Don't you hate being lied to? I've been wrestling with my thoughts in this area lately, reading, praying, and searching for the best way to deal with friends and acquaintances who have compromised their integrity for one reason or another. We do have a responsibility to our brothers and sisters to seek to restore them when they are overtaken in a transgression. Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Galatians 6:1 ESV) But today, the words "Keep watch on yourself" seemed to jump off the page and pin the thoughts I had been wrestling with to the mat. The Holy Spirit changed my focus from others' lapses in integrity to examining my own integrity. It's very easy to spot flaws in others' character, and far more comfortable than examining our own hearts. As a leader, my integrity is extremely important. I want my wife, my children, my church, and my colleagues to be able to trust me. A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. (Proverbs 22:1... Continue reading

Farmersville Free Will Baptist Church is working together with LifeTouch to publish a new Church Directory. We will be taking family portraits the week of April 8th and would love for you to participate. Each family will receive a free 8x10 portrait and of course you will be able to order other prints if you choose. Click on the following link to schedule your portait setting... Farmersville Free Will Baptist Church Directory Continue reading

Some through the waters, some through the flood, Some through the fire, but all through the blood; Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song, In the night season and all the day long. God is omniscient and omnipresent, all knowing and all places. With that in mind, take a few moments to look around you today, and remember that He not only knows where you are, He is there with you. His beautiful handiwork surrounds us as a glorious reminder of how very close He is and how much He loves and cares for us. Don't let the busyness of your day rob you of the joy of His presence. Whatever you face today, know this, God Leads His Dear Children Along! "For You Are My Rock And My Fortress; And For Your Name's Sake You Lead Me And Guide Me" ~ Psalm 31:3 Continue reading

The Dutch have several interesting wedding traditions. One such tradition is that of planting Lilly Of The Valley flowers around the bride and groom's home. The flowers serve as a reminder that happiness is renewed year after year just like the flowers. Commitment is a huge part of success in marriage and among the commitments we make, maybe we ought to make a commitment to just being happy, and doing everything we can to make our marriages happy. Marriage is a gift from God intended to make our lives more enjoyable. Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore a man shall... Continue reading

“I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 9:1, ESV) After a very busy Monday and Tuesday I took a morning run up to Mineral King, one of my favorite places to take in the amazing artistry of our wonderful Lord. The view from the Mineral King bridge is always beautiful regardless of the time of year. Today, Fall colors were pretty dominant. The sound of the water was soothing. Thank you Lord, for providing us with so much beauty in such close proximity. Happy Thanksgiving 2012! Continue reading

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1–2, ESV) Continue reading

Don't miss the beauty of age. New things are nice and shiny, but there's a unique beauty to those things that have stood the test of time. Maybe it's the color that accumulates over time, or the thoughts of countless and amazing stories that could be told from a long history. Time is sometimes a testimony of success, a measure of proof that someone, somewhere, did something right and that it has lasted. In our world that seems obsessed with the new, let's not forget the value of old. May we never forget we're headed swiftly in the same direction regardless of how young we are. Proverbs 20:29 "The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair." Posted with Blogsy Continue reading

Psalm 139 "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" Kathy and I purchased a Yugo in 1985. Don't laugh! It was shiny red, brand new, cheap, and we drove it pretty much problem free for 165,000 miles. When I finally sold it, it had blown a hole in the engine killing one of it's four cylinders. It was still running, and drivable...barely. Today, I was thinking that there are times when we, like my 85 Yugo, are still running...barely. Not running on all cylinders, but still moving. It's at times like this we need to stop and let God do some work in our lives. Maintenance is important, and sometimes overhaul is necessary. We need The Lord to keep us moving effectively. Praying you have a great Saturday and Lord's Day this week. Posted with Blogsy Continue reading

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Whether you're into baseball or not, you could learn a lot from a baseball fan. I know I did... Continue reading

"Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand." Romans 14:4 I spent several hours today visiting with a pastor who was hurt by those who should have loved and encouraged him. At first listen, he seemed to be bitter and angry, and maybe he was, but there's always a story. In fact there's always several stories from different perspectives. Stories are often told to convince others that we're right and someone else is wrong. Things get really complicated when our main concern is being right. In the end, God is always right and that's what matters. We need to love one another and let the Master deal with His servants. Who am I to pass judgement on another pastor? He doesn't work for me, he works for the Lord. Ministry is difficult...let's not make it more difficult for one another. Let's pray for and encourage one another along the way. We've been reading and discussing Garnett Reed's book, Intentional Integrity, in my Coffee House Small Group on Tuesday nights and this week's... Continue reading

