Thank You

Jesus, Brenda and I have never been rich. We have had to trust You for provision over and over again over the past 23 years. We have found You faithful time and time again. We have never gone without and so compared to many people in this world we are rich beyond measure because we have a place to live, food to eat, clothes to wear, transportation, and luxuries beyond our deserving. In our darkest hours You have showed us Your power. When we had little or nothing in the bank You met our needs over and over again. THANK YOU. 

We are rich in relationships. I want to thank You today for those people You have brought into our lives. Thank You for family. They loved, molded, and shaped us. Thank You for Spiritual family as well. Thank You for those You used to disciple Brenda and I over the years. Thank You for those families You put before us to model what healthy family relationships looked like. Thank You for those friends that have stuck with us over the decades through thick and thin. Thank You for allowing us to grow up in healthy churches like Denman Avenue Baptist Church and First Baptist Church respectively. 

Thank You for the people You have allowed Brenda and I to lead to a saving relationship in You over the years. My mind drifts back through the years back to Burke, to CentrePointe, to FBC Paradise, to FBC Seminole, and now Faith Community. I think of the many people who once lived in darkness and were shackled in sin and Jesus came and rescued them. GLORY TO GOD. I think of people like Willie, Ed, Kelly, and Chris to name just a few. There were teenagers and their families who came to know You and serve You. THANK YOU LORD. 

I thank you for those many people we served that entrusted their hearts to me to be more than their preacher but to be their pastor. I thank You for those who have loved us and tangibly expressed that love in many thoughtful and tangible ways. I want to thank You for every person who has shared their resources with over the years. Whether they sent checks in the mail, paid for car repair bills, gave us vehicles, paid our house payment in tough times, or filled our freezer with meat; I thank You for each of them. I thank You for every person who has partnered with me to get my books into print. I thank You for every person that has and continues to pray for us and our ministry. I also thank You for those You have used to make the trips to Kermit possible. Thank You for those who have given money and gift cards to make that weekly 800 mile round trip to teach Your word possible. I could not do it without them. THANK YOU.

Today I also want to thank You for true friends. In fact, they are more than friends. They are trusted brothers and sisters in Christ. These are the ones who have rejoiced with us in times of triumph and wept with us in times of sorrows. These are the ones who have listened lovingly when our souls were bruised and battered. These are the ones who provided a safe place to share our burdens. They know who they are. THANK YOU. 

Thank You for those flocks I got to serve and all those deep relationships that were forged. These are relationships we treasure and hold dear to our hearts even today. Lord, You see the faces flashing across my mind. You know the gratitude in my heart for those flocks who opened their hearts and homes to the Edwards family. I thank You for each and every one of them. THANK YOU. 

I also want to thank You for all those young men and women You called into full time service for You under our ministry. So many of them have gone on to do a great things for You. I praise Your name for using them and give You all the glory. Thank You for allowing me to play an ever so small part in their lives. THANK YOU. 

I want to Thank You for my inner circle. I have leaned on them for counsel, wisdom, prayer, and support time and again. I thank You for their unconditional love for me even though I know I am not an easy person to love. Thank You for a true band of brothers in my life. THANK YOU.

How could I give You thanks and not thank You for the woman sleeping in the room next to me. You have allowed me to share my life with Brenda for the past 23 years. The road we have walked together has not been an easy one. We have faced trials. We have watched ministries die before our eyes. We have known great sacrifice and learned to trust You together. No matter how hard things have gotten she does not complain. She has loved me through every season of life. How can I ever thank You enough for her. And I thank You for my boys. They are becoming men right before our eyes. It is good to have all of them under one roof for these few days. I thank You for this time together. Thank You for bountiful feast we will share together and with friends later today. THANK YOU.

Jesus, I thank You for saving me. I am most thankful that today I can say I am a child of God. In humble gratitude I once again lay my life at your feet on Your altar. It is all I know to do. THANK YOU. In Jesus name, amen.

Like

Run To The Battle

Steve Camp once wrote, "Some people want to live within the sound of chapel of bells but I want to run a mission about a yard from the gates of hell and with everyone you meet tell the gospel and tell it well, while you hesitate and another soul just fell. Let's run to the battle."

