Our New President

This week our country inaugerated the 44th president of the United States of America. This is an historic occasion. Supporters of this president are still celebrating the beginning of a new era…a new world. As the first African-American president in this country, President Obama will have a special place in the history books that no other can claim. We congratulate the new president and his supporters who worked long and hard to make his presidency happen.

Those of us who were not supporters of President Obama are trying to find our place in this new administration. As concerned Christian voters who have been labeled ‘the religious right’, we are looking for signs that President Obama will offer hope to all Americans; not just those who support his positions. And it is the left leaning, progressive stance that this president champions that causes consternation among christian voters.

As a white, southern, Christian, I want to state for the record that I am not against this president because his skin is black. I am completely aware of this moment in history and although I do not share the black experience, close association with my black friends and co-workers has made me aware of the day to day small indignities endured by black Americans. I am constantly appalled by the manner in which some of the best people in the world are treated.

No, my concerns are strictly about his core values and beliefs. The media made light of the long term relationship with Pastor Jeremiah Wright and dismissed concerns as trivial and vicious right wing attacks. I sincerely hope that my fears that President Obama shares the views of his former pastor about black theology and black/white issues will prove to be false. I find it hard to believe that a man who sat on the pews of this church for twenty years never heard the message his pastor was presenting to the people.

In spite of my concerns and differences in philosophy, I pray that God will bless President Obama and give him wisdom to lead this great nation. We are a great people with many differences, but we are still one nation. God Bless America!

Happy New Year

Hello fellow servants of the Lord, 

A page has been turned and a new year has begun.  Resolutions were made and some have already been forgotten. My year began with introspection and prayer. Our church devotes the month of January to"Seasons of Prayer". This month we fast three days per week and meet once a week for a two hour prayer meeting. This kicks off our year and offers an opportunity to position ourselves to serve the Lord, receive blessings, become an intercessor, or just find our place in the family of of God. 

A great moment in history is upon us. The world is an increasingly dangerous place to live. Those who follow prophecy believe the End of the Age is drawing near. The most important thing in your life is to make your calling and election sure! Whether the Lord comes this year or in ten thousand years, nothing is more important to your future! 

Joel 2: 12-15

 12 "Even now," declares the LORD, 
       "return to me with all your heart, 
       with fasting and weeping and mourning."

 13 Rend your heart 
       and not your garments. 
       Return to the LORD your God, 
       for he is gracious and compassionate, 
       slow to anger and abounding in love, 
       and he relents from sending calamity.

 14 Who knows? He may turn and have pity 
       and leave behind a blessing— 
       grain offerings and drink offerings 
       for the LORD your God.

 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, 
       declare a holy fast, 
       call a sacred assembly.

The future is uncertain...and the choices you made in the past have brought you to this moment. God does not expect you to look to your mistakes and ill-judged decisions to bring you through. He wants you to look to Him. If you ask for forgiveness, He will not hold your past against you. He loves you. The only way to protect your future is to become closely acquainted with the Lord. 

As the economy falters, and unemployment rises, do not fear. All those who trust in the Lord will find a shelter and peace of mind. I know we dread living in fearful times. I am reminded of a conversation from The Lord of the Rings Book I, The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien. This conversation took place between the hobbit Frodo Baggins and Gandalf when dark times were approaching Middle Earth.

I wish it need not have happened in my time,' said Frodo.
'So do I,' said Gandalf, 'and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.'

And so it is for all of us! We have no choice in deciding whether times will be good, or bad. We are unable to move forward in time or change the times around us. All we can do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us. Choose to serve the Lord. Live in peace with one another. Pray one for another. Bear one another's burdens. So in this year of new beginnings, let us take to our hearts the words of the Apostle Paul: 

Hebrews 12

 1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. NIV

Blessings!

Spiritual Year End Review

Hello All, 

 This year has been so fast moving that I lost track of the days since Hurricane Ike disrupted our lives. Finding a new place to live after the damage to the house and becoming accustomed to not working when I was displaced in September has kept my life interesting. I spent a month and a half coughing due to the mold in the house where I lived until recently. 

Now that the end of the year is approaching I am taking time to review the ups and downs of my spiritual walk. Every year the media gives the audience the highlights of the previous year, such as great triumphs, notable people who have died, and great media scoops ( I found this one today). It is in this spirit of review that I encourage all of you to look over the past year to gain insights into your strengths and weaknesses; and plan for the new year. 

Like many of you, I endured some dark days this year. Living on the Gulf Coast; our lives may never be the same since Ike came for a visit. I choose to believe that in my personal life, this has turned out to be a good thing in spite of the many aggravations during those days. 

As I look toward the new year I am making a list that I want to review, and perhaps change my attitude about in the new year. 

They are: 

1. Do I feel that I was persecuted by the devil or his fallen angels this year? 
2. Was I overcome, or did I overcome them? 
3. Did I trust God this year, or did I panic? 
4. How have I measured up in my relations with my fellow man?(Other People) Am I compassionate? Do I even think of others in my daily life? 
5. What about my time in conversation with God? (Prayer) Was it productive or did I whine about my problems? 
6. Have I taken authority over my home...my life? 
7. Am I thoughtful of the problems of others? Do I pray for them, and help if I am able? 
8. Do I listen for the voice of the Lord in my daily life? Do I hear his commands? Am I obedient? 
9. Do I have a repentant spirit? 
10. Am I willing to change? 

