Best Pastor Appreciation ever!

I must confess, no matter how overwhelmingly positive, this pessimist can always find the downside, the dark spot, the “yeah, but…”

Surely, by now you grasp that social media can be a bane or a blessing. For all the potential power of good made possible by Facebook, there is always that negative, thoughtless, ignorant, opposing or downright hurtful post that can negate all the inspirational and affirmative material so lovingly generated by goodhearted souls.

I have viewed with incredulity a few comments posted this “Pastor Appreciation Month” that were anything but appreciative and gracious toward those who would have laid down their lives for them. We wonder if they even consider how spitefully their impetuous testimonials rend the very fabric of God-ordained ministry.

But these drive-by assaults are not the norm. Perhaps they were typed as depraved human nature sought to lash out, to dig, to extract a pound of flesh, to satisfy a modicum of revenge, to contribute a piece of one’s mind.  

But then, the cards come in. The dozen or so in the mailbox offering grateful thanks and appreciation. Some containing cherished gift cards to coffee shops, some with sacrificial love offerings. That’s when the heart swells with gratitude, the spirit bows in humility, and the flesh tingles with goosebumps.

Best of all, there are the handmade cards that flood from the children. Here are a few excerpts that have made this the very best Pastor Appreciation Month ever:

“Thank you for preaching to us and showing us the Word of God.”

“More love to the best pastor ever.”

“Thank you for something.” (one of my favorites!)

“Thank you for being there for us when we need you. And thank you for praying for me.”

“Thank you pastor, for baptizing me. Thank you for telling my mom the truth. Thank you for what you have done for us, you’re the best pastor in the whole entire world. Thank you for everything you have done. Thank you so much!”

You are welcome kids! I am blessed to be your pastor!!! 

M*A*S*H

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 

The ranks of believers are being decimated by the enemy's attacks.

Typical responses to the falling of a comrade vary from a shake of the head, to pity, to disgust, to ignoring the fall. But it ought not to be so among believers.

The go to response for an overtaken brother or sister must be a spiritual one. In meekness, those sensitive to the situation, led by the Spirit, bathed in prayer and fully considering his or her own frailty, must respond in love and compassion, never leaving a fallen brother or sister in arms to languish on the battlefield. The fallen must be hurried to a M*A*S*H unit, which is the local church. There to be restored to spiritual health.

Thus fulfills the law of Christ, which is to love one another as Christ has loved us.

If the last Trump sounded this week...

..As some have strongly felt would happen...

I will never do another load of laundry, clean the house again, counsel a couple facing marriage problems, preach another sermon. I will no longer shop for groceries, go to the Dr., visit a dentist, see the Colorado Mountains, fly over the ocean, attend a Husker game or comfort a family who have lost a loved one.

I will never again have to buy hair gel, shaving cream, a toothbrush, kitty litter, cat food, (hmmm, wonder what will become of the cat?), laundry detergent, dryer sheets, milk, cereal or bread. Other items I could cross off my shopping list when I hear the call, lawn mower batteries, wiper blades, garden hose or nozzle, car wax, or renewed license plates. Yippee! That means no more standing in line at the DMV.

I will never again witness a broken home or an abandoned child. I will have watched with horror, for the last time, the unfolding of a terror attack.

If Jesus came to the clouds this week to call me home, I would no longer walk with a limp, scratch an itchy scalp, or see a mirror full of fat, or gray, or wrinkles. My mouth would be full of teeth, my blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels would be normal. All my scars would be missing, my nails a healthy color and shape. My thumb would work again, my sciatic nerve unpinched. I would see straight, hear well and run fast.

If today were the realization of the dream I've dreamed for decades and hope of all the ages, I would witness no more sickness, pain, parting, sorrow, doubt, fear, blasphemy, cursing, theft, adultery, murder, rape, brutality, hatred, lying, lust or envy.

If this week, we heard the call, "come up hither!" I would be in the presence of the Lord of glory, the Almighty Maker of the universe, the Redeemer and the Lamb. In His presence would be the holy angels, the departed saints, loved ones who beat me to heaven, untold, unimagined beauty and unending joy. I would be absent from a sinful culture, a ruined creation, and fallen creatures.

The half has not been fancied this side the golden shore, 

Oh there, He'll be still sweeter than He ever was before.

And if not this week, maybe next. But it WILL happen. The trumpet will sound, a voice will shout and the Father will speak to the Son, "Go get my children!"

Will you be in that number when the saints go marching in?

