The Power of Prayer

This summer at the church where I serve as pastor, we are having some special nights of corporate prayer on specific Wednesday nights. We have invited all of our church – youngest to the oldest – to come together for a time of prayer. We believe that prayer is essential to the life and ministry of the local church.

This past Wednesday was our first ‘Summer Prayer Night,’ and it was truly great. I couldn’t tell you about all of the “ministry” that was taking place in our worship center that night. I was reminded of when I read Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire by Jim Cymbala about how times of corporate prayer are powerful and seeing God move in big ways.

I thought that I might just share with you a couple of ways in which I was ministered to in our first Summer Prayer Night.

• Praying with my child at the altar. It was special to watch one of my sons come down in front of everyone that night and bow down on the steps leading to the platform. As I watched him fold his little hands and began to pray, I was just drawn to him to join. I asked him if I could pray with him, and he said, “Sure, Daddy!”
  
• Families praying together. It was a sweet sight to look around and watch families gather together and pray together. I believe that ‘the family who prays together, stays together’ is much more than a sweet little saying.
  
• Encouragement Overflowing. I had a dear, sweet lady approach me after our time of prayer and express her thankfulness that God had led our family here. I told her that we share in that feeling as well.
  
• The sound of children praying out loud. There was one amazing little boy in the room that just prayed as best as his little heart and mind knew how to for “Mommy and Daddy… and thank you, Jesus!” I just thought about how Jesus said that God has put praise in the mouths of little ones for times such as this. I enjoyed sharing with the parents how they didn’t need to feel embarrassed, but rather that they should continue to disciple their children as they are doing… because it is working well!

I cannot wait to see what all the Lord has in store for our church through these times of prayer. I would encourage all pastors/churches, make sure that you are purposefully planning some times of corporate prayer and see what God does!

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Grace and Mercy

On Wednesday nights at Bethany Baptist Church, we have started a series where we are going through the New Testament letter, 1 Timothy.  I thought that I would share a little of my notes from what I shared with our fellowship.  This is what we talked about this past Wednesday.

In the passage that we will look at tonight, we will see how Paul focuses on the truth of God’s gospel.

1 Timothy 1:12-14 = Gratitude for God’s grace

In verses 12-13, Paul gives thanks to God for the grace that has been shown to him in his life.  Paul remembers how Christ came to him and showed him great grace.  You may remember that Paul was on his way with papers in hand to arrest Christians when Jesus confronted him on the Damascus Road.  Not only did Christ save Paul, but He also called Paul to be His servant taking the gospel to people who had not heard it.

Paul admits that he was the last person whom God should have extended grace to because he blasphemed the name of Christ and persecuted the church.  That is the beautiful thing about grace.  It is getting what we do not deserve.  Paul reminds Timothy (and us) that we did not deserve God’s grace, but He extends it anyways.

As we are reminded about the amazing grace of God shown to us, are we thankful?  Does our lives demonstrate a gratitude for this grace that has been shown to us?  Do we take this grace for granted, giving a tip of the hat towards God and then going on about our merry way?  We should take time frequently to remember the grace shown to us and live a life of gratitude because of it.

Illustration: Dog adopted from the pound.  There was a boy that was taken by his father to the local pound to get a new dog.  When he saw this little puppy, the boy knew that it was the one.  He gave $50 and took the dog home.  The boy would take the dog to a local park and play with it often.  Many people would comment at how well the dog was trained.  The boy would reply that he had no obedience class training.  This dog would wait by the door for the boy to get home from school each day and would jump up and down when the boy got home.  This dog showed his love and appreciation to this boy because he rescued him from certain death.  If a dog can grasp this concept, shouldn’t we?

1 Timothy 1:15 = The Gospel in a Nutshell

In this verse, Paul gives one of the simplest presentations of the Gospel.  He states that Christ came to save sinners, and I am the worst of them all.  Paul is reminding Timothy to remember the mission.  Helping people realize their need for Christ is hard sometimes.  We may want to try different gimmicks, but it all comes to remembering that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, and Christ has come as that Savior.

This was also a means of identifying the false teachers that were trying to destroy the church.  If a person does not recognize their sin and the fact that Jesus Christ alone is the Savior and answer, then one should not give them any time.  Those who want to add things to the gospel like earning God’s favor by doing good works or other things are not from God.

God has given us a gospel that, though it is simple, is sufficient.  The grace of God shown through Jesus Christ coming to save us from our sins is all we need.  That is the message that God has given to His church to experience and share with the world.

1 Timothy 1:16-17 = God’s Purpose in Mercy

Not only did God show great grace towards us, but He also has shown great mercy.  Mercy is not getting what we do deserve.  In verses 16-17, Paul shows Timothy (and us) God’s purpose in mercy = to be an example to show others.

Our sin deserves the full wrath of God.  God has chosen to pardon those who come to faith in Him through Jesus Christ.  This mercy is not just for our benefit though.  It is to show others around us that God is patient and can turn anyone’s life around.  The mercy that God has shown to you is a testimony that someone around you needs to hear.  It is the answer to someone’s question about “Can God do that for me?”  Are we allowing the mercy that God has shown to us to be shared with others so that they can experience this wonderful gift?

