Can I Get a Witness?

“The same sun which melts wax hardens clay. And the same Gospel which melts some persons to repentance hardens others in their sins” – Spurgeon


Yesterday was Sunday.  And, like most Sundays, I was in church.  But yesterday was different.  The entire day had the same theme - suffering and faith. Church was wonderful, the hymns, the choir, the prayers all related to our theme of suffering.  Our Bible study in the evening was related to faith and so the subject turned to faith and suffering.  It made me pause and think about my life.


I venture to say that we(in the USA) have ever really suffered. Yes, there is death, divorce, broken arms, etc., but have we really every suffered.  No.  We don't go long times without eating (unless you're on the crazy way of eating my cousin has me on.  I am not doing well, but this week we start again.  Another post for another time) or being persecuted for our religious beliefs or lack there of.


You see each week, almost everyday, I get to go to church and serve. I get to plan worship that is hopefully pleasing to God and helps other know Him better. But again, I have never suffered for doing this each week.  But this week I was called to do something different.  You see I grew up in church.  I know LOTS of hymns and praise songs.  I can even play a sweet piano for revival. But, I have never been tasked with the responsibility of witnessing to a person who does not believe in God and telling them why they should believe.


I was lost and I stepped in all by myself.  You may remember my cousin, Adam.  You know the one I wrote about several posts back. Yes, the one who is a great encourager, friend, and someone that is a great raveling companion. That's him. Well, he posted on a social media site a disturbing poster that shocked me.  Now, before we go on, these are just my own opinions and feeling and I am in no way disparaging my cousin or those who believe the way he does.  And, yes, I did ask his permission about writing this.


The poster referred to Biblical Ingredients.  There is no need to go in to detail about what was on it but the ingredients list was not that of how the Bible was a truthful story and one that helps.  So, like any nosy in your face cousin would do, I messaged him and asked him why he posted this.  I KNEW this was joke and he did not believe this, right? WRONG! But, in my humble BUT accurate opinion, I knew he was wrong. Or is he?


That evening when I returned to the house, he and I had a great conversation. Man, he is smart and frankly I am not sure that I am the one that needs to be on the battlefield for my Lord (that is a great revival song, look it up).


I started our conversation by simply asking, "tell me how you came to this conclusion." I never want to be rude or pejorative to him or any other person.  But, I did want to know how he arrived at his decision.   Now Adam and his family grew up going to church.  In fact, Aunt Mickie (his grandmother) was a saint and scolded us if we didn't go to church.  Adam's mom took them for a while to a Pentecostal church.  Now, growing up in Georgia, we did not raise our hands, clap, wave flags, and we certainly DID NOT play tambourines in worship! But enough about that.  I just tell you this because Adam, like many others, have been raised in church.


I hope you aren't reading this thinking that I don't like my cousin.  That is simply not the case.  The way he feels about God doesn't change my love and friendship for him.  In fact, in the midst of our conversation I told him that it saddened me to think that when we die I would not see him again or any other person I cared for if he believed that when we die we just return to a "space". I said I know I'm cheesy and he said "yes you are but go on."


Well, it is sad to me.  But the sadder part to me is how inadequate that I feel and felt about this conversation.  Why am I called?  Why are you called?


So back to suffering and faith.  My faith has been tested this week.  I, in a VERY small way,  suffered because I did not know how to serve Christ in this conversation and I wondered if I had failed Him? Did I do my best to be a friend to my cousin?  Will I be asked one day to give an account only to hear the Master say "why did you not try hard enough?" I am not sure.
But, what I am sure about is that we are called to love.  So that's what I'll do - love and hopefully through loving and keeping faith, not only will my friendship with Adam grow stronger but I can somehow show him there is hope in Christ. 

Let me reiterate, I love my cousin and because we disagree doesn't change the good he has done for me and how much I appreciate him. 

SCARS

I am insecure.  There, I said it.  I am insecure and not happy about it.  The last couple of posts that I have written have been about love, a new me, and so on.  However, deep in my soul there is a longing to be accepted, loved, to be "the cool kid."  And lets face it, when you work for the church and play the organ, you are rarely the "cool kid."  But, I love my job, I love my friend, and most of all, I love my family.

In the midst of being sick I have pushed people out, not on purpose, but by being needy. I so badly want to be around people and do for them, that I didn't realize that I was pushing them away or asking too much of them.  People need their own time, their own space, their own time away from me!  WOW.  I can't believe that, but people do need time away from me.  It's a hard lesson, but one I have had to learn. 

