Post Easter Week

Post Easter Week:

Jesus is knocking on your door.

Well Easter has come and gone this year. Last week, prior to Easter Sunday, my mailbox was filled with invitations from churches all over town asking us to come to their special Easter Sunday service. A few days after, it seems all things are just as they were. Like it will be another year until they, the churches, seem to get excited about going to church again. Sad commentary I know.

I was please today though. One church, actually from out-of-town, sent a card re-inviting us to church for their series on Joseph. I am impressed. Someone was thinking outside the box. Or is it that someone out there really cares about delivering the Good News about Jesus?

I know from experience that most churches have very little money to spend on advertising. But is it really advertising? We are not selling Christ or widgets. It is called OUTREACH! What did Jesus tell us before He ascended back to Heaven?

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matt 28:18-20 (NLT)

The key word here is “GO.” Yes, it costs money for printing materials and mailing not to mention the work involved in creating such postcards, newsletters and flyers. I was once a member of a very large church in town. Even before I became a member I had seen their yearly budget sheet. Out of nearly a half a million dollar a year operating budget, all they ever budgeted for new member ministry was 150 dollars. It was that way from 2004 through 2012. Surprisingly most churches are like that. After utilities, insurance and labor costs there is not much left over. Sounds like a sad business model. Therein lies the rub. Too many churches are ran as if they were a business. Looking to stay within budget. They even pat themselves on the back for doing so. Is that what Jesus told us to do?

Imagine for a moment that you or I or especially the church had to give a report to Jesus. We would tell him that we are keeping the doors open. The lights on. Working on getting our Sunday School attendance numbers up. Attendance is down, but we are working on that. What does Jesus tell us?

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matt 6:21 (KJV)

If that verse does not gut you like it does me. I do not know what to tell you. That verse applies to us individually and should be the role model for all churches to follow. Sadly they do not. Sadly we do not. We are all guilty before God no matter how hard we try otherwise. That's the point and why we need Jesus.

We can treat each Sunday as if it is Easter Sunday. Why not? For that matter we should treat each day as if it were Easter Sunday. Jesus took my punishment. Paid my fine. Fulfilled my penalty for the law.

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 6:23 (KJV)

We need to teach God's Word among ourselves first!

Before we as a church can share Jesus with others, we must first be able to share Christ among ourselves. Encourage one another during the week. With a phone call or a text message. Perhaps an email or a post on FaceBook. Yes, prayer is first. The power of prayer has no limits. This I know from personal experience.

The time is long overdue for ACTION. The same action churches use before Easter Sunday need to be continuous week after week. Just last week a friend and brother in Christ came by my house. He was visiting all the homes in the neighborhood. He is now at a different church as am I. The difference, he is out there for Jesus. Doing it. Action!  

Teach, Preach and Reach! 

Thanks Living vs Thanksgiving:

Thanks Living vs Thanksgiving:

A former pastor of a church I once was a member of said, “As Christians we should be engaged in Thanks Living rather than just celebrating Thanksgiving.” Those words are true.

We as Christians have a lot to be thankful for. Death has no meaning for us. None what so ever. We often forget that in today's busy, hurry up, stop do this, now do that world. With that alone we should be living each day in thanks living. The fact is, we often do not.

In 1 Corinthian, Chapter 13, we learn love is the greatest.

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

1 Cor 13:13 (NLT)

It is Christ's love for each of us that He gave himself willing to save us. With that said the words, thank you just do not seem to really describe it for me.

As my walk with Christ improves daily so does my love for the lost. Especially at this time of the year. One Christmas not so long ago, my wife and I sat on a bench in the middle of the mall watching the people go by. It was sad. There was Christmas music playing. People going here and there. We watched the clerks busy ringing up purchases non-stop. Very few smiles we began to notice. It seem we were the only ones enjoying the Christmas songs playing. You see, we had no money. We would like to shop and buy gifts for our children, friends and neighbors, but we could not. God gave us a wonderful gift that night. Such peace. While others were caught up in stuff. We enjoyed the moment of what the season is supposed to be like. My wife and I are still thankful for that moment. We were the least of these and happy and thankful for it.

Have our financial status improved since then? No, but we are very thankful. The last thing we need is more stuff. How many in that mall were lost? Lost without a relationship with Christ? All of us I would say. We enjoyed the moment but share it with no one. Did we share our love of Christ with others that evening? No. So what good is it to be blessed with such a gift and not share it, if not give it away to others? That is where I stand now. Being humble is hard. Hard in a world of want. Our needs are met. We should be grateful for that alone.

