Utter Amen!

For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.  2 Corinthians 1:20

Have you stopped to think about the promises of God?  The promises of God are the covenants of God.  Covenant is not a word we use much in today’s language.  However, for Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David and the disciples, it was a word they clung to with their whole heart and soul.  God’s covenants (or as we like to refer to them today, his promises), will endure until they are fulfilled.  How do we know that?  Because the promises of God find their answer in Christ!

Christ’s life, death and resurrection provides the faith we need to trust God for His promises.  His promise in general is to give us life in abundance.  Abundance just means more.  Life in Christ is not going to keep you from heartbreak or confusion, but rest assured that His promises find their Yes in HIM!

“That is why through Him we utter our Amen.”  The church knows the word Amen today as the word that is added at the end of our prayers to signify we are done.  Mostly we just listen for the Amen because that is how we know someone is finished praying.  However, the word actually means “verily.”  (Kind of a let down for you?)  It is used in the Psalms at the end of prayers and songs to mean “so be it.” (Is that a more dramatic definition for you?)  While the literal definition here may not provide much insight, let me try to explain the intention behind “Amen.”

Jesus used it in His prayers and His teaching.  You may have read it this way in your KJV, “Verily, verily I say to you…”  Jesus was saying, “Amen, amen I say to you…”  In other words, Jesus was saying, this is the truthfulness of which you can trust.  My words are true and everlasting.  They do not change and they will not lose their power.  The “Amen” of God is trustworthy in ways we may never understand.  They will not fail, they will not fall, they will not quit and they will not weaken!  God’s promises unlike the promises we hear today are true and are verified with the Amen of God.  Now look at 2 Cor. 1:20 again, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”  It is a double promise of God’s faithfulness.  Paul was emphasizing to the church in Corinth the complete promise of God to be their God and to hold their salvation as sure as Christ.  He ends this chapter with these words, “for by faith you stand.”  Not your faith, but the faith that God’s promises are true.  We don’t have the ability to stand on our own faith.  Too many times we fail in our faith, but God’s promises are “Yes.”  His faith is strong, His desire for you is great and His promise to you is “AMEN!”

Be blessed,

Craig

True Leadership

I have been reading almost everything I could find about what makes a good leader. I have read books, blogs, subscribed to tweets, and am continuing to question people in leadership on their style, approach, model, and success. I want to be a good leader. I don’t want to be a good leader for me, I want to be a good leader because as a pastor, I want to lead people well. Right now my biggest fear is that I will mislead or just miss altogether. I don’t want to be that guy.

God has placed some great men in my life who exhibited leadership to me. They are men who are tremendous at what they do and how they do it. They are men who understand their gifts and talents and don’t try to be something other than what God has called them to be. I have been blessed by these men.

One of these men, Wayman Swopes, was born in New Mexico on a dairy farm in 1947. Wayman pastored churches in Michigan, Kentucky, New Mexico and Texas. I met Wayman in 2000 when he was pastor at Greenwood Baptist Church. He was their pastor for 23 years and retired in April 2010. I had the privilege of serving with Wayman for six years. In those six years he became a pastor, friend and mentor. He taught me how to be a pastor to people. How to love people unconditionally but most of all he showed me how to lead.

Many times you don’t know the impact of something or someone until you are able to step back and analyze things. Wayman went home eternally on a Friday night, October 19th. I miss my friend and there have been several occasions I would have loved to pick up the phone and ask him his advice on an issue or to tell him about something amazing God had done.

Another of these men was Jeff Robinson. I met Jeff when he was youth minister at First Baptist Diboll. I was a part-time youth minister at Lakeview in Diboll. Jeff left Diboll to go be the pastor of Southside Baptist Church; where he still is today! I had the privilege and pain of working with Jeff for almost 3 years as his part-time youth minister. Jeff taught me how to compose a ministry and how to do ministry with a bigger picture view ministry. I have never been an administrator but the lessons Jeff taught me have been crucial in understanding, formulating and carrying out a successful ministry. He was hard on me and continued to demand a lot from me. He never demanded more than I could give, but he never accepted less. He is a great friend a another man that I consider to be a mentor. He has an incredible gift for speaking truth. He rarely tells me what I want to hear, but God has used him on so many occasions to tell me what I need to hear.

