Dealing With People

Have you ever wondered why they left? Elimelech and Naomi left Bethlehemjudah, "the house of bread," over in the book of Ruth. And why? I know there was a famine. But did they expect there to never be a famine in the land? The famine will surely come...it always comes. It's just a matter of when...

I wonder if someone had asked them why they were leaving, what they would've said. "We are afraid of..."

Stop right there. Fear? Where fear is the fruit, doubt is the seed. This is the opposite of faith. But there they go... leaving Bethlehemjudah.

There is a tendency, in the ministry, to get hardened. It's not that the tenderness toward others is gone, or that you no longer desire to help those who need it. It's simply that you get tired of seeing those who seemed the most loyal, the most unmoveable, and the most faithful, depart in time of famine.

I am not where I am today because of the greatness of man; I am here because of the greatness of God. If I had based my loyalty, devotion, and steadfastness on the strength of a man, or the greatness of a leader, I would no longer be in the ministry today. You see, there have been many opportunities for me to get out of this fight...and tempting occasions as well. I am who I am because of the grace of God, and the day God changes will be the day that it will be right for me to go to Moab in the famine.

To quote one of my favorite lines from any hymn:

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name."

I say all of this because I am beginning to wonder what it is that causes people to make decisions. For instance, I go to Truth Baptist Church because I believe that is where God wants me. It is my Bethlehemjudah. One day, I will go away to Law school, and when that happens, I will do it because that's what I believe God wants me to do.

But then I see people leave our church. And rather than base it on the will of God, they base it on feelings and fear. "Well," you say, "they've been feeling like leaving for a long time." Oh yeah? SO HAVE I! But since when do our feelings have anything to do with the will of God? Since when do Christians reserve the right to make decisions as if God's will has nothing to do with their life?

Why were you at Truth Baptist Church? Because Bro. Buddy Maynard was such a great man? You're right...he was and he still is. But if you were here because of his faithfulness, I'm surprised you weren't disappointed and scared off sooner! What a sad reason to be somewhere...the strength of a mortal man.

You see, I am not here because my Pastor is perfect. I'm here because God is perfect, and he told me to be here. Only those who base their decisions on man need act in fear, out of feeling. Only someone who bases their decisions on a man need change their mind at the drop of a hat.

And only a fool would leave the "house of bread," where God is, because there is a famine in the land.

True Victory; True Defeat

Victory is a coveted thing. A measure of heavenly immortality on mortal earth. Victory is when you truly get triumph in the face of a struggle.

And defeat. Defeat is not a "knocked down but never knocked out" attitude. Defeat is when you lose. In effect, the battle is over. No one takes defeat well.

I've felt victory before. True victory that was so longed-for and coveted that it almost hurt me for the exitement that I felt. It was a swelling of joy and longing in my heart that almost burst my spirit. And I've felt defeat. I've felt completely crushed, as if victory was not at all possible.

In fighting my flesh, victory and defeat are real things. In spiritual warfare, both of these can be felt. Sometimes just a whiff of victory can be very encouraging at a point in life where the campaign seems marked by defeat.

Most of the time, victory cannot be acheived because our battle efforts are not passionate enough. We lack the energy and will to do what is necessary in certain battles to gain victory. Then we get knocked down. We suffer losses. We take steps backward.

A lot of times, a defeat can aggravate me to the point that I will go all out, sparing no expense, and doing drastic things physically and spiritually to gain that victory. I'm a winner, and losing is not something I do well. And if anything good can come from losing, it is the determination that pushes me over the top to gain the victory, because I've made the effort necessary to win.

And that's where you need to get if you seem to never gain the victory. Get in a mode of win-or-die syndrome. And give it all you've got! You cannot go too far in putting forth an effort to gain a victory for God. Do the drastic things that seem overboard if that's what it takes. Fast for long periods of time. Pray at crazy hours of the morning and night. Get close to God in ways that you need to in order to get the upper hand on the flesh. You have to make the flesh weary and wasted before the spiritual man can get a solid foothold. Make the old flesh weary and tired. Then get a hold of God, and beg him for his strength. Victory is possible. Especially after defeat. God wants Christians to be victorious, and with his help and a sincere will-power, it can be acheived.

This is the purpose of the altar in the Bible--for flesh to be sacrificed. Burn the flesh. When the stink of burning flesh begins to rise out of your life towards God and for God, he says it will be a "sweet smelling savor." What stinks to you in the flesh will smell good to our Savior. Lay yourself on the altar, and kill the wicked flesh, sacrificing it to the Lord.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1

"I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galations 2:20

Double Decision

It is always easy to say things. It’s not always so easy to do them.

Words spoken in time of ease many times are hard to swallow in times of testing. And due to the excess of words, we find ourselves questioning things that we once have said, and now are expected to act upon.

