Worlds Aren't Changed By Radical Crusaders, But By Those Who Quietly Live Their Lives

Before the beard... Jessica and I enjoying a day our with family

This morning, immediately following my radio show, I was asked, "What have you done today to make the world a better place?" My answer, "I woke up!" (Actually, God allowed me to wake up. I did get out of bed, though). 

Now, my answer may sound entirely arrogant, self-centered and curt. However, it comes from the realization that at the end of the day, there is actually very little I can do to make the world a better place. This realization comes after pastoring a new church plant for 8 years, which, despite my best efforts and the support of my state and local associations, continues to struggle to build attendance. It comes as I have invested countless hours, tears and prayers into seeing lives changed, only to see those people that I care for continue to make self-destructive life decisions. 

It comes as I look back on a life advocating for pro-liberty, pro-life, and pro-America policies, only for our elected leaders to continue to expand the influence government has in our lives, continue to see abortion-limiting legislation die in committee or in the federal courts, and continue to see our leaders surrender our national sovereignty while abandoning our troops on the battlefield. (We send them to fight, they come back wounded, and then we drag our feet on their medical care and benefits). I'm sorry, I drifted back into politics. 

My realization of how little I can actually do to make the world a better place comes as I watch those who once stood for truth surrender in resignation, discouraged because they haven't made a big impact either. Or at least they think they haven't. They inspired me. But, I guess that makes me all the more self-centered. And yet, I don't think it really does. 

When we talk about making the world a better place, I think we should have a better perspective of how that works. I am really blessed right now. I get to do a morning talk show. I get to pastor a great group of people at Grace Pointe MBC. Both of those opportunities provide for my family's needs... my family which includes 3 biological kids, and 4 adoptive kids, which, if I could have negotiated with God in the beginning, I would have taken as biological. I have an understanding of the world around me, which, regardless of my circumstances, gives me a feeling of freedom. And these blessings, while poured out upon me by God, were given through the self-less efforts of those who raised me. 

My grandfather did not set out in life to be a world changer. He wanted to educate, and he wanted to support his family. The only time he was the talk of the town is when he corrected injustice, and he was criticized, not praised, for doing so. He desegregated Dawson ISD in Dawson, TX, and he enlisted the help of drug dogs to halt the drug trafficking in Latexo ISD. I grew up during the latter part of his career, where he served as an administrator at the Windham School District, the school system which serves the Texas prison system. As I grew up, my grandfather never ceased to remind me of the need to get an education, to make something of myself, and to support my family. He instilled in me the notion that it is my responsibility to provide for my family, and mine alone. 

Where my grandfather taught me book smarts and responsibility, my father taught me street smarts. He was the one who taught me how, once I get a job, to keep the job, to advance in the job, and how to interact with co-workers. My father was a business manager, so he also taught me about how to manage expenses and income. Both of those men taught me. On occasion, they'd teach me these lessons verbally, but mostly, they taught by example. 

Which brings me to how I am making the world a better place. God has blessed me with 7 wonderful children. My goal is to give them the same upbringing that I had, so that when they are grown and have families, they will pass that upbringing down to their children. I believe if we all did this, the world would be a better place. 

I also teach and encourage my church, and hopefully my friends, extended family, and Facebook friends. I plan on keeping my ministry public, so I can encourage as many people as possible. Ecclesiastes 12:13 says, "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." Live your life the way God designed it. Raise your family, teach them about the Lord, worship at church on Sunday, represent God well when you go to work or conduct business. That's all God requires. If you feel led to do more, GREAT! I'll pray for you and help, if I can. But don't ever let anyone denigrate you because you don't do missions in the Congo. May God bless you.

Restoring Hope: Why Being Heavenly Minded is not a Bad Thing

You've probably heard the phrase, "Don't be so Heavenly-minded that you are no Earthly good." It's a philosophy that my generation has fully embraced. To talk to a 20 or 30-something year old Christian is to learn that Heaven is great, we look forward to getting there someday, but our lives are to be about the hear-and-now!

It's not that we are trying to live worldly, it's just that we see it as our responsibility to make the biggest impact we can on this world for Christ. That is why foster care and adoption are becoming more popular among young Christians... why seminary students dream of planting churches in large cities as opposed to accepting the pastorate at a rural church. It's why the younger generation's worst nightmare is settling into a middle-class job for 20 years, and living in a mid-sized town somewhere in the Midwest. We have dreams, we want to leave our mark, and young Christians want to make sure they have done something extraordinary to impact the world for Christ.

Lost in all this is our hope for where we will be in eternity. We believe we are going to Heaven, we just don't think about it that much. This lost hope can result in discouragement when the ventures and efforts of the superChristian aren't panning out.

So, there I am... a foster parent, and a father to three of my own children... working to plant a church in Brownwood, Texas (not exactly the big city, but I love it anyway), and doing everything I can to preach the Gospel publicly, and to support my community through the local chamber of commerce.

