Driving Sideways

-Nascar.com

I'll admit, when I was a kid, I watched NASCAR races for two reasons, and two reasons only: (1) To watch Richard Petty win, and (2) to see spectacular crashes. You see, stock cars are designed to fly apart during crashes in order to protect the driver. Thus, NASCAR crashes usually are spectacular sights. Since then, however, my NASCAR fascination has become a little more nuanced.

Unlike other forms of racing, stock cars used in NASCAR races are heavily regulated to keep the cars performing at the same level. That way, the contest is not machine vs. machine, but rather racer vs. racer. While there are tweaks that can legally be made to stock cars (wedge, tire pressure, etc), by and large most stock cars perform at the same level.

Therefore, to win in NASCAR, you have to be a skilled driver, and perform consistently on the track. Thus racers log hours on the track, training how to properly drive the car, learning which lines are the best to follow, developing reactionary skills in emergency situations, learning to draft, and learning when to follow the line, and when to make a move.

The problem is, no matter how hard you train, with 39 other stock car drivers on the track, you cannot control everything that happens. All it takes is a simple bump on your inside rear quarter panel to upend your day. When that bump happens, the car is turned sideways on the track. It's a harrowing experience, but the well-trained driver calmly steers into the skid, straightening the car out as if drifts down onto the apron. Heart pounding and heavy breathing ensues as the driver comes to grips with what has happened as the rest of the field speeds past him.

At this point, the driver has two options. He can either head to the pits to compose himself and let the pit crew give his car a once-over, or he can accelerate and get back on the track. The former option will all but take the driver out of the race, as he'll be a lap down. The latter will keep him on the lead lap, even if he has been relegated to the back of the pack. Still, the latter option requires ambition, drive, and nerves of steal.

My point in talking NASCAR with you today is that life is a lot like a NASCAR race. Perhaps you have trained hard through Bible study, secular education, and vocational training. You have a career goal, a solid spiritual life, qualifications, and are building experience that will take you far in life. In that regard, you are like that well-trained NASCAR driver who has read the training manual, and gotten the hands-on experience to run the race.

Regardless of preparation and education, however, no one is ever in full control of their lives. Just as a bump to the rear quarter panel can send a stock car into a spin, a bump in the real world can send your life into a spin as well. It looks different for all of us. Some of our bumps merely put us into a skid that lands us safely on the apron. It's a setback, but we are still on the lead lap, and are still in the race. Others experience a more devastating sequence. Perhaps our metaphorical stock car has been spun into the wall, or perhaps we've collided with another stock car.

These metaphorical bumps, skids, spins and crashes look different for each individual. Whether it be a divorce, terminated employment, a financial crisis, a medical condition, natural disaster, or the death of a loved one, a bump on the track can temporarily knock us out of the running. The question is, whether you are the type of driver that gets back into the race, or heads to the pits.

2013 was a year that saw my life sent into a skid. I'm going to be transparent with you, and tell you that I battle depression. At least, that's what I think it is. I've never had it diagnosed, and I am not interested in medicating it. My emotional problems stem from Spiritual problems in my life, with which I am learning that everyone struggles. Still, 2013 saw some bumps that sent my proverbial stock car into a skid.

Funding for Grace Pointe fell off, as did Sunday offerings. The church has not operated in the black for months. Also, attendance at Grace Pointe has fallen off, due partly to members moving out of town, but also due partly to mission-fatigue. To top all that off, over the summer, I was faced with hostility that forced me to find a different job, and once I was settled into that new job, my grandfather (who raised me) passed away. At least we were able to say good-bye, first.

That's not to say there weren't high points. My new job is co-hosting a morning talk show on KXYL. I mean, really, who wouldn't want to do talk radio for a living? The Southwest Association continues to support Grace Pointe. The Missionary Baptist Association of Texas contributed $15,000 toward Grace Pointe's building fund. The American Baptist Association meeting in Dallas was a blast, and I am getting the blessing of being able to show a group of foster kids a whole new way to live. Oh, and we got a Nintendo Wii for Christmas, and I am enjoying Mario Cart.

