THE ENDURING WORD OF GOD & HIS ENDURING CHURCH And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love. – Ephesians 4:11-16 The building up of the church is the business of God. The scripture teaches that God adds to his church daily such as should be saved. In the above text we are told that God places within the church leaders and servants for this task. Where do you fit in within this body of believers? Maybe your part is a humble one. Maybe you are one of the supporting structures or an instructor of children. Wherever it is you are a important. To Peter Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church. This means that his church has always prevailed as has its teachings. Those who say this is not so are calling our Lord Jesus a liar. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. – Ephesians 3:20-21 "All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, 25 but the word of the Lord remains forever. "And this word is the good news that was preached to you. – 1 Peter 1:24-25 God established his church and it will not fall into apostasy because the Word of the Lord remains forever. This would also contradict what we are taught in Matthew 28:19-20. In addition, no church is the savior of God’s Word but neither is the church without it. God has preserved it for us and in some cases He has delivered it to His chosen despite those who would have hidden it from His chosen. The church has and will endure because the Word of God is forever. Jesus is Wonderful! Grace and Peace and Joy to you all be multiplied, Bill | |
Monday, August 30, 2010
A good friend of mine named Bill Martin will be writing for my blog for a time . . .
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
My Story
In 1997, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. For the next six months, I put my life on hold. I was blessed to have a job with a boss, who said if he needed me he’d beep. So during the day, I tried to spend time with Mom. She lived for six months and passed away. After she died, I felt a release to do short term missionary work and I did. I was no longer with the poultry company, I was driving a truck. Because I was able to, I visited five countries from August-December. It was great and I was overwhelmed. In December 1997, my pastor asked me to take over the youth. After much prayer, and a strategy given to me by the Holy Spirit, I said yes. So in January, I became a forty-two year old youth pastor. The strategy I was given, was quite simple.
The following is a short version-
When we began, we had twenty-two youth. Our first year was dedicated to growth and grow we did.
We went from twenty-two to forty- five! It was amazing to stand back and see God work!
The second year was even more amazing!
We had a Drama team, Street ministry and a dance team. My hometown only has fifteen-hundred population, We saw one hundred-twenty six people make a decision for Christ! I told you it was amazing! All I did was let the youth take charge and set back to watch. That’s when trouble started. I knew to take the youth to another level, I had to spend more time with them.
I was working three jobs, one full-time and two part-time. I knew to be able to spend time, the part-time jobs had to go. So, I went to my pastor and talked to him, about taking up a love offering once a month; to supplement my income. He said, all I needed was help. The more he talked, the madder I got. When I left his office, I knew I was going to leave the church and start my own! That’s what we do, we get mad at the man of God IN CHARGE and either run him off or leave. Well, I left! That’s when we started Grace Fellowship. We started with twenty-two and our first year grew to sixty-five. I had taken a night job to supplement my income. I should have been satisfied, the church was growing and I would soon be full-time.
But, I was depressed unfulfilled and angry. I was really depressed, I asked the Elders to let me step down. They said let them pray for a week and see what the Lord says. The next Sunday, they cane back and told me the following, since the church was new and had been started because of my vision; they asked me to stay until May eleventh and they would close the church. I agreed and then we agreed on the closing of the church.
It was hard to preach those last three months, my depression only got worse. Finally the day came and we shut the doors, that’s when depression really hit. That was in 2003. By mid 2004 I was smoking dipping and hooked on porn. I was cold toward my family and friends. I had made secret plans to leave my family. I felt they would be better off without me. The job I had lined up would not start until September 2005. In December 2004, my best friend told me he and his wife had a big surprise for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. They gave us an all expense paid trip to Hawaii.
So in June, we flew to Hawaii. We arrived on June eighteen. We loved Hawaii, did not want to leave. On the way back the blinding headaches start, when we got home they got worse. I had landed a teaching job and was going to give my two week notice but on June twenty-six at work, I had a stroke.
My wife and oldest daughter drove like speedsters coming to my place of work, it only took her ten minutes, by the time they arrived; I could not walk and barely mumble. My wife is a nurse and knew seconds were precious. She took me straight to the hospital. She had called ahead, they met us at the emergency room; with a gurney!
The rest of the story I don’t remember, it was told to me by my family. When I got there, they immediately ran a CAT scan and a MRI. Three hours later, they came back and told my family, he’ll be okay; he just had a light stroke. That was late Monday night Tuesday morning their speech therapist came in and worked with me.