It’s not that what was once said was wrong. It doesn’t even mean that we no longer believe it now that the testing is upon us. But our flesh gets into situations where our desire is so overwhelming that the things we once stood for are now being second-guessed and even being tossed to and fro in our minds.

As a Christian who takes a stand for many things, this is especially important. You must take that stand, but taking that stand will require you to live a very specific way.

“LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?…[he] In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.” Psalm 15:1,4

Swearing to your own hurt, and changing not. These are powerful words spoken by the psalmist, realizing some things he knew personally.

David said he would not touch God’s anointed. When Saul began throwing spears, David ran. He honored his word. But it did not end there. After more than 5 years of running from Saul, the opportunity to kill him was well within David’s grasp. Yet he apologized and repented for simply cutting the cloth of Saul’s garment. Swearing to your own hurt… and CHANGING NOT!

Stability is probably the most lacked character trait in this generation. People don’t even know what to stand for, and then those that do know what to stand for don’t stand.

There’s no such thing as making a decision for God only one time. If you make a decision for the Lord, the devil is sure to test it. Try it. If you made the decision once, you will need to make the same decision again.

I made the decision a long time ago to do whatever the Lord told me to do. A semester into college, I’ve made that decision at least 100 more times. :)

I made the decision not to use certain language. I make that same decision every time I go to work and deal with certain people that do their best to bring out the worst in me.

I made the decision to keep myself pure, saving my heart and body for the precious young lady I marry. I made that same decision again today.

The point is, if you made the decision for the Lord, expect to make it again, and again, and again. A world of sin is against everything you promise the Lord.

Have you made the decision to do whatever God wants? If you have, then never let financial circumstances, geographic locations, or self-will deter you.

Have you vowed to keep yourself pure? If the answer is yes, then never, ever give your heart, emotions, or feelings to anyone whom God has not expressly told you is the man or woman you will marry, and only then after you have the go-ahead from God’s authority in your life. In fact, I ask every unmarried young adult with Christian parents reading this to make a vow to the Lord: Vow to never pursue a relationship that leads to marriage until both of your parents approve. If one of them sees a problem, then there’s something wrong. But I promise you, if both of them agree that it is good, you can be sure the Lord is in it. (That advice was unplanned so that was free of charge) :D

And that will be another decision that your flesh will be sure to test you on. Just remember, even if it hurts, CHANGE NOT! What was right when you made the decision is still right today. Do not change based on the situation. The circumstances do not warrant exceptions, the circumstances show what you really believed all along. Stick with those decisions… especially when it hurts. God loves to see his children make decisions, and then make the same decision again when the going gets tough and it isn’t easy, because it honors him.

Double decisions will be the greatest tool of public testimony you can have. And to top it off, God will be pleased. And when he smiles, the frowns of the world won’t mean a thing. I love to make God smile, and he put it on my heart to write this post. God is pleased with double decisions!

Good times, tough times...

It has been a very unusually grim time around Truth Baptist Church and the Heritage Boys Academy. It has had its highlights as well though. Alot has happened, so I'll do this in chronological order.

On Wednesday, the 21st of October, our dear friends from the Netherlands, the Huussens, arrived in Panama City. They will be here until the first week of December, and will be back again sometime after the first of next year to get ready for the Russell and Hannah's wedding. I don't know the details of it all yet, but nonetheless, it has already been alot of fun since they've been here. I have enjoyed every spare minute I can "escape" over to their trailer. :D That was one of the highlights.

Then on Monday, the 26 of October, our campmeeting started. We had Pastor Charlie Andrews, Pastor Mike Keenan, Bro. Terrence Calvin, Bro. Terry Kendrick, Bro. Jake Huussen, and Bro. Daniel Waters preach during the week. There were some other assorted preachers during the week, including myself, and I had such a great time preaching! The Lord gave much liberty and I can't remember having such a good time preaching. The whole week was truly a blessing to our church. The quality of the preaching was excellent, and the Lord met with us in a great way.

Then some tough times came. On Sunday, the 2nd of November, Silas Blackburn, who has been fighting cancer for close to 6 six months, went on to be with the Lord. He went after fighting a battle most men couldn't take. The Lord's grace has been, and will continue to be sufficient. We are all grateful for the comfort that Silas' battles are now over, and we will see him again, and soon.

Since then, I have spent the last 9 days with some disease I can't seem to shake. It has included severe headaches, fevers, head and chest congestion, coughing, etc. It has in a large way interrupted school more than anything. It is the first time I've been sick this year. It has really caught me off guard, because I typically stay pretty healthy. Anyway, pray that I can shake this thing before Monday, cause I can't miss any more school or I'll really be in trouble.

I have really enjoyed some things I've learned from God recently as I've tried to grow closer to him. He has been especially close and real through the tumultous times, and I cherish the things I am learning and have learned.

The Lord is good.