Another is Keith Nash. Keith was my youth pastor…correction… is my youth pastor! You don’t invest 6 years in someone’s life and then go away. I have always joked about this next part and usually said something like, “and don’t tell anyone…” or “try to keep this a secret…” But the truth is I have always been proud to say that he is also my uncle. Yeah, we are family. He’s my mom’s brother. He taught me a lot of great life lessons like, you can survive on a street corner for an hour in downtown Dallas in the middle of the night without getting raped, mugged or beaten. I also learned that you can’t put more than 14 people in the Double Tree Hotel elevator in Dallas, but if you do it takes about 90 minutes to get them out. I will never forget the time he taught me that if you put people in a small closet in Pineywood Encampment with a propane heater for more than 30 minutes, someone is going to vomit! The thing I remember the most about Keith is, church is fun! With Keith, I had as much learning about God as I did doing anything else. He has that rare gift of taking people and showing them how to surrender their life and allow God to mold them. It was Keith who told me, “Craig, if God is calling you to serve Him, you won’t be happy doing anything else.” He was the one who discipled me when I came back from camp in 1986. He was the one that I talked to when God called me to ministry in 1988. He was the one that looked at me in 1990 and said, “Craig, God called you to ministry, what are you doing about it?” He has continued to be an encourager and leader for me. Even if he is my uncle!

And then there is my dad! I hope you don’t expect me to tell you everything my dad taught me in this blog. My dad has always been my biggest cheerleader and supporter. He was the one who always stood over my shoulder telling me I could do it, and many times it is his voice I still hear today. My dad has not always been perfect, but he has been an incredible example of what a man humbled by God and humbled to God should be. He is tough, but compassionate. He was my father first, before he was ever my friend. Because a young boy needs a father more than he needs a friend. A father teaches him about life and how to be a man. I hope to be as good a man as he is one day.

There are many other men. It was John Crow who taught me how to be passionate about my faith. It was Terry Clutter who taught me that friendship is worth more than mere words. It was Hails Taylor that taught me doing the right thing for the right reasons is more valuable than just the results of your actions. Jim Taylor taught me the value of living for Christ. Troy Nash taught me how to praise God in every situation.

But my greatest teacher has always been Jesus. He taught these men mentioned in this post how to love Him. He taught them how to be mentors and how to lead others. He taught them because He lead them. And He leads me as well. My prayer is now not just to be a good leader, but to be an even better follower of Jesus Christ. Because, someone might just want to follow me one day. And well, I have a legacy of leadership to uphold. I would not want to let these men down, nor Him!

Thank you Jesus, for leading me when I was not even looking. Thank you for using these men to bring about Your glory!

Be Blessed,

Craig

The Power of God

While the Jewish Leaders were questioning Jesus during the five days leading up to the Passover, the Bible tells us that some Sadducees came to Jesus and questioned Him.  Under the Jewish law, if a man dies without children, his brother must marry his widow. In this way he can raise a son and heir for his dead brother. This is called levirate marriage, and enables a man’s name to live on after his death and is recorded in Deut. 25:5-6.

Let me give you a little background of the Sadducees; The Sadducees are the Jewish ruling class. They are an elite group with an intellectual and sceptical faith. Their breeding, marriages, religion and politics are all geared to keep them in power.  While the Pharisees avoid all contact with Gentiles, the Sadducees are prepared to compromise with the Romans in order to have some influence in government. While the Pharisees believe in the resurrection of the dead and a future life, the Sadducees live for this life only.  In addition, they only accepted the five books of Moses as inspired from God.  They would often challenge the Pharisees to prove the doctrine of resurrection, but the Pharisees were rarely successful.