Far too many do just the opposite. They run from the battle. They live in fear and hide in the background. They are content to let others do their fighting for them. This is exactly what the men of Israel did in I Samuel 13. The Philistines marched into Israel's territory and the men of Israel fled from the battle in fear. They did not love their God, family, community, or country enough to take a stand to fight. They did not trust God would help them.

This is a pretty good picture of the church today. Men are fleeing from the battle when Satan marches right under our noses and continues the attack. Our families are under assault. Temptations abound and Satan has many snares set for young and impressionable minds. Seasoned saints are no less vulnerable. Sin looks enticing and before we know what happened another man of God and another respected man in the church falls and brings shame to the name of Christ.

O we have got to run to the battle. What battle you may ask. There are two things fewer and fewer men are doing these days. In effect they are running from the battle. Men do not pray. Men do not boldly witness for Jesus Christ. This is not true of every man. There are a few who are fully engaged in the spiritual battle for their families and communities. Many are content to sit on the sidelines guzzling the Devil's brew and flittering their lives away chasing things that will not matter in eternity.

You do not run to the battle without knowing up front there will be some wounding in the fight. There will be some scars. Some of the wounds run deep. Running to the battle is not the path of least resistance. It is not the safe and secure path. It is not even the path of the majority but IT IS THE RIGHT PATH.

While all of Israel huddled and hid in fear there were two men who had a different spirit. Jonathan, King Saul's son, and Jonathan's armor bearer. These two alone decided to slip out on their own believing God was not limited to deliver with many soldiers are only a few. They slipped stealthily through the mountains into the enemy territory. Courageously they fought and killed only a few men but God worked for them sending the Philistines into confusion. The enemy retreated and when the men of Israel saw this they boldly came out of hiding and pursued the enemy. You can read about all this in I Samuel 14.

Two men courageously running toward the battle inspired a whole nation to fight. Men, does the way your live your life inspire your children, grandchildren, your wife, your friends, and those you worship with to fight or to flee from the battle. Are you content to sit in your easy chair mindlessly watching hours of television when you can engage in the battle through fervent intercessions. Will you spend your days in the telling and retelling of crude jokes while remaining tight lipped about the good news of Jesus Christ. Will you waste your days in a deer blind, on a bass boat, or on a golf course and yet never run to the battle of sharing Jesus Christ and taking a bold stand for Him with those you hunt, fish, and play golf with?

 TO THE PIT OF HELL with cowardly, complacent, compromising, comfortable and compassionless living. TO THE PTI OF HELL WITH SAFETY AND SECURITY, It is time to run to the battle.

Turn Back America

God chose Israel to be His covenant people. He guided them. He protected them. He worked miracles for them. He blessed them in numerous ways but Israel still chose to turn away from Him and to pursue idolatry. God called them back to Himself through prophets and Israel would not listen. Eventually God resorted to judgment. He raised other nations to attack Israel but His very own people often did not turn back to Him. Eventually Babylon conquered the nation of Israel. All of God's warnings were not heeded. The prophetic messages were not taken to heart. It resulted in devastation. 

Many would proclaim me a doomsday prophet. I have never preached or written to win the favors or applause of men. I preach and write what God puts in my heart and more than ever that message is for America and the church to turn back to God. 

In all my years of ministry I have never been more grieved or more burdened for our nation. God has blessed the United States. He has provided for us as a nation with boundless resources. He has defended us throughout history. He has guided us through dark perilous times. What did our nation do in return? Our nation tried to remove Him from every form of public life. No prayer in school. Remove the 10 Commandments from court houses. Push the separation of church and state to ridiculous extremes. No more nativity scenes at government buildings. Replace Merry Christmas with Happy Holidays. The assault on the Bible never ends. 

Sadly, it did not stop there. Our nation went further. We began legalizing things God called sin. Abortion. Homosexuality. Some places have even legalized drugs. Where will it end? We even celebrated those who championed these causes while vilifying those who stood for Biblical values and defended Bible truth. 

The slippery slope of sin has left this nation in an awful mess. Mass shootings. Abuse. Rampant immorality. Family breakdowns. Divorce. The pursuit of pleasure over duty. Apathy among the masses. Greed in corporate America. Self centered living. A colossal mound of debt for individuals and the government that cannot possibly be sustained. 

