke up asking,. “what’s all this rumpus about?” Everyone turned in his direction. trying to explain themselves. They said, “We’re debating what’s unique about Christianity.” “Oh, that’s easy,” answered Lewis. “It’s grace.” The room fell silent and Lewis continued on to say that Christianity uniquely claims God’s love is extended to us freely. He doesn’t love us because of what we do or how good we are. He doesn’t love us because we deserve to be loved. He loves us because of who He is.

Of all the gifts God gives us there is none greater than the gift of God's grace. The Bible reveals that God longs to forgive us of sin. He is willing to completely forget all of the mistakes in our past and is eager to give us a fresh start in life coupled with hope for the future.

In my opinion Lou Holtz is one of the greatest football coaches of all time. I was a freshman at Harding University (then Harding College) in 1977 when Holtz became head coach of the Razorbacks. He later went on to coach a National Championship team at Notre Dame. Several years ago Lou Holtz became the head football coach at the University of South Carolina. He inherited a team that had won only a single game the previous year. During his first year they were even worse—they didn’t win a single game.

The next year as the season began Holtz did something unusual. He passed out paper to the players and coaches, told them to write down all that they didn’t like about themselves and about one another. He told them to write down any failures, weaknesses and grudges that they harbored. After doing that he led the team outside where he had dug a hole in the ground. He then had everyone throw their papers in the hole and then take turns with the shovel burying them. The were gone for good - never to be brought up again.

When we receive God’s grace in our lives that’s exactly what He does with our sins and failures. He buries them. He forgets them fully and completely. He never digs them up. He never retrieves the file. They are gone! Deleted! Forever! The Psalmist put it like this in Psalm 103:11-12— “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

God wants you to know precious friend that He is willing to forgive and forget the sins of your life. However you have messed things up He is willing to give you another opportunity. Whatever you’ve said or done or thought He’s eager to wipe it away and forgive it completely, totally and eternally.

That's the Way I See It.

BECOMING GODLY

2008-12-02T09:02:00.000-06:00

Attached to the computer screen in my office are six words written on a "sticky note." The words are, "Righteousness, Godliness, Faith, Love, Endurance and Gentleness." They come from 1 Timothy 6:11-12 where Paul urged his young friend, "Flee from all of this (referring to the foolish, harmful desires mentioned in vss. 9-10), and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."

There is a huge difference between being successful by worldly standards and being successful according to God's criteria. Frankly, I haven't always recognized this as I should have. For a long time I believe I was far more interested in being a "success" with regards to being a well known preacher for a large church who was sought after to speak across the country for various programs. I've been blessed to enjoy some measure of that but let me tell you - it's futile. You can never "keep up with the Jones's." Sure, there's a sense in which it's an exciting ride but there's no long term fulfillment in success merely for success's sake.

Now that I'm in the latter half of my life I suddenly find myself much more interested in success according to God's criteria. In fact - God never asks for our success. All he asks for is our faithfulness. This quote that recently came my way speaks to my desire.

We become godly as 'holy habits' such as love,
joy, and peace fill our character so that we do the
right thing at the right time with the right motive,
instinctively ... without thinking about it. ...
Spiritual formation does not occur by direct human
effort, but through a relational process whereby we
receive from God the power or ability to do what we
cannot do by our own effort. we do not produce the
outcome. That is God's business."

Life With God : Reading the Bible for Spiritual Formation
by Richard Foster (HarperOne, 2008), p.155

My prayer for each of you is that your success will not be measured by worldly standards alone. May it be the true faithfulness of a Child of God who lives and loves in relationship with others.

That's The Way I See It . . .

WHEN PEOPLE LEAVE

2008-12-01T17:06:00.000-06:00

THIS IS MY WEEKLY BULLETIN ARTICLE FROM THE OAK LEAF - 12/2/08
The ebb and flow of life affects each of us. That’s true on a congregational level, too. Within any congregation there is a constant influx and outgo of people. I’ve been witness to this for the past thirty years. Just as we are happy and excited when people come our way we are also saddened when people leave our midst to worship elsewhere.

Though our spirits are sad when individuals leave we should not be surprised, nor should we be angry or upset. People come and go for a variety of reasons, often reflecting their own particular spiritual needs at the time. In fact, on several occasions I have actually encouraged people to worship somewhere else when it seemed that their spiritual life would be better served by doing so.

Recently several of our precious families have returned to their former church home in Olive Branch. I am thankful that they have been able to do so. For most of them that church is their “home” congregation and it was only due to some difficult circumstances some years ago that they felt compelled to leave there. We wish these families “God speed” and pray for every good success in carrying out His will. It’s my hope and prayer that they along with all of us will work together to have the type of relationships that the Lord would desire for sister-congregations to share with each other.

Of course there are also occasions when individuals leave under circumstances that are less than ideal. Most churches struggle with a “back door” problem. As new members are ushered in through the front door others are dropping out and leaving, often unnoticed, through the back door never to be seen or heard of again. This is a sad and tragic situation indeed.

Quite frankly, we at Goodman Oaks are not immune to this situation. In the past three years we have had a number of new families and individuals come to work and worship with us. You would expect, given such a constant increase of new members that our number in attendance and offering would be consistently rising. This is not the case. In fact, over the past three years we have remained at an average of 725-750 most Sundays with an offering that has remained around $20,000 per week.

As members of this church all of us bear a portion of responsibility for this situation and all of us have the opportunity to be part of the solution. This was addressed by our elders recently when they asked all of us to be more alert to those who sit around us and take notice when someone is not present. Give them a call or let one of our Elders or church staff know.

