Rick Anderson's Blog, page 9

Last Appointment

 

Death Chamber

Duane had an appointment on Thursday.  He got ready and was taken to the waiting room in Huntsville so that he would be on time.  Preparations were made and people converged on the scene in order to be present for his last appointment.

Lawyers worked feverishly to file their appeals.  Texas Department of Criminal Justice employees and members of the press hurried to the old Walls Unit.  A buzz of excitement was in the air.  Duane ate his last meal after giving thanks to God.

In the hours that would follow, one characteristic remained steadfast: Duane's unwavering faith in his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

During my time as the Chaplain on Texas' Death Row, I had many occasions to visit with Duane Buck at the door to his cell.  I was always impressed with the depth of his faith and his humility before the Lord.  Duane knew that he was a sinner who deserved to die and spend an eternity in hell for his sins.  He didn't need anyone to tell him.  He knew.  In spite of the guilt of his sins, he found a Savior who offered to forgive him of all of them, even murder.  Duane humbled himself before this mighty God and asked for forgiveness.  He invited Christ to be Lord of his life.  Jesus was more than willing to run to him in the darkness of death row's dungeon.

Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Luke 15:4-6; ""If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.  When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.'"

Jesus went to my friend, Duane, and found the lost sheep for which he searched.  He found a sheep that was willing to follow Him wherever he should lead him.  All the angels in heaven rejoiced at this sheep that was lost but now had been found.

Offender Buck has followed his Shepherd since that day and has become a strong believer.  He is a light in the darkness of Texas' Death Row, unapologetically telling officers and offenders alike about this Lord that washed him clean of all of his sins.  I know, because he told me.  He witnessed to me.  We shared God's Word together.  We prayed for each other. He constantly encouraged me to stand strong for Christ.

Last Thursday evening, a representative of the Department of Criminal Justice went back to the Death House, only feet away from the gurney, to give Duane a message.  He found Duane kneeling in prayer.  He told Duane that the U.S. Supreme Court had granted him a stay of execution.

Duane's response was, "Praise the Lord!  God is worthy to be praised. God's mercy triumphs over judgment. I feel good."  He responded in keeping with his character as a man of deep faith in the Lord who saved him.

For now, he returns to Death Row, where he will continue to shine the light of Christ into the darkness.  God has given him more time to bear witness for him and to bring glory to this mighty God who saves even murderers condemned to death.

May Duane's witness be an inspiration to us all as we seek to live our lives in a world that doesn't acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord.  May we stand firm for the sake of Christ and be unwavering in faith in Him.  May we seek His way and not our own way.  May we be willing to follow Him wherever He leads us and bear witness for Him without apology to any and all that God brings us to encounter in our circle of influence.

May we live as people who have their last appointment on today's calendar so that we will have praise ever present on our lips and in our hearts.

 

Burning Bush

Burning Bush

 

Exodus 3:1-4; "One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God.  There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn't burn up.  "This is amazing," Moses said to himself. "Why isn't that bush burning up? I must go see it."  When the LORD saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, "Moses! Moses!" "Here I am!" Moses replied."

It was almost time for me to leave home in order to make the Seniors Luncheon at the First United Methodist Church of Timpson.  As their pastor, it was traditionally my job to lead the meal blessing that would occur at 11:30 a.m. sharp.  In other words, I had a "burning issue" of my own that I had plans on tending to.

Suddenly, my cell phone erupted on the kitchen counter.  I sauntered over to look at the caller id, which said, "Mandy".  I hesitated before answering, concerned about getting into a long conversation that might cause me to be late for the luncheon.

However, if I knew anything, I knew that Mandy only called when something big was happening in her world.  She had been a family friend for a long time and the only times that I had ever gotten a call from her were when something had gone wrong with someone that I knew and loved.  This time would be no different than the others.

"Hello, Mandy", I said when I answered the phone.

"Hey, Rick!  It's great to hear your voice!" she replied.

We quickly became involved in catching up with each other. We hadn't had a chance to visit since she moved to another state over a year ago.  I kept glancing at my watch.  The urge to hurry the conversation along so that I could leave kept gnawing at me.  Yet something deep inside seemed to steer me from it.  We kept talking.