1 Timothy 1:18-20

In the final verses of chapter 1, Paul encourages Timothy to fight the good fight.  It is interesting because here Paul talks about the good fight at the beginning of Timothy’s ministry, and Paul will share about the good fight in the last letter that we have that he wrote – once again to Timothy (2 Timothy 4:7 = I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.)

The life that God calls His followers to live is not easy; it is a fight.  It is a fight against the flesh, sin, and the forces of darkness in this world.  You do not experience victory in a fight by just standing around.  You have to fight.

In verse 19, Paul shares how we are to fight this fight.  He simply says to cling to your faith in Christ.  The word “cling” in this verse means “to seize or hold strongly in one’s hand.”  This would be like the young child who holds on to his or her “comfort toy.”  You do not easily pry it away from them.

Paul shares examples of two men who did not hold tightly onto the faith and who were removed from the church (Hymenaeus and Alexander).  We are not told as to what exactly they had done, but they apparently were not clinging to their faith in Christ and paying the price for it now.

If we want to experience the victory that Christ has given us in Him, we must cling to Him and follow Him with all that we have.  You cannot go into a battle half-hearted.  When someone does, that is when they fail.  The Bible calls us more than conquerors (Romans 8:37), and if we hold to the faith that saved us, we will experience that victory.

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Thankful I'm Not Alone

I am what you might label "an extrovert."  I like to be around people.  The more people in a crowd, the more excited and interested I get.  There are times though that I like to get away by myself and just have some "alone time."  I believe that everyone needs that at times.  Some just more than others.

While I often use my "alone time" to work and think through things that are going on at the time, I am very thankful that I am not alone.  I know that Jesus is with me always.  But that's not what I'm talking about.  I am thankful for the helpmate that He has blessed me with in my wife, Naomi.

Since November 1, 2001 (when we officially started dating), Naomi has been there beside me.  On January 17, 2004, she officially signed up to walk with me down every path that God would carry me by saying two words: "I do."  Since that time, she has been there beside me with encouragement and love to be all that God wants me to be.

Some paths of this journey that God has led me have not been easy ones.  There have been many times that I wanted to throw my hands up in the air and say, "I'm done!"  There have been many times when I would get so overwhelmed (usually because of my lack of planning skills).

Through it all, I have been able to count on two constants: Jesus first, and my wife second.  They have been there to push, prod, encourage, and refuse to let me settle for anything less than God's amazing plans for my life.

For this I am truly thankful.

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I'm Thankful: Day 4

Day 4: A Church Home



The local church has played a vital role in my life to this point. I do not see any change in that pattern coming anytime soon. I was raised by my Christian parents with a priority given to "going to church." It is very typical of those who live in the deep south to be involved in a local church. To some, it is a fellowship gathered to worship... to others, it is another social meeting to be part of. When I speak of the local church, I'm speaking of a group of professing believers who gather together to worship the Lord and carry out the Great Commission that Jesus gave.

I'm thankful for the local churches that I have had the privilege of being part for many reasons...

• It taught me about who God was and gave me knowledge of His word.


• It told me about the "why" behind the "what". Though I had heard and even believed the truth that Jesus was God's Son and that He came to earth to live a perfect life, die upon a cross, be buried, and resurrected from the dead, it was the obedience of a couple members of a local church that showed me that Jesus did all that to pay for my sin and make a way for me to have a relationship with God.


• It showed me the importance of growing in my faith. God used people within the church fellowship to show me how to study the Bible for myself, pray, and share my faith with others.


• It backed me and encouraged me in my calling to ministry. As a 17 year old young man, the local church came alongside me and gave me opportunities to see that calling grow and be used for the glory of God.


• It has provided some of the deepest friendships I've ever known. In the local churches that I've had privilege to be part, God has brought into my life (and the life of my family) some friends that have truly grown more to be like family.

These are just a few reasons that come to mind for the reason that I thank God Almighty for the local church. There is truly nothing on the face of the earth like the local church. I whole-heartedly agree with Bill Hybels (Pastor of Willow Creek Church) when he says..."The local church is the hope of the world."

I hope that you have the wonderful opportunity to be part of a local Christian fellowship commonly known as a church. If you are not, I would greatly encourage you to find one close to you. Get involved and let God minister to you as He has me in my life. What role has the local church played in your life?

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Not Just The Top Dog

As it's been stated before, October is Pastor Appreciation Month. This is a reminder to us to make sure that we let those who have been given the task of shepherding God's people know that we appreciate their service. In my experience, church members take this month pretty serious in writing letters/notes and showering their pastor with gifts and dinners. That is good and all but sometimes an important thing gets overlooked.

If your church runs more than 20 people, you probably have more than one pastor at your church. They may take the title of worship pastor, youth pastor, children's pastor, education pastor, missions pastor, etc. They may be full-time, bi-vocational, or straight up volunteer. Whatever the title they carry, they are performing the duties of a pastor.