After she took Paula out of the room and told her, get prepared it’s not over. That was Tuesday morning. By Wednesday evening I could not breath or swallow. They put in a trache and a feeding tube. By Wednesday afternoon, I was in ice. I could not move, I could only blink my eyes. The doctors told my family I would not live and if I did; I would be in a wheelchair and on a ventilator the rest of my life.
My oldest daughter screamed out, I DON’T BELIEVE YOU, GOD WILL BE TRIUMPHANT! Paula got on the phone and called my old pastor’s wife and told her. As soon as Paula hung up, she got on the phone. By Wednesday night, the waiting area was filled with people with pillows, they came to pray all night. I was laying in ice knowing things looked pretty grim I prayed.
Later that night I was asleep and dreamed of 1982. Paula and I lived in Cedar Hill Texas. Paula drove to Mississippi, to see her parents and I was home alone. It was Saturday night and I had dug in to watch a Doctor Who marathon. I was in the rocking chair setting in front of the TV. I was in the marathon thirty minutes, when I heard an audible voice. I thought someone was in the house so I took my bat and went looking. No one was in the house, so I went back to my marathon. Not five minutes later, I heard the voice say clearly, "I will never let you go". I knew then the voice was God!
I fell on my knees crying and shaking. You see, I had been working so much, Sunday had become my sleep day. I stayed on the floor crying for what seemed like hours but, when I got up I knew I had been visited. I went to church, from then on no matter how I felt. That night in ice, I did not know how close to death I was but, I knew I was going to be alright. I stayed in ice for two weeks, then they transferred me to another hospital specializing in weaning you off the ventilator.
When the drugs had worn off, I no longer had desires for smoking, dipping or porn. My old pastor and I were reconciled miraculously and still are to this day.
RL
In 1997, my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. For the next six months, I put my life on hold. I was blessed to have a job with a boss, who said if he needed me he’d beep. So during the day, I tried to spend time with Mom. She lived for six months and passed away. After she died, I felt a release to do short term missionary work and I did. I was no longer with the poultry company, I was driving a truck. Because I was able to, I visited five countries from August-December. It was great and I was overwhelmed. In December 1997, my pastor asked me to take over the youth. After much prayer, and a strategy given to me by the Holy Spirit, I said yes. So in January, I became a forty-two year old youth pastor. The strategy I was given, was quite simple.
The following is a short version-
- Growth
- Ministry
- Leadership
When we began, we had twenty-two youth. Our first year was dedicated to growth and grow we did.
We went from twenty-two to forty- five! It was amazing to stand back and see God work!
The second year was even more amazing!
We had a Drama team, Street ministry and a dance team. My hometown only has fifteen-hundred population, We saw one hundred-twenty six people make a decision for Christ! I told you it was amazing! All I did was let the youth take charge and set back to watch. That’s when trouble started. I knew to take the youth to another level, I had to spend more time with them.
I was working three jobs, one full-time and two part-time. I knew to be able to spend time, the part-time jobs had to go. So, I went to my pastor and talked to him, about taking up a love offering once a month; to supplement my income. He said, all I needed was help. The more he talked, the madder I got. When I left his office, I knew I was going to leave the church and start my own! That’s what we do, we get mad at the man of God IN CHARGE and either run him off or leave. Well, I left! That’s when we started Grace Fellowship. We started with twenty-two and our first year grew to sixty-five. I had taken a night job to supplement my income. I should have been satisfied, the church was growing and I would soon be full-time.
But, I was depressed unfulfilled and angry. I was really depressed, I asked the Elders to let me step down. They said let them pray for a week and see what the Lord says. The next Sunday, they cane back and told me the following, since the church was new and had been started because of my vision; they asked me to stay until May eleventh and they would close the church. I agreed and then we agreed on the closing of the church.
It was hard to preach those last three months, my depression only got worse. Finally the day came and we shut the doors, that’s when depression really hit. That was in 2003. By mid 2004 I was smoking dipping and hooked on porn. I was cold toward my family and friends. I had made secret plans to leave my family. I felt they would be better off without me. The job I had lined up would not start until September 2005. In December 2004, my best friend told me he and his wife had a big surprise for our twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. They gave us an all expense paid trip to Hawaii.
So in June, we flew to Hawaii. We arrived on June eighteen. We loved Hawaii, did not want to leave. On the way back the blinding headaches start, when we got home they got worse. I had landed a teaching job and was going to give my two week notice but on June twenty-six at work, I had a stroke.