Still, human nature is (or at least, my human nature is) to allow the bad to take hold of your mind, and drown out the good. Six years ago, I resigned Denson Springs Missionary Baptist Church to move to Brownwood, and plant a new Missionary Baptist Church here. My goal was for the church to be self-supporting by 2011, and sending out missionaries by 2014. Neither goal is going to materialize, and I have found myself wondering if I have done something wrong.

Enter my wife Jessica, who uses the object lesson of our relationship with our children to illustrate why things seem so distant between me and God lately. The problem is that I allow the trials of life to outshine God's blessings in my life. In short, I have not been thankful. The lesson that God has been teaching me over the course of the past year, that I think I am just now learning, is that my focus needs to come off of the good and the bad, and just be on God. I need to delight in the Lord, joyfully receive His blessings, trust Him during the "bumps," and continue doing what He has called me to do.

With that in mind, my resolve is to be the driver that, once he finds himself on the apron of the track, accelerates and steers back into the race. God has called me to Brownwood-Early. He has called me to launch this church, and He has called this church to publicly proclaim the Word of God. With His help in 2014, we will obey His calling. And with your prayers and encouragement, I am going to learn to rest and delight in the Lord, to trust Him, and then to obey Him.

Have you been bumped into a spin this year? If so, how did you recover? And how are you planning on getting back into your race?

Psalm 37:4-8 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.

Some People Change

I was fairly useless when I was younger.

When I was about 12 years old, the pastor of the church I attended preached a sermon on Hell, which scared me. I was nervous, restless, and couldn't get any peace. So, I approached this pastor, asking how to be saved. He explained salvation to me the best he could, and I went through the motions of asking Jesus into my heart.

For a while, I did alright. I became the president of the Galileans club at the church, even holding statewide office in that organization (I was state historian), but as high school came along, my interest in the Lord, and the church quickly faded. By the time I graduated high school, I had already amassed a collection of memories I now wish I could forget. I was drawn to rebellion, bad decisions, and things that would freak people out.

Then, I moved off to college. Going to college meant no more parental presence... no one to make sure I was in by curfew, no one to check on where I was, no one to hold me accountable. As you can imagine, I began to make worse choices.

Senior year at Stephen F. Austin, I met Jessica. I instantly knew I liked her, and I also knew she was way out of my league. So, with those two things in mind, I took a different approach with her than I did other girls I chased. First, I cleaned up my act a little. Second, I didn't try to put up a front when I was around her. I would just be myself. After all, I really didn't stand a chance.

Except I did. I am not sure why, but she liked me, too. In the early years of our marriage, I was still incapable of making a good decision. I wrecked my radio career, trashed our finances, and totally neglected my family's needs.

All the while this is happening, all throughout my teenage rebellion and sin, people were there for me. They were teachers, coaches, youth ministers and volunteers, college professors (believe it or not), team mates, room mates, and friends. Then, there was Jessica. Each of these people ministered to me, were patient with me, forgiving toward me, and I believe praying for me.

I really had no excuse. I was raised in a Godly home, was taught the Bible at a young age, and taught to worship the Lord. I rejected that. This cycle continued until one night, November 2002, I broke. The Godly raising of my childhood came back to me, and the fact that I had spent the first 24 years of my life as useless sludge just sort of hit me in the face. This is what preachers refer to as "conviction." I was hit with an overwhelming sense of guilt over my sin, and a sorrow for the things that I had done, especially to my young family. It was that night, I asked God to forgive me of my sins, and I turned to Jesus Christ as my Savior.

I announced my salvation to my church the following morning, where Bro. Jim Slocumb informed me that my life would be forever changed. I didn't know how right he was. In the years that followed, the bad habits that I had embraced as an adolescent faded away, one by one. I struggled with some, and I lost my desire for others. In the years following my acceptance of Jesus Christ as my Savior, God reformed my life. He changed me, from the inside out.