The longer I live I become convinced of an overriding principle that is true in every area of life. IT’S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS. Our relationship with family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ and above all, God. Church is not about buildings and budgets. It’s about people. A church where people truly care about each other and look out for one other is a church that will go a long way towards locking the back door and retaining its members.
Let’s be that type of church!

“Around The Oaks!”

HEADED TO NORTH CAROLINA

2008-11-24T15:11:00.001-06:00

It's Thanksgiving and we're headed to North Carolina this week to be with Tami's parents and her family. You may not know that Tami is the only one in her family who does not live in North Carolina. It's her parents fault - really! They left there for several years in the1970's and actually lived in the Memphis area just long enough for Tami and I to meet, date for three and one half years and then get married. After we married her parents soon returned to North Carolina. Her dad has been the minister of the Wendover Avenue Church of Christ in Greensboro for the past twenty years.

We've always alternated our annual trip between Christmas and Thanksgiving. This year it's Thanksgiving. It's a little more difficult to make the trip because we don't have as much time as we do at Christmas. It takes a hard day's drive (about twelve hours) just to get there. Seeing that we'll leave on Wednesday and come back on Sunday that means we only have three days there. They'll be spent eating, watching football, visiting relatives, eating, visiting relatives, eating, watching football and did I mention - visiting relatives. Not much time for any r & r with all the eating, watching football and of course - visiting relatives. As we get a little older (oouch - hard to admit) that drive doesn't get any shorter either.

Still, we will enjoy the time with Ma, Da, brothers, aunts, uncles and cousins. And for Tami and me the highlight will be that our daughter and granddaughters from Florida will be there and we'll get to see them! So it will be eating, watching football, visiting relatives and playing with grandkids! Yea!

In case I don't get to 'blog' again before the big day this week - my hope and prayer is that you'll have a Great Thanksgiving.

That's How I See It!

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE

2008-11-23T15:56:00.001-06:00

In thirty years of ministry I've never had a day like today. This afternoon I conducted a funeral and a wedding within a two hour time frame. I've had days when I've done more than one funeral and perhaps even days when I've done more than one wedding but this is the first time I can recall that I've done both - especially back to back. It was such a study in contrasts.

One setting was solemn, the other was festive. One family was laid low by grief. The other was giddy with joy. And, (think with me for a moment on this one), one marked an end. The other marked a beginning. Which was which? The funeral really marked the beginning. For my friend and sister in Christ who departed from this life at the age of 86 years today marked a beginning of life eternal that is safe in the arms of Jesus. It marked the beginning of a new residence and a new existence. Because of her faith in Christ we could sing with joy as the service concluded, "When we all get to heaven - what a day of rejoicing that will be."

The other setting marked an end. The end of two lives lived seperately. From this point on my two young friends will be one (Gen. 2:23-24). Their lives will never be the same. No longer will there be complete independence or total control. From this point forward every decision, every thought and every action must be made within the context of coupleship.

Life is full of such contrasts I suppose. We're ecstatic with joy one day only to be humbled by sorrow the next. None of us lives perpetually on a mountaintop and, thankfully, none of us is forced to live forever in a valley. There are ups, downs and all-arounds. Through it all, however, I am thankful that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Heb. 13:8).

That's The Way I See It!

CAUTION: BUSY DAYS AHEAD!

2008-11-22T09:33:00.002-06:00

Whew.... I'm already out of breath just thinking about the schedule ahead over the next week. First, looming on the horizon about three or four weeks out is my daughter Brooke's wedding. This will be our second wedding in less than seven months (our daughter Emily got married back in May). To say there's a lot to do is putting it mildly.

Today I'm headed out to a friend's farm to cut trees to use as decorations. We have to have about twenty-twenty-five small trees that will be stripped of their leaves and painted white. The will be illuminated with blue and clear lights and have snowflakes hung from them. Sounds pretty, doesn't it.

Tomorrow is going to be one busy day. I will teach my class at 9. Preach at 10 and then conduct a funeral at 2 followed by a wedding at 3:30 and then back to preach at 5! Then I have a funeral to conduct Monday morning at 10. See what I mean.

Thankfully, once that's done on Monday I should be able to take a breath. We have a devotional at church Tuesday night and then Wednesday morning we will leave for North Carolina and Thanksgiving at Tami's parent's house.

I am thankful for the health God has allowed me to have - for the improvement in my eyesight and the stamina to keep going. I am thankful for friends who trust me enough to ask me to speak for the memorial of a precious wife and mother. I am thankful for opportunities to teach and preach the most beautiful message in the whole world - the gospel of Jesus. I am thankful for marriage - the new marriage I'll officiate over on Sunday and my own of over twenty-eight years. I am thankful for family and for the opportunity to be together over the holidays. Yes, it's going to be busy but I'm looking forward to every moment!

That's the way I see it!

TEMPTED AND TRIED

2008-11-18T10:54:00.000-06:00

SHORING UP THE FOUNDATIONS #2

Mac Anthony was called the, “silver-tongued orator of Rome.” He was a brilliant statesman, magnificent in battle, courageous and strong. He was handsome. He had all the qualities of becoming a great leader. However his huge flaw—over whelming flaw— was moral weakness. On one occasion one of his personal tutors shouted at him, “O Marcus, O colossal child, able to conquer the world but unable to resist temptation.”

Most presidential historians will tell you that few men have come into the presidency with a more brilliant intellect and educational background than Bill Clinton. His whole adult life had been spent in the political arena. It could easily be said that he is one of the greatest politicians in the history of our country. But his lack of moral restraint throughout his life has tarnished all of those other things.