If you are not ready, pray now... "God, I am a sinner in need of your forgiveness. I believe Jesus died for my sins and that He rose again from the dead. I repent of my wickedness and turn to you in faith for the forgiveness of my sins. Please wash me now and make me clean and righteous through Jesus Christ. Lord, SAVE ME! My life is now yours. This Lord's day, if the rapture has not come, by your grace, I will be in a Bible-believing,  gospel-preaching, God-honoring church. Amen!"

God's Peace in Changing Seasons

As summer breathes its diminishing gasps, the first leaves of a not yet existent autumn have begun to drop. A mixture of summer's fading heat and fall's pallette of glory meet to present the world with its most beautiful gift, autumnal equinox.

God evidences Himself in scenes like this to ease the furrowed brow worried by nagging and unknown cares. His pervading Spirit anoints His children with the power of His Word and the subtle changes of creation.

Coffee meets study meets thanksgiving meets 

nature resulting in a reminder that, in His presence is the fullness of joy and at His right hand there are pleasures forevermore.

Surely, the cares of this day will rush in like a swarm, but this moment, this frame of time offers a peace that the world cannot give and a joy it can't take away.

Found Faithful - Lordy, How Come?

I Corinthians 4:1 Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. 

I once heard a commencement speaker quip, "Some graduate cum laude, others magna or summa cum laude. I graduated, Lordy, how come?" 

One of the student's worst nightmares is to hear the words, "Take out a clean sheet of paper and put everything else away." Do you remember that sickening punch in the gut? Suddenly, the air would be sucked out of the classroom. The professor's wry grins contrasted the students' ghastly grimaces. The collective thought among the class was "I knew this was going to happen, why wasn't I prepared?" 

I learned early on in college how to ace tests and quizzes effortlessly thanks to Dale Carnegie's PEG memory system. It baffled classmates and teachers alike how such a dumb kid could get such high marks...every time! 

All I can say is, it pays to be prepared for the inevitable. 

Thing is, we don't get to submit the account of our faithfulness in the service of Christ as a student submits her report by the time it is due. Our faithful stewardship is like a pop quiz that will take most of the class completely by surprise. Only this quiz will be extremely weighted on our final grade. 

When Jesus calls us to the clouds, our journey to the Bema seat of Christ will require that we had been found faithful at His coming. Basically, failure, that is, lack of productivity for His kingdom, will result in a loss of honors. While those who were diligently faithful in their service for Him will be rewarded on that day of pomp and circumstance with cum laudes, magna cum laudes and summa cum laudes. 

My question is, on that day of rapture, how will I be found, discovered, exposed? Busy as a good steward, faithful in His affairs? Or twiddling my thumbs with my feet propped up thinking, "surely there won't be any pop quizzes today!"? 

Let's strive today toward our commencement so that we may be found faithful and graduate with honors.

Cecil the Lion

Placards I'd like to display in front of the Dentist's office in Minnesota:

You really care about dead lions more than dead babies?

Hypocrites! Where's the outrage against Planned Parenthood?

You want Dr. Palmer to "ROT IN HELL!" What are you doing to stay out of hell?

The devil walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Abortion Drs massacred 1000 babies today.

The lyin' African still lives!...BHO

37 Years ago Today

1 Timothy 1:11  According to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to my trust. 12  And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; 13  Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14  And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. 15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. 16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy…

Today, August 28, 2015, marks 37 years since I loaded all my worldly goods into my beige ’73 Nova and headed from SW Colorado to San Dimas, CA, where you get the “most on the coast.”

37 years ago today, I sat in the gym of Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College, filling out my class schedule. Rhonda Shook, of the Singing Shook Family, kindly introduced me to Pastor Tom McCrary of Riverside’s Faith Baptist Church.

Pastor Tom needed a good music director and door knocker to hire full time - $50 a week. In me, he found a fair music director and the world’s worst door knocker. We shook hands and struck a deal and I got my first full time ministry position. 

Where does the time go? How many times have I beat out 4/4 time since then? How many solos, duets, trios, quartettes, ensemble and choir numbers have I sung? How many have groaned at my preacher jokes? My goodness, almost 10 thousand messages thus far:

1750 Sunday school lessons

2600 Sermons 

4375 Bible College classes taught

1050 Bible Studies

9775 Messages

Before I left home, my dad had these words for me concerning ministry: “It’ll never last!”

Oh, how many times those words, that challenge, kept me going when I was looking for a towel to knot and toss.

I praise God on high for calling me, placing me and keeping me in ministry all these years. There is no better life, no higher calling, no greater reward than ministry. I am the least of His servants.