Soon, I realized that there was no way that I could make it to the church by 11:30, so I relaxed a bit and let the conversation go where she needed it to go.  Eventually, she finally got to the point of her call.  She needed a friend and she needed a pastor.  She had run up against a trial in her life that was overwhelming and she needed someone to talk with about it.  Most importantly, she needed someone to lift her up in prayer before the Throne of Grace.

Thankfully, God didn't let me hurry her off the phone so that I could say the meal blessing at the church.  As soon as our conversation ended, I looked at my watch which read 11:20.  I dialed the number for the church.  One of the members picked up and I told her that I was going to be arriving late due to an unexpected phone call.  She understood.  The meal blessing was given by one of the dearest elder gentlemen in the church.  I couldn't have done any better than he did, I'm sure.

We rarely get the burning bushes like Moses that called him to the great task of leading the children of Israel out of bondage in Egypt and to the brink of the Promised Land.  I'm sure that Moses had a plan for his life that didn't include returning to Egypt to rescue the Hebrew people, but God had a different plan for Moses.

Each of us has our own plan for our lives and even for our day that we try so hard to follow.  We have appointments and 'burning issues' on our schedule, but God reminds us as He did Moses in Exodus 3:7; "I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering."

God is aware of the suffering of His people today and He sends His followers to minister to them in His name.  Don't worry like Moses that you are inadequate to the task.  Remember what God told Moses in Exodus 3:12; "I will be with you."

Be ready for God to call you to help someone who is suffering.  Be open to God's timing and remember that He is with you so you won't ever be on your own.  Be open to God's timing and not your own.  Allow God to use you to touch the life of someone else who is in need.

 

Foundation Repair

Foundation Damage

 

The small sign nailed to a tree on the side of the FM road read "Foundation Repair", then followed with a phone number to call.  In a normal time, this sign would largely be ignored.  However, in the middle of a parching drought, it's getting a lot of attention.

The drought that Texas is enduring right now has caused a host of problems.  Pastures are parched and dead.  Stock ponds are dry.  Cattle are being sold by the hundreds.  Fish are dying in farm ponds.  Large lakes are critically low on water.  Marinas are without water and without business.  The list goes on.

Another issue has crept to the surface as well.  The foundations of many homes and other buildings are under severe stress as the soil underneath is shrinking and shifting due to a lack of moisture content.  As a result, the slabs are cracking and breaking.  Huge cracks are running up walls.  Porches are separating from the buildings.

We recently saw this problem at the First United Methodist Church of Garrison, where the columns on the front of the church were breaking apart and twisting.  We had to call in an expert to help us stabilize the foundation of the church.

The problem is at a crisis point for many whose homes, businesses and churches are making the hard decision to repair their foundation even though the cost is great.  The alternative is unacceptable, for if it is ignored, the stability of the structures is in serious question.

As a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in a sense, I am in the foundation repair business.  We all have problems and issues that threaten us, our marriages, our homes, our businesses and our churches.  The persons who build their lives on the rock of Jesus Christ are well prepared for whatever comes our way.  I'm not saying that everything will be hunky-dory all the time or that we won't face trials and tribulations.  That's not true at all, but those who have a strong foundation in the Lord will be able to weather the storm.

Jesus says it best in Matthew 7:24-27; ""Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.  Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock.  But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand.  When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.""

Now is a good time to inspect your foundation, and I'm not just talking about the physical foundation of your home.  I'm also strongly encouraging each of us to take inventory on our lives.  Be honest with yourself and with your family.  Is your life centered in the person of Jesus Christ?  Are you serving Him with your all? What are you doing to make the foundation strong?  Are you involved in weekly worship and Bible study?  Are you spending time in devotion and prayer daily?  Are you seeking God's will for your life or are you serving your own purposes and plan?

I hope that you find that you have built your house on the rock of Christ Jesus, but if not, will you humble yourself before the Lord so that He can repair your cracked foundation?  Please seek the Lord before the storms come and you find that the stability of your life is severely compromised because of a poor foundation.

In 1834, Edward Mote wrote a hymn long entitled, "My Hope is Built", which says it well:  "My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' Name.  On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.  All other ground is sinking sand".

Smokey the Bear Bandana

On Saturday, I took my 10 year-old son, Caleb, to the SFA Native Plant Center for their family fun day.  They had all kinds of outdoor activities for kids, including archery, solar cooking, snake handling, bird identification and a host of others.

While we made our way from one activity center to another, Caleb noticed that a few kids were wearing a 'Smokey the Bear' bandana.  He said, "I want one of those bandanas!  What do we have to do to get one?"  We asked several of the hosts at the activity centers who didn't seem to have a clue.