George F. Will wrote a book about baseball entitled, “Men At Work.” One of the players he wrote about was Orel Hershiser, who pitched the Los Angeles Dodgers to a World Series victory in 1988. Hershiser said, “There are two theories of pitching. One is that you try to convince the batter that a particular pitch is coming and you throw something different. The other theory is that if the batter expects a particular pitch, you throw it, but you throw it in a place where he can’t hit it.” If he’s a highball hitter, throw it a bit too high. His eagerness will make him swing at it but because of its location it’ll be hard to hit well." Doesn’t that sound like the way the Devil uses temptations against us? He knows just what kind of pitch that we’re a sucker for and then throws it at us. Most likely we’ll swing on it every time because it looks so good and it feels so right. But what’s the result? A strike out.

The apostle Peter wrote, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls about seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Paul says, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.” Satan wants to do everything he can to get your soul, to lead you and your loved ones into sin, to get you to forsake the Lord and the truth. He makes fun of the things that are right and seduce you with the things that are wrong. He tells you how important it is to please men and how out of touch God’s ways are. He makes fun of the Lord and His church. He wants the church to look foolish and hypocritical. He makes fun of people who want to do right by calling them demeaning names and picturing them as radical and mentally imbalanced. At the same time he makes heroes out of sinners. He says over and over again that sin really isn't so bad. He makes counterfeit religions and counterfeit churches that look like the real thing. He tells people that God's grace is so great that people can substitute self-made beliefs and practices for the Biblical ones. He tellsl you that you are #1. He promotes jealousy, envy, and pride. He wants us to forget kindness and compassion. He encourages gossip and slander. He tries to control us by making us selfish and blind to the needs of anyone else. He wants to distract us and keep our mind away from God and His work. He says that service to God is optional.

Is it any wonder Peter says, “Be self-controlled, be alert!” Practice restraint. Don’t swing at every ball thrown your way. Paul wrote to Timothy, “Flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 12Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” - 1 Tim. 4:11-12.

That's "The Way I See It!"

TEMPTED AND TRIED

2008-11-17T13:16:00.000-06:00

Shoring Up The Foundations of Your Life

An old Frank and Ernest cartoon had the two characters looking at each other with a caption below them saying, “How come opportunity knocks only once, but temptation beats the door down everyday?” Another version of that saying is, “Opportunity only knocks once but temptation leans on the doorbell.” The Bible reminds us of some basic facts about temptation.

1. It is common to all—1 Cor. 10:13 - “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man…” Even Jesus was tempted— Heb. 4:15 - “For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.”

2. As you scan the pages of scripture you find the common thread of temptation woven among all of the great characters of the Bible— Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Samson, Saul, David, Solomon, Peter and Paul.

3. The Bible tells us that temptation is not something that comes from God— James says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

Given the fact that temptation is a reality that all of us face. Given the fact that the source of temptation is Satan himself who stirs up desire and lust within our lives and given the fact that the results of temptation are so dire what steps can we take to overcome it?

The time to prepare your home to withstand a storm is not in the last few minutes before it is hit. The time to prepare is when the foundation is being laid. Jesus spoke of the difference between the wise man and the foolish man in Matthew 7: 24-27. He likened the man who hears his teachings and does them to a wise man who built his house on the rock so that it might withstand the storms of life. He likened the man who hears his teachings and ignores them to the foolish man who built his house on the sand where it later collapsed when the winds and the rains came.

What distinguished these two men from one another was not what they did during the storm. It’s what they did before the first storm cloud ever darkened the sky. The reason so many people cannot withstand temptation is because they have not properly fortified their lives. They’ve not built their lives on a solid spiritual foundation. Satan knows our vulnerabilities. He knows the areas where we are weakest. The areas that need to be strengthened.

This was certainly true in the life of King David when he was tempted to commit adultery with Bathsheba. Do you think that temptation just happened? Was it merely a coincidence? Was David’s decision to engage in this sin a one time fluke? Think again.

As good a man as David was as you look at his life you discover that there were some noticeable cracks in the very foundation of his life. In the first place there was a background of polygamy and lust. Though this seemed to be the cultural norm of David's day it certainly was not the law of God. In Deut. 17: 15-17, the law of God said concerning the king of Israel, “He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray.” But look at David. 2 Sam. 5:13 tells us, “David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem and more sons and daughters were born to him.” No one seemed to mind. Even though his harem grew so did David's lust. Even a palace full of beautiful women was not enough to keep David’s eyes from wandering.

It’s also true that a spirit of complacency had enveloped David.

He just wasn’t as alert as he should have been. Between Ch, 5—11 of 2 Samuel you read of nothing but good things about him. He is like a jet climbing higher and higher. 2 Sam. 8:6 says, “the Arameans became subject to him and brought tribute. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.” Later in vs. 14— "He put garrisons throughout Edom, and all the Edomites became subject to David. The LORD gave David victory wherever he went.”

We are often most vulnerable in times of success. Back in the 1970's a young Frenchman captured the attention of the world by walking a tightrope between the towers of the World Trade Center. That was quite an impressive feat when you consider that the towers stood at over 1,350 feet high. A few months later he was in St. Petersburg, Florida practicing his tightrope walk. The wire was only 30 feet off the ground (compared to 1,350 feet that doesn’t seem too high). But amazingly he lost his balance and fell to the ground. People around him said that as he was lying on the ground waiting for help he was beating his fist into the ground yelling out, “I can’t believe it!I can’t believe it! I never fall!”