Is there any thing wrong with success? No. If we pass by someone in need and have nothing to offer them but prayer. Give it to them. If we have means then we should give and help others. Often as we collect things we stop thinking of others. Money can give you opportunities. We are told to spend it wisely. To be good stewards of our money. Yet does this mean we should go to the Walmarts instead of the mom and pop stores of downtown? If we do not only the Walmarts will be left. We may pay a higher price, but at least we know it is going to them rather than some global corporation.

So what does it mean, “Thanks Living.” Great question. With today's pressures, do we really get up in the morning and praise God that we are alive? More than likely we wake and are ready to smash the alarm clock. We forget to look at the bigger picture. We see our own little world rather than the world itself. When is the last time you picked up your Bible and said, “Yes, Lord I can change the world.” The fact is, you can.

The clerk behind the counter who has seen over 200 people go through their line with not one person taking the time to read their name badge and calling them by name. That can be your first step. Give them and others a smile. It cost you nothing yet can and will make a difference in the lives of others. While in the parking lot or walking along the sidewalk, give someone a smile and say hello or good day. Get copies of the Gospel and just hand one to someone else. Just say, “Did you get one of these.” Then tell them to have a good day. If the Holy Spirit guides you then share your faith with them right there and then. I know of one man who sits in the food courtyard in the mall and reads his Bible and prays for those walking by. When you get home take time not to just roll your garbage bin back in but your neighbors as well. They will appreciate it. These are all acts of Thanks Living. Try it.

Teach, Preach and Reach.

Losing Jesus

Losing Jesus:

Lets take a look at the Book of Luke, in chapter 2. Joseph and Mary had lost their son. Lost him in the most unlikely place of all, in the temple. The church.

When Jesus was twelve years old, they attended the festival as usual. After the celebration was over, they started home to Nazareth, but Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents didn’t miss him at first, because they assumed he was among the other travelers. But when he didn’t show up that evening, they started looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they couldn’t find him, they went back to Jerusalem to search for him there. Three days later they finally discovered him in the Temple, sitting among the religious teachers, listening to them and asking questions.

Luke 2:42-46 (NLT)

We would think the last place on earth we would lose Jesus is in the church. Yet, that is the very place where most of us lose him. Just a few weeks ago I was in a conversation about all the different churches in town and how many if not most of them where founded by splits of other churches. Not planned church plants. Coming from California I find it hard to understand. We had a hard enough time keeping our church up and running. Planting new churches was a fight with the local planning commission and zoning commission. Not founded by infighting of fellow church members. So to hear a church was founded by splitting off from another church takes me to the edge of understanding.

This is where we lose Jesus. For a time everything is just going fine and well within a church. Then the pastor preaching a service which the message comes from God, and it hits too close to the heart for some members. Without warning someone's feathers get all ruffled up and starts screaming, “Get the torches and pitchforks!” Or time comes to replace the carpet. One group likes green. The other wants blue. Again the Torches and Pitchforks come out. The piano gets moved or the music seems too modern or the choir director tries to appeal to a larger and a more diverse audience. Getting crucified for it when all he is trying to do is please everyone. I hear these stories over and over again. Some churches have such a bad reputation that local neighborhoods will have nothing to do with them. These churches go through pastors like kids go through shoes. Bright and shiny at first will all kinds of ideas and on fire for God. Then crushed when the truth of what they are really part of comes crashing down around the poor new pastor.

Any church staff member can tell you how hard it is. How would you handle having 50, 100, a 1,000 pairs of eyes looking over your work in the smallest detail each week? It can become disheartening and down right depressing. When someone does tell you good job. It is like a cup of water after you have spent days in the desert.

Losing Jesus happens all the time. One time when I was part of the church basketball program as our gym's time keeper. We had a game were the parents were a little too emotional to put it lightly. Two men sat close to me always making sure I heard their comments when our referees did not make a call to their liking. When the night was over I was so grateful that I would never have to deal with those men again. Oops! Just lost Jesus!. Should have been praying for them than counting myself lucky in abandoning them. God was about to teach me a lesson.

Two days later I was with my oldest daughter and her boyfriend. We had stopped at McDonald's for lunch. There was only one person in line when we got there. Who was it? You guessed it. The same man from the basketball game. Talk about God giving me a clear message. It was the father's son who broke the ice. Recognizing me from the game just two nights ago. Sounds like Peter when asked if he was with Christ? To make matters even more obvious there was only one table open for us to sit. Yes you guessed it again. Right next to them. We continued to talk and I learned his brother who was the other man at the game had suffered a stroke. He did not like to speak much and I was wrong just 48 hours ago thinking he was rude to me. You see. I had lost Jesus. We both left with renewed spirits. A lesson well learned.