Finally, we made it to the center that required Caleb to learn how to use a compass.  We took the hand compass that John, the guide, gave to us and headed out on the bearing of 199 degrees that he had given to us.  He told us that there was a box with a surprise that we would find if we followed the compass bearing that he gave to us.  Sure enough, we walked for a little over a hundred feet and found the box, but it had already been picked over.

We went back for the second part of the directional challenge which was to use an old GPS unit.  John said, "Follow the direction that it tells you to walk in and you will find a surprise."  We began to walk.  We went around a garden and over a long foot bridge to a roadway that crossed the path that we were on, led by the GPS unit.

We saw a box that was off the course, went and looked in it and there was nothing there.  I told Caleb, "Let's get back on our course and keep walking." As soon as we got back on course, we found a small trail on the other side of the road that led into the woods.  We rounded a curve and there was a box.  Caleb hurried to the open box and pulled out one of the 'Smokey the Bear' bandanas.  He was thrilled!

Living in this world, we need a sort of GPS unit to follow in the living out of our lives.  King David tells us in Psalm 37:23-24; "The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.  Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand."

You might ask, "How does the Lord direct my steps? And "Who are the godly?"

The answer lies in Jesus' conversation with His disciples on the night before He was crucified in John 14:15; ""If you love me, obey my commandments."  Later in the same conversation, He added in verse 21; "Those who accept my commandments and obey them are the ones who love me. And because they love me, my Father will love them. And I will love them and reveal myself to each of them.""

The ones who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and follow His commands with their whole heart and life are the ones that God leads and guides.  It's not because we are righteous in and of ourselves, but rather Christ is the source of our righteousness.  He is the one who saves us and He is the one who helps us to follow His ways, which are always good, right and true.

Just like my son and I, when we get off track, we'll find that the box for which we search is empty.  It's only through coming back to Christ and following His ways that we find ourselves on the pathway to the blessed life.  God holds us by the hand and reveals countless blessings along the way for all who walk with Him and trust in His ways.

Whatever your life condition is today, if you've stumbled from the right path or if you've never followed the Lord's path with your life, you can detour onto the right path by simply believing that Jesus Christ suffered and died for your sins.  He paid the ultimate price to redeem you from your rebellion to His ways while you were still following the wrong path.  He was raised from the dead on the third day in order to win the victory over sin and death, once and for all.  He is waiting for you to come to Him and follow His plan for your life.  Ask Him to forgive you and help you to follow Him.  Find a good Christian church to get involved in and find some Christian friends to help support and encourage you.  Read your Bible every day, for it is God's love letter to you and it contains direction for your life.  You can come back today.  Won't you ask the Lord to help you right now?

You Can Do Something

In mid-January of 2010, Jean Claude was working in his homeland of Haiti as an interpreter for an American missionary surgical team that was working in Port-au-Prince performing eye surgeries on Haitian patients who would never be able to receive treatment otherwise.  It had been a long day as many eye surgeries were performed by the medical team.  One of the surgeons said to Jean Claude, "I'm tired.  Let's take a break and walk outside."

Several other Haitian interpreters had already gathered outside as the doctor and Jean Claude made their way through the door into the late afternoon sunlight.  A nurse stuck her head out the door and called Jean Claude to return to help her to communicate to a Haitian patient who spoke only French Creole, the language of Haiti.

Jean Claude made his way back inside and began to interpret the message for the nurse.  Suddenly the floor began to shake violently.  Jean Claude heard a deafening roar as the cement ceiling gave way and caved in on top of them.

Moments later, he regained consciousness to find himself pinned underneath the crushing weight of cement and rebar which had once been the roof for the building.  He tried to move his arms, his legs and his head, but he was unable to budge them at all.  He prayed to God, "God, help me!  I'm trapped!"

Through the panic and chaos, God spoke to him, saying, "You can do something."

He tried again to move without success.  Once again, he prayed, "God, help me!"

Again, he heard a voice speak into the depths of his soul, "You can do something."

He tried to wiggle his arm free and slowly was able to move his arm, reach into his pocket, grab his cellphone and poke his arm up through the rubble, waving his cellphone for anyone who might be looking for survivors.  Montas, one of the interpreters, had been combing through the rubble looking for Jean Claude.  He saw his hand and cellphone and frantically began to paw at the cement that encased Jean Claude.  Others came to help and, after what seemed hours, they were able to dig Jean Claude free from his would-be tomb.

