Jonah 4:7  But God appointed a worm when dawn came the next day and it attacked the plant and it withered.

Really? Doesn’t it  just amaze you sometimes who or what God chooses to use. I don’t know about you, but often times in ministry I feel so inadequate. Track with me for a second.

1. I am not the smartest. I attended summer school for 3 years in High School just to graduate. I had a teacher in High School tell me college wasn’t for everyone. I showed her, 14 years later I graduated.  Have yet to attempt Seminary.

2. I have ADD. Yeah, I know it seems like everyone has it. But I had when it wasn’t cool to have it.

3. I am dyslexic. You would be amazed at how many times I have already hit spell check.

4. I done some stupid stuff in my life. Ask around, better yet don’t.

There is one thing I know. If God can use a worm, He can and will use me! God wants to use even when we don’t feel qualified. Maybe that is where He wants us. God wants us to depend on Him. I believe God does want us prepared, armed and ready to be used by Him. There is value in seminary, training, conferences, education, etc.. But sometimes God just wants us dependent.

Here is my prayer: Father help me to never doubt what you can do through me. Even when I question myself,  I know you can do anything you please. You are God! You Are GOD!!! Whatever you want me to do and wherever you want me to go, Lord I am willing! Thank you for choosing me in spite of me. I love you.

If you look at many new ministries core values today, a few words keep popping up.

I see the words authentic and transparent a lot. I believe they both have their merit. However, I do wonder sometimes if we use the words the right way.

First, let me say, I understand the need for us to be real. I want to be approachable. I want to connect. I want to relate. I do not want to come across holier than thou. But on the other hand shouldn’t there be some respect for those on stage teaching God’s word. This has nothing to do with style. I am talking about the substance.

Sometimes I wonder if we don’t use some values as permission to do as we please. When somebody calls us on something, we just point back to our values. When we can cuss, drink, smoke, watch anything they want and brag about, simply because we can. I wonder if we are not missing something. I know some of these issues can be debated back and forth and I have friends on both sides. But where does personal holiness fit in.

James 3  tells us we will be judged more strictly. I think there is a balance somewhere. But what if we focused more on being holy than being authentic or transparent. I know personally I have a long way to go (me being transparent).

I read last week in Amos 5: 23- 24                                                                                                                                                                Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Check out this video and repent.

Daddy was a preacher
She was his wife
Just tryin to make the world a little better
You know, shine a light
People started talking
Trying to hear their own voice
Those people tried to accuse my father
Said he made the wrong choice
Though it might be painful
You know that time will always tell
Those people have long since gone
My father never failed

Even when the rain falls
Even when the flood starts rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water

Even if the Earth crumbles under my feet
Even if the ones I love turn around and crucify me
I won’t never ever let you down
I won’t fall
I won’t fall
I won’t fall as long as you’re around me

Even when the rain falls
Even when the flood starts rising
Even when the storm comes
I am washed by the water

–NeedtoBreathe

The truth is it is not always easy being a preachers kid. If your Daddy is doing anything for the cause of Christ someone is not going to a agree. But remember even when the rain falls, even when the flood starts rising, even when the storm comes, I am washed by the water.

Last week I asked people to pray for 20 salvations on Sunday Morning. We saw 6 walk the aslie and many other hands raised.

Add to 2 more to that! One student went home and told his Mom he accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.

Another GCHS Football player approached me Friday in the locker room before the game. With tears in his eyes, he said, I asked Christ to be his Lord and Savior Sunday, I just didn’t have the courage to stand up.

He said “I just wanted you to know and I wanted to say thanks!” Wow that blew my mind! That is why I do what I do! We had a huge win at GCHS before we even hit the field! Then GCHS took the field and won 22-0. Their first win in over a year. They were 0-10 last year. I am so fired up about what God is doing in this team.