So how about you. When have you lost Jesus? In church when you are trying to focus on the pastor preaching and you get distracted by a child crying thinking their parents should keep that kid quite? At work when someone cracks a joke that rubs you the wrong way? At the store when someone cuts in front of you? At home? Around friends? With family? We seem to lose Jesus just as easy as Joseph and Mary did. Like them, when we lose Jesus. We need to run back and find him immediately.

Teach, Preach and Reach.

Never Give UP!

Never Give Up!

I have nearly finished reading the book, “Trump, Never Give Up.” by who else, Donald Trump. As I look back on my life nearly 62% of my adult life I spent in the Real Estate industry/market. Everyone has their heroes in their particular field of interest. In basketball your hero might be Michael Jordan or Larry Bird. In football maybe Joe Montana or Ken Stabler and so on. Mine is the icon of real estate, Mr. Donald Trump. The man is in the Guinness Book of World Records for biggest financial turnaround in history. He exemplifies the phrase, “Go Big or Go Home.” Great victory takes great risk. To lose it all and then stand up, come back and try again? How many examples of our ancestors in the Bible have gone through much worst? How many Christian Martyrs have taken the ultimate risk and given the ultimate sacrifice? The fact is that whether it be sports, business or life you have to take risks. As my mentor and broker would say, “He who dares, wins.” Thank you, George.

My life has always been about percentages. In real estate, mortgage finance, title and escrow if you made a 100 dollars or 100,000 dollars it was the percentages that told the story. Once you reach 55% the wheels stop turning. It sounds a lot like gambling. You are right. Gambling is all about percentages. At least it should. You invest when the odds are in your favor. We do it every day we drive a car. We invest our lives because the odds are in our favor that we will be able to travel from point A to point B without getting killed or injured. Yet we see auto accidents on the road every day.

What does any of this have to do with Christianity or my life as a Christian? On April 2 is the anniversary of my salvation through Jesus Christ. I was saved April 2, 1995, hence my call sign, BAC4295. Born Again Christian April 2, 1995. Later that day I prayed that God would let me work for the church. In my mind I saw myself using power tools helping to build and fix things in the church. Perhaps help others in building and repairing their lives through Christ. At the time I was long into my Real Estate career. So I figured if I work harder I could make enough money so I could take time off to work more at the church. Problem and trick the devil had for me was the harder I worked the more successful I became. The more successful I became the more money I made. It does not take a lot of head scratching to figure out I focused on the money and not God.

So what would you say are the percentages of me listening to God. Giving up a successful career. Having my wife give up her career which she spent nearly 21 years at the same company. Literally give up our lives because Dad knows in his heart God wants us to leave and start anew? That's what we did in 2005. We left our careers, sold our condo, burned our bridges and left the only home we knew. No family. No job awaited us in Alabama. Just knew God wanted us here. It has been a financial disaster. A spiritual crisis. A humbling of near biblical proportions. But our faith in God is stronger than ever. My wife and both children accepted Christ here in Alabama. Baptized in our church. Forever children of God. What would you calculate the percentages for all that? Perhaps 10,000 to 1? Or perhaps 1,000,000 to 1? To just get up and move over 3,000 miles for what? The unknown? That is how it has been. As a family we face that challenge to, “Never Give Up!” God has carried us through this and will continue. We cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel but we do not need too. Our faith is in God. Are we bullet proof? Absolutely not! Are we scared? Shaking in our boots. Like the song says, “I don't have to be strong enough.”

God has given me a street witnessing ministry. A quest to build an army of witnesses to engage our enemy on the field of battle. To “Go” as it is written.

Then He said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation. Mark 16:15 (HCSB)

There is no money in ministry. No financial reason for anyone to look at it as a career choice. The percentage of ministers leaving the ministry is at epidemic proportions. The average stay of a pastor at one church has dropped to 18 months or less. Not encouraging. Pastorate is just one part of the body of Christ. For the true church is the Body of Christ. Not four walls and steeple.

The problem with the church is simple. We are not outside those four walls plowing the soil and planting the seed. If I did. If we did! Hundreds of new Christian brothers and sisters would be rushing to our churches. Begging for the bread of life. Our pastors would be preaching daily instead of once or twice on any given Sunday. Our cup would simply run if over. Discouragement within the ministry would fade away. Few would question why churches receive a non-profit status because our society would clearly see the benefits the church is doing for the community. As it was not so long ago.