Once free, Jean Claude looked around at the devastation and trauma.  He prayed silently again, "Lord, what can we do?  There's so much death and destruction?  How can we help the American surgical team?"  Again, he heard the response, "You can do something."

He took off running down the street, looking for anyone who might help rescue the Americans.  He finally ran into a contingent of the UN Peace Keeping Force.  Although they spoke a different language, Jean Claude was able to communicate that there were Americans trapped underneath the rubble.  The UN soldiers raced to their aid.

Within a few hours and with the assistance of the UN soldiers, they were able to rescue several members of the medical team, although two nurses perished in the quake.

1Peter 4:10 encourage us; "God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another."

If you have been saved and serve Jesus Christ as Lord, then God has given you gifts and graces for ministering to others.  It is His intent that we use those gifts and graces in order to instruct the church, to serve others in love and to reach out to a lost world with the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Just as God said to Jean Claude, "You can do something!"  Don't think that you are unable to do anything for God.  If a helpless man pinned underneath a crushing weight of cement can do something, surely you and I can, too.

Since the earthquake, Jean Claude has used his interpreting skills to assist church ministries that are working in Haiti to rebuild the churches and Christian schools all over his country.  Through the work that is being done in the name of Christ, hope is returning to the nation of Haiti.

May we all be inspired to "do something" for the cause of Christ as He gives us the ability and the leading.

Waiting on the Porch for Jesse

A few years ago, I received a phone call from one of the members of my church.  She relayed to me that Jesse and Nell, both members of the church, had been in Shreveport for a lap-band surgery for their son, Clay.  I was well aware of the surgery, as we had been praying for Clay for a few days.  She went on to say that something had gone wrong during the surgery and Clay did not survive.  He passed away on the operating table.

A wave of nausea washed over me.  I could only imagine the devastation that Jesse and Nell must be experiencing right now.  Jesse was in his late 70's at the time and I was immediately concerned about he and Nell and how this loss of a child might affect them.

The caller went on to say that they were on their way home from Shreveport at the moment and would be home in about an hour.  I dropped everything, jumped into my car and drove from my home in Corrigan to their home in the Bald Hill Community of Lufkin.

There was one other person waiting on the front porch when I got there.  I got out of my car, stepped up onto the front porch and dropped heavily into a rocking chair waiting on Jesse to get home.

The other church member and I talked about what had happened to Clay.  A heaviness pushed down on my heart as I began to grapple with what to say to them when they pulled up at home.  I knew in my heart that there were no words to say that would bring comfort to them in this great loss.  All that I could do was offer them love and support and let them know that God was still with them.

After about thirty minutes, Jesse pulled up in the yard and we quickly ran down the steps to greet them.  We grabbed them, hugged them and loved on them as the tears streamed down their faces.  We hurt for them and with them.

Years have gone by since that day and I received another phone call from the same church member who called when Clay passed away.  She relayed to me that Jesse had just gone to be with the Lord, too.  A couple of days later, I walked into the funeral home for Jesse's funeral.  There was Nell in front of Jesse's casket greeting friends and loved ones with a sweet smile on her face.  I awaited my turn to express my condolences.

As soon as she saw me, she reached out for me.  "Rick!  It's so good to see you!  Jesse loved you so much!" she said.  My heart hurt with the words.

"I loved him, too.  He was a truly great man and a role model for me," I replied.

"We'll never forget the day that you were waiting for us on the porch when Clay died," she recalled.  I had forgotten about it until she mentioned it and it all came rushing back.

I sat down on the back row and awaited the funeral service to commence.  As I reflected on that day years ago, another vision crowded it out in my mind.  I could see Clay rocking on the front porch of his mansion in heaven, waiting for Jesse to come home.  I saw Clay run down the steps to embrace his Daddy when he walked down his lane.  As the father and son embraced and parted, I heard Clay tell Jesse, "Come with me, Dad.  There's someone that's been waiting for you for a long time.  I can't wait for you to finally meet him face to face."

Together, they walked side by side toward the throne where Jesus was waiting for Jesse.