Psalm 51:10 says "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." I was changed, my life was changed, and things were getting better... and it was God that was doing the changing. Today, I am a completely different person than I was then... and those who knew me then, or who have even seen pictures of me then, know that is the truth.

I can't help but wonder if those people who were there for me all those years know the positive impact they have had on my life, or how much I appreciate the fact, that, while I was bent on self-destruction, they never let me cross that line. They were there for me, they prayed for me, and they allowed God to change me.

Perhaps there is someone you know that is making bad choices, that is in rebellion against God, that is bent on self-destruction. Be there for them, minister to them, pray for them, and trust God to change them. God works in people's lives. He changes them, in their hearts and in all facets of their lives.

So, have a little faith, and don't be afraid to invest in someone you care about, even if it seems futile at the time. Who knows? Maybe one day, a preacher will be writing a blog about how you played a big part in turning his life around.

Daily Devotional Time: Psalm 4

King David was amazing, in that, while he was running for his life, he was writing praises to God. Many people believe Psalm 3 and Psalm 4 were written at about the same time... when King David was being pursued by Absalom, his son.

What brought David comfort and peace during this tumultuous time was remembering what God had done for him. Psalm 4:1 says, "Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer."

David's call to "hear my prayer" was not so much a demand as it was an expression of faith, knowing that God would hear his prayer. Why would David believe God would hear his prayer? Because God had heard his prayers before, and answered them. God had a track record of coming through for David. He enlarged him while he was in distress.

He also had a track record of coming through for Israel, and had to remind them often of the ways He had delivered and blessed them. May we never be guilty of forgetting what God has done for us. May God never have to remind us of all that He has done for us.

Despite God having His hand on David, however, people still turned against him and sought his demise. Psalm 4:2 says "O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah."

God is our glory. He is our Salvation. Yet, people will ridicule us and oppose us, even judge us, because of our faith in Him. They will turn our glory into our shame. Why do people do this? Because they love the temporary things of this earth (vanity) and believe lies (seek after leasing) rather than the truth of God's word. Increasingly, the world is becoming anti-Chrisian, but that is another topic for another day.

We can take comfort in knowing that God has set us apart, and thus will hear our prayers. (Verse 3.) We are different from the rest of the world, and we enjoy a special position of fellowship with God. He hears our prayers, He teaches us, and He works out the problems in our lives.

He stands in the gap for us. He provides for us. He gives us hope in hopeless situations, and He gives us a peace that surpasses all understanding.(Psalm 4:6 says He lifts up our heads. Psalm 4:7 says He fills our hearts with gladness, more gladness than the lost world has when their finances are booming.)

But this special position we believers have with God should not puff us up with pride. Psalm 4:4-5 says:

Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah. 5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD

We are to commune in our own hearts. That means we are to examine ourselves... introspect... check our true intentions and what is in our hearts. We are to offer the sacrifices of righteousness, which for us today means that we are to adopt the lifestyle of a Christian, and trust the LORD.

David closes out Psalm 4 with verse 8, "I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety."

David is on the run, fleeing Absalom, who seeks to kill him for the throne. David needs to be on guard, watch for any attackers, and be vigilant lest his enemies catch him napping. What does he do? He goes to bed. Why? Because David knows that he is only as safe as the Lord keeps him.

There is a verse in Psalm 127 that says "except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." If God is not in your efforts, your efforts will fail.

I am reminded of a Chrysler commercial which said good things come to those who work, who stay up later, who work harder, who pay more attention to detail. While hard work yields rewards, we need to remember that it is God Who blesses our efforts.

So, if you are living in God's will, you can rest. The Bible teaches that God gives His beloved rest. So often, we feel that we have to do everything, provide everything and earn everything. David said only the LORD makes him to dwell in safety. For us, only God can meet all our needs. It's time we trust Him.