When things are going well in your life and you think you have everything under control watch out. It’s during those times that Satan can catch you off guard and the next thing you know is you’ve fallen into temptation. Everything was going so well for David he didn’t feel the need to go out with Joab to lead the troops in battle. He’d been there and done that. Better to just stay a home. But on a quiet evening at home with nothing to keep his mind occupied David stepped out on the balcony of the palace and saw this beautiful woman bathing. It was no coincidence. Satan knew exactly where and when David was most vulnerable.

(more next time)

FRIENDS

2008-09-21T16:19:00.000-05:00

The award winning TV series "Friends" ran on NBC for eight seasons. The basis for the show was the continuing relationship between a group of friends who experienced ups and downs, good times and bad but remained committed to one another over the long haul. I think that's why the show remained so popular for the length of time it did. People are looking for those types of relationships. Even if you don't have them yourself you like to witness people who do. Going all the way back to the 1950's with "I Love Lucy' the Ricardo's and Mertz's set the gold standard for true friendship. Though tested at times it seemed whatever problems or difficulties arose they were all resolved neatly over a thirty minute time span.

I'm thankful for my friends. Yesterday evening - following an exhausting week - Tami and I went to the home of two long time friends. In fact, one of them was actually a friend during our teenage years at the Holmes Road church in Memphis. We were joined by two other couples - one of which have also been long-time friends of over twenty years and the other, though newer, already a priceless friendship as well. After munching on "Pasta from Pizza Hut" we sat around the table and talked for over three hours. Just talk. And, oh yes - laughter. Lots of laughter. And good times. And enjoyment. Oh what a delight.

Silas Shotwell, a long time preacher, says that as a young minister he was told in a particular congregation not to make any close friends. It might be a show of favoritism. He says it's probably the worst advice he ever received. I've run into that same philopsophy a time or two and agree with Silas. It's about the worst thing I've ever heard. Everybody needs friends. Jesus had 'em. He even had three who were closer than the others - try Peter, Andrew and James on for size.

I needed last night big time. I needed to relax, unwind, let my hair down (ha) and chill out. I'm thankful I could do this with my friends. I think I'll write a song - "That's What Friends Are For." Sounds like a hit - wouldn't you agree?

MINISTERS AND EFFECTIVENESS

2008-08-25T15:22:00.000-05:00

I recently read the following article in a preacher's e-mail forum I subscribe to. It is particularly relevant considering the definition a lot of churches use for "success." It originally comes from LEADERSHIP magazine.

"Something's wrong. We pastors are the stewards, the spokespeople, the advocates of a message of hope, life, and peace. And yet so few of us seem to be experiencing these qualities in our own lives. Something's wrong. In a world saturated with fear, insecurity, and stress, we are to show a different way. And yet those at the center of the church are burning out and leaving ministry at a rate of 1,500 per month. If that's what's occurring at the heart of the church, why would anyone on the fringe want to move in closer? I've just read an article by two Christian counselors about the soul-killing impact of church ministry on leaders. (The statistic above comes from them.) They note that the pressure to grow the church is a significant factor leading to pastoral burn out. And some pastors "admitted they promoted growth models that were incongruent with their values because of a desperate need to validate their pastoral leadership." It seems too many of us have our identities wrapped up in the measurable outcomes of our work rather than in the life-giving love of the Christ we proclaim. Something's wrong.
I spent last week in western Iowa and met many wonderful pastors and church leaders. These men and women don't lead megachurches. They're not in chic urban or suburban communities where new cultural trends are born. In other words, they're not the people you're likely to see on the platform at a ministry conference. More than one church leader approached me during the week holding back tears. Each confessed he was on the verge of mental/spiritual/emotional collapse. The cause sited by all: the pressure to perform.
Some might say these leaders have failed to nurture their souls sufficiently. We usually want to blame leaders for their own burn out, but when I see the pervasiveness of this problem I wonder if there isn't also a systemic factor. Could contemporary church ministry itself be the problem?
When I peruse ministry books, websites, magazines, and attend conferences I'm bombarded with one overwhelming message: great ministry results are the product of great ministry leadership. If a church is growing, if lives are changing, if budgets are burgeoning—it must be because the leader is doing something right. Conversely, if the church is shrinking, if lives are struggling, if budgets are busting—it must be because the leader is inept. As a result, a pastor's success and self-worth is inexorably linked to his/her measurable performance. Stewing in this toxic brew is it any wonder why pastors' souls are shriveling. Something's wrong.
Consider a chapter titled "Bigger is Better" from a popular ministry book. The authors write, "A church should always be bigger than it was. It should be constantly growing." Talk about pressure. The problem is this standard doesn't hold water when applied to Jesus himself. John 6 describes the scene where "many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him." After teaching some weird stuff about drinking his blood and eating his flesh, the crowds who were drawn by Jesus' miracles decided they had had enough. Did Jesus' shrinking ministry mean he was an ineffective leader? Why do we hold ourselves to a standard that Jesus' doesn't apply to himself?
Or consider one of my favorite stories from the Old Testament. In Numbers 20, Moses performs a miracle by drawing water from a rock to nourish the Israelites. By any human measure Moses' ministry was a success. It was God-empowered (he performed a miracle), and it was relevant (the people were thirsty). If Moses lived today, we'd all be reading his ministry book titled, "How to Draw Water from Rocks: Effective Strategies to Refresh Arid Churches." There was just one problem—Moses' effective ministry was rejected by God. Moses had disobeyed the Lord's command by striking the rock rather than speaking to it. For this sin he was forbidden from entering the Promised Land. It turns out God performed a miracle in spite of Moses, not because of him.
Might God be doing the same thing today? Is God allowing some powerful, effective, and relevant ministries to grow in spite of leaders rather than because of them? If Scripture shows that faithful and godly leaders can have shrinking ministries (Jesus in John 6), and sinful leaders can have successful ministries (Moses in Numbers 20), then why do we persist in measuring our success simply on the measurable outcomes of our work?
Brothers and sisters, you are more than the measurable outcomes of your work. I've come back from my time in Iowa with a renewed commitment to help us all understand the mysterious calling we have in Christ. I want to be at least one voice countering the soul-killing noise surrounding church leaders today—noise that tries to convince us to ground our identities in effectiveness rather than faithfulness. Yes, we need to work diligently and serve Christ with our very best—this is our worship to God. But how we define success should look very different in the economy of God's kingdom from the tangible stats the world celebrates."