John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

Lasting Peace

Al shifted in his seat and set his cane against the wall while his dark glasses hid the blind eyes that lay behind.  His thoughts raced back to a time over 65 years ago when he was a young sailor during World War II.  "I was on a mine sweep at the end of the war.  We were at the port of Mobile having some work done on the ship when the news broke about the Japanese surrender."

He continued, "All of the guys went up on deck and began to whoop, holler and dance.  We were going crazy with the news!  Suddenly, the radio operator came up from below with a piece of paper in his hand.  He asked me, 'What are you all partying for?'.  I said, 'Because the war is over and we'll all be going home soon.'"

"The radio operator shook his head and held up the piece of paper.  'No we won't!' he said.  'I've just received orders that we are to head immediately to Tokyo to sweep the harbor of mines so that the flotilla of ships can safely enter the harbor for the armistice signing.'"

"All of a sudden, our party was squelched with the news that we had to shove off for Tokyo to provide a service for the good of the nation.  It wasn't anything new.  We had been doing it for years, but now we were called upon to prepare the way for a lasting peace."

I couldn't help but remember what old Isaiah said in chapter 9 beginning with verse 6: "For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.  The government will rest on his shoulders, and he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  His government and its peace will never end.  He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.  The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!"

Again as Peter tells us in 1 Peter 6-8; "So be truly glad.  There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.  These trials will show that your faith is genuine.  It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold — though your faith is far more precious than mere gold.  So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."

For now, we serve God in obedience, following His Word and the leading of His Spirit who is trying to save any and all who will listen and understand the Good News about Jesus Christ.  As we continue to serve, we know that one day the struggle will be over and Christ will return.  One day, we will prevail through the power of God.  One day, true peace will reign through the Prince of Peace.  So, as Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:13, let us "never get tired of doing good."  Let us continue to proclaim the Good News about Christ through both word and deed for one day soon, our joy will be made complete when Christ returns!

Long Way Back

Kim and I left the huge convention hall at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago and walked back toward our room at the hotel that adjoined the convention center.  The first part of our journey looked familiar as we made our way past restaurants, coffee shops and escalators that we had passed by early that morning.

Kim questioned why we were headed across the walkway that led over the street toward another large building.  I was amused that she would be so turned around as I continued to lead her along the way that I was sure led back to the hotel.

When we reached the far end of the walkway and entered another huge building, it was apparent that the air conditioning was not working very well.  It quickly became very warm and uncomfortable.  The air was hot and stuffy.  We continued to walk as it became more clear to me than I wanted to admit that we had taken a wrong turn and were in the wrong building.

I kept looking as we walked, unwilling to admit that I had led us astray.  Finally, we saw a sign for our hotel that pointed to another walkway that would carry us back across the street to the sanctity of our room.  I pointed to the sign and we continued to walk.

She said, "This isn't the way that we came this morning."  I had to admit to her the truth.  "No it's not.  We shouldn't have gone the way that we went.  We lost our way somehow."  Thankfully, as we continued to search for the right way, we found it and got back on the right path to where we needed to be.

Along life's journey, sometimes it can be easy to lose our way.  We can have the best intentions yet not be following the path that God has laid out for us.  We somehow stop following His ways and begin to depend on our own ways.  Even when we realize that we've gotten off track, it's hard to admit to ourselves or to anyone else that we've made mistakes which have gotten us into an unpleasant place.  We may try to pretend that everything is alright and that we have everything under control.  The truth is that we've lost our way and we desperately need to find our way back home.

If this sounds familiar to you, don't be upset or offended.  It happened to me, too.  I lost my way but I found the way back to the safety of the Father's arms.  Jesus tells a story in Luke 15 about a Prodigal Son who takes his inheritance from his father and squanders it in a foreign land.  He ends up feeding hogs and wishing that he could just be treated like a servant in his father's house.  He realizes the error of his ways and returns to his home.  Verse 20 continues the story, "And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming.  Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.  His son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.'  "But his father said to the servants, 'Quick!  Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him.  Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet.  And kill the calf we have been fattening.  We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life.  He was lost, but now he is found.'  So the party began."

If you have wandered from the right path, you can always return.  The Father is waiting for you.  He will run to you and embrace you.  All that you need to do is to repent and return to him.  He will meet you on your way.

Mustard Seed Faith

I was about midway through my college career and had been put on academic probation twice.  It still hadn't sunk in that I was going to have to buckle down and study if I was going to make it through the last couple of years.  I was struggling and I knew that something had to change for me.