How did the church respond to all this? Many adopted new methods of easy preaching, entertainment driven performances, and tickle the ear ministry to attract the crowds. Other churches entrenched themselves in their traditions and power struggles becoming irrelevant to the pagan world. Prayer meetings went extinct decades ago. The saints quit sharing their faith in fear they might offend somebody. Preachers quit taking public stands in fear of being labeled or offending the rich influential givers of their churches.

I have never been more grieved for our nation. How arrogant we are to think we can continue our current course and not face the consequence of offending a holy God. How defiant to think we can reinvent the standards of right and wrong to suit our pagan culture. Who do we think we are. Have we not read history? What happened to other nations who turned their back on God and defied Him? What happened to Israel? What happened to Rome? Do we really think we can continue the same course but get a different outcome. 

This is a warning for our nation. The day will come when God will no longer send warnings. The day will come when God will no longer be patient. God will judge the United States of American severely. To whom much is given much will be required. I cannot sit back in silence while we march blindly to our own doom. 

Label me whatever you want. I only know I love my God and I love my nation too much to sit back in silence and do nothing. It is time to return to the Lord. The prophet Joel called for people to return to the Lord with all their hearts with weeping and fasting and to rend their hearts and not their garments. [Joel 2:12] 

It is that time again. It is time for individuals, families, leaders, churches, communities and the nation to fall on our knees and turn back to God in repentance. If we do not our future is sealed. We will be judged and our future will be bleak. Many of you may not be concerned. This concerns me greatly. 

So I shout out through this post, my blog, and preaching,"TURN BACK TO GOD AMERICA before it is too late." Leonard Ravenhill wrote a book titled, "AMERICA IS TOO YOUNG TO DIE." He wrote that book decades ago. We are much worse off as a nation now than we were back then.

Like

Following Even When Faith Leads to Risk

As evening approaches this Wednesday I am thinking about when I will gather with other believers at Faith Community Church to teach from I Samuel. I have been greatly challenged by this book week after week as we have studied it. Tonight I am challenged by how often I want to play it safe when God wants me to risk. My tendency is to fade back to comfort and security when God pushes me toward courageous and audacious faith moments. 

I do not want to play it safe for the rest of my life. As I get older and my body gets more feeble, I want to keep getting stronger in my faith. I ask God for a willingness to follow Jesus even when it is risky and the outcome not certain. 

I've made living by faith my life for the past 25 years. Only the Lord knows my heart and mind when I want to shrink back to a comfortable life. There is no indication I am to stop the faith lifenow. Brenda and I were hit with a true test of faith today. I had peace and offered this prayer, ",Lord, You have never failed us. Not even one time. I know someway and somehow You will come through for us again."

Risk might mean witnessing to a stranger. It might involve giving away money or possessions. It might mean getting in my truck with only $2.25 in my pocket and heading out to preach anyway. It might mean remaining faithful at my post when I feel like giving up. It might mean loving someone others do not take the time to love. 

I am not advocating stepping out and doing something foolish asking God to bless it. I am referring to those moments when God commands you to come or to go and you step out in obedience and trust not knowing how things will turn out. It means standing on Bible promises when everything you see and feel tells you they are not true. 

Being willing to risk my might mean worshiping in a way others do not understand or following through on something God instructs even when those closest to you do not get it. Being willing to risk is not throwing caution to the wind. It is trusting God more than you fear the worst case scenario. 

I am greatly challenged by God's word. I play it safe too often. I like the comfort of my recliner more than out on the limb in faith. I face security when I have excess funds in the bank more than in God's promise to be my provider when the funds run dry. I like when the crowds are large as I teach and preach and struggle to keep believing when the crowds dwindle. God is still in the midst when two or three gather. 

Tonight, as I have done many times in my life I choose the path of faith. I choose the path that might lead to risk. I choose the path of obeying God no matter what it means, where it leads, or what it costs. That is what I choose in this moment. I will have to make that choice tomorrow and for all of my tomorrows if I want to remain available to my King Jesus. If I am not willing to do that and to keep doing that for all of my days I am not really a follower of Jesus.

Little Warriors And The Glory Of God

It is a memory I will long treasure. After months of practices and an undefeated season we stood with our six grade football team on the fifty yard line circled up on the middle of the field. We had a prayer meeting. Young boy after young boy prayed asking for God to be glorified in the championship game. 