King David was amazing. In the worst of times, he trusted God and praised Him. We should do no less. May God bless you.

Daily Devotional Time: Psalm 3

God still performs miracles. I'm not talking about televangelist miraculous showmanship miracles, I'm talking about God stepping in and intervening on behalf of His children.

Having spent my entire childhood and part of my young adulthood as a lost person, and struggling in my faith during my 20s, I came to adopt a creed of "lift up your requests to God, but don't be too disappointed if He doesn't answer." It was the faithless viewpoint of one who had never fully observed God move.

However, since moving to Brownwood, I have seen God answer prayers in mighty ways... and I have seen Him step in miraculously at the right time. There were times when there should have been no hope, but God responded to our prayers and saved the day.

There are times when trouble seems to pile up at the door. Psalm 3:1-2 says:

Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me. 2Many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

Sometimes it seems that the whole world is against you... and your enemies might even believe that God won't help you. You might even think you are beyond God's reach. But the good news is that you are never out of God's reach, and the situation is never out of his control. Psalm 3:3-4 says:

But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head. 4I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

God is our shield. He stands between us and those who wish to harm us. He stands in the gap for us. Not only that, He is our glory. Everything good about us, everything that we can glory in, comes from God. God is also the lifter up of our heads. He is our comforter, healer and encourager.

But the most powerful part of Psalm 3 to me is verse 4, that says "I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of His holy hill." God, the creator of the universe, the all-powerful, omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent God hears our prayers. He hears my prayers, and He hears your prayers if you know Him. When you pray, you can pray confidently knowing that He hears your prayers... and He will intervene on your behalf... even it if wasn't quite what you were thinking.

King David totally trusted God. When He wrote these words in Psalm 3, he had been betrayed by everyone close to him, and was running from Absalom, who wanted to kill him. (Admittedly, he brought it on himself, but that's another story for another day.)

So when David wrote in Psalm 3:5 that "I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me," he wasn't praising a beautiful morning. He was thanking God for protecting him while he slept. God protects us when we are at our most vulnerable moments.

God protects His people, and never lets them suffer unless there is a greater purpose at stake. Or, as Psalm 3:8 says, "Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people."

Salvation belongs to God, and our salvation is tied up in Him. Trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior, then trust God to guide you through life, and protect you along the way. God bless you.

Daily Devotional Time: Psalm 2

So, I am sitting at a car wash in Colorado Springs, you know, the hometown of Focus on the Family, Dr. James Dobson, the National Association of Evangelicals, and some 86 other para-church organizations, and I am reading a column in the Colorado Springs Gazette. The columnist was the leader of an organization that seeks to aid people who were victims of religious harassment, which is defined as any effort to evangelize or disciple. If I knocked on your door to witness to you, or to invite you to church, I would have religiously harassed you, according to this column.

The column was an indication of where our society is headed. Our society is becoming increasingly anti-Christian. This shouldn't come as a suprise, however, as scripture speaks of those who oppose God in Psalm 2:1-5:

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 2 The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, 3 Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. 5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

In the psalmist's day, there were foreign kings and nations seeking to wipe out Israel, God's chosen people. Such a concept seemed insane to the psalmist, who was well acquainted with God's omnipotent power.

In our day, there are people who have identified God as the enemy, and they battle God by harassing, opposing, fighting and even persecuting His people. They may win victories in this life, but when they stand before God in the judgment, it will be a different story.

Meanwhile, things are different for those who know Jesus Christ as their personal savior. Psalm 2:6-9 says:

Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. 7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. 9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

We are different, because we have repented from our sin and turned our heart toward the Lord, or as the psalmist put it, we "have set our king upon our holy hill of Zion." We worship the Lord, and we openly profess that He is our Savior. The psalmist said, "I will declare the decree." What decree? "The Lord hath said unto me, 'thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.'"

In addition to being a Messianic passage, this verse also teaches us that if you know the Lord as your savior, you have been born again, and are now a child of God.