There is nothing more rewarding than finding a place to serve the Lord and then giving it your all. But serving the Lord can be very trying at times. Serving the Lord involves ministering to people, usually hurting people, and as John Maxwell often says, "Hurting people hurt people". If you're involved in ministry in any way, my prayer for you today is that you will not give up! Here are a few reminders to keep you going through the difficult times. Your Work Is Not In Vain! 1 Corinthians 15:58 "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." Don't Give Up! Your Reward Is Coming! Galatians 5:9-10 "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Don't Get Sidetracked By What Others Think! 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 "This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover,... Continue reading

This past Sunday we had tremendous services. The place was packed, the spirit was sweet, and I believe Jesus was honored. I pray that our sister churches experienced the same as they gathered. We need special days throughout the year to reignite our passion. I was talking to one of our men in the parking lot between services and he made the statement "We should celebrate Easter every week". I completely agreed. He followed up by saying that the death, burial, and resurection are what it's all about. The Gospel! I am so thankful to be surrounded with folks that really get this. Every Sunday is an opportunity to celebrate the Gospel. What if we celebrated the Gospel every Sunday, like we do on Easter Sunday? What if we invited friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers to worship with us every week? What if we looked forward to every Sunday with the same expectancy that we do for Easter? Or sang with the same enthusiasm and preached the Word with the same excitement? "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."Hebrews 13:8 (ESV) Easter Sunday is special because we have set this Sunday apart from other Sundays to celebrate... Continue reading

"We blossom like a flower and then wither. Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear." Job 14:2 (NLT) Every day is a gift from the Lord. Don't waste a moment of it. Apply your lives to things that really matter. Is there something important that you've been needing to do but haven't set aside the time to do it? Don't get caught up in the every day routine and miss the special moments. Continue reading

One day! Some day! That day! Suffering will come to an end and we will live for eternity in heaven with Jesus. Until then, we must walk with Jesus day by day and trust Him to see us through. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies." Pressured...But God Is Greater Perplexed...But Our Faith Is Intact Pursued...But God Will Never Forsake Us Pushed...But Never Defeated Continue reading

Over the years I have performed many funerals. They are always marked by tears and sorrow. There are different types of sorrow though. Those who have placed their faith in Christ grieve differently than others. 1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 (ESV) But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. And the difference is...Hope! Hope, based on our faith in the Lord. We learn from scripture that there are two ways God views death... No Pleasure “Say to them, As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways, for why will you die, O house of Israel?” ~ Ezekiel 33:11 Precious "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints." ~ Psalm 116:25 And the difference is...Our relationship with the Lord. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where... Continue reading

I had the privilege of attending a funeral service in Corcoran, California today. Sister Archibald, a long time member of the Farmersville Free Will Baptist Church was laid to rest. She was 94 years old and had a wonderful testimony. Her children and grandchildren shared wonderful stories of Sister Archibald and her faith. Our Deacon, Kevin McAlister, spoke at the graveside service and did an amazing job. Kevin's father is "The Preacher", 87 year old JL McAlister. I happened to have my Nikon in the car and was able to snap this shot before leaving the cemetery. Needless to say, "The Preacher" was very proud of "The Deacon" today. And this pastor, is very happy to serve alongside both of these great men. Have an awesome weekend! See you in church Sunday... Continue reading

"Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear - not absence of fear. Except a creature be part coward it is not a compliment to say it is brave." ~Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson's Calendar, 1894 Earlier this week I wrote about Two Obstacles Every Leader Must Overcome and I've been thinking about one of those obstacles a little more today. Fear! Fear is a pretty large topic. I thought about the things that I have been afraid of in life and realized that the list would be better if I broke it down into childhood fears and adult fears... Spiders ~ Anything that crawls around with facial expressions too small to read Shots ~ Blood tests, vaccinations, etc. Bleeding ~ One of my goals growing up was to not bleed Dentists ~ Obvious! That's about it! Life was pretty simple as a kid. I know these may seem silly, but I bet they're at the top of almost every kid's list of fears. Things change as we get older though, most things anyway... Today my list looks like this. Spiders ~ My wife is the designated Spider Killer in our home and I'm OK with that! Shots ~ I avoid... Continue reading

I was praying for a fellow pastor this morning and asking God to keep him going strong. As I prayed, the scripture in Joshua 1:9 came to mind...I quickly sent him a text message reminding him "God is with you wherever you go." A few thoughts from my devotions today... Joshua 1:9 (ESV) ~ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Two of the greatest obstacles we face in ministry and life are FEAR and DISCOURAGEMENT...Think about it. These two big uglies show up often and are fierce in their attacks. One of God's first discussions with Joshua, before turning the leadership of His people over to him, was about FEAR and DISCOURAGEMENT. God commanded him to "Be strong and courageous" and to "not be frightened, and not be dismayed". God's assurance to Joshua was simple and powerful, "for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go". What are you fearful of today? Seriously, what fear is keeping you from moving forward in your life or ministry? Fear can be paralyzing. What are you discouraged about... Continue reading