I will never forget those young boys. For three grueling months we practiced HARD. We hit. We ran. We pushed blocking sleds. We practiced plays. We did football drills We worked on hand to hand combat drills. And we won every game except one and we tied that game in double over time. 

Those are only part of my memories. My favorite memories are the ones that took place before the game or after practices. After practices we circled together and I taught them a Bible truth and we prayed. We dedicated our season to God and played for His glory from the first practice to the last game. 

In the championship game we played the team we tied earlier in the season. Two great teams playing as it should be. Twice our young men had goal line stands to keep the other team from scoring. They played like warriors. We talked about Eleazar, one of David's mighty men who fought so hard against the Philistines his hand froze to the sword. 

Our boys played so hard they left their hearts on the field. At half time the score was 0-0. In the end the other team mounted one drive where they scored. We lost the game 8-0. Our boys wept but I couldn't have been prouder of them. They played like little warriors and all through the game I heard them shouting on the field, "Glory to God." I would not trade that for all the championship trophies in the world.

Like

Morning Prayer

Jesus, many of Your people wake up weary and heavy laden this morning. I ask You to give them Your rest. I ask You to lift their burdens today as You strengthen people to trust You. Many are up against the wall with seemingly no way out. I pray You give them Your peace so they do not take matters into their own hands and do not make the situations worse I ask You to help them see You at work as You make a way where there seems to be no way. I ask You to bring them through the floods and through the fires to the other side. I lift up those who are brokenhearted today. I ask You to comfort their sorrowing hearts and bind their wounded souls to healing once again. You save their every tear in Your bottle of remembrance. You are able to restore joy and hope to them. 

There are those who wake today in chronic pain. I ask You to touch them. I beg You to bring relief and help those suffering have good days. Please manifest Your presence to them. I lift up those battling disease. I ask You to be their refuge and their Healer however You choose to do it and whenever You choose to do it. 

You know every person waking up today with no hope. Some are in dark places emotionally. Some truly contemplate ending it all. O, dear God, I beg You to intervene. I plead with You to give these desperate people some measure of hope to cling to this day and this very hour. May some promise from Your word attach to their minds and bring them through the dense fog of depression. 

I lift up those who awake this morning staring at financial disaster. You are their provider. I ask You to meet needs all over in miraculous ways as You have done for Brenda and I time and time again. When You come through for them I ask You to stir these to testify. 

I lift up those who awake today feeling very alone in this world like nobody cares. O, Jesus, You see them today. They are not alone. You care. I ask You to show Your love and care in a tangible way. I ask You to remind such lonely people of Your work on the cross to forever demonstrate Your love. 

I lift up those who are dry spiritually. I ask You to refresh them in Your presence today. I ask You for quiet times to be true encounters with You. I ask You to speak fresh words to them today. 

I thank You today that Your mercies are new as the sun begins to dawn and great is Your faithfulness. Your compassions do not fail. May we not forget all Your benefits to us. May we keep our feet on the firm foundation of Your word no matter what we face today. In Jesus name, amen.

Like

Do We See And Do We Care

Had a great night in Kermit last night. .Attendance was down due to several people being sick or giving care to those who were sick. We had one new face and three people from Seminole showed up.

I loved teaching again. God continues to stir me with His word.

Now headed back to Wise County to see my family and Faith Community Church family.

Thought for the day. Do we really see people? I mean see them at the soul level or do we only see what is only on the surface. Jesus saw people. [Matt 9:36]. He saw beneath the surface. He saw they were weary and worn out oppressed by an out of control Roman government and a legalistic religious system. He saw the people and felt compassion for them. That means He loved them and had mercy on them. He loved them right where they were.

He loves too much to sit back and do nothing. He loves enough to care. Does His church love enough to care.

How many people will walk across our path today? How many will we take the time to truly see looking deeper than the outward appearance and behavior. How many will we see and be moved to compassion for them.

I talked to a store clerk in Kermit last night named Shanaya. I asked her about churches and how I could pray for her. I saw how hard she works. She was busy as the store was swamped. She works every Tuesday night. I plan to keep going there on Tuesday nights to love her, minister to her, and show her the love of Jesus.

Now time to do the same back home. Faith Community Lord willing I will see you tonight at 6:30.

