A Beautiful Reminder

There is something about dogwoods in bloom that remind me not only that Spring is here, but also that Resurrection Morning is just around the corner. I really do not know why, other than the story I heard as a young boy about the dogwood bloom; you remember, the crown of thorns, the cross, etc. Whatever the reason, I love Spring and I love for God through His Creation to remind me that Jesus is alive, be it Spring, Summer, Winter, or Fall!

This week, take the time to look over the woods just behind the GCF building and you will see them in full bloom, presenting themselves as large pieces of white lace thrown over the trees. Talk about beautiful!

By the way, the view is free, so enjoy it, and as you do remember this: Spring is here and He is alive!

Just thought I would remind you . . .

Do You Remember this Face?

In some ways, it seems like ages ago when she was among us but in others, it seems like just yesterday. I keep several pictures of her in plain view, not because I will ever forget her but because I don't want a single day to pass without remembering her. I am still wondering what God's finished product will look like and eager to see it!

As you might imagine, she has been attending not only Mars Hill Graduate school, but also the Graduate School of Hard Knocks; I am not sure which she will complete first, although I do think she will graduate Summa Cum Laude from the latter! I hope she is keeping a journal that will one day facilitate her writing a book! Journal or no journal, she will wear "battle scars" a-plenty, battle scars that will really be the "brand marks" of Jesus!

We have been privileged to help support her with our prayers and our money, so I thought I would remind you that the end of March is almost here! Thus far this month, we have received only $395.00, which is $305.00 short of our monthly goal.

Just a friendly reminder of a very familiar face and of our incredible privilege.

Your Pastor

Leftovers!

Tomorrow evening, we will gather to pray--not to learn how to pray, or when to pray, or what to pray, but to pray. I really hope that you will make it a priority to be present; it just might be possible that God listens when the church prays together, whether or not we know how, when, or what.

I wish I did know the how and when and what of prayer, but the truth is this: I have a weakness; I do not know how to pray--period. Thank Goodness, the Holy Spirit does and He intercedes (always) for me (and for you) with groanings and utterances too deep for words (which aren't really adequate for the job anyway) and He does so (always) according to the will of God!

There! That should be enough to motivate you to us as we P-R-A-Y!

A Visit to the Doctor

This morning I paid a visit to my internist, Dr. Charles Ridley III, mostly to get my routine blood work done (the note you see reveals the results). I also had a couple of other matters that I wanted to ask him about: (1) muscle pain; (2) allergies; (3) and "itch" in my ear. For the allergies, he prescribed Zyrtec, an antihistamine; for the "itch" in my ear, he said, "I don't know what that is but don't be concerned about it; just put a bit of cortisone ointment on it, and it should be fine." The "muscle pain" brought about a bit of a different diagnosis. These were his words: you are getting old! Of course, I told him that I knew that, but I also wondered if the problem might be coming from the statin drug I am taking--Crestor. Now, I am not like those folk who read the "possible side effects" sheet of their medicines and immediately begin to have most of them--far from it; however, I do want to be prudent when it comes to matters of my health, so I pressed the issue a bit. He did admit that he took Crestor at one time and had to stop because of muscle pain, which did give a bit a credibility to my supposition.

Now, having said that, take another look at my blood profile: by anyone's standard, with the possible exception of my A1C, the numbers are excellent and I certainly do not want to do anything to jeopardize them. However, after a brief discussion, he suggested that I stop taking Crestor for one month just to see if it is the cause of my "muscle pain" and I agreed to do so. So, for the next 30 days I am on-my-own regarding my lipid profile. Yikes!! I love food, especially good food!

Now I said all of that to say this: if you would like you could begin to place bets on which will prove to be the culprit: my age or the Crestor. All proceeds could go to cleaning the front wall of the church building!

Just thought I would let you know!
Your Pastor

Today's Service

In my not so humble opinion, today's service was remarkable for several reasons: (1) we had several visitors, for which I am very thankful; (2) one of our guests was kind enough to play the piano for our worship time, for which I am very thankful, not to mention blessed; (3) the "atmosphere" was tremendous, which I never take for granted; (4) I got to preach, which always gives me life; and most importantly (5) He was present, which means that we experienced "church!"

I truly hope that you caught the point of my message today--the point that He had for you to catch! Let us forget the notion of trying to become better Pharisees and simply enjoy the righteousness that is in Jesus--His righteousness.

Remember: when you give alms, when you pray, and when you fast, do so in secret and not to be seen by men! I might add this: be careful as to what you treasure; you cannot serve two masters; desire trust, not clarity.

Blessings to you,
Your Pastor

Sunday is Coming!

Yes, I know that it is only Thursday but Sunday is coming and I am looking forward to it. After spending most of the morning in sermon preparation, I am convinced that He has given me a message. No, I do not have the "finishing touches" quite in hand, as of yet; however, it is not Sunday. For those of you who like titles for sermons, try this one on for size: "Practicing the Righteousness that is found in Jesus."