How's it going? The church's finances are in the red. My personal finances are tight. I can't remember the last real date I had with my wife (actually, I can. We ate out and spent time together during a Weekend To Remember Retreat in the Woodlands). Still, if My wife and I suddenly had a night alone together, I'm not sure I'd know what to do. So, all this stuff has been weighing on my mind. What am I doing wrong? Why won't God bless my efforts?

Then, my beautiful daughter jumps in my car, and rides shotgun on the way home from an outing in Abilene. She pops in my Brad Paisley "5th Gear" CD, and his rendition of "When We All Get To Heaven" comes on. That peaceful, reassuring hymn reminded me that God has it all in the palm of His hand. Sunday night, on the way home from church, "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" came on KHBW (KHCB) radio. These two experiences reminded me that, despite all the battles of the day, and despite all the challenges I face, God is still on His throne. He will return. He will establish His Kingdom on Earth, and He will receive me into that Kindgom, and not because of anything I have done. My entry into that Kingdom is not contingent on my success. My entry into that Kingdom is due to the fact that Jesus died on the cross for my sins, and He rose again to give me eternal life.

After this "Revelation," my heart rate slowed a bit, and my blood pressure dropped. God has it all in His hands, I need only be obedient during my time here on Earth. Following my time here on Earth, I will be received into His Kingdom, where He will wipe away my every tear and give me an eternal home.

So, the next time you visit a church, and they get out the "Heavenly Highway Hymns," don't roll your eyes. Use that time as an opportunity to remember your hope, your confident expectation that God has already secured the victory, and you will be received into Heaven. Knowing that should remind you that He is in control of all things, and thus will conquer whatever you face on your behalf.

I'll close with a quote from a famous philosopher who has recently passed away, "Keep looking up, because that's where it all is."

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.

Don't Give Up!

Isaiah 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Let's face it... ministry can be downright discouraging these days. While there are churches that are growing and bursting at the seams, chances are you see empty pews when you stand behind the pulpit on Sunday morning.

Not only that, but it seems that no one is interested in hearing about God's salvation when you go out door-knocking. There have probably been days that you felt like the prophet Jeremiah, who preached his entire ministry without a convert.

Lack of "results" can have any preacher questioning his call, his methods, and questioning if he is where God wants him. Don't be discouraged.

For the past several weeks, a member of Grace Pointe and I have been knocking doors in Northwest Brownwood. The vast majority of these doors have gone unanswered, others tell us they are not interested, some don't want to hear our message and some have even refused to take our tracts. One rather famous exchange went like this:

GP Member: Sir, would you like to know about Heaven?
Resident: No. (slams door shut.)
GP Member: Wow. Times are hard when they don't want to hear about Heaven.
Leland: Actually, times aren't hard enough.

Quitting our mission of canvassing Brownwood was never an option, though we did discuss the fact that our job was to merely share the Word. That's when we had a break-through day last week.

We were invited inside twice, had four quality conversations about Christ, and even had two men pray. While their prayers stopped short of "asking Jesus into their hearts," we feel that they were made more aware of the reality of God, His coming judgment, and the salvation that is in Christ Jesus. Besides, the transaction of salvation is between them and the Lord, not between us and them.

One thing I have noticed is that those who are giving thought to eternity are highly interested in what God has to say through His word. Study after study and survey after survey tells us that people are abandoning organized religion in droves. While there may be a mass exodus of people from churches, I don't think it's the organization that they are leaving. They are not leaving church, per se, they are leaving empty religion.

To put it another way, they are not rejecting the idea of church, they are rejecting the churches of which they have been a part. Why? Most will share stories of empty traditional arguments, or hypocritical pastors and leaders, some even point out doctrinal error (what the pastor teaches doesn't match up with what their Bible says.) So, to these people, church isn't bad, they just haven't found a good church. You see, it's not the church they are abandoning. They are setting aside a church that has abandoned God.

The question has often been posed, "Has the church become irrelevant?" If the church has abandoned God's word, or the Gospel, it has. This empty establishment is being left behind in the dust, despite its efforts at marketing, contemporary worship, reducing preaching (ironically), and increasing its appeal to "seekers."

I submit that the vast majority of churches have abandoned God's word in favor of crafting a message and looking for validation in God's word. Many pastors have left expository preaching for topical preaching. Often, these topics and sermons are crafted entirely in the mind of the preacher before God's word is even consulted. An example might be using Proverbs 29:18 to promote building and expansion programs. I once heard a preacher preach on Christ's prayer in the Garden while the disciples slept. His main point was that we need to be better friends to each other than the disciples were to Christ. (The theme here had more to do with Christ preparing to go to the cross than with the sleeping disciples.)

The modern "seeker" isn't looking for a rock concert with a how-to sermon attached to the end of it. The "seeker" is seeking God's word and its counsel. The church and preacher that are able to exegete God's word and teach what it says will be the church that is successful in the coming years. The American people have had their fill of cattle excrement over the past couple of generations. Substance will now prevail.

So, don't seek to convey what you think or say, and don't try to teach what other great preachers have taught. Preach the word and teach what God has to say. It will bear results. I'm not promising that you'll have a Billy Graham style crusade, but you will see the Word work in the lives of those who listen, and you will see God move. After all is said and done, isn't that really what it is about?