I think Donald Trump has it right. Never Give Up!

Teach, Preach and Reach

The Journey:

I grew up an atheist. Not by any means focused upon me. I was raised in an environment where it was accepted that knowledge and science had the answers. That we controlled our own destiny. Our actions determined our outcome and nothing was beyond that.

My first experience with the so called “Church” was when I was a young boy. Went with my Uncle's family one Sunday while on vacation in Southern California. Went to Sunday school with my cousins, who had been raised in the church since babies. I was handed a Bible, the first I had ever seen one, then the class was ask to turn to chapter and verse. I had no idea what they were talking about. So I sat there. Soon the other kids realized my lack of biblical fortitude and began to laugh at me. Short story: I never wanted to return to church again. It would be twenty years till my next encounter with the “Church.”

I would be thirty-two years old before I came to Christ. As I rose from the baptismal waters it felt like I was in-cased in a block of marble that suddenly turned to Jello and wash over me and off me.

This day, the eve of Christmas I look back and scan through the notes of my worn Bible, not asking why, but looking forward. Perhaps truly for the first time. The last two years of my life have been the darkest I have known and wish not to know again.

Would I have made it through this dark valley of time in my life without Christ? No way. Did I come to Christ for a better life? One of prosperity? One of fun and joy? That's what the world proclaims Christians to be and be living. Nothing could be farther from the truth. No, I came to Christ because of the judgment. I still do. No matter how good a life I could ever try to lead I would come up short on judgment day.

The fact of the matter, I come up short everyday. Something goes wrong I get angry. The opportunity to help someone else passes by me to only realize later I could of helped that person with little effort or cost to my living.

Tonight I am looking forward to going to a Christmas Eve Church Service. Partaking in the Lord's Supper. Unfortunately it is not being held in a church which my family and I are members. Yet, the members there welcome us as family each year. It is a service filled with love. Love not only from above but by those who love Christ. I am blessed this Christmas. -Amen

Standing at Your Post:

During the Civil War in the year 1861, Sam Watkins, of Company H in the First Tennessee Infantry came upon a little village called Hampshire Crossing in Virginia. Their regiment was ordered to relieve the 3rd Arkansas. When Watkins' regiment arrived they found the guard. In fact they found 11 of them. Some where sitting. Some lying down. Each and everyone at their posts. Each one was frozen solid, dead. Two of them, sentinels, with loaded guns standing in advance of the others hard frozen as monuments of marble. Guns still in their frozen hands. Watkins noted how horrifying it was to see them all with icicles hanging from their faces and hands. As the cold of death approached them. They must have known what was coming, but remained at their post till the end.


The need for “Watchmen” is found throughout the Bible. Within the Old and New Testaments.

As Moses led the people through the desert, they still longed for the cucumbers of Egypt (Num. 11:5). They planted cucumber gardens in Palestine (Is. 1:8); in this text, the “lodge in a garden of cucumbers” refers to a shelter used by watchmen to guard the crops.
Nelson's illustrated manners and customs of the Bible (239). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The Hebrew landowner seldom visited his fields during the growing season. Instead he hired watchmen to stay in crude lounges (also called “towers”—Mark 12:1), where they protected the crop from beasts, birds, and marauders.
Nelson's illustrated manners and customs of the Bible (256). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The men of the 3rd Arkansas, did not die in a famous battle. Their names are not published. The location of their graves unknown. Who will remember them? Not history or will their deeds be sung in songs of victory. Who will remember these men?

God will! How many times as Christians have we stood at our post? It might be just opening a door for others at church, a grocery store, a shopping mall or some mundane task. We stay at our post, none the less. From the one who cleans the bathrooms to the pastor preaching from the pulpit. From the janitor to the CEO of a Fortune 500 company. Each of us has a task(s). Each of us is part of the body of Christ. One cannot complete the job at hand without the other.

In a world that is “All About Me.” We look down upon others who stand at their posts. Who do the tasks of the mundane. Therefore, ask yourself, Why did Christ come as a servant?

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many. Matt 20:28 (NLT)

Christ remained at His post while others mocked Him. He knew death was coming. He could have called for angels above to release Him. He would have had every right to call upon the complete destruction of man that very moment. He did not. Jesus remained at His post.

Today is Thanksgiving Day. Let us be truly thankful for Christ. Every moment of the day He is at His post. Next to you. Loving you. Seeking you. Can we at least take a moment to seek Him?

Peace be with you.

Teach, Preach and Reach.