An exciting service today here in Farmersville has had me thinking about how to have exciting churches. Two things come to mind... Crowds Changed Lives "I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth." ~ 1 Timothy 3:14–15 (ESV) A crowd on Sunday may be exciting but "being there" should never overshadow "behaving there". The most exciting churches are those that witness changed lives and celebrate those lives on Sundays. If we focus on crowds rather than changed lives our churches become chaotic. The excitement of a crowd can be achieved any number of ways, the excitement of changed lives can only be achieved One Way... "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." ~ 2 Corinthians 5:17 A crowd, while exciting, doesn't neccesarily produce a changed live. Jesus does! A changed life, on the other hand, has a tendency to attract a crowd...to Jesus! Continue reading

I love the mountains and rivers around Tulare County. It was beside a river, at a youth camp, that I surrendered to God's call to ministry. I have always enjoyed the sound of water flowing over rocks and I can still hear God whispering to me when I stand still and listen. He is faithful! He never leaves us alone! I'm so happy to be wherever He leads... Continue reading

Psalm 145:2 ~ "Every Day I Will Bless You And Praise Your Name Forever And Ever" I've been enjoying a class on Leadership at California Christian College this semester. The professor made a comment recently that left an impression on me. He said that if he had his ministry to do all over, he would celebrate more and show appreciation more. I completely agree with his observation, but his statement caused me to think about things I might reflect on later in my ministry and wish I had done more often. I quickly jotted down a few of them... Start And End My Day Talking To God Spend Time In God's Word (I Want To Hear From Him) Celebrate A Victory (Big Or Small) Praise God For Something Beautiful (See Photograph ~ LOL) Share God With Someone Express Appreciation To Someone Give Something Away (Love, Forgiveness, Mercy, Compassion, Understanding, Money) Today, I stopped on the side of the road outside Farmersville and made good on item number four, Praise God For Something Beautiful...Even in this cold, wet, and foggy November, I love where God has placed me! It is so very beautiful here! Continue reading

It's hard to believe that 2011 is almost history. I'm very quickly becoming a believer in the notion that time moves swifter the older we get. I'm not sure it's so much our age that makes time seem to fly. Maybe it's a busy schedule or our ability to focus on the tasks in our life and forget about time. Regardless, the year is quicly approaching a close and it's time to start setting some goals for 2012. Webster defines a goal as the final purpose or aim; the end to which a design tends, or which a person aims to reach or attain. I've always been a person to set goals. I'm pretty sure that I've not always reached the goals I've set but I'm alright with that. I'm sure I've accomplished more by setting goals than I ever would have without setting them. God has also given us the gift of time which provides us with plenty opportunities to adjust goals and set new goals. We have new years, new months, new weeks, new days, new hours, new minutes, and the truth is every second is an opportunity to start fresh. So I'll be taking some time in... Continue reading

I woke up in the middle of the night with the thought, "Just Be Yourself" and I guess the midnight munchies were involved because my thoughts involved candy bars. There are lot's of good candy bars. My faves would include Snickers, Milky Way, Almond Joy...Come to think of it ALL candy bars are good. They're all a little different but they're all good. They each carry the same delicious message to your mouth, "YUM!". They each do it in their own special way. Some with chocolate, some with nougat (What exactly is nougat?), some with nuts, some with caramel, but the end result is always "YUM!". They're ALL good, but there is only one GREAT candy bar...The Reese's Peanut Butter Cup! So here's what I was thinking last night... half asleep, craving some Reese's goodness... a few thoughts running through my mind. Leadership lessons from my candy bar cravings. Be Yourself ~ I hate it when a classic candy bar tries to be something other than itself. Reese's should stick to cups, we don't need sticks, bars, pieces, and stuff from Reece's. They are just fine the way they are. And we don't need to be anything other than what... Continue reading

Looking forward to spending the day at the zoo doing research with Michaela. We've been taking a biology class together at California Christian College and it's been pretty awesome. The best part of the whole semester...spending time with my daughter. I ran across this article today and thought it was worth sharing... There never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do once you find them. This line is from Jim Croce’s song, “Time In a Bottle,” in which he also writes: If I could save time in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do Is to save every day till eternity passes away, just to spend them with you. Jim wrote this in 1972 for his 1 year-old son. Jim knew he didn’t have an eternity with his boy. But he had less than he knew. On September 21, 1973, Jim died in a plane crash. He was 30 years old. We know time is short. But it’s shorter than we know. We don’t have time to waste. That’s why Moses wrote Psalm 90. Our lives are “like grass that is renewed in the morning [and] in the evening it fades... Continue reading