God loves His children, and gives them an inheritance, which the Bible teaches will be in God's Kingdom when He establishes it on this earth. We will have victory over those who persecute us, and spend eternity in God's presence.

The psalmist leaves a final warning for those who would fight against God in verses 10-12:

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

God's grace is incomparable. He will save and extend His grace to those who once fought against Him. Today, you may be in a situation where you are fighting against God. Perhaps you are angry with God over a situation in your life. Perhaps someone claiming to act on God's behalf hurt you in a bad way. Or, perhaps you have been taught the lie that all wars and problems in the world come from Christianity.

Whatever the reason for your personal battle against God, He will spare you from His wrath and welcome you into His heaven if you turn from your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior. I can testify to this personally, because there was a time when I personally was at war against God. However, God confronted me about my sin. I repented, placed my faith in Jesus Christ, and He saved me and called me into His ministry.

You can do the same. Turn from your sin, and place your faith in Jesus Christ. What I mean by that is that if you trust that Jesus paid for your sin on the cross, and are willing to live for Him, He will save you.

Romans 5:8-10 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

May God Bless You.

Daily Devotion Time: Psalm 101:3

Psalm 101:3 is a powerful verse of scripture. It reads, "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me."

Most people focus in on the first part of the verse... "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes." Obviously, this teaches us that we should be careful what forms of entertainment we choose... what we watch on TV, what we listen to on the radio, and what we view on the Internet. To set a wicked thing before our eyes is to take pleasure in it... and God regards pleasure in sin as being just as sinful as the sin itself (Romans 1:32).

As a child of God, a Christian, a Believer, one who has been Born Again, who is indwelt with the Holy Spirit, and is a new Creature in Christ... all of which a person becomes at the point of repentance of sin and trust in Jesus as Savior... we have a new nature. Sure, we still struggle with sin, but our new nature is one that is in line with God, and not our flesh. Therefore, when we sin, or when we take pleasure in sin, we are convicted by the Holy Spirit. We can't be comfortable in sinful situations.

Therefore, we don't set wicked things before our eyes because they no longer give us pleasure. It may seem fun at first, but then comes the conviction and guilt. Psalm 101:3 says "I hate the work of them that turn aside." Sin upsets us, because we see the consequences of it, and we see the eternal ramifications of it. It upsets us that people would choose to go that direction.

But the most profound part of this verse is the last part, "It shall not cleave to me." So far, you may have read this post and thought, "but I am still tempted, I still sin, and though I feel guilty and turn to the Lord for forgiveness, I sin again." If you thought that, you have a Romans 7 issue. But the key phrase to Psalm 101:3 is that sin "won't cleave to me."

I stumble. I fall. But I don't stay down. I confess my sins before God, and 1 John says He is faithful and just to forgive my sins. Sin happens in my life, but sin is not my lifestyle. It can't be. It runs contrary to my new nature.

Do you live in a sinful lifestyle? Are you comfortable there? If the answer is yes to both questions, then you may not have the new nature. You may not be saved. Repent of your sin and trust Jesus Christ as your personal savior. If you are in a sinful lifestyle, but are uncomfortable, repent of the sin and turn to the Lord.

Sin and virtue can not co-exist. Unrepented sin is not part of living for God. Be not deceived. God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man sows, he reaps.

May God bless you as your continue your spiritual journey.

Bursting at the Seams: Occupy Wall Street vs. TEA Party

Occupy Wall Street Protesters
Photo by: David Shankbone

Maybe I'm just waking up, but it seems that we have seen an increase in public protest rallies since the 2008 election. From the TEA Party rallies that hit mainstream on April 15, 2009, to the rallies at the Wisconsin State Capitol regarding collective bargaining rights for public employees, to the "Save Our Schools" rallies in Texas during the 2011 legislative session.

Granted, anytime in American history that a particular group has faced a situation that would hinder their well-being, they turned out to protest against it. However, it seems that now-days, everyone is ticked off.