He Did It Again

God did it again. Once again He moved in an obvious way I cannot deny. He once again gave me a tangible expression of His love and blessing to do His work in Kermit, TX.

I am preparing to head to Kermit in the morning where once again I will teach scripture to a small band of people. Tonight, after coaching Turner's football practice, a dad walked up to me and stuck out his hand with money in it. I have talked to him very briefly about the work I am doing Kermit. I resisted the money and told him no. He asked, "Why not. You are out doing this work and I feel like I am supposed to do this. If you need more just let me know." With humility I received his gift as I received hundreds and hundreds of others over the years. My pride hates it. Brenda and I love to be on the giving end but truth be told we could never had made it ministry without God using multiple people to stand with us as I go out and peach. 

Every person and every dollar given play a vital role in what God calls and allows me to do. Whether it be a gift card for gas, money for food, or even at different times money to purchase vehicles or vehicles actually given to us, we could not do what we do alone. Over and over again I watch do it again. He hears our prayers, stirs somebody's heart to give to us and we receive miracle provision. It is not something we take for granted. 

I am blown away. God continues to confirm this is His will and leadership for me to minister in Kermit. God has used different people I would never have expected to make these ministry trips possible. God has been doing this for my family for two and a half decades. Because of God's faithfulness and stirring people to give to our ministry God has sent me all over the U.S. and to Cuba, Canada, and Honduras to do His work. I am not making this stuff up. 

I know the man who gave to us tonight but I do not know him well. Only God could have put that into his heart to give on the eve of my making another ministry trip. Praise God's glorious name. 

This is the reason why I am willing to follow God prompts me to go where He is leading. Every time I step out in faith God shows up and does something amazing that cannot be explained except God did it. I still remember my first trip to Kermit. I had very little money. $2.25 to be exact. I made the trip anyway. God worked. He provided for every leg of that journey and has continued to do so. Since then God has met our every need for fuel, food, lodging, and a meeting place for our Bible studies. All praise to God and glory to Him alone. Praise Him for moving others to join in His kingdom work in west Texas.

Do We Love God Most?

Do I love God most? I know I love God. I also love Brenda, Taylor, Tanner, Tucker, and Turner? Do I love God more than them? Do I love God more than my most trusted friends who have fought the fight of faith right along side me?

I love serving God, ministering, and I love preaching. Do I love God more than preaching? Do I love Him more than food? Do I love God more than my earthly comfort? Do I love Him more than America and the pursuit of the American dream? Do I love Him most?

[Matt 22:36-38] challenges me. It is not good enough that I love the Lord. He desires more than that. He desires me to love Him most. "'Teacher which commandment in the law is greatest?' He said to him, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment.'" 

Do I really believe that. Loving God most is the most important commandment. More important than Jesus' admonition to "Follow Me." More important than the great commission to go into all the world making disciples. More important than anything else we do. 

Yet, for most of us, we fall very short. We love God but make little time to be alone with Him. We love enough to do for Him but not enough to sit with Him. We promote people to powerful positions in church who do not love God most. Churches call pastors, youth pastors, and worship pastors to lead their congregations who do not love God most. People take all manner of leadership positions in their churches who do not love God most. 

Parents love their children often more than they love God. Sadly, there are some people who love their pets more than they love God. Others love money the most in their lives. This coming season many children of the world will have more love in their heart for Santa Claus than they do for their God. 

I am challenged today. That little questions bites into my soul. DO I REALLY LOVE GOD THE MOST OF EVERYONE OR ANYTHING IN MY LIFE? I am not so quick to answer. As go down the list of people and things in my life there is no comparison. He deserves to be loved the most. But do I? Do I truly love Him not for what He can give me, do for me, or work through me. Do I love Him most just for who He is? 

It is simple. We are all called to love God most. That means He is to get our deepest affection, our greatest passion, our greatest meditations, and our most sincerest devotion. God help us all to love You most.

Duty Verses Delight

s many of you prepare for attending a worship service today, I want to ask whether you will attend with a sense of duty or a sense of delight? Many will show up today at a worship service out of duty. They will sit in their same spot. They will give some money when the offering is collected. They will stand when they are supposed to stand. They will sing if they like the song. They will open their Bibles and at least appear to be listening. Sadly all of this can be done and not please God because the heart is not fully engaged and there is no delight in any of it.