Now if you are like me, you may have wondered what this type of question had to do with whether or not Jesus is the Messiah and how a question like this would cause Jesus to stumble.  The Sadducees hope to show that resurrection is ridiculous and impossible. Supposing a woman has a number of levirate marriages. To which of the brothers will she be married in heaven?

While the line of questioning from the Sadducees may not have been a very strong line in our opinion, for them it was one of their most critical.  Therefore, Jesus response must have been a very tough pill to swallow.  Jesus said, ”   “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.  For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.  But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not heard I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

Once again Jesus words are so direct and to the point that His accusers have no rebuttal.  But to His words, the portion that challenges me the most is the first part.  “You do not understand the scriptures or the power of God.”  While I will admit that I do not understand all the scriptures, I can honestly tell you that I am studying.  I am learning new things each day and while I may never be able to understand them on this side of heaven, I press on!  However, it is the second portion of this statement that haunts me.  “You do not understand the power of God.”

The only way we as believers on earth can understand the power of God is that we must see it work in our lives and in the lives of people around us.  The problem is not always believing in the power of God, but allowing the power of God room in our life.  The more we deal with God, the more He reveals His power to us.  The more we experience God, the more we are introduced to His power.  The more we surrender to God, the more we witness His power first-hand.  Surrendering to God’s power is asking God to do the impossible.  Too many times we are able to explain away the things in our life, but how many of us can only throw our hands to the sky and say, “It was God!”  When was the last time you experienced the power of God?

This Easter season, allow for the power of God to work in your life.

Be Blessed,

Craig

…And to God the things that are God’s.

During the five days between Palm Sunday and the Passover Jesus was questioned more scrupulously than at any other time in His ministry.  As you may remember Palm Sunday was Nisan 10th.  The day the Jewish families selected a lamb (Ex. 12:3) to be their sacrifice.  During the next five days they would bring the lamb into their house.  The purpose of bringing the lamb into the house was for the benefit of scrutiny.  They would scrutinize the lamb and determine if it truly was unblemished.  If it passed and there were no faults with the lamb, it would be used as the sacrificial lamb for the entire family on Passover.

On Nisan 10th Jesus entered into Jerusalem at the praise of the people.  They proclaimed, “Hosanna to the son of David.  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.”  As Jesus entered the city with the crowds shouting and rejoicing the Pharisees and the other Jewish leaders took notice and the scrutiny began.

In Matthew 22:17-22 it tells of how they tried to trap Jesus.  They asked about the poll-tax.  They said, “Is it lawful to give a poll-tax to Caesar?”  Jesus knew their hearts and their intent and asked for them to bring him a denarius (the coinage used to pay a poll-tax).  As Jesus looked at it He asked, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”  The leaders responded, “Caesar’s.”  Then He said to them, “Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s; and to God the things that are God’s.”  After hearing this they were amazed and went away from Him.

While some may look at this and ask the question, “Are you giving God the things that belong to Him?”  I want to ask a different question.  When people look at your life, does it have the likeness of God?  Or, better put, “Whose likeness and inscription are on your heart?”  The first century believers were called “Christians” because they lived their life like Christ.  The term began as a derogatory term meaning, “little-Christ’s.”  They were called that because they resembled Christ and His inscription was on their heart.  Today, do you look like Christ or do you look like the world?  Would we be able to tell by examining the things you are giving to Him?

Be Blessed,

Craig

More lessons from Palm Sunday

In Luke 19 as Jesus reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing.

Today, as you do life, how is your life shouting and singing the praises of Jesus.  I read in the paper today of a church that is protesting a fallen soldiers grave because they disagree with the war.  Stories like this paint a picture of the church and of Christianity that is 1.) not true and 2.) damaging to true believers.  However, the world has slowly began to associate groups like this with Christianity.  Why?  Because they have not seen enough truth to convince them otherwise.