It's all part of the scars of life.  We have heard this trite saying before; "I count it all as blessing."  Do you? Do I?  Heck no.  Blessing? Really?  I hate scars!  As a kid I cried every time I fell and would bleed.  The worst scar was when I was running up the outside steps and fell into the brick portion of the steps.  I went to the hospital.  I still have a scar on my forehead. Ouch!

We have all scars in our life we are not proud of. I am insecure.  Maybe you are too.  Maybe you don't like your weight, or maybe your looks, whatever it is, we all have "that thing!"  But there is hope.  We can find an accountability partner.  We can write. We can pray.  Maybe we can do all these.  Whatever it is, there is hope. 

Romans 5:5 says: And hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Today begins Lent.  Lent is the time of self reflection.  Some say it's a time to deny thyself.  But I say give to thyself.  Give to your self hope.  Look forward to the end result all the while enjoying the journey. You see, today on Ash Wednesday we remind ourselves of our scars. But, the scars do not define us!  This too is a hard lesson.  Think of it this way; if you wrote your scars (sins) on an old fashioned black board and then spray the board with water, all the chalk would wash away.  That's what Christ's hope (love) does for us. 

I HOPE there is a time when I feel less insecure.  I HOPE for you there is a time when you feel........ (you fill in the blank).  But if that time is not soon, remember there is hope in the promise of God's love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness. 

So go forth and live in the hope of the Lenten journey and the promise of the resurrection!

MAKE THE JOURNEY............EXPERIENCE THE GLORY!

I wrote this back in 2010.  I was remembering this week about my life - times gone by- and this really stuck out to me and I wanted to share it with you all again! 


Be blessed!
Tommy




What is it that makes us worship?  Is it the need to give love in response to how loved we feel? Vice versa? Do we worship because that's what we do in our culture? Nice, good people go to church, and serve on committees - and so you do too? I Chronicles 16 states in verse 29a,  "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name." Do you notice the usage of the words? "Due" means what he already deserves; it is what He is worthy of and nothing less.

I am very guilty of coming to worship with a sour taste in my mouth.  I have often "done" church - instead of "lived" it. But worship is not a concert or a performance. I strongly dislike when choir or praise band members refer to our work as a "performance." I understand the idea - but our offering is no different that that of committee leaders, ushers, or Sunday School teachers. We are all using our gifts as offerings to God. When we are doing what we do for the glory of God - the attitude should be that of gratitude, respect, and joy. We worship because we are commanded to.  God has given us so much and yet we return little.  There is a hymn called "Because I Have Been Given Much." The first stanza says: "Because I have been given much I too must give.  Because of Thy great bounty Lord, each day I Live. I shall divide my gifts from Thee with every brother (sister) that I see who has the need of help from me." What beautiful and humbling words. I want to be that help to someone. I want my worship to be the help someone needs -- and my music is simply the vehicle that helps them to see my heart. I want my life to be someone's help - not because I am great or my words/talent are great, but because my attitude and actions reflect the greatness of God.

I am a guy on a journey. A journey to somewhere great. I hope you are too. We worship each week because we are on that journey to find and know better the heart and mind of Christ. Let your life give much back to God, your family, friends, and others that you see.  Here are the rest of the words to that great hymn: 

Because I have been sheltered, fed by Thy good care
I cannot see anothers lack and I not share.
My glowing fire, my loaf of bread-my roof's safe shelter over head,
that he too may be comforted.

Because I have been blessed by thy great love dear Lord,
I'll share Thy love again according to Thy word.
I shall give love to those in need, I'll show that love by word and deed,
thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

WHEN NOTHING ELSE COULD HELP.....

Love lifted me.  Do you remember this hymn?  I do.  I used to love when we would sing this hymn in church.  I remember as a little child thinking it was a fun hymn to sing.  I loved the meter, the bounce it had, and I loved the chorus.  However, it wasn't until yesterday, honestly, that I really thought about these words. 

I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore.
Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more.
But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me, now safe and I.