The TEA Party feels it is overtaxed to pay for welfare programs to supplement those who will not work to earn a living for themselves. The Occupy Wall Street protesters feel that they can't get a fair chance in a world where the top 1 percent keep getting richer while the rest of the country struggles. Public employees feel they are being thrown under the bus. Teachers face more rigid standards and lower pay.

Environmentalists feel that corporations are ramping up pollution. Peace activists feel betrayed by an administration that has failed to close Guantanamo or end the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. (For the record, I have been very critical of the Obama Administration regarding domestic policy, but I feel that they have handled the war on terror well.)

Pro-military groups feel that the Obama administration is floundering on national defense and military issues. And the summer drought has left many Texans burnt out, on a number of issues. (It doesn't help that the Cowboys and Longhorns are struggling.)

I am not trying to agree, disagree, affirm or refute the viewpoints of any of these groups right now. My only objective is to point out that everyone is ticked off at the moment. The country is divided, and there is no easy fix. Can America overcome this time of national discontent? Or will the divide and conquer strategies of our two political parties tear our nation apart?

Our standard of living is tied up in the future of the United States (regardless of where you are when you read this. If the American economy tanks, or the country falls apart, it will have ripple effects throughout the world.)

Whatever happens in the future, I will be just fine. Psalm 23:4 says Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

The Bible teaches that perilous times will come, but it also teaches that God is with His people through whatever trials they endure. If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can know that He is talking to God on your behalf as you go through dark times.

I don't fear an economic apocalypse, nuclear disaster, terrorism or war. These things might happen, but I also know that God is in control and He will have the final victory. I trust Him to care for me in the process.

So turn off Fox News and CNN, open the Bible, and grow closer to the Lord. Life will become more peaceful, your blood pressure will drop, and your doctor will be happy.

God bless you. Keep the faith.

90-Hour Weeks with Little Sleep? You're Doing It Wrong!

Have you ever had the Lord remind you of something so basic you know you shouldn't have needed the reminder? Recently, while studying my Bible, I came across Psalm 127, that says, "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He giveth His beloved sleep."

We know that as children of God, and some of us ministers of God, that without Christ, we can do nothing. Unless the LORD prospers our efforts, our labors are in vain. Paul sowed, Appollos watered, but GOD gave the increase. One of the things that separates Christians from the world is that we know that God will provide our needs, and that if we rely on Him, we don't need to neglect our families so we can work around the clock for additional "security." We know that, right? Maybe. Maybe not.

I have found myself lately in a situation where my wife and I have had little time together. When we do get together, its for a half hour for lunch, or maybe a few minutes in the evening after the kids have gone to bed. The kids... when was the last time I hiked up Enchanted Rock with them? When I have been taking that time with them, many times my thoughts wandered back to what I "really" needed to be accomplishing.

Psalm 127 reminds us that God builds the church, provides our needs and gives us security. It is God who blesses our efforts. Therefore, as verse two says, "It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows, for so He giveth His beloved sleep."

Wake up at a decent hour (early ends at 6 a.m.), go to bed at a decent hour and be a good steward of the time in between (don't waste two or three hours on Facebook or YouTube). We need to get our ducks in a row on this because our lack of faith is having a devastating effect on the cause of Christ.

Recently, I lamented my schedule to Bro. Jim Slocumb, who told me that I better straighten it out because no Great Commission work is worth losing your wife. I'm noticing as I look across the fruited plain that more ministers seem to be getting divorced now than ever before. I am not judging those men, I don't know what happened. What I do know is that long periods of separation, isolation, or neglect that come with long work hours play a role in the divorce of an otherwise good marriage.

When I was in seminary, a professor told our class that he was counseling with several ministers who had affairs. He said the one common factor in all of their situations was fatigue.

Therefore, I am committing, and strongly urge you to commit, to being a good steward of time, and to relying on the LORD for our efforts to be prospered. Our families need us. May God bless you, and may God bless the churches of the Lord.