I am well-aware that Spring has sprung and our desires are for the great out-of-doors; however, I want to encourage you to make it your business to be present for our service this Sunday. In the meantime, be thinking about such things as the giving of alms, praying, fasting, what you treasure, who (what) you have allowed to be your master, and trust. Whatever you do, remember this: your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom!

This might even be a great Sunday for you to bring someone with you, you know, a visitor!

Love,
Your Pastor

Consider the Ravens and the Lilies

“And He said to his disciples, ‘For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. For life is more than food, and the body than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; and they have no storeroom nor barn; and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable your are than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span? If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why are you anxious about other matters? Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, but I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you, O men of little faith! And do not seek what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek; but your Father knows that you have need of these things. But seek for His kingdom, and these things shall be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity; make yourselves purses which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. For where you treasure is, there will your heart be also’” (Luke 12:22-34).

This text should be a no-brainer for every believer; after all, our Father is, well, He is God, the omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, creator of this universe, who not only loves us with perfect love, but also desires His very best for us. Yet, it is sometimes so very difficult to appropriate, especially the “do not be anxious” and the “stop worrying” and the “sell your possessions and give to charity” parts.

Even so, consider the ravens and the lilies. . .

Your Pastor

The Death of a True Friend

It was the early Fall of 1962; I was 20 and Caucasion, Irving was 33 and African-American, and both of us were a long way from home. We were just beginning our course of study at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, neither of us having any idea of the friendship that would soon develop, a friendship that would prove to be a true friendship. We met during one of our first classes and learned that we were both from the deep South (he from St. Petersburg, Florida and I from Reynolds, Georgia) and that we both lived in the same dorm--Centennial Hall. For the next two years we studied together, ate together, attended Big Ten football games together, did clinicals together, even attended a few movies together. On June 6, 1964 we became alumni of that great University and, thus, ended our course of study there; however, we determined that our friendship would continue, and continue it did, for 4 + decades. The last time I spoke with him was on Wednesday, March 7, 2007, less than 48 hours before his family called me to tell me of his death. I would attempt to describe the immediate emotions I felt but mere words are inadequate. Suffice it to say that he will forever live in my heart as my true friend. Fortunately, he has two sons and two daughters, along with a precious wife of more than 50 years, each of whom loves me and will be my connection to him for the rest of my life. Our friendship will live on through them.

About a year ago, his family asked me to speak at his funeral service (at that time, he was very ill and not expected to live but a few days, if that) and I readily agreed, assuring them that that I would be honored to do so. When the call came advising me of his death, the reminder that I had agreed to speak came along with it. As a result, Annis and I left Macon and made our way to St. Petersburg. The rest is history.

I have seen God do many beautiful things in my lifetime. Furthermore, I have read about Him parting the sea, giving sight to the blind, healing the lame, walking on water, even raising the
dead. However, I do not think I have ever seen or read anything quite like what I saw and experienced during the time I was speaking at my friend's funeral. All I know to tell you is this: He parted another sea, and in doing so, He gave sight to the blind and He healed the lame. No, I am not referring to my audience but to me.

When I left Macon, I did so with many questions racing around in my mind (still have many of them), not the least of which was whether or not God's calling on my life was still effective. I certainly didn't feel that it was effective, nor did it appear to be effective. As you might imagine, this profoundly affected the way I approached my speaking at Sanchez's funeral. To be sure, I was praying that His power would prove perfect in my weakness and, I might add, it did!

My dear, beloved friend gave me a gift in his death, a gift of immeasurable value and it was this: a renewed conviction that God really did set me apart to preach the gospel--in season and out of season. Yes, it feels and appears that this is an "out-of-season" time for me right now, but I am newly-convinced that seasons change; consequently, I am looking forward to the "in season" time, which, hopefully, is just around the next corner.

As I write this, my friend is at Home, walking all over Heaven and shouting, "Great Balls Afire!"

Much love,
Your Pastor

A Reminder!

Until further notice, Wednesday evenings will be devoted to prayer. I sincerely believe that God called us to prayer on Sunday, March 11; consequently, I believe it both fitting and proper that we devote Wednesday evenings to doing just that. Please remember that our purpose is not to learn how to pray but to pray.

Yes, we will close each of these prayer services with the Eucharist.

I am looking forward to seeing you and Him there!

Blessings and love,
Your Pastor

BREAKING NEWS!

You will not believe this but it is true--really true; our own Kevin Daniel (the Reverend R. Kevin Daniel) will be participating in the 2007 Cherry Blossom Festival!! Talk about being "community minded"!

Now for the "hard-to-believe-unless-you-know-him" part: Kevin will be modeling for some 500 women, who will be paying $30 per person to see him (along with 5 other men) doing his modeling thing. As I understand it, Dillards will provide him with his outer garments and Victoria's Secret will provide him with the "cherry blossom pink" elements of his attire. In case you want to attend (I think you will), this austere event will occur at the Goodwill Conference on Eisenhower (where Sams used to be) on March 17 (better check the date!).

Because word is already getting out the Kevin will be modeling (earring and all), the tickets are selling fast--like hotcakes--so you will need to go ahead and order yours--soon! I would hate for you to miss this event. It will probably go down in the history books as the most spectacular event of all Cherry Blossom Festival events.