As you know I have started a new routine in my daily living.  So far I have lost twelve pounds.  By following my cousin's instructions, I feel better and I am starting to look better.  Well, there's nothing I can do about my face, but I am losing weight! This is all great progress.
However, my attitude did not shift until this weekend.  Adam, my cousin, didn't start off as a spiritual help, but that is what he has become.  You see, I was so focused on losing weight that I neglected to see that I am a person of worth.  I thought losing weight and being healthy was all I needed to make me happy.  While in fact, I was still so burdened with sorrow and self pity that  life seemed unmanageable.  I was looking for validation and happiness in so many other places that I forgot to look right around me.
Adam and so many others are people that I care about and that care about me.  I have an awesome family, extended as well as immediate.  God has blessed me. This weekend I needed a swift kick in the ass!  I was in my own world of self pity that I forgot about those that were close to me.  You see, I was convinced that the people around me only were around me out of pity or because they wanted something from me.  That was not true at all. 
Adam was there for the kick, and a hard one I might add.  You showed me (through time together and talks) that I am of worth. He told me that I am responsible for my happiness, not others.  This may seem a simple concept, but really, it's a hard lesson.

2 Timothy 1: 7 says "God gave us a spirit, not of fear but of power and love and self control." Wow!  Have you ever thought about these words?  Just like the hymn, I thought about these words yesterday.  Living in pity does nothing to help your spirit, the spirit we have been given - given freely.  I so want to be loved and I am.  My cousin is a great encourager.  We all need an encourager and we have one.  God's power through His son, Jesus, gives us the power to decide to be happy and gives us love to be able to love others and gives us self control to discern what is right, wrong, and just

I am on a journey.  It's a long one.  It's one with lots of tears and struggles.  However, I now know that I am not walking alone but with people and God.  Knowing they are walking with me, makes my path less burdened and makes the journey less labored.

I am LOVED
I am a CHILD OF GOD
I am WORTHY
I am an HEIR TO THE KINGDOM

When nothing else could help, LOVE LIFTED ME! Amen!

**This is Adam's blog.  He is an excellent writer.  His latest post included me.  Please take a look and see what an encourager he is!**

 

 

 

IT IS WELL

Do you ever find yourself in a situation and say that phrase. It Is Well?  I hope you say yes, but I rarely say that.  There not many situations that I can for certain say that It Is Well.  Too often my life is loaded with stuff - not all good either. Stuff accumulates.  Stuff happens, am I right?  Too often I don't take time to say It Is Well and to slow down and breathe.  Be at peace.
I love the hymn It Is Well with My Soul.  Why? The words penned so long ago are words we still need to hear and be reminded of today.
Horatio Spafford led a tragic life- by the world's standards. Early in his professional career his business suffered a terrible fire (which he and his family never recovered from). But at least he had his wonderful wife, Anna, and his four beautiful daughters. His business ventures later took him to Europe. There was a change in plans and he had to send his family on before him.  While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank.  Spafford received a telegram from his wife - "Saved alone!"
WOW!  What a horrible experience and pain that he must have gone through.  He then traveled to meet his wife.  While passing over the area where the boat sank he felt compelled to pen the words of It Is Well With My Soul.
I am not sure I have this much faith.  He truly put his faith in God and decided to look to Him. My favorite stanza in this hymn is the first.  The third line of this stanza reminds us that whatever comes our way, we should look to God and be ready to serve and say, It Is Well.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It's a hard day for many, me included.  However, I can still say It Is Well. I am loved. You are loved and be assured that it truly is a mindset to say It Is Well.  I am learning little by little to take time out for me and God, to cultivate that relationship. 
I mentioned in an earlier post about walking. Well, that's my time to commune - to be quiet and just be!  It's awesome.  During this time I pray, thank God for my life and those in it, and listen.  To listen is the hard part.  You sometimes hear what you don't want too, even if you know what you are hearing is best for you. It doesn't make it any easier.
So I am encouraging me and you to stop, listen, pray, and say It Is Well and this too is a part of life.  Whatever we go through, we don't go through alone but God is leading, we just need to listen.

Peace to you this day.

Here is a beautiful arrangement of It Is Well

Fat Elvis Is Leaving The Buidling

That's right, Elvis is leaving the building.  Ok, now that I have your attention, I will let you in.  I am losing weight- I mean, I am trying too. My cousin, Adam, is helping me.  In the course of the last year Adam has really lost some weight and I was so impressed, I was encouraged to do the same.
I have followed his plan (well, last night we had meatloaf at church, so I had to have that!), but otherwise, I have followed his plan.  I have also been walking about 40 minutes a day.  I would say that all in all I am doing a fantastic job.  Did I mention this is only day 3! 