Where is the delight? Where is the gladness? Where is the rejoicing when the saints come marching into the house of God? [Ps 100:1-5] really challenged me a few days ago. Phrase after phrase caused me to stop, pray, repent, and readjust my life and priorities.

1. SHOUT JOYFULLY - I have served many churches as pastor and preached in dozens of others over the years. Do you know how rare it is to hear a shout in worship. O, I know in more charismatic circles this is common place. Most of my ministry has been in Baptist churches.So many dead, dry, bound up people not free to shout joyfully in the sanctuary because, "Wd do not that kind of thing here."  There is no shouting in most Baptist churches. Except in business meetings when people get angry and lose their composure. That phrase joyful shouting means to be glad, to delight, to exult, to rejoice. After attending thousands of worship services I can testify I have seen little rejoicing and even less shouting.  That has been true in my life as well.

2. SERVE THE LORD JOYFULLY - Today many people will take their place of service in their church. Some will teach. Some will collect and count offerings. Others will work the sound and video equipment. Some will play an instrument. A few will stand before the congregation to help lead in singing. Others will care for infants and toddlers in a nursery. How many will do these acts of service joyfully? Or to put it another way, how many will serve or minister to the Lord with gladness. Is there any delight in the service or is it all duty. God wants glad service. Joyful service. Delightful service. Not dutiful, resentful, fatigued, and begrudging service.

3. JOYFUL PRAISE - In far too many churches there is a war going on among the older folks and the younger folks when it comes to the style of music preference. The older folks grew up on hymns and those hymns served them well in moments of trials and tragedies over the years. They have sentimental attachment to songs like "Amazing Grace," "It Is Well With My Soul," and "The Old Rugged Cross." Many of these senior saints cut their teeth on songs from the old "Heavenly Highway Hymnbook." Younger folks like new styles of music. They too have sentimental attachment to songs that have ministered to them in different seasons of life. Both sides dig in their heels and begrudgingly tolerate the others' musical preference. Blended serves often turn into resentful services. There is no joyful praise. We forget we are not the audience of worship. GOD IS. HE IS THE ONLY AUDIENCE FOR WORSHIP. We sing to Him. We exalt Him. We magnify Him. We celebrate Him. We boast to Him. He is supposed to be the focal point of worship. Let me ask you this early morning, what style of worship does God prefer? The drums of worshipers in Africa. The symphonic sound of an orchestra and choir The piano and the organ alone? The guitar? A fiddle and a banjo? A full blown praise band? God likes all types of music and styles. He inspired it. God is more interested in the heart. He is interested if we are singing songs from the heart or from the head, do we sing with joy or duty, and do we sing with joyful gladness in our hearts.

God deserves more than duty. He deserves to be the object of delightful, gladsome, and rejoicing worship and service. He demands more from you than just showing up at a worship service. He requires more than going through the motions today. He deserves more than mindless mouthing of words in singing today. He desires more than dutiful service today. HE WANTS OUR DELIGHT. OUR REJOICING. OUR PASSIONATE EXPRESSION OF PRAISE. HE LONGS FOR WORSHIP AND SERVICE FROM THE HEART BECAUSE WE DELIGHT IN HIM.

Combating Apathy

Does anybody truly care about the sate of America anymore? People are apathetic. Apathy is defined as "the absence of passion, emotion, or excitement; the lack of concern or interest." This defines so many people

There is something really really wrong when a young person would rather play football, baseball, or basketball on a video game than going out and playing the real thing. When people have more interest in virtual  reality, more passion for pretending, and get more excited about fantasy football there is something wrong.  I sat at a high school football game last night and saw no passion on the sidelines from the players. One father commented to me when he walked by the tunnel where the players gathered before the game he did not hear a word. He told me his young son tried to pump others up a few weeks back and upperclass men told him to shut up. Apathy has stolen the passion out of people.

A town we used to live in recently voted to go wet and start selling and serving alcohol. They were once a proud town of less than half a dozen towns to remain dry in Texas. While I lived this issue came up and I wrote a letter to the editor against it. The town voted to remain dry. When I was told the vote numbers it sickened me that out of a town of 6,000 well over 4,000 of the residents chose not to vote at all. Satan persisted and now has won. Apathy. Indifference. Lack of interest and concern.