These are the questions that concern me. Each of you have your own interests, and concerns. Make your list personal and give them serious consideration as we move forward to the new year. Plan to make a change in your life.  You will be blessed. 

No matter what has overtaken you this year, and no matter what state you currently find yourself; know this...God is with you every step of the way. His love is everlasting, and His protection will be with you every step you take. Our world is changing daily. Our economy has fluctuated badly, and people are afraid. Take heart and do not be afraid. Israel began bombing Gaza this week and we are moving quickly toward a destiny that was set in motion a millenium ago. No matter what overtakes you, rest assured that God is in control and our very lives are in His hands. 

Jesus put it this way. 

 John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled; You believe in God, believe also in me. 

Matthew 6: 25-31

25 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ...

31 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own troubles. 

Take some time to read the entire passage. It will uplift and bless you. 

I urge you to take time to review your spiritual year, and make your New Year's resolution to tighten up your walk with the Lord. He is coming soon. 

Blessings!

After Ike

Hello All,

Hurricane Ike has interferred in our existence in a big way. I hope everyone is well and safe. I also hope your power has been restored. While this has been a trying experience, it is worthy of note that we are all in good health and very little loss of life incurred. Galveston is devastated and our prayers are with everyone who lost everything in this disaster.

Sam and I still do not have power and have become refugees in Round Rock with our son and his wife, Derek and Janice. However, we are anxious to return home when our house is livable again.

God loves every one of you and I know He is watching over all of us during this time.

Blessings!

Do You Have Power With God?

Acts 1: 4-5 NKJV
4 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Acts 1: 8
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

What do you think about having power with God. The thought of having real power and understanding the gift that God gave his life for us to have has been on my mind for many months. It seems to me that God must have wanted us to access this power and use it to bring salvation to as many people as we meet. I started thinking about this a couple of years ago when the story about Peter and John going to the temple and meeting the lame man begging. Without hesitation Peter told him, "I do not have any money, but I will give you what I have. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." The man was healed and jumped up in that instant.
I met a beggar on the street in Houston one morning while waiting for the bus. As I looked at her the thought came to me...is it possible that I have the power to give health, healing, mental freedom, or something else to this individual? Do I dare step out and boldly offer to give something of my experience to this person?
These are profound questions. If you have been saved for any time at all, you know the lingo. We all claim to have power with God. I am asking you now how much power do you have. Do you believe that you can offer healing, prophecy, wisdom, insight, salvation to a stranger? Why? Why not? Do you believe like I used to believe that these things were for those more closely devoted to prayer and fasting and not for the masses? Do you believe that this power is only for those called to the ministry? What do you believe about this business of power with God?

John 14:12 NKJV
12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

I believe that we have fallen short of our privileges in God. I believe that God has so much more to give every one of us if we will commit ourselves to getting to know him better. God has a plan for your life. What you choose to do with that plan is up to you.

Blessings!

Change...And New Beginnings

Take a good look at the earth. See the earth from the perspective of God. It can be hard to understand how God looks at those of us who walk on His creation! Our God lives in a world that we can only imagine. And He loves every person living on this planet! Take comfort in knowing that no matter what comes your way, God will guide your steps. He will lead you into the uncertain future with a strong hand and your life will be better for it. For those of us who sit at the edge of a new beginning that seems uncertain...I tell you that God will be beside you every step of the way. Trust Him.
____________________________________________________________________


Isaiah 40: 21-31 (NIV)

21 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?

22 He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.

23 He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.

24 No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.

25 "To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.

26 Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.

27 Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God"?

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Our lives are continually changing. Sometimes these changes bring hope and wonderful new challenges. Sometimes these changes are hard to bear. There is only one certainty in the world and that God knows and understands every heartache, every pain, every unwanted change that comes to our lives. Trust in the Lord! Praise His Name! When everyone and everything is gone...when you are at the very end of your life...God will be there with you. Hope in the Lord!

Blessings!

Will You Give God Everything?

Psalms 5:17
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I have always taken solace from the knowledge that God is with me when my heart is broken, when I have failed, or when my burdens seem to be the heaviest. God has never failed to give me exactly what I need at the moment. God is willing to help you, but you must give everything to Him. He needs all the pieces of your puzzle if he is to put your life back together again!

God loves you! My pastor made a point in his sermon that tickled my funny bone and comforted my soul! "It does not matter if everything in your life is going wrong; it does not matter if your kids don't like you, it does not matter if everybody does not like you...God thinks you're the bomb! You're the best in God's eyes! You are special! God loves you!" (Myrick Johnson).

I am so glad that when I go to God, He see accepts me as I am and loves me for my faults and successes. He sees my struggles and loves me through it all! Give all your pieces to the Lord and see what He will do for you.

Blessings!