God is Bigger!

    I saw this the other day and thought it might encourage someone.  If you've never heard this song, it is the perfect reminder that no matter what you are facing right now...God is Bigger.  There is no problem to big for God to solve, and there is no problem so small that He doesn't care about it.

    He wants us to trust Him when things are down, but He also wants us to trust Him when things are up. "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you."    I Peter 5:7  

    Every time I hear this song, my eyes moisten up just thinking that He is there, and wants to show us that He is in fact bigger than all our problems!  He only wants us to trust him.

An Aching Heart

    When I was a teenager, I did not connect well with other teens, and to be honest, that really bothered me.  Part of the reason was the simple fact that I didn't know many other teens, and most of the time I spent with other people, was spent with adults.  The church Christmas party was with adults, the valentines party was with the adults, etc.

    In college, I worked on a church bus route, and loved every minute of it, and loved the kids too.  They knew I loved them, and loved me in return with very few exceptions.  I never was able in the ten years or more that I worked a bus route to connect with the teenagers that were on my bus though.

    After college, my wife, Sandra and I took on the responsibility of working in a special needs class at church on Sundays. That was a bit of a challenge, but we learned quickly to love the class and the people in the class.  The special needs people that we loved responded by loving us in return, and when they returned that love they held nothing back.

    During that time, I decided that I would never work with teens.  I didn't like them. I didn't understand them. I couldn't connect with them.  Little did I know that only a few years later, that is exactly what God would have me do!  Our pastor asked me only a few years later to be the youth pastor at our church, and to be honest...I didn't want to do it!  I finally agreed, and for nearly four years I struggled trying to learn how to be a youth pastor.

    In the last two years, I have learned to love our teenagers.  That is something that I have never been able to truly do.  I still struggle to understand them. I still struggle to connect. I still struggle to know sometimes what they need, but I love them.

    All that being said, there are times when I don't get to see our young people, and talk to them.  I never thought that not being able to see a teenager would make my heart ache, but let me tell you...it does.  I love our young people, and the fact that they want to serve the Lord.  

    I took this video of them singing at church the other day.  They were singing in the van while we went to get some coffee at Dutch Brothers, and I enjoyed it so much that I made them sing one of the songs in church the following evening.  I've watched it a couple of times in the last few days, and have enjoyed it more each time!  There are still a few young people missing from this video that I would have loved to see and hear sing with them, but knowing that they enjoy singing helps to soothe this aching heart. 

    I don't recommend watching unless you are on WIFI.  It's a pretty large file! You will also have to excuse the buzz in the background...someone was trying to call me, and the vibrate mode was coming through the video! Oops!

What Am I Thankful For?

     I now work in a nursing facility as a maintenance supervisor, so I work with a lot of older people who are unable to get out, and many who can not even get out of bed.  Yesterday, while I was making some electrical and drywall repairs in a room, the lady in the other side of the room began to talk about her plans for Thanksgiving.  While she was talking, I began to think about some of the things that I see in these people's lives, and consequently, things that I am thankful for.  Let me share:

1.  People who live in nursing facilities, are largely forgotten.  So many of the people that I work for have family who never come to see them.  Several even have church family that never come and see them.  I am thankful that even though my family is busy, we still have time to spend time together!  We eat at my parents every Sunday afternoon, along with my brother Justus(whbsboy.blogspot.com), and brother Jared, and their families.  This year on Thanksgiving, there will be 13 people at mom and dad's house! All family!

2.  People who live in nursing facilities are often physically impaired.  Can you imagine having to have someone that you have never met get you out of bed in the morning?  Changing your clothes?  Giving you a shower or bath?  Brushing your teeth for you?  Cleaning you up two, three, or even four times a day, because you couldn't make it to the restroom in time?  Humiliating to say the least, wouldn't you say?  Put yourself in this situation.  I am thankful that I can get myself out of bed on my own in the morning, and take care of myself!  If you don't have to depend on someone else to care for your basic needs, you should get on your knees and thank God that for His goodness to you.  All it would take is a car accident, or a good hard knock to the head, and He could take it all away!


There are so many things that came to mind yesterday, but it would take me forever to write it all out.  Think about what you are thankful for, not only on Thanksgiving, but always.

I Thessalonians 5:18
     In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Giant Print

     Sandra, and I drove to the Dallas area a couple of weeks ago for my cousins wedding, as well as both of my brothers and their families.  There were several other family members there as well, including my aunt, Cindy from Michigan.  Well, the next day, everyone was over at the house, and Aunt Cindy brought her 7" tablet over to dad to show him some pictures, to which dad promptly asked, "What's this? A giant print cell phone?"  It was pretty funny!

Awake America!

    Sandra and I visited Calvary Baptist Church in Edmond, OK tonight so we could see Bro. and Mrs. Harding, and hear him preach.  What we heard tonight was about as encouraging as anything I've heard about our country in a very long time.  God has really opened some doors for Bro. Harding, and Awake America!  Take a look at their website here. 