As one who has served as a youth pastor over the past 13 years, this month has been either really good or really depressing. Really good because the tokens of appreciation would come at just the right time. Little "pick-me-ups" to brighten the day.

The times that this month would be depressing is that the ministers on staff at a church other than the senior pastor would be overlooked. Sometimes this happened unintentionally. Other times, these other ministers just weren't seen as "real pastors."

It would make my skin crawl and my stomach turn every time someone would ask me if I was ever going to be a "real minister" and not just a "youth guy." The work of a youth pastor (children, education, worship, missions, insert whatever title you choose) is ever much as demanding as the senior pastor. Those who come alongside the senior pastor and help with ministry need to be encouraged and affirmed just as the senior pastor does.

Do you want to see your youth (children, worship, etc) pastor get a fresh wind? Lift them up and recognize them as pastors worthy of honor in the church. Some of my greatest times of student ministry came when the church said, "you are one of our pastors, and we appreciate what you do."

The interesting part of this is that this mindset has to be taught by the senior pastor. If he doesn't recognize the supporting ministers, then the congregation won't either. If you are a senior pastor, make sure that you are lifting those support ministers up. The congregation will follow your lead.

Take time to encourage all the pastors at your church today.

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The Past Week

The past week now seems like a blur. I remember heading to the local Wal-Mart to gather some materials for a game in our student ministry on January 23 when my cell phone rang. The lady on the other side said, "your mother has taken a turn for the worse and we cannot get her to respond."

Those are words that cut deep. I would spend 16 of the next 48 hours simply driving to take care of mom's final arrangements with my sister. The words of encouragement through texts, emails, Facebook, and phone calls began to pour in.

Finally Wednesday and Thursday mostly was spent remembering the mighty woman known to me, my sister, and later my wife as "mom". All the holidays... the pride she had in her two little men (our sons)... her faith in Jesus and now reality that she is seeing Him face-to-face.

The past week has been tough with mom's trek to glory, but not as tough as I thought it would be. As a minister, I have taught many times about a Christian's joy in death as they shed this body corrupted by sin and enter the eternal dwelling place prepared for them by Jesus (John 14:1-7). I guess it really hit home when my mom experienced this firsthand. It was also in this moment that I realized even more fully that this was not a sermon or lesson from a book... this was reality!

On Sunday, January 23, my mom saw Jesus face-to-face. I will not see her face again this side of heaven except in memories and pictures. The Holy Spirit has truly ministered to our family through many avenues. To all who have been the arms of Christ extending His grace and encouragement for the moment, my family thanks you more than you know. Jesus, to You be all the glory and thank You for the time I had with mom and using her for Your glory.

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Book Review: "Where Is God?"

The latest book that I have been reading from the Thomas Nelson book reviewer deal has been Dr. John Townsend's "Where Is God?" It has been a pretty good read. It was pretty much what I thought it would be: a Christian psychologist talking about how people ask this question during rough times.

I thought that Dr. Townsend did a good job of bringing both psychological and biblical suggestions to different situations that might cause one to ask "Where Is God?" It did sometimes feel like you were talking to a psychologist and in a session.

Overall: I might recommend this book to someone who might be asking this tough question. I did like how Dr. Townsend gave some suggested works to check out on this subject at the end of the book. I felt that his intention wasn't to publish another book, but to truly help hurting people find the answer to the question, "Where Is God?"

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Book Review: "For These Tough Times"

I received this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers not long ago.  I was interested in seeing what Max Lucado had to say again.  I have been a fan of a lot of his work in the past because his writing is very easy to read.  For These Tough Times was no different.  The 80-page book was a very easy read.

For These Tough Times tackles the questions that many people hold inside: Where is God when bad things happen?  Does God care?  Does God hear my prayers in the difficult times?  Lucado, as a minister, has heard the cries of people like this often and put together a good work to help shed some light on these subjects.  This work does not seek to fully answer each question, but it does give a good starting point for each question.  The tone of the book seems more like a conversation that one is having with Lucado over a cup of coffee.  Lucado does a great job of using everyday illustrations to make the Scripture he uses come to life for the situations that arise.

I would highly recommend this book to those who are looking for some answers to difficult times that one may go through.  This work will bring encouragement and insight to any difficult situation.

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The Lost Art of Encouragement

Today, I was in the office to get some things done now that camp is over. I saw that I had a voicemail on the office line. I was shocked that there was only one, but that one made my day. It was an adult volunteer who had gone on the trip with us just encouraging and thanking me for the camp. I got to thinking, "why don't we do that (encourage one another) more often?" I know that I'm not the best at telling people "thanks" after the fact. But I really wonder why the art of encouraging others seems to be one that few are participating in.
I want to encourage you to encourage someone today. It may be nothing more than writing a card or even text message to someone. If you do this, be specific with what you're thanking them for. This will brighten the darkest day.

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