The same thing happens in the church. Have you ever sat on the platform, sang in the choir or praise team and looked at the faces of all the people seated in the congregation. They are apathetic. In far too many churches, including the one I serve, people are indifferent and suffer from absence of passion or excitement.

Apathy is slowly choking the life and vitality out of our society. Does anyone care anymore? Preachers talk about evangelism but do people really ever share their faith. I did this week and it breaks my heart that the one I talked to thinks they are right with God when every fruit of their life screams a different story. Do we care that family, neighbors, friends, co-workers, teammates will actually perish into eternal destruction?

Does anyone want more than dead, formal, religious routines masquerading as worship services anymore? Are there people who long for a fresh visitation of God and they don't care how long the worship service goes or how long the preacher preaches? Are there still people out there who desire to hear the whole counsel of God and are sick and tired of being entrained? Are there still people out there who long for the Holy Spirit to have freedom to move even if the service goes longer than an hour. Are there people so hungry for God in worship they don't care if they sing souther gospel, old hymns, a negro spiritual, or a modern day song as long as it's all sung to God. Are there people who still desire to hear a word from God and adjust their lives accordingly.

I once heard a preacher preach his heart out. God stirred me and I ran to the altar as fast as I could to pray. When I got finished I expected to be surrounded by others. Nobody else was there. The preacher called on someone to pray to close the service. I followed him to his office where I found him in tears. I told him how powerful the sermon had been and that God spoke to me. Weeping he asked me why the people did not respond? In a word apathy.

Over time preachers get used to empty altars and apathetic people. Preachers lower their expectations and justify apathy in their preaching by consoling themselves that they preached the truth and it is up to the people what they do with the truth. That is only partially true. If the preacher has become apathetic too and preaching icicles from the pulpit instead of sermons on fire by the Spirit of God then part of the blame lies at the feet of pastors.

Everywhere I look I see apathy. I see it among athletes going through the motions. I actually heard about a runner today at a sate cross country meet who ran so hard she passed out and had to crawl the last yards of the race. PRAISE GOD FOR A YOUNG PERSON OF PASSION. I wish I could see that on Sunday mornings. I wish I could hear and see people praising God like they cared and meant it. I wish I could preach to people eager to open God's word desiring to hear from the Lord. I wish I could see people really start caring again.

Does anybody care? I don't want to end my days as an apathetic preacher. I don't know how much time America has left or how much time I have left to live. I only know I refuse to be apathetic. Are there any others? May we pray, serve, and follow God with passion no matter what. May they cut us open at the end of our days and we bleed passion for the glory and cause of God in every realm of life.

It Doesn't Make Sense

Be careful how you judge the ways, leadings and promptings of God by whether they make sense or not. God often calls people to do things that do not make one bit of sense in the natural realm. What sense did it make for Noah to build an ark when he had never seen rain? What sense did it make to stay at the task for over a century with no sight of rain in that time? It only made sense when the day of the flood came. Noah obeyed God by faith and saved his family.

What sense did it make for Moses to actually think he could be used of God to deliver Israel from four centuries of slavery. How could he deliver them from the most powerful nation in the land. It did not make any sense whatsoever. God still called Moses to do just that. Moses reluctantly obeyed after making several excuses. When God delivered Israel at the Red Sea once and for all from Egypt and Pharaoh it made perfect sense.

What sense did it make for David to face Goliath with only a sling? None, but he saw God deliver the colossal giant into his hand. What sense did it make for Elijah to trust God to be fed by ravens? It happened. Did it make sense for Elijah to face off against 850 false prophets calling down fire from Heaven? Not one bit. God called him to stand and trust. Elijah believed, obeyed, and then God did the miracle.

Did it make any sense for the disciples to throw down their nets and follow Jesus when He called them to do so? No. The path of following Jesus led many of them to death in the end. The gosel got spread and New Testament got written. It makes sense now.

Did it make any sense for Ananias to go to talk to Saul after receiving the vision to do so? It made no sense at all since Saul leveraged all at his disposal to persecute Christians. Ananias obeyed and in time saw the transformation God made in Saul. God used the man now called Paul to shake the world turning it upside down as he fearlessly preached the gospel. Churches were started. Scores were won to Christ. Most of the New Testament was written. Ananias could not see any of this on the front end. He received a vision and a message to deliver to Saul that did not make sense. Ananias obeyed by faith.