One day, I was visiting with a couple of friends who got into a conversation about their personal spiritual beliefs.  One of them was basically an atheist and the other something else when the atheist friend turned to me and asked me what I believed.  I immediately shot back, "I believe in Jesus Christ."  The realization of what I had said percolated deep down into my soul and I felt renewed all of a sudden.

I buckled down in school and tried as hard as I could.  It still wasn't pretty, but little by little, my GPA began to inch upward.  It was hard work trying to offset all of the damage that I had already done to myself, but I began to see some progress.

I slowly and cautiously worked on my faith in Christ as well, following at a snail-like pace.  Nevertheless, I was making progress all the way around.

When I finally graduated on a Saturday afternoon during another economic recession in 1983, I drove to a friend's house that evening in Mississippi.  I didn't have a job offer yet and I was mulling my options.

The next morning, my friend's phone rang.  He talked for a moment and handed the phone to me.  "Rick, this is Allen Toy," the voice on the other end said.  I knew Allen as the Personnel Manager for a large forest products corporation.  I had spoken with him several times but they didn't have any vacancies at the time.  "I need for you to be in Pensacola first thing tomorrow morning.  One of the foresters quit on Friday and they are looking for a replacement.  Can you be there?" he asked.

"Absolutely!" I replied.  First thing Monday morning, I headed toward Pensacola in my old Vega with the floor boards rotted out and leaving an oil cloud behind.  When I arrived and sat down for the interview, it was obvious to all of us that I was their man.  Everything clicked well.  They never interviewed another soul.

I ended up getting a job with a Fortune 500 company that I would have never qualified to interview with on the college campus because my GPA was well below the level of even being granted an interview.

Now I'm slow, but I knew in my gut that God had made it all happen.  There were too many circumstances that didn't add up for this to just be dumb luck.  The job would eventually bring me to Texas where I would be called into the full time pastoral ministry.  My degree would open the way for me to attend seminary.  God had worked to make a way to grow my faith and for that faith to touch the lives of many others, including the condemned men on Texas' Death Row.

Matthew 13:31-32 "Here is another illustration Jesus used: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.  It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants; it grows into a tree, and birds come and make nests in its branches.""

Thank you Lord, for taking the faith that you give us and growing it both within us and touching the hearts and lives of those around us.  May He increase your faith so that it will impact the faith of others to His glory!

Another Good Ole Boy

About ten years ago I went with my family for a weekend visit to my wife's sister's house in Tyler, Texas.  We arrived on Friday evening right in the middle of a pool party that they were throwing for some friends and neighbors.  We tried to fall right into the party and quickly got involved in a conversation with a couple who lived immediately behind my sister-in-law's house.

The lady asked me, "Where are you from?  You don't sound like you're from Texas."

"No, I'm not.  I'm from Alabama," I replied.

"That's funny," she said, "our pastor's from Alabama, too."

"Oh, yeah?  What's his name?" I queried and the thought immediately hit me upside the head, Why did you ask for his name?  You're not going to know this person anyway!

"David Dykes," came her response.

"David Dykes…David Dykes…," I said as the name sounded vaguely familiar.  Suddenly it came to me, "I know David Dykes!  He was in the same class in high school with my older brother!  He went to school in Florala, Alabama, my hometown!"

We were all stunned!  I hadn't heard his name in at least fifteen years and had lost track of him years before.  I remembered hearing that he was in seminary studying to be a pastor back when I was in college, but I had lost track of him over the years.  Now he was the pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler, Texas, a church of over twelve thousand souls.

Before the weekend was over, I got his cell phone number and talked with him briefly as he returned from playing golf with friends.  He remembered my brother and agreed to send some outreach materials, including DVD's of some of his sermons to him.

I remembered the parable of Jesus in Matthew 13:33; "Jesus also used this illustration: "The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.""

God had surely put a small measure of yeast in the heart of David Dykes during his teenage years in that small town in Alabama to which I am so familiar.  None of us saw what God was doing at the time, but God knew that he was going to raise up a pastor and teacher to lead a multitude.

The faith of that one man has spread to cause countless others to grow in their faith as he ministers weekly to thousands in the sanctuary in Tyler and to thousands more that watch him on television.  That's just a small example of the way that God grows our faith and uses us to help grow the faith of others.  Thank you, God, for helping us all to grow in our faith in you.  Please continue to grow us and help us to overcome our unbelief.