Preaching @ Beacon Light(s)

Yesterday, I preached the fourth anniversary celebration of the Beacon Light Baptist Church of Houma, LA, which is about 45 minutes from New Orleans. Under the leadership of Pastor Herbert Andrew, this fast growing congregation is touching many lives in its community and beyond. The two morning services I preached (7:30 & 10 AM) were rich worship experiences. It would have been worth it to be here just to participate in the worship services. Their reverence, passion, and excellence in worship are quite uplifting. I thank God for the new friend I have in Pastor Andrew. And I pray God's continued blessings on this young but strong church.

I was hooked up to Pastor Andrew through his spiritual mentor, Bishop Daryl Brister – senior pastor of Beacon Light Church in Houston and New Orleans. In meeting Pastor Brister earlier this year, a new friendship quickly developed. And he introduced me to Pastor Andrew, who was his 1^st assistant pastor until Brister planted him in this Houma congregation four years ago. In fact, Beacon Light Houma is the first of five churches in Louisiana that Bishop Brister has planted in the past four years.

I came back to New Orleans to preach for Bishop Brister at the "mother church" in the afternoon, which meets at Greater St. Stephens' West Bank location (Bishop Paul Morton). Beacon Light's facilities was heavily damaged during Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath, Brister began a site in Houston. At this point, Brister preaches in Houston on Sunday mornings, and then flies to New Orleans in the afternoon. He then teaches Bible Study in Houston on Tuesdays, rotates among the daughter churches on Wednesdays, does the New Orleans Bible study on Thursdays, and then heads back to Houston to start all over again the next week. That makes me tired just typing it. I preached the New Orleans service for him yesterday. And it was another great experience. Being in the service revealed to me where Pastor Andrew picked up the wisdom he has in leading worship and shepherding a congregation. God is moving this congregation from devastation to restoration. Please pray for Bishop Brister and this great congregation, as they restore their facilities and continue to changes lives in this area that so desperately needs the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Joy of Books & Reading

I am at the airport in Salt Lake, waiting for my connecting flight to New Orleans. For the record, I hate airports. And I hate layovers. So I was not too happy about my several hour layover, when I got off the plane from San Francisco. But a bookstore in this airport has made my day. Well, not the bookstore itself. I didn't really go into it. But as I passed by, I noticed these quotes about books and reading in the window display. These quotes made my day. The happiness I felt reading these quotes is indescribable. I could personally relate to each of these statements about the joy of books and reading. I jotted them down to share. Here they are. Enjoy!

"Books may be the only true magic." - Alice Hoffman

"A book is a delight to the mind." - Anonymous

"What is reading but silent conversation?" - Walter Savage Landor

"A book is like a garden carried in the pocket." - Chinese proverb

"You can taste a word." - Patricia Bailey

"Tis the good reader that makes the good book." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"I am a part of all I read." - John Kieran

Amen!

Last Day in Town – San Francisco

Today is my last day in San Francisco. It has been a grueling week, physically – with services in both the afternoon and the evening. But it has been spiritually enriching. The afternoon services I have been preaching have been good meetings. I have heard so many stories of how the messages have helped people in specific ways. This is so encouraging. Often people just make general comments about your preaching. But when someone pinpoints the particular way God has used your preaching of the word to touch their life, it's so uplifting. The evening services have been great, as well. Dr. Nathan Johnson, who pastors the Tabernacle M.B.C. in Detroit, preached from the psalms each night. And each message was right on time for me personally (Prov. 25:11). It's been so refreshing to just spend a week sitting under such helpful and faithful biblical preaching.

I have one more sermon to preach this afternoon. Pastor Elliot Ivey, who serves the New Beginnings Church in Oakland, will close the meeting out this evening. Then it is time to go home – almost. In the morning, I am scheduled to leave here for New Orleans. I am to preach three messages there this coming Sunday before I head home Monday morning. Please continue to pray for me.

Preaching the San Francisco Citywide Revival

I am in San Francisco, preaching their citywide revival. I started yesterday and will preach through Friday. This is my third year preaching this meeting. I am the midday speaker. The evening speaker is Dr. Nathan Johnson of the historic Tabernacle Baptist Church in Detroit. Pastor Elliot "Poison" Ivey, who serves the New Beginnings Missionary Baptist Church in the area, brought the opening message Sunday night and will close the meeting out Friday night.