It did not make sense for Hudson Taylor to go to China as a missionary. It made less sense to stay after his wife died and so did two of his children. He stayed and God used him mightily. It did not make sense for George Muller to start an orphanage. It ddi not make sense to build four orphan houses that could house 2,000 orphans at a time, and do all this without ever telling anyone what they needed to operate except God. Mueller laid out the requests before God and God answered time and time again. People thought he was a fool. It did not make sense. In the end God glorified His own name through Mueller's steps of faith and obedience.

Tuesday afternoon I drove through pouring rain to west Texas and asked myself, "Matt, what are you doing?" I left home that morning headed for Kermit to teach a handful of people a Bible Study. Two friends called while I drove asking me what I was doing. When I told them neither could understand it. I could not explain it other than God has called me to once again do something that does not make sense to those watching from the outside. I drove 400 miles one way to teach the Bible to a dozen people. Most of you would say such an act is foolish, or senseless. Those who know me best are probably not surprised because they have seen me do other senseless things over the years at what I perceived to be the prompting of God.

While driving past cotton fields and further west past desert like shrubs and pastures the thought crossed my mind, "This does not make sense." Driving over 800 miles round trip does not make sense financially. Things are as tight in the Edwards household as they have ever been. Yet God invited me to join Him in what He is doing in Kermit. Two people asked me to come out there after reading about my dreams,  so I did and a Bible study formed. It does not make sense to divide my time, leave my family, or give myself and the word of God to complete strangers.

I would have to agree. It does not make one lick of sense. I would only add one word to that last sentence. It does not make one lick of sense YET! All I am called to do is to seek God, obey His leadership in my life, and trust Him for the impossible.

God moved on a lady's heart who used to be in our youth group over two decades ago. She sent me a gas gift card telling me it was to do the special work God is calling me to do. This past Tuesday night a lady literally shoved money into my front pocket of my jeans. She gave $40 and I used it to buy gas to get back home. I received a text as I got into my truck to leave the bank where we held our Bible study. A couple texted me to let me know they had put some money inside the cover of my Bible. I looked and they gave $100 even though I stated up front my going to Kermit was not for financial compensation but in strict obedience to God.

The God stuff happens on the other side of His promptings that make no sense in the natural realm. Human nature tells us it is ridiculous and foolish to follow through on God assignments that do not make sense. Therefore, we never see God do what only He can do. Our faith is never strengthened. God is not glorified.

A whole book could be written on Brenda and I seeing God do the impossible time and time again when we obeyed God even when it did not make sense. We have been ridiculed by family, friends, and the religious crowd. We have failed. We have suffered. We have sacrificed. WE HAVE ALSO WATCHED GOD MOVE IN AMAZING WAYS AND DO WHAT OTHERS SAID WAS IMPOSSIBLE. WE LIVE FOR THOSE MOMENTS. WE DEDICATE OUR LIVES TO THOSE MOMENTS WHEN GOD CALLS US TO THINGS THAT DO NOT MAKE SENSE AND HE HONORS THOSE STEPS OF OBEDIENCE BY FAITH.

Will you take the next step God calls you to take even if it does not make sense? Will you spend the rest of your days rationalizing disobedience? Will you spend your whole life watching what God does in and through others willing to obey and risk but never experiencing it for yourself.

My coming back to Paradise did not make sense to start a church. My driving to Kermit to minister there weekly does not make sense. It only does not make sense in our eyes. It makes perfect sense to an infinitely wise, ever trustworthy, and omnipotent God.

Go ahead. Take that next step God calls you to when it does not make sense. Even when raw terror grips your heart step out anyway. Trust God with all your might and do what He leads you to do. Leave the results up to Him. He has never failed and He want start now.

Pray Pastors For Your Flock

There is so much more to serving as a pastor than preaching and teaching. There is also shepherding. Part of that includes praying for the people. Samuel told the people of Israel it would be sin against the Lord if he ceased to pray for them and to instruct them in the good and the right way. [I Sam 21:23] There are so many things to pray for in the daily life of a pastor or any believer. Yet not to pray for the people God has entrusted you to serve is sinful and shameful. I am thankful for that reminder from the Lord today. May the Lord strengthen pastors to pray for their flock and instruct them in the pure truth of God's word.

Like