Difficult Days for a Little Boy

Yesterday was great and really hard. We are moving, so we wanted to let Isaac invite some of his best friends over for one last adventure. They were excited to see each other and had a blast all day, until the boys had to go home.
I thought I could be big tough dad, but when I saw the look on Isaac's face as his friends parents drove up to take thier boys home my heart broke. It is hard for him to understand why we are moving, but he knows that he will not be able to see his friends anymore and that is really hard for him to deal with.
I asked him the other day if he wanted to move. He said no. I asked him if he would be willing to move if Jesus told us too. He said yes. I know that the days ahead will be filled with joy and Isaac will make new friends, but these are difficult days for a little boy.

Bethany Baptist Church

Yesterday I preached at Bethany Baptist Church in-view-of-a-call. It was a little odd becasue I knew that after preaching the church would vote for me to either be thier new senior pastor or vote for me to leave. I give thanks to God above for our time yesterday. The church voted and I will be the next pastor at Bethany Baptist Church in Belton South Carolina. And what is even sweeter is the church voted 100% Yes for me and my family. This is not common and has never happened in the history of Bethany.
We are hoping to find a place to live this week and probably try and move sometime next week or weekend. My first day will be July 20th and my first Sunday will be July 26th. Pray for me--I need it desperately. Pray for my family. Robin needs a job and a home. Isaac, Morgan, and Silas need stability and friends.

Grace be with you

Who Killed Emma?

I once had a dog named Emma and my family loved her. Last year she became sick so I took my dog, to the vet to be euthanized. I put her in the car, drove her to the vet, walked her into the room, laid her on the table. Then the doctor came in and injected the medicine into her leg and a few minutes later she was dead. Now who killed Emma? Did I kill her or did the doctor kill her? On the one hand I determined to bring this evil upon her. It was my decision to take her to the vet knowing that she would be euthanize.

However, I did not inject the medicine into her body that stopped her heart—the doctor did! So who brought about this evil? It was by my design, my will, my plan, my determination that brought about this evil. However, I did not coerce the doctor in to bringing about this evil. The doctor acted like a doctor. It is who she is and what she does. She did not inject the medicine against her will. She injected it because that was the strongest motive at the moment of decision. So she is fully and justly accountable (responsible) for the evil brought about, but this evil was according to my determined plan.

Did it grieve me to bring about this evil? The answer is yes. Did I not know what I was doing and the pain it would cause by making the decision I made? No. I knew the pain it would cause but I also knew it was the best thing to do—it was the greater good. But, even knowing this beforehand it did not lessen the sadness I felt at the moment the evil occurred at the hands of the doctor according to my “sovereign” will.

This is true of God as well. God does ordain that evil be and governs all things, but is not the cause of evil. He does not coerce men to act against their desire to do evil, we do it because we want to do it, but God so disposes (arranges) all things so that (in accordance with moral necessity) all men make only those choices (choices they want to make and determined by those things they deem most desirable at the moment of decision) ordained by God from all eternity.

The clearest example of this in Scripture is the death of Jesus. Who killed Jesus? On the one hand Peter says, "This man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to the cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death." (Acts 2:23). Notice that the death of Christ was according to the predetermined will of God, but it was accomplished by the the hands of godless men. God did not coerce the men to kill Jesus, they wanted to kill Him, for the Romans soldiers it was thier duty. Yet this evil brought on Jesus had been ordained by God from all eternity. God does ordain that evil be and governs all things, but is not the agent or cause or tempter of evil.

The Sovereignty of God is the most comforting doctrines in all of Scripture to me. Regardless what might befall me, even death itself, God is still in control and He is eternal good and infinite love therefore I can find peace and joy regardless even in the darkest of circumstances.

To My Little Princess, Morgan

You are my princess so smart, beautiful, and sweet
And seven days ago you turned three.

You have grown into such a wonderful little girl
And you are the joy of my world.
Becoming more like your mommy every day,
I hope you have had a happy birthday.

If there is one gift I could give you, even entice
It would be faith to treasure Jesus Christ,
Above all dolls, clothes, friends, and boys,
Even more than glamour and toys.
Because it is by His blood alone,
That we may enter the joy of our eternal home.

There may be times that we don’t see eye to eye,
But I will always look towards the sky
In prayer, beseeching our Father who is in heaven
That He might keep you pure and unleavened
All your days and call you by His sovereign grace
Sustaining your heart with joy until you see His glorious face.

I love you more than words can express,
You are, and always will be, my little princess.

Love Daddy
June 2009

The Misery of Moving and the Power of Preaching

Did I tell you that we might be moving? I travel to South Carolina on June 26-28 to preach in view of a call at a church outside Anderson. If the church gives a yes vote we will be moving in early July. Moving is miserable, but we are excited about the oppotunity to serve in this particular church. Did I mention that I would be the Senior Pastor? Just thinking about it causes me to trimble because my heart is so prone to fear. So what do we do when we become afriad or face a difficult situation or risk big things for Christ? Isaiah 41:10 has been my song in the night "Fear not! For I am with you. Do not anxiously look about you for I am your God, I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you by my righteous right hand." Oh how I love the Word of God, what comfort it brings to my fraile and fragmented soul.



I am excited and overwhelmed by the thought of being a senior pastor for many reasons, but what I do know is that if God has called He will also equip. I might be taking a risk--stepping out by faith with confidence only in Christ, but God is not taking a risk with me--not because I am a safe investment, but because He is a sovereign God. Martin Luther once said, "Lord command what you will but will what you command." In other words, if God has called me to be a pastor or you to take some great risk for Him then He will enable you to do it--Trust Him!

What do you do now?

I have posted a blog and don't know how to instruct people to go and find it. I know this because I cannot find it unless I sign in at blog spot. HELP!

Blogger? Really!

Today I begin something new. This is my first time blogging and I am uncertain how disciplined I will be in the new venture. So why am I doing this? That is a good question. The truth is, I don't really know. Maybe it is because I am moving and people want to keep up with me and my family, but there is facebook for that, which I might add that I am not very good at checking or updating. So why blog? For whatever reason I think it will be cool to right down my thoughts, no rather to speak about the glory of God in Christ in order to encourage the believers as they walk the dangerously narrow road, to confront the lost who unknowingly need Chirst, and to answer questions that I am often asked.

Oh that God in His grace might use this blog as a conduit of grace and mercy to those who need it starting with myself.