My late and beloved friend, Paul Rogers, used to say, "Don't be unduly startled by statistics." There's much more to ministry than counting nickles and noses. When will we ever learn? When will we ever learn? That's how I see it.

I'M BACK

2008-08-24T20:33:00.000-05:00

For those who keep a regular check on my blog my apologies for not having a post over the past couple of weeks. Some of you know that I have had some severe eye problems of late. Here's the full scoop. For several years I have had a condition known as retinopathy that is associated with diabetes. The way I understand it is that due to a lack of oxygen going to the eyes because of the diabetes the retina (back wall of the eye where the nerve endings are) tries to compensate by growing new vessels. Unfortunately these vessels grow like a spider web and cloud the vision. In addition they tend to be very fragile and break causing a hemorrhage into the interior of the eye. This of course clouds the vision. It's like trying to drive a car with a fogged up windshield. I have had numerous laser surgeries on both of my eyes in the past four years and one invasive surgery on my right eye to remove the jell that had been clouded by a major hemorrhage in early 2007. Since that time, however, I have been very blessed with good vision.

However, about three weeks ago I began noticing a blurring of vision in both eyes and had particular difficulty after driving to Nashville on a recent Saturday with my son. After our return home that evening not only was I having difficulty seeing my eye was extremely painful. I waited about a week thinking things might calm down on their own (probably eye strain) I told myself hoping that's all it was - but it didn't go away. A visit to my retinologist revealed the disease glaucoma in my right eye along with additional hemorrhaging in both eyes. This led to two extensive laser surgeries (and they are not fun) plus injections in both eyes (not fun either). In addition the medication given by the doctor has just wiped me out physically. I am just now starting to feel a little bit better.

Sooo - I hope to resume blogging a little more frequently soon and maybe have a worthwhile thing or two to share with you along the way. Let me say this, however, please, please do not take your vision for granted. It is a precious gift of God - one that we usually do not think about until it is impaired or threatened. Take care of your eyes - get them checked regularly - particularly if you are diabetic like I am. That's the we I see it!

BACK TO SCHOOL

2008-07-30T09:27:00.000-05:00

Our kids here in DeSoto county, Mississippi, will be headed back to school next week. Teachers report for duty August 1st. Yesterday afternoon I helped my wife move her supplies into a new classroom. It's hard to believe that summer vacation has come and gone.

Actually, it's no longer "summer vacation," but merely an eight week "break." I'm convinced that we're headed towards year round schools with breaks at various times. I've actually heard some pretty good things about such a schedule from a niece who teaches in Lexington, TN. Still, it seems so early to start school. When I was a boy our summer vacation lasted from Memorial Day up until the first of September. It was only in the 1970's that the beginning of school started in the latter part of August.

Speaking of schools - allow me to vent for a moment. I applaud our teachers, administrators and educational professionals. We have a lot of them in our church family here at Goodman Oaks. However, I am becoming increasingly concerned about the level of bureaucracy imposed by federal, state and local government. My wife is a speech therapist. You would not believe the amount of paper work she is required to do on each student plus the various meetings she has to attend with other teachers, administrators, special ed people, etc... All of this cuts drastically into the amount of time she has to spend with the children themselves which means that parents and teachers are always complaining that she doesn't spend enough time in therapy with the kids. In addition to this she has to bring home this paperwork nearly every evening just to keep up - often working until late at night on it. I think it's redundant and ridiculous. Our schools, like so many institutions of public government have become extremely top heavy with bureaucrats and paper pushers who have tied the hands of our teachers to the degree that they are not able to do what they ought to be doing - teach!

My thoughts and prayers are with teachers and students as the 2008-09 school year begins. This will be the last year that Tami and I will have a child in public schools - our son, Josh, graduates this year. We have been blessed in all three communities where we've had children in school (Newport, Arkansas, Lewis Co., Tennessee, and DeSoto Co., Mississippi, to have good quality public education that still continued to honor God in the classrooms. My prayer is that all public schools will return to that standard one day.

WORLD BIBLE SCHOOL

2008-07-29T11:49:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday Robin Cannon and I did a "tag-team" presentation about World Bible School. Robin is currently serving as one of the editors and regional development directors for WBS. I am so glad he, Cindy and their family are part of the Goodman Oaks church. He and I were classmates together at Harding University many years ago and before that he and Tami were actually classmates at Abilene Christian High School in Texas.

World Bible School provides an opportunity for every Christian to be a missionary. If you can read, write notes of encouragement and address an envelope you can be a World Bible School teacher. It really is that simple. On top of that, we here at Goodman Oaks will be paying the postage for the mailing of the lessons to the students. That's a deal that's really hard to beat.