The past two years I was here, I caught a cold and was sick the whole week. So far, all is well. Praise God! I have already preached two messages. And they have been well-received. Yesterday, I took the hand held microphone and began to preach. But I couldn't really hear anything. Neither could the congregation. And it never got any better. Come to find out that we had never turned it on. So I preached the whole sermon holding a microphone that wasn't even on. But I preached my heart out. And God graciously sustained me in preaching. I have three more messages to preach. Please keep this meeting in your prayers.

Preaching in my Old Man’s Shadow

Sunday night, I was privileged to preach for my friend Pastor Michael Ealey at the Christ Second Baptist Church in Long Beach. Pastor Ealey has been preaching me since I was a boy. And he has proven to be a faithful friend over the years. I remember when I was going through a storm in the early days of my pastorate. Many of my "friends" backed away. But one day I got a call from Pastor Ealey to let me know that he was there for me and was covering me in prayer. I will never forget that act of kindness. It encouraged me at a critical time. So whenever I can be of any service to Pastor Ealey, I'm all in.

Christ Second Baptist Church is celebrating its 100^th church anniversary this year. And one of the reasons why Ealey invited me is because my father pastured Christ Second for 10 years. My you, my father served MSMBC for forty years, and I have served there for 16 years. So that tells you how long ago this was. Yet, every time I go to Christ Second, I meet someone who was baptized, married, etc. by my father. It's amazing. One lady compared my preaching to my father's younger days. I was honored. It's one of the best compliments I've received in a long time. Plus, without me really knowing it, God used me to preach a timely message to Pastor Ealey and the congregation. I am glad to have been invited to join in this wonderful celebration. As tired as I was, I really left there renewed by the worship and the fellowship. Please remember Pastor Ealey and the Christ Second Church in your prayers.

The Relocation Meeting

We changed our Sunday schedule this past weekend in order to accommodate a special congregation meeting. We do not do "business meetings" on Sundays. But this was an exception. The pastoral leaders of our church have been praying about relocating the congregation to a new site, because of the various space challenges our congregation faces at our 1800 facility. I thank God for the blessing our church site is to us. And I thank God for how he has helped us to cope with some of the challenges. We have no parking. And our members park in a lot a block or so from the church, behind a supermarket. I know that sounds. But this free parking space has been a blessing to us. And we have some of our Sunday morning small-groups in a facility down the street from the church. It's an Usher's center that has been made available to us for a minimal cost. With God's help, we have been strategic and creative in trying to make the best use of the space we have. But it has become increasingly challenging. And I believe that it really put a strain on the congregation over the past year. We have a committed core in our church. But it is difficult to reach unsaved and unchurched people with the space issues we have. And it's also difficult to minister to the young Christians in our church and nurture them to spiritual development with these challenges. Over the past several years, we have wavered between remodeling our present space and relocation. But we are not at a point where our leadership is united in seeking to relocate.

About six weeks ago, we were introduced to a church facility in our city that has become available. It would be an ideal place for our congregation, in so many ways. In fact, it is a site where the congregation used to meet some forty years ago. It would definitely be a step of faith for our church. But we believe that it is God's will that we pursue this open door. So we met with the congregation Sunday to ask their approval to make an offer on these facilities. It was a typical MSMBC meeting – peaceful, prayerful, purposeful, and playful. I gave a brief presentation, took questions, and then we voted. Of the three motions we voted on, there was only one nay vote. The congregation seems to be both united and excited about this opportunity and willing to do what it take to take this great step of faith. Praise God! I am asking that you would join our congregation in prayer about this matter. Pray that God would give us these facilities, that he would help us to acquire these facilities in a manner that we will be able to sustain, and that our ministry would expand as a result of this move. Above all, pray that God would be glorified in and through us as we take this step of faith.