Bro. Harding has some exciting goals and prayer requests, so add them to your prayer lists!

The Joy of the LORD.

     Have you ever been around someone who is never happy?  I have.  It's not fun!

     Now, let me ask. . .What were they focused on?  More often than not, it's self.  Right?
    
     Next question. . .What are you focused on?  Count how many times you say the words, "Me, My, or I" the next time you have a conversation with someone.

     The last part of Nehemiah 8:10 says, "for the joy of the LORD is your strength."  Adam Clarke says about this statement:
     "This is no gluttonous and drunken festival that enervates the body, and enfeebles the mind: from your religious feast your bodies will acquire strength and your minds power and fervour, so that you shall be able to DO HIS will, and to do it cheerfully.  Religious joy, properly tempered with continual dependence on the help of God, meekness of mind, and self-diffidence, is a powerful means of strengthening the soul. In such a state every duty is practicable, and every duty delightful.  A cheerful heart is not only a continual feast, but also a continual medicine."

     When our focus is on the LORD, we can be joyful through anything, and that is not a forced joy either!

KJV Only. . . Or Not?

     Please forgive this post, because it may, to some, seem a little petty.   I read a couple of weeks ago that there was going to be a special speaker at an Independent Baptist church in the area, and although I was not surprised, I was, in fact, disappointed.  Some of you will recognize how the first part of this letter is addressed, but I will not say here who wrote the letter.

October 19, 2014

Dear Pastors:

BANK 2 CEO, ROSS HILL, A FRIEND OF OURS SINCE THE EARLY 1970s, SPOKE THIS AM AT OUR CHURCH. . . [END]



     I believe Ross Hill is a good man, and I have heard him speak in the past.  The reason, though, that I bring this up, is to point out that as Independent Baptists, we are pretty picky about who we let stand behind our pulpits.  I have nothing against Ross Hill.  He has done a lot of good things for a lot of people, but he does not use the King James Version of the Bible, which we believe is the ONLY Bible for English speaking people.

     There is not enough space here to declare why we believe this, but if you will read the book that I was required to read in Bible college, I think that will help you to understand.  The book is called "The Final Authority" by Dr. William P. Grady.

     I will also point out here that Ross Hill is not even Baptist.

     All of this, and the "Independent Fundamental Baptist" is ok. . . may I even say pleased, that this person spoke at their church.  Is it really ok to have a man preach using something that we don't believe is the Bible?  No.

     Again, please forgive me if  you think this is a petty post.  To me this is not really a petty issue, but is one of the foundations that our faith is built upon.  Without this unchanging pillar, we as Christians have nothing to stand on.

Edit:  BTW, This is not the first time that this has happened.

Sandra's Arby's Confrontation

     I thought you might enjoy the picture I took of Sandra, who was sitting at the table with me inside, and the guy in the drive through outside.  He never knew what was happening, but it worked out perfectly!  I had to really work to get Sandra to pose for this.  What do you think?  I love it!

Outhouse Blend?

     We have some friends who are missionaries to Peru, Matt and Sara McKendree, who are actually on furlough right now.  They are enjoying something called the "Outhouse Blend."  Take a look at the packaging from this coffee.  I have yet to taste it, but it sounds. . . well. . . very interesting!

The Death of a Loved One.

     As I was working today, I received news that someone that I know passed away this weekend.  I have only recently had the opportunity to know both her and her husband, and actually spoke to her husband on Friday.  As he and I talked, we discussed salvation a little bit.  He was carrying a gospel tract in his pocket, and I asked if I could look at it, and of course, he allowed me to do so.  A little later, when I stood up to leave, he said to me, "So, you know you are going to Heaven then?"
     
     "Of course!" I said.  "I asked the Lord to save me in October 1995, and the next Sunday, I got baptized"  Then, just to verify, I said, "We both know that baptism doesn't get us to Heaven though, right?"  He grinned at me, and said,

     "Trusting in Jesus as your Savior is the only way to get to Heaven."  I don't remember the exact date that he gave me, but he then gave me the testimony of having been saved some time in the 1940's!  Wow!

     That was a fun, and exciting conversation.  The next morning, his wife went to be with the Lord.  They had been married almost twice as long as I have been alive. 

     Sandra and I have been married for only 5 years, and I love her so much, that it is hard to imagine being able to love her more than I do now.  These two people were nearly inseparable after decades of marriage together. 

    Sadly, our "me first" society has kept many from the joy of sharing their life in holy matrimony with another person of the opposite gender "till death do us part." 

     I hope and pray(as well as determine), to keep the vows that I made to my spouse.  I also am looking forward to many decades of a wonderful and sweet relationship with her, as these two people had after so many years.