For more information about World Bible School I hope you'll take a moment to visit their website at www.wbschool.org/ . That's the way I see it!

WHAT ARE YOU READING?

2008-07-24T10:09:00.000-05:00

When I was a teenager at the Holmes Road church of Christ in Memphis (over 30 years ago now) our preacher was Hank Tankersley. One of Hank's favorite expressions was, "The man who will not read is no better off than the man who cannot read." I love to read - and so does Tami. Let me share with you some of the books we've read in the past year that have really blessed our marriage. We've really come to appreciate Bill and Pam Farrel who live in California. Their material is very practical and Biblical. You can visit their website at http://www.farrelcommunications.com/ .

Here are a few of their offerings...

We men are like the little squares on top of the waffle. We like to do one thing at a time and focus on it. Then we move to the next box and focus on it . . . and on . . . and on. We can separate the boxes and move between them pretty easily. We are not good at multi-tasking.

With women, on the other hand, everything is connected. Everything! Emotionally, physically, mentally and so forth. Bill and Pam Farrel do a good job in this book of helping you to understand these differences. I think every married couple ought to read this book!

Any idea what this book is about? Well - you probably guessed it. Bill and Pam offer some unique and fun ways to put the spark back in your relationship. Each chapter ends with a list of fun things you can do to reaffirm your love for each other, show affection to one another and enjoy dates with each other (among other things)!

Okay - I haven't read this one but Tami has and she really likes it. I think she is "fantastic after 40!" so it must have some good stuff in it.

MY FAVORITE PLACE

2008-07-22T11:34:00.002-05:00

Do you have a favorite place you like to retreat to? Most of us do.

Thirty years ago this summer I was introduced to just such a place. It was in August of 1978 that I began my second year as a student at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. About that time I was contacted by a friend concerning a congregation in a small, west-central Arkansas town that was looking for a Youth Minister. Specifically they were looking for a student from Harding who would come over on weekends and spend time developing relationships with their young people and planning activities for them. Having never been west of Searcy I was launching out into unfamiliar territory as I made my way along I-40 through Conway up to Russellville where I spent the night with my friend (who formerly lived in Memphis). On Sunday morning I drove across the Highway 7 bridge over the Arkansas River into the small town of Dardanelle, Arkansas, and a love affair began.

Nestled at the foot of Mount Nebo this little town became my favorite place. I spent weekends there attending "Sand Lizard" football games, hunting, fishing and making friends. In January of 1979 I actually moved there full time and attended class at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville. I was not a very good student then - being far more interested in my youth activities with the church than I was studying. (That's another post - someday).

The particular thing about Dardanelle that intrigued me and draws me back several times a year is the summit of Mount Nebo. The sweeping vistas from Sunrise Point and Sunset Point provide an overview of the fertile Arkansas River Valley below. The lush greenery of the forest combines with the brilliant blue of the river and Lake Dardanelle to provide one of the most awe inspiring landscapes you've ever seen. Sunsets are phenomenal and the clear evening skies enable you to gaze into heavenly depths that cannot be found in cities and towns.

Every year I rent a cabin on Mount Nebo for a few days in the fall. It is there I enjoy the solitude of my quiet time with God as I sit on the bluffs and feel his embrace as the ever present cool breezes envelope me. I rest from my labor as I pray, journal and read. It is here, more than any place in the whole world (and I've traveled in a dozen foreign countries in the past thirty years) that I find God. He is always there waiting for me.

I hope that one day I'll be able to live closer to this place that has become "holy ground" to me so that my visits will be more frequent. Until then I close my eyes, envision that view and imagine the touch of that breeze as it whisps by me.

AMERICA'S SPIRITUAL VALUES

2008-07-21T12:01:00.000-05:00

Findings from a new survey of spiritual beliefs among Americans have recently been released and the results are, in the words of one researcher, “stunning.” Though the overwhelming majority of Americans (92%) believe in God and most (58%) say that they pray at least once a day the clear message from the survey is that Americans no longer believe in an “absolute” standard of truth or righteousness. More and more Americans are turning to their own “personal experience” to mold their values and convictions.
The latest data from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life portrays a nation of "free-flowing spirituality," says Pew Forum director Luis Lugo. The vast majority of American adults say that it really does not make any difference what a person believes. In fact, 44% of adults say they've switched to another religion or have left religion altogether.

Among the eye-opening statistics revealed by the survey are:

· Only 29% rely on their religion to determine standards of right and wrong. The majority (52%) turn to "practical experience and common sense," with 9% relying on philosophy and reason, and 5% on scientific information.
· 74% say "there is a heaven, where people who have led good lives are eternally rewarded," but far fewer (59%) say there's a "hell, where people who have led bad lives and die without being sorry are eternally punished."
· 70%, including a majority of all major Christian and non-Christian religious groups except Mormons, agree that "many religions can lead to eternal life."
· 68% say "there's more than one true way to interpret the teachings of my religion."
· 42% say they "often feel that my values are threatened by Hollywood and the entertainment industry."
· 45% of adults say they seldom or never read their religion's holy texts. However, among groups that emphasize reading scripture, the numbers are sharply higher.