I am so thankful to get to do what I do. Thank you God for allowing me to do ministry! Thank you Trinity Baptist for giving me a place to serve. Thank you Coach Fisher for making me a part of your team and allowing me to do what I do.

I always feel awkward receiving complements from people after preaching. For a long time I never knew what to say. I want to be humble, but not to over the top where it comes off as false humility.

Then you have the super religious people who are judging how you respond. Religious people want you to say something churchy and unchurched people wonder why you can’t just receive a compliment.

My Mom told a pastor once he did a great job and his reply was, “don’t thank me it was all God, you should thank God, not me.” It made my my Mom feel bad for saying he did a good job.

The truth is it was not all God, if it were allGod, it would have been a lot better! God could do a better job if He chose not to use me! If it were all God, we should just put a mic up there and let Him speak (I know he really wouldn’t need a mic).  

But that is the incredible part, God often uses people in spite of their incompetence. My freshman year in college I literally was scared to death to speak to a class of 17 students. I had a speech class and I would shake so bad during my 3-5 minute speech, I could feel my head shaking like a bobble head doll.

Yet God still chooses to use us! So just be thankful. Just learn to say thank you. Everyone who knows me, knows if I have anything good to say it was from God.

Here are some highlights from Sunday Morning:

– A whole bunch of people prayed to receive Christ! Not sure how many. I made the response time tough, it it guts to make it public. I am still praying we will here about some the decisions in the weeks to come.

– We had 6 students make public their professions of faith by walking down front of a huge crowd and not being ashamed of what they had just done. (3 Football Players and 3 other Students)

– We had a huge crowd. People had to sit in the balcony.

– Tons of football players and coaches. I am so grateful to be a part of what Coach Fisher is doing at GCHS. He cares more about the players than he does football and he cares a lot about football.

– A very diverse crowd. That is what church should look like.

– The band was incredible. I love our band. They get it done week after week for our student ministry and when they get a chance to play on Sunday Morning, they always knock it out of the park.

– The media team did great! Special thanks to Kevin & Eric. they always make things happen when we throw a bunch of stuff at them.

– A whole bunch of people were praying for Sunday morning. Man were your prayers felt! Thank you so much.

– Most importantly at the end of the day, I think God was honored in a big-time way. God did what only He could do. He drew hearts to him! I am always amazed he chooses to use us. WOW! What an incredible day. Let’s do it again soon!

If you are reading, please join me in praying for this weekend. I am preaching Sunday Morning in the Church here at Trinity. I am asking God to do somethingonly He can do. I am asking God for 20 salvations.

The truth is we know God wants that. He wants even more. He said in 2 Peter 3:9

I plan on preaching a very clear salvation message and asking people to commit their lives to Christ. We will have lost people here. The truth is we always do. Some just do not know they are lost.

But Sunday will be a different day. There will be more teenagers here than this church has possibly ever seen. Gordon Central High School football team is coming to join us. I am so fired up! I have served as a Chaplin on this team for the last couple years and Coach Fisher is a member of our church. He is asking his whole team to come!

PRAY!!! Begin praying right now for the hearts and souls of those attending. For the message. For the band. For me. Pray for 20 salvations. Pray that God would work through us and use us to communicate His incredible love for all those who are here.

It is going to be an incredible day!

Incredible night!

School is definitely back in and I love it! I love the big crowds. I love seeing new faces. Last night there was so much energy in the room. The band did great! The “Almost Impossible Shot” game was fun. It was just and all around great night.

We talked about our response to our incredible God and we had one student respond by giving his life to Christ! Awesome night! Can’t wait till next Wednesday.

I wanted to shout watching this race! The men’s 4×100 meter relay was crazy.

Maybe it was just because it was the Olympics. Maybe it was because the French were favored and talking lots of trash. Maybe it was because they came from behind at the end. Maybe it was the passion on the face of the winners. I just know it was exciting!

I love the passion the of the Olympics. This picture made me think why can’t the church get that excited about seeing people come up out of the water?