The Pen of Pastor

Have you ever felt drained? Tired all the time and really don't feel like getting out of bed in the morning? I've been there, as a matter of fact, this morning I crawled back in bed simply because I didn't feel the best, and then at the last moment I got up, and prepared for my day. Though I didn't feel all that great I have chose to make this day great for the scripture says,  This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.  A passage of scripture that continues to minister to me is found in Isaiah 43:1-3, But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob,And He who formed you, O Israel,“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;I have called you by name; you are Mine! “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,Nor will the flame burn you. “For I am the Lord your God,The Holy One of Israel, your Savior... In other words God made ...

WOW, while I was sitting with Kaye last night she asked when the last time I had blogged and it was overwhelming to me to realize it had been a whole week. No wonder I've felt different lately. I've found this to be an outlet for me and a way to collect my thoughts or reflections on paper.  This past Sunday morning, October 26, 2014; I was privileged to share with our church and as we broke open the Bread of Life/Word of God together we were reminded that God was, is and always will be our Creator and that when the world seems to be overtaking us it won't, (read Isaiah 43:1-3.) We were also reminded that He created us fearfully and wonderfully and that we are His masterpiece, (read Psalm 139:14.) Though these are wonderful scriptures and beautiful promises and reminders from our Lord, I couldn't help but think of the man this morning with a "withered hand" found in Mark 3:1-6. Mark 3:1-6, " He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand...

Over the last couple of days I have began to prepare a sermon for this coming Sunday morning and as I have felt the guidance of the Holy Spirirt, I have been reminded of the beautiful team that God and I make together, that without Him I am nothing and that I need Him to sustain me and the purpose of my life.  Today, however, a good friend of mine welcomed their second little boy into the world, this morning, and as I began to recieve  pictures and hear of how momma and baby we're doing I couldn't help but ponder the idea, what this little boy would do for the Kingdom of God. What kind of wonderful team they would make together. I recollected the passage of scripture found in Jeremiah 1: 5,  "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." (Jeremiah 1:5 NASB) I believe that for Brady, this new cute little boy, however I believe it for you and I! God has called us, He has appointed ...

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works and my soul knows it very well.  A few weeks back, Kaye went with the Ladies of our church on a retreat to grow spiritually together as well as relationally. I knew she would have a good time, yet, she surprised me and had a GREAT time. When she returned home, it was non stop for several days about events or services, card games played, or perhaps crazy, off the wall, random songs that were sung. Yet, above all the fun she had, she was sure to tell me their focal point of the entire weekend, that she was fearfully and wonderfully made.  Since her conversation with me about being fearfully and wonderfully made, I have been confronted multiple times in scripture and morning devotion with the same thought and passage. Perhaps my wife was trying to share with me the importance of being reminded that I too, am fearfully and wonderfully made. That He, loved us both enough to create us perfec...

Let this sink in,   "I enable you not only to feel comforted but also to be a channel through whom I comfort others.   Thus you are doubly blessed, because a   living channel absorbs some of whatever flowes through it." What a thought provoking statement by Jesus written by Sarah Young in Jesus Calling. He, Jesus, not only brings comfort to you or I but He intends for us to be a channel  He can send His comfort through to other people. Far to often, in the hurried haste of life we pray and ask God to bring comfort to a situation in our life or perhaps for His comfort to consume a family member, friend, colleague, or even an acquaintance. But what if He wants to use you or I to be that comfort in their life?  I believe fellowship and communion with others is vitally important to our life in various aspects. However, when that fellowship is not consumed with being a vessel or a channel that Christ can work through, you and I have fellowshipped in vain. Perhaps, we...

  "Take time to be still in My Presence. The more hassled you feel, the more you need this sacred space of communion with me." It has been nearly a whole week since I last posted, and what a week it has been. On Monday of this week, October 13, the words above were penned in the book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. It wasn't until today, however, that I read them and it was more like a really hard jab in the gut when the words rang through my spirit. In the last week I have taken very little time to be still in [His] presence.   I have felt more than hassled and He is right, the more I feel this way, the more [I] need the sacred space of communion with [Him.] The psalmist David wrote it well, "Be still, and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10. In a world that seems to race around at what appears to be light warping speed, you and I must continue daily   to commune with God. We must take time to rest in His presence, to communicate with Him; meaning more than ju...