All of this information suggests two things. First, we are not that different from people throughout the ages, including ancient Israel, who have turned away from God and sought to determine their own way. The last verse of the book of Judges says, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit” (Jdg. 21:25). In each instance the outcome was the same—moral failure, national decline, defeat and oppression.
Second, we simply must give more attention to teaching doctrine—especially among our young people. We must teach the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. We must teach why we believe a relationship with Jesus is the only way one comes “to the Father” (Jn. 14:6). We must emphasize why we believe that obedient faith consists not just of intellectual belief but also repentance and baptism. We need to clearly state the reasons why we worship as we do and why we believe in heaven and hell. Never has the need been greater for us to clearly teach the “faith once entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3). May we, as Peter says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Pt. 2:15). ~ Steve Reeves
Southaven, MS

WHAT ABOUT PREACHING?

2008-07-20T22:30:00.001-05:00

Frankly I am concerned about the status of "preaching" in the church today. Paul said that God had sent him to "preach" (1 Cor. 1:17) and that the preaching of the gospel was "the power of God" to those who are saved (1 Cor. 1:18). The word "preach" comes from the greek "kerusso" meaning, "to herald or proclaim." Thus there is spiritual power in the proclamation of the Gospel.

It concerns me that many churches today have chosen a course where preaching is being diminished. What I keep hearing is that people just don't want to listen to preaching anymore. They want things to be "interactive" and "self-guided" rather than being "preached at." Certainly we want to do our best to engage everyone who is present in the message being presented. One wonders, however, if the current demand for innovative formats and "doing something different" is not in many cases a concession to the entertainment orientation of our society and an indication of the increasing secularization of the church.

I certainly understand the need to be relevant. There is no greater injustice in all the world than to take the exciting message of Jesus and present it in a way that is not relevant to those who hear. But to neglect preaching altogether as some give the appearance of wanting us to do seems to me a betrayal of God's very plan.

There is a timelessness to preaching as pictured in the Bible. Whether it was Moses preaching one of his five messages in Deuteronomy, Joshua delivering his farewell message to the Israelites, Jeremiah preaching to the people of Jerusalem, Jesus preaching the Sermon on the Mount, Peter preaching on the day of Pentecost or Paul preaching to the Athenians, there was a power in the inspired spoken word that transcended both time and culture. Why is this not true today? Has God changed his mind about preaching?

I am the first to admit that we need to be open to new and innovative ideas to present the Gospel message to as many people as possible. Frankly, however, I'm finding the abandonment of preaching to be a very bitter pill to swallow and one that I'm afraid will cause untold harm and damage to the growth of God's kingdom in the future.

SUNDAY, JULY 20th, 2008

2008-07-20T17:42:00.000-05:00

Welcome. I'm glad you've stopped by. On this blog you will find outlines of the messages I preach each week as well as some random thoughts on various subjects relating to life and ministry.

Here's the latest in my current series of Sunday Morning Messages on "God's Purpose In Your Life" - Studies in Ecclesiastes. This message is based on Eccl. 5:8-14.

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU

INTRODUCTION:
A. A young college graduate was interviewing for his first job? When
the HR Director asked him what he was looking for, the young
man explained that he wished to start at a salary of $100K, be
placed in a corner office and he wanted his own secretary. The
HR guy responded by offering to add a matching dollar for dollar
to his 501K as well an automobile of his choice, preferably a
BMW. He looked at the young man and asked how that
sounded. He replied, “Are you kidding me???” The HR guy said,
“Of course I am but you started it”.
B. We Americans love to spend money. In any year we spend…
1. $58 billion for soft drinks.
2 $24 billion in jewelry.
3. $13 billion for chocolate products.
4. $38 billion in vending machine sales.
5. $11 billion for comp/video games.
6. $7 billion greeting cards.
7. $23 billion for toys
8. $91 billion in lawn/garden industry.
9. $23 billion for pets.
C. You might think that God is unconcerned by the way we spend
money. Not so. Issues like money and possessions are ALL
THROUGH the Bible. In fact, In the Bible, there are 40 verses on
baptism , 275 verses on prayer , 350 verses on faith , 650
verses on love -- and 2,350 verses that relate specifically to
finances and material possessions
D. If there is one thing we need—it is for some Godly counsel on
how to manage our finances.
1. The average American has a credit card debt of $8400.
2. We spend more money on gambling than on groceries. 650
Billion compared to 450 Billion.

3. In 2002 there were 1.5 million bankruptcies -more than the EN
TIRE decade of the 1960’s).
4. Financial problems are the largest contributing cause of marital
stress and divorce.
E. This morning we look at Eccl. 5:8-20. Solomon, as wealthy as he
was, came to the realization that MONEY was not the secret to
happiness. In these verses he gives us 5 REASONS why this is
so.

I. AS MONEY AND POSSESSIONS MULTIPLY SO DO
PROBLEMS. Vs. 11 “As goods increase so do those
who consume them, And what benefit are they to the
owner except to feast his eyes on them?”
A. The message we constantly hear today is that the more money
you have the happier you’ll be. That is just not so.
1. Henry Ford—“I was happier when I was doing a mechanic’s
job.”
2. America’s first billionaire—John D. Rockefeller—“I have made many millions, but they have brought me no
happiness.”
3. Even Madonna has said, - “Take it from me. . . fame and fortune are not what they’re cracked up to be.”
B. Mt.19—Rich young man. Looking for something more. Went
away sad because he had great wealth.
C. The message of the Bible is that we need to learn the blessing of
contentment and being thankful for what we have.
1. 1 Tim. 6:6—”But Godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world and we can take noth
ing out of it. But if we have food and clothing we will be con
tent with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation
and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that
plunge men into ruin and destruction for the love of money is
a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have
wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many \
griefs.”
2. Hebrews 13:5—”keep your lives free from the love of money
and be content with what you have because God has said,
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
3. “I have learned to be content in all circumstances” - Phil. 4:11.
“I know what it is to be in need. I know what it is to have
plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and
every situation whether well fed or hungry, whether living in
plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives
me strength” - vss. 12-13.
D. ILL. Jack Whittaker lived in West Virginia and won the Power
Ball lottery in 2002. His winnings were $114 million after taxes.
You would think that would be then end of problems. Right?
Wrong. What followed were a series to difficulties.
1. Was arrested for drunk driving.
2. Had money stolen
3. Grandaughter—whom he had given enormous amounts of
cash—died from a drug overdose.
4. Wife divorced him in 2005.
5. Whittaker is also being sued by Caesars Atlantic City casino
for bouncing $1.5 million worth of checks to cover gambling
losses
6. All of that money—didn’t bring him happiness or end his
problems. Just created more.