If you are old enough to remember Elvis, you remember that when he was young he was trim, fit, good looking, and a wonderful singer.  You also remember that at the end of his concerts they would announce that "Elvis has left the building".  Well, I am trying to leave the building - my weight and my "old" self.  If you have tried to lose weight you know that it comes on faster than goes off. But, such as life.

2 Corinthians 5: 17 -Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Aren't we like this?  Aren't we trying to become new?  I am.  I am still trying. I don't mean just with my weight but in my entire life.  But, can you really become new if you don't shed the old?  I will not have new skin or a new mind by losing weight.  But, I will think differently about food, exercise, and about myself.
I am thankful each day starts new.  I can wake and decide to be different.  I can decide to be happy.  I can decide to make a difference in my life and to others (I wrote decide several times because that's what we have to do - DECIDE). 
See, I believe our newness doesn't come from just believing, but from deciding to make changes. 

One of my favorite stories is about the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5).  By the time Jesus arrives on the scene the lame man had been in his condition for a long time.  Now, we don't know what is a long time.  We just know that this is nothing new for this lame man.  Jesus asks him, "Do you not want to be made well"?  The man answers; "sir, I have no one to help me to the pool and when I get there, many go before me".   This is interesting to me.  I often wonder if he wanted to be made well. I mean, if he went to the pool each day and others went in front of him that is frustrating but really,  EVERY time the waters would stir he couldn't get in?
This is what I mean that we have to DECIDE to be new. Things don't change because we will them too. God is working.  God has the power of miracles. But just like the lame man, we have to DECIDE we are going to the pool, jumping in, and being made new by the waters of new life in Christ. 

I have DECIDED to  shed some pounds.  Maybe Elvis would still be here had he done that, who knows? But I am jumping in head first to be cleansed.  You?

I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
I have decided to follow Jesus;
No turning back, no turning back.

 

Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
Though I may wonder, I still will follow;
No turning back, no turning back.

 

Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
No turning back, no turning back.

Just a Closer Walk

It's been a long time since my last post.  But I'm back!


This past weekend I had a wonderful adventure. Hard, but wonderful.   I traveled back to Virginia to see my girls.  However, I did not take this trip alone.  My cousin rode with me.  I had a "mate" to travel with.  Before this past week, it had literally been years since I had seen my cousin.  What a wonderful time we had (well, at least I had a great time.  I talk a lot and he's quiet so, I'll just say it was fun for me!)
Even though I had him with me, it was still a very difficult trip.  I saw my girls, By the way, they are the cutest girls EVER! I also attended a wonderful gathering of friends from my previous church, and said some really hard goodbyes. The gathering was beautiful. We ate wonderful food, we sang around he piano, and most of all we laughed. But, it was still difficult and because it was difficult, I was and am thankful that my cousin was able to be with me.  He really didn't do anything extraordinary during the weekend but what he did do was show up and walk with me. During the rides and the long hours of the night and day, we talked, listened to music and just were.  There was silence. 
As we rode in silence for bit, I realized what a gift it was to have him there.  And, I wondered what the weekend would have been like if I had driven alone - very different. He was there to walk with me in the same direction, in unity, as I walked a very difficult road.


Proverbs 4:12

When you walk, your steps shall not be hampered, your path will be clear and open; and when you run, you shall not stumble.

When you walk with someone obviously you won’t be going in opposite directions. If you walk in a different direction you can’t listen to them, you can’t enjoy them, you can’t share things with them, and you won’t be able to understand them. When you walk with the Lord, your will is going to align with His will. Since you’re walking side by side with Him your focus will be on Him.

Life is hard and we need a walking mate. That mate, if we choose, is God. He is the one that has gone before us and cleared the path. After clearing the path, He then came back and is now taking us with him.

Are you taking him with you, daily? Are you helping to clear more paths of briars and other debris so that, you are walking undistracted and keeping your hand in God's and your eyes on the path that He has set before you?  I try.  I fail -most days.  It's tough to be with God and think that you are alone at the same time. 

So, go forth this week knowing that you are not walking alone. HE is walking with you and as He does - we are stronger.

Just a closer walk with Thee
grant it Jesus is my plea.
Dailing walking cloe to Thee,
let it be, dear Lord, let it be!