"Though you have faltered at times, you have not let go of My hand. I am pleased with your desire to stay close to Me." These are the words penned by author Sarah Young in her book Jesus Calling for October 9. Young writes as though Jesus, Himself, is speaking and as I pondered these words, I couldn't help but believe He really was talking to me. Jesus is pleased with my desire to stay close to Him. Sure, I stumble, I falter in my faith or perhaps just flat out displease God at times. However, it is the fact that my intentions are not to displease Him but to bring Him glory in all that I do, that makes Him happy. Scriptures tell us that the enemy has come to steal, kill and destroy; it is his three fold mission. However, JESUS has come to bring life and life more abundantly. I was so encouraged by this thought that the High Priest is pleased with my desire to stay close to Him. To be honest, my desire to stay close to Him, stems from the fact that He first desired to...

6  Lord, there is no one like you! For you are great, and your name is full of power. Jeremiah 10:6 These words stood out to me in my morning devotion today and I couldn't help but stop in total awe of our Lord. The Lord of lords, King of kings, the Creator of the heavens and earth, Savior of the whole world, and though He is all these things and more, He is my friend.  God is great today, the writer of Hebrews said, Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. So if He was good to you yesterday, He's still good today and forever. His love is unfailing. Scriptures tell us, His mercies are new and refreshing every morning. Every day, He is still God. He is still your Provider, your Healer, your Comforter, your Present Help, your Friend and your Savior! Scriptures tell us,  at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every toungue will confess; that demons tremble at His name. His name is still full of power!  Be encouraged today, call on the Name that is above ev...

Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, In the light of His glory and grace. The words to this old song have proved itself true again to me today. This has been a day where I have felt what appears to be the weight of the world on my shoulders. Responsibilities that in all honesty, I have not given the time to that they deserve and my mind seems to be running a 100mph in 1,000 different directions, yet while I was driving home today from Birmigham, AL  I got lost in the words of this old song. Better yet, I got lost in Jesus. When I began to think of His goodness and all that He has blessed me with, that His word is true, He is my very present help in time of need. That He does stick closer than a brother or perhaps that He loved me enough to give me His Son and the Holy Spirit, my comforter, today; all of a sudden the things of [this old] earth grew strangely dim, in the light of HIS glory and grace.  Turn t...

This morning as I was reading for my devotion I was overwhelmed with the idea that I am nothing without God. That i rely on Him more and more as the days go on.  Part of my devotion took me to the words of the Psalmist David,  How long, O LORD? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? How long shall I take counsel in my soul, Having sorrow in my heart all the day? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O LORD my God; Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, And my enemy will say, "I have overcome him," And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken. But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, Because He has dealt bountifully with me. (Psalms 13:1-6 NASB)  The words penned here in the 13th chapter are rather challenging to me. For one I can connect and sympathize with David, knowing full well the feeling of adversaries rejoicing when I'...

Becoming anxious, worrying, or perhaps caring about the outcome of a situation, a little to much, is something we are all guilty of, from time to time. However, this morning while sitting in a local devotion I was reminded by the guest speaker, Pastor Riggs, that worry is not of God. This idea that worry is not biblical or of God intrigued me and over the last few hours, I have given it much thought. I recalled the reading from my copy of Sarah Young's book Jesus Calling just a few days ago on September 30. She writes as though Jesus is speaking to you directly and he says, "Your future is in My hands; I release it to you day by day, moment by moment. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow." What a thought, Jesus Himself is giving me each moment. I guess that would be confirmed in the scripture Psalm 37:23, The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord : and he delighteth in his way. We also find the words of Jesus, in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 6 verse 25-34 tel...

Daily over the past three years I have been privileged to serve families during a time of loss of a loved one. However, today, I am reminding myself more and more of the scriptures I hear all the time, I go to prepare a place for you...that where I am there ye may be also.  October 1, 2001 seems like it was just yesterday. My Mamaw passed away after a long battle of cancer and other complications. However, today I find hope, strength and refuge in the very things I try to present to families I'm privileged to care for.  The idea that God the Father loves you and I enough to send His only Son, Jesus, to pay ransom for our sins is beyond amazing. Then to think that He sent the Holy Spirit as a comforter is more precious and sweeter than I could ever tell. But to know that He is the Forman of a construction project, building a place for you and I to dwell with Him for eternity and to see our loved ones who have gone before leaves me speechless.  Like the old song says, I'm g...