II. THE BLESSING OF POSSESSIONS BRING AN INCREASE OF RESPONSIBILITY—Vs. 12. “The sleep of
a laborer is sweet, whether he eats little or much, but
the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep.”
A. Solomon is saying that the more you have—the more there is to
worry about.
B. Suppose you go out and buy a brand new car. Lot of great
things. Looks nice, runs good, smells good. But the moment you
sign the contract you are taking on a lot of responsibility.
1. Chances are you are committing yourself to several years of
payments.
2. You are responsible for purchasing tags. Do you know how
much tags cost for a new car in Mississippi?
3. You have to buy insurance.
4. You have to perform maintenance. There’s responsibility.
C. Suppose you are wanting an advancement on your job. More
money. Are you ready for the additional responsibilities that are
going to come with it? A friend of mine who lives in the area
works for a large company in our area. He had an opportunity to
move into a management level job. Six months later he wanted
his old job back. He didn’t like the responsibility that came with
the new position.
D. Jesus told his disciples that they needed to count the cost of
their actions. “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will
he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has
enough money to complete it?” - Lk. 14:28.

III. AS MONEY AND POSSESSIONS MULTIPY SO DOES
GREED— Vs. 13— I have seen a grievous evil under the
sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner,
A. Jesus said, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of
greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his pos
sessions." Then told the story of a farmer who had an exceed
ingly good crop. Lk. 12:16ff—”The ground of a certain rich man
produced a good crop. 17He thought to himself, 'What shall I
do? I have no place to store my crops.' 18"Then he said, 'This is
what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones,
and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19And I'll say
to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many
years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 20"But God
said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded
from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for your
self?'21"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things
for himself but is not rich toward God."
B, Greed was involved in the fall of mankind. When Eve saw that
the forbidden fruit was good for food and pleasing to the eye,
and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate
it.
C. Greed was involved in the betrayal of Jesus by Judas. “Then Ju
das Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to be
tray Jesus to them. 11They were delighted to hear this and
promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity
to hand him over.”

IV. PEOPLE TEND TO PUT THEIR TRUST IN THEIR MONEY
AND POSSESSIONS INSTEAD OF GOD—Vs. 14 “Or
wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he
has a son there is nothing left for him.”
A. Solomon says that for the person who puts all of their trust in
their wealth or possessions and through some calamity they
lose everything—they have nothing left. All of their trust has
been put in those temporary things.
B. Everything you see is going to be gone one day. This building.
Your house. Your car. Everything. 2 Cor. 4:18— “For what is
seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
C. This is why Jesus said, Mt. 6:19 "Do not store up for yourselves
treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where
thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treas
ures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where
thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is,
there your heart will be also.”
D. Paul wrote in 1 Tim. 6:17Command those who are rich in this
present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth,
which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly
provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
E. Eight of the most wealthiest people in all the entire world met in the EdgeWater hotel in Chicago in 1923.
….What happened to them…within 25 years?
1. The president of the largest independent steel company
Charles Swab died bankrupt and lived on borrowed money
for five years just before his death.
2. The president of the largest utility company Samuel Ensil died
a fugitive from justice and penniless in a foreign country.
3. The president of the largest gas company Howard Hobsin went
insane
4. The president of the New York stock exchange Richard Whitt
ney spent much time in sing sing prison before his release.
5. The member of the presidents cabinet Albert Fall was par-
doned from prison so he could die at home.
6. The greatest bear on Wall Street Jessie Livermore died of sui
cide
7. The head of the greatest monopoly Ivan Kruger died of suicide
8. The president of the bank of international settlements Leon Fraizer died of suicide.

V. MONEY AND POSSESSIONS CAN’T DO ANYTHING FOR
US IN ETERNITY Vss. 15-16— “Naked a man comes from
his mother's womb, and as he comes, so he departs.
He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his
hand. 16 This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so
he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the
wind?”
A. Guess what you brought unto this world? Nothing. Guess what
you’re going to take with you when you leave? Nothing. 1 Tim.
6:7—For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take
nothing out of it.”
B. An American tourist visiting Poland was welcomed at the home of
a Jewish Rabbi. He was surprised to find the Rabbi’s home was a
simple room filled with books, plus a table and bench. He asked,
“Rabbi, where is your furniture?” “Where is yours?” replied the
Rabbi. “Mine?” asked the puzzled American. “but I’m a visitor
here; I’m only passing through.” “So am I”, said the Rabbi. Let’s
not get too tied to this world, and we’re not home yet.

CONCLUSION:
A. I think Jesus summed it all up in the sermon on the mount when he
said, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well.”
B. What are seeking today? What are you really looking for? God of-
fers you the only real peace, the only real meaning and purpose
for you life not only now but for eternity.