The followers of Jesus shouted and sang His praises.  As we approach Palm Sunday and Easter, we should be singing and shouting the praises of our King.  We should rejoice that our lives are defined by the power of the cross not by our own actions.  Because of Jesus we are called righteous, holy, and child.  We are not called those things because of our actions or as a reward for good behavior.  We are called these things because Jesus gave himself as a sacrifice for us.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom – Psalm 145:3

Be blessed,

Craig

What a difference a week can make!

This week at HBC we are looking at Matthew 21:1-9.  Most interpret it as the Triumphal Entry of Christ.  It was the last time Jesus would enter Jerusalem in His earthly body. I want to look at it also Luke 19:28-40 in this post.

Now in Jesus day it was not uncommon for a hero to ride into town at the cheers of the people.  They would throw their coats to the ground and shout praises to their hero.  There are some differences herehowever; 1. Jesus was not decked out in his most regal uniform.  Many times when this happened it happened as the hero was returning from war.  He would wear his best military uniform in all its majesty and may even be adorned with a medal either given to him by the king or taken in battle.  Not Jesus, he wore simple clothes.  2. Jesus was not riding a great war horse.  He rode a young donkey.  It was a donkey that had  never been ridden, but it was a donkey.  I have never seen any one ride a donkey and think to myself, “how majestic.”  Even the name, “donkey” makes me almost laugh.  There is nothing king-like in riding a donkey, even if it has never been ridden.

Revelation talks about Jesus riding a white horse and leading a great army one day.  But this was not that day, so for Jesus a donkey would do.  After all, this battle was not going to be fought on a battle field, or a fortress.  It was and still is being fought in the hearts and lives of person on earth.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the people began praising Him.  The Bible tells us that they proclaimed, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”  Jesus was receiving His praise.  They had seen Him cause the blind to see, heal the sick, make the lame walk, bring the dead back to life and now they were praising Him as the hopeful Messiah who came to rescue them from the Romans.

In Luke 19:39-40 it says that some Pharisees came to Jesus and asked Him to rebuke His disciples.  They were afraid that the Romans would hear their cheers and think the Jews were causing a riot against the Roman government.  The Romans would have quickly sent in an army to squash the rebellion and the Pharisees did not want that. While the Pharisees did not like the Romans they had become accustomed to a very comfortable life under the Roman rule.  They had power, status, money and protection.  They may have been opposed to the Roman Empire, but they were not opposed to the life the Romans allowed them to have.  If a riot broke out, they would be in danger of losing all of that.  Jesus response was short and pointed.  He simply said, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Did he just say that the stones would cry out?  Now many scholars have debated on the meaning of this passage.  I for one am naive enough to believe that Jesus meant the stones on the ground, on the sides of the mountains, all of creation itself!  Creation had been waiting for this moment.  This was the day the Creator had ordained that the Son of Man would be lifted up.  I can see creation now, waiting in anticipation for it’s moment.  As Jesus comes into the city, creation was prepared to shout and give praise to Jesus.  Why, because it was ordained to be that way.  God had ordained this moment in time at this place to bring praise to Jesus.  If mankind did not follow through with this moment, creation itself was prepared to step in.

There are times in creation where Jesus is to be lifted up and praised.  At those times, I challenge you to praise Him for all He is worth.  Don’t let creation speak for you because you were not paying attention or too embarrassed to give Him praise.  But when the time is right, shout!  He is worthy!  He is OUR KING!  In the next couple of weeks we will celebrate Palm Sunday and Easter.  In one weeks time the crowds go from proclaiming, “Hosanna” to “Crucify.”  What a difference a week makes!  What kind of difference is Jesus going to make in your life in the coming weeks?  From Palm Sunday to Easter, will you proclaim Him?  Will you just go about your normal routine?  Are they the same?  It is the time for the Son of Man to be lifted up!

Be Blessed,

Craig

The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 21:9.