Obama at the Bat

Purpose for the Pain

I write today as I ponder my own pain and that of many other ministers I know….

Why is it that it seems in this life called The Ministry that pain comes in waves…..

Just about the time one thinks he is ready for the blessing something happens and here comes another event more painful than the last….

Think with me….

The lad and the lunch neither appeared to be much until placed in the hands of the Lord….

As ministers we place ourselves in His hands by faith that He will use us…

Imagine you are the little fish in the lad’s brown bag lunch….

Imagine what the fish had gone through….

Captured in a net and drug from the water to die in the hot sunshine and then thrown in an ice chest, hauled home and then placed in a hot skillet of grease and cooked until well done…

This sounds like another typical day in the ministry….

Caught by The Call…

Then while being drug into the boat, the shock of loss of water, hot sun shine and then cold ice chest…

Preacher Guy, have you ever felt the shocking elements of ministry?

When all you wanted to do was mind you own business?

More than once I have felt the shock of the journey between the ice chest and the frying pan!

The fish was cooked and bagged and sent off to be eaten by the lad….

But Jesus had need of him….

So the dead fish is taken and placed into the hands of the eternal creator….

Imagine the surge of life that the little fish must have felt….

Life, energy, hope and resurrection….

Sounds like Sunday night doesn’t it?

Then just as the little fish feels the power of the Master’s hands….

Those healing miraculous hands begin to squeeze and break….

And the little fish was broken…

Broken and distributed….

And then multiplied….

Brethren….

There is purpose in the pain we feel in the ministry….

He takes us…

He blesses us….

He breaks us….

Then the multiplication can begin….

The Highest Cost of Revival

During an outreach event last week I began to assess the cost of the event….

The snow cones and printed material were costly…

Busses and van moving people from place to place which involved insurance, fuel, registration and maintenance cost….

People took personal vehicles and there was personal cost involved in that….

The event was successful and the church was full of people…

Several received the Holy Ghost and there was a baptism….

Refreshments for the kiddos cost….

Again busses and fuel and insurance and maintenance expenses were consumed…..

Revival is not cheap…

I have never seen a revival that did not cost…..

Many of the cost are hidden and most around the church never realize they were incurred….

But after 48 years in the church and 29 years of ministry….

I have come to conclude that none of these is truly The Highest Cost of a Revival…

The hidden and visible Highest Cost of Revival is people…

Invariably…..

In the midst of revival….

In the moment dreams are coming true….

The invoice arrives with a demand for immediate payment….

And a family exits the back door of the church while the rejoicing of revival is heard around the altars….

I know….

A front door revival requires a back door revival…..

And while I understand this principle….

This pastor’s heart hates The Highest Cost of Revival….

For just as the church does not understand the hidden cost of fuel, insurance and refreshments….

They understand The Highest Cost of Revival even less….

So many times I have longed to rejoice as the waters of baptism splashed, but was distracted as the back door of the church closed behind those I loved….

I have wept as I cognized that relationships would be broken…

Friends….

I could care less how much fuel, insurance, vehicles, snow cones and printing cost….

I could care less how much 10,000 bottles of water cost to give away.....

I could care less how large the bill is when it comes to a soul….

Containment of these costs is the least of my concerns….

However…

I would do anything in the world to contain…..

The people cost…

For indeed this is…..

The Highest Cost of Revival

Double Death of Adopted Daughters

Today I sat at their desk….

I read notes from two adopted daughters….

One adopted via love, the courts and a life choice…..

The other adopted via the altar, the Lord and the working of the Holy Ghost….

Double Death….

One died via the spirits of confusion, misunderstanding and shifted allegiance….

The other separated by the flesh and sin….

The double death happening in a two week span….

I sat at the desk holding notes from both of my girls….

And though the neither death is physical….

Explain that to my heart today….

Monday Morning Thoughts

Jude 20-25

20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.

22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:

23 And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy,

25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.
KJV

Texas Bible College

I was asked to speak to the Personal Evangelism class at TBC this week....

I consider this an incredible invite and with to thank Johnathon Green for the invite....

Thanks to the class and Bro Green...

rks