This should get us some really good publicity for GCF! I can hardly wait to see the crowds that come, as the result of Kevin's newly discovered "modeling career."

A Call to Prayer

In my opinion, this past Sunday's service was quite "Spirit-filled!" For those of you who were not in attendance, let me simply say that He came and He was not silent! It was one of those times when He Presence was made very evident and no one could doubt it. To be sure, gifts were given and gifts were received! Hallelujah!

Rest assured that it was a time of incredible encouragement for me, not to mention a genuine reminder that God has us here, right where He wants us, and for very good purpose. The life I am seeing the is life that is the result of a severely pruned vine. Wow!

As you remember, as your pastor, I called US to prayer and from what I could see, you were in agreement--very much so. In light of that, I am going to change the format of our Wednesday night LEFTOVERS just a bit. Instead of spending most of our alloted time "discussing" I want us to spend it praying--you know, as in p-r-a-y-i-n-g!

Now don't start worrying about "how" to do it, just DO it! (Remember Sunday's sermon?)

Because I have to be in St. Petersburg, FL most of this week, Karen Purnhagen has agreed to "orchestrate" things and for this I am very thankful.

Blessings to each of you as you participate! It will be quite interesting to see the result!

Your Pastor

Just For the Record

Roughly a week ago, I was involved in the funeral service of Rannie Gaultney. Ordinarily, I would not have deemed this newsworthy; however, this was an exception because Rannie was the pastor of the church (Horeb Baptist Church) where, on September 2, 1979, I was ordained into the gospel ministry. If my math is correct, that was 27 years, 6 months, and 6 days ago, as of today. If my memory is correct, I have not been back to Horeb since then and the reason should be obvious--I have been preaching elsewhere.

Interestingly, yesterday I was involved with another funeral service and believe it or not, it was at Horeb Baptist church in Talbot County, Georgia. When I drove onto the church grounds my mind traveled back to that very special day in my life when a rather large group of friends gathered to affirm my calling into the ministry. When I entered the church building, I was flooded with all kinds of emotions. I stood for a few minutes just remembering, then I made my way into the (very small) social hall, where I ate one huge dinner that day. To tell you the truth, I listened carefully to see if I could hear any of the familiar voices from that incredible experience but it was quiet--very quiet--almost eerie. I did see some familiar names that had long-ago been engraved on plaques that were still hanging in various places throughout the building. In a few minutes, some familiar faces began to arrive for the funeral. As I talked with some of them, I proudly reminded them that this was the place of my ordination--some 27+ years ago. To tell you the truth, it was as if I were standing in a very holy place. Truth be known, it is a holy place for me.

You might want to know that Horeb is another name for Mount Sanai--the place where God gave Moses the Law. As I stood in the sanctuary remembering this, I chuckled a bit and said, "God, I have come a long way from these roots." Who in the wide-world would have ever come up with the idea of having me (of all people) ordained on Mt. Sinai?

Anyway, as I said this is just for the record.

Your Pastor

Wednesday Night Leftovers!

In light of our subject matter, the discussion tomorrow night should prove to be interesting. Discussing the Spirit-filled life is a piece of cake; albeit, living it might be a bit more difficult. Anyway, I am eager to hear your opinions on the subject. Bring your experience with you and share it with the rest of us.

I am looking forward to seeing you!

Your Pastor

Men's Supper!

The men of GCF will be gathering at 7:00 Tuesday evening, March 13, 2007, at Sonny's on Russell Parkway in Warner Robins for chicken, pork, and all the trimmings. Please make a note of this AND plan to be present! I will look forward to seeing you there!

Blessings,
Your Pastor

Tornadic Activity

Last evening was quite a ride by anyone's standards--even those who like roller-coaster rides! You know, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that there is a power greater than man; all it takes is tornadic activity. Sirens can sound, people can get into the bath tubs, go to their basements, call their mamas, and hide in closets, even pray, but when all is said and done, man is helpless to alter the course or diminish the strength of a tornado.

I have noticed, too, that tornadoes are in some ways much like God--they pick an choose who and what will be affected. For example, I have a friend in Reynolds whose backyard barn was destroyed, whose trees were uprooted in his front yard, but whose house was unaffected! I know of another situation where a mobile home was turned over and trashed and, yet, no one was hurt. Sadly, I also know of a situation where a mobile home took a direct hit, killing one of the occupants but leaving the rest unscathed!

Furthermore, I have noticed that tornadic activity has a way of putting things into perspective. If you happen to be standing next to someone the next time the warning comes, watch how their behavior changes; the things that are important to them jump right to the forefront of their attention and everything else is forgotten (or so it seems).

Interestingly, should the tornadic activity become personal and attack our "turf," try as we might, there is nothing we can do to change its "mind;" it will accomplish God's purpose, regardless of the intensity of our opposition.

Need I remind you that "tornadic activity" comes wrapped in a variety of packages? Regardless of the package wrappings, the end result is the same--God's purpose is accomplished--always!!

Your Pastor