My wife and oldest daughter drove like speedsters coming to my place of work, it only took her ten minutes, by the time they arrived; I could not walk and barely mumble. My wife is a nurse and knew seconds were precious. She took me straight to the hospital. She had called ahead, they met us at the emergency room; with a gurney!
The rest of the story I don’t remember, it was told to me by my family. When I got there, they immediately ran a CAT scan and a MRI. Three hours later, they came back and told my family, he’ll be okay; he just had a light stroke. That was late Monday night Tuesday morning their speech therapist came in and worked with me.
After she took Paula out of the room and told her, get prepared it’s not over. That was Tuesday morning. By Wednesday evening I could not breath or swallow. They put in a trache and a feeding tube. By Wednesday afternoon, I was in ice. I could not move, I could only blink my eyes. The doctors told my family I would not live and if I did; I would be in a wheelchair and on a ventilator the rest of my life.
My oldest daughter screamed out, I DON’T BELIEVE YOU, GOD WILL BE TRIUMPHANT! Paula got on the phone and called my old pastor’s wife and told her. As soon as Paula hung up, she got on the phone. By Wednesday night, the waiting area was filled with people with pillows, they came to pray all night. I was laying in ice knowing things looked pretty grim I prayed.
Later that night I was asleep and dreamed of 1982. Paula and I lived in Cedar Hill Texas. Paula drove to Mississippi, to see her parents and I was home alone. It was Saturday night and I had dug in to watch a Doctor Who marathon. I was in the rocking chair setting in front of the TV. I was in the marathon thirty minutes, when I heard an audible voice. I thought someone was in the house so I took my bat and went looking. No one was in the house, so I went back to my marathon. Not five minutes later, I heard the voice say clearly, "I will never let you go". I knew then the voice was God!
I fell on my knees crying and shaking. You see, I had been working so much, Sunday had become my sleep day. I stayed on the floor crying for what seemed like hours but, when I got up I knew I had been visited. I went to church, from then on no matter how I felt. That night in ice, I did not know how close to death I was but, I knew I was going to be alright. I stayed in ice for two weeks, then they transferred me to another hospital specializing in weaning you off the ventilator.
When the drugs had worn off, I no longer had desires for smoking, dipping or porn. My old pastor and I were reconciled miraculously and still are to this day.
RL
Thursday, August 12, 2010
God Shows Up
The most I was moved in college was by a speaker who came from India.
He came from America, he and his wife. He had sweat and toiled for a year, not seeing any fruit. He decided they would go home.
He was just about to get on the train, when a little Indian girl tugged on his pant legs.
She was carrying a tract he had been passing out, crying, she said in her language, I want to know this man.
Overwhelmed, he asked his wife to get off the train. They went back and before he died, they had started an orphanage and hospital.
It may look to you in you set of circumstances, that God is not working but, if you will pray and wait, you will see the salvation of the Lord!
Be very attentive because the answer you seek might be no.
Lord, give us the strength we need to hang in and wait on You! I can only speak for myself, I need You to help me, I am a poor example on patience. Amen!!!
RL
The most I was moved in college was by a speaker who came from India.
He came from America, he and his wife. He had sweat and toiled for a year, not seeing any fruit. He decided they would go home.
He was just about to get on the train, when a little Indian girl tugged on his pant legs.
She was carrying a tract he had been passing out, crying, she said in her language, I want to know this man.
Overwhelmed, he asked his wife to get off the train. They went back and before he died, they had started an orphanage and hospital.
It may look to you in you set of circumstances, that God is not working but, if you will pray and wait, you will see the salvation of the Lord!
Be very attentive because the answer you seek might be no.
Lord, give us the strength we need to hang in and wait on You! I can only speak for myself, I need You to help me, I am a poor example on patience. Amen!!!
RL
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
I want to thank you for my family and my friends, they are such a foundation of support.
You are the only God, there is no other. Allah is not God or any other. I praise you for all the little things we take for granted, like the air we breath and the breakfast we had this morning.
Bless and protect all my friends this morning I beg, because the enemy would try and cause them harm but, You oh Lord are our protection.
You are our Father and You will protect those who abide under the shadow of the Almighty!
Oh! Lord cause us to rise and proclaim Your name and praise You in all situations.
We are frail and bankrupt oh God, we need to have Your Spirit fill us over and over.
Teach us to travail and linger oh God!! For in You we find our true happiness.
RL
You are the only God, there is no other. Allah is not God or any other. I praise you for all the little things we take for granted, like the air we breath and the breakfast we had this morning.
Bless and protect all my friends this morning I beg, because the enemy would try and cause them harm but, You oh Lord are our protection.
You are our Father and You will protect those who abide under the shadow of the Almighty!
Oh! Lord cause us to rise and proclaim Your name and praise You in all situations.
We are frail and bankrupt oh God, we need to have Your Spirit fill us over and over.
Teach us to travail and linger oh God!! For in You we find our true happiness.
RL
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Oh Lord how long will you allow the evil doers to go on?
Does Your ears not hear the words of Your people who make daily intercession.
Let our pleas be heard and please continue to watch over us.
Thank You oh God for Your hands of protection that is with us everyday!
I ask that You protect those on foreign soils and help us to see Your hands in our lives here in America. Bless President Obama and all the Representatives and Senators, their jobs are so important.
We know so many are against Israel, protect her and keep her safe.
We so need Your direction for the upcoming election, help us to vote according to Your will and not party
Help us to keep our eyes focused on You and become more like Your Son. Amen!!!
RL
Does Your ears not hear the words of Your people who make daily intercession.
Let our pleas be heard and please continue to watch over us.
Thank You oh God for Your hands of protection that is with us everyday!
I ask that You protect those on foreign soils and help us to see Your hands in our lives here in America. Bless President Obama and all the Representatives and Senators, their jobs are so important.
We know so many are against Israel, protect her and keep her safe.
We so need Your direction for the upcoming election, help us to vote according to Your will and not party
Help us to keep our eyes focused on You and become more like Your Son. Amen!!!
RL
Monday, August 2, 2010
A DEAR FRIEND
I have a unique friend, I met him while I was preaching at his church in 1974. I was only 16.
When I first met him, my first impression was; What a weird person.
We all make first impressions, good or bad. Thank God we get to know people better.
I was in college in Lakeland, FL, it was 1978 and I had just purchased a book called Pilgrim’s Regress by C. S. Lewis.
One Saturday, I had off from work and school, I picked up the book to read. The first ten pages or so were boring, so I threw it down.
It wasn’t that the book was bad, I just did not preserve through.
Later after college, I picked it back up and made myself read the book. It so happens, that it was one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Friendship is like that. I had to persevere with my friend and he me, now we are the best of friends.
Friendship is like that book, it had to grow on me and I had to be in the right place to receive.
In many of my friendships, I’m sure that many people’s first impressions of me were wrong but, after a time I begin to wear on them and they got into a better place
A guideline I use is this, I try and see them as Jesus would and hope they look at me in the same light.
In doing so with my friend, I see a man who truly has a heart of the Father, he is the most trustworthy person I have ever known.
If I had not persevered with that book, I would have missed out on the best book I’ve ever read.
We must also persevere in relationships, who knows you maybe missing out on the best one yet!
Lord, help us all to persevere in all our relationships as You do with us! `Amen!!!
RL
I have a unique friend, I met him while I was preaching at his church in 1974. I was only 16.
When I first met him, my first impression was; What a weird person.
We all make first impressions, good or bad. Thank God we get to know people better.
I was in college in Lakeland, FL, it was 1978 and I had just purchased a book called Pilgrim’s Regress by C. S. Lewis.
One Saturday, I had off from work and school, I picked up the book to read. The first ten pages or so were boring, so I threw it down.
It wasn’t that the book was bad, I just did not preserve through.
Later after college, I picked it back up and made myself read the book. It so happens, that it was one of the best books I’ve ever read.
Friendship is like that. I had to persevere with my friend and he me, now we are the best of friends.
Friendship is like that book, it had to grow on me and I had to be in the right place to receive.
In many of my friendships, I’m sure that many people’s first impressions of me were wrong but, after a time I begin to wear on them and they got into a better place
A guideline I use is this, I try and see them as Jesus would and hope they look at me in the same light.
In doing so with my friend, I see a man who truly has a heart of the Father, he is the most trustworthy person I have ever known.
If I had not persevered with that book, I would have missed out on the best book I’ve ever read.
We must also persevere in relationships, who knows you maybe missing out on the best one yet!
Lord, help us all to persevere in all our relationships as You do with us! `Amen!!!
RL
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