Giving to God III

Sunday morning, I delivered the third part of our month-long series on "Giving to God." Sunday's message was, "How Should I Give to God?" The bottom line of the message was the priority of pleasing God in your giving (Genesis 4:3-5). I gave seven principles for giving in a way that pleases God:

1. Give worshipfully (Prov. 3:9-10; Matt. 6:1-4).
   
2. Give willingly (2 Co. 8:7; 9:7).
   
3. Give intentionally (Prov. 27:23-24; 1 Co. 16:1-2).
   
4. Give generously (Prov. 11:24-25; 2 Co. 9:6).
   
5. Give sacrificially (2 Sam. 24:24; Mark 12:41-44).
   
6. Give joyfully (Acts 20:35; 2 Co. 9:7, 15).
   
7. Give expectantly (Eccl. 11:1-2; Luke 6:38; 2 Co. 9:10-11).
   

This Sunday, my pastoral assistant, George Hurtt, will give the concluding message of this series: "What Difference Does My Giving to God Make?"

Catching Up Posts

Howdy.

Over the next day or so, I will be doing some "catching up" posts. There have been a lot of things going on with me and mine that I want to make note of. I have just been a little busy. So I plan to catch you up with my little world as quickly as I can.

Keep reading.

Preaching @ St. Paul in Sacramento

I have been preaching at the St. Paul Baptist Church in Sacramento the past three days (Wed-Fri). Pastor Ephraim Williams is leading the congregation in a celebration of 59 years of ministry, which will conclude this Sunday. This was my second time ministering at St. Paul. It's a bit intimidating to preach at St. Paul, for various reasons. But it has been quite refreshing to worship with St. Paul and to fellowship with Pastor Williams. Dr. Ephraim Williams is a legend. His integrity, wisdom, love, vision, and courage have been used by God over the past 36 years to nurture St. Paul into an "epicenter church." I trust that the messages were a blessing to the membership of St. Paul. And I am grateful that the invitation has been extended to me to come again next year, God willing. Please keep Pastor Williams and St. Paul in your prayers.

Giving to God (Part II)

Yesterday, I continued our financial stewardship sermon series, “Giving to God.” The message was “What should I give to God?” I offered three answers to that question.

I. Give God the tithe.

A. Tithing is an expression of devotion (Gen. 14:20; 28:18-22).

B. Tithing is an act of worship (Lev. 27:30; Mal. 3:6-10).

C. Tithing is a spiritual discipline (Matt. 23:23; 1 Co. 16:2).

D. Tithing is a statement of faith (Mal. 3:10).

II. Give God an offering.

A. Offerings are freewill gifts (2 Co. 9:7)

B. Offerings are declarations of thanksgiving (Ps. 50:14).

C. Offerings are investments in the work of God (Phil. 4:18).

III. Give God yourself (2 Co. 8:1-5; Rom. 12:1-2).

My Last Day at the Alamo

In spite of the fact that the San Antonio Spurs live and play here, I have really enjoyed being in San Antonio this week. This citywide revival has been refreshing, edifying, and encouraging. I have made some new friends this week. I have heard some strong preaching for Pastor Dennis Jones. And I have felt free to preach my heart in the services I that have been assigned to me. Today is our last day in town. Pastor Jones is to preach the closing midday service this afternoon. And I am scheduled to preach the closing evening service tonight. May the real revival begin after these services have ended.

For the record, I I have been here all week and have not seen the Alamo yet, which happens to be the primary thing I know about San Antonio. But who knows? I may get to drive by it before the day is over.

A thought about Greener Grass

I statement has been on my mind the past day. I don't know why. But it keeps coming to my mind: The greener grass on the other side of the fence comes with a higher water bill.

Update from the Alamo

I am in San Antonio to preach the Baptist Ministers Union’s annual citywide revival. And I am really enjoying this meeting. Citywide revivals are not what they used to be – for many reasons. But this meeting has been special. The day and night services have been well attended, with extra seats being place in the aisles. And the congregations seem to be ready for worship and eager to receive the word in every service.

Pastor Dennis Jones of the Gethsemane Baptist Church in Houston is my preaching partner this week. This is his third consecutive year doing this meeting. So the city is familiar with his preaching. And there has been a sense of great anticipation each time he has preached. It has been a joy to get to know him and fellowship with him.

But I am out of gas!!! I rarely do five-day meetings. So my mind thinks it is time to go home, even though I have two more messages to preach. Likewise, there are both day and evening services. And it’s a rotating preaching schedule – I preached last night and will preach this morning, but won’t preach again until tomorrow night. I am a little tired now. But I am looking forward to these final messages. The Lord has blessed this meeting in a great way. I cannot begin to describe it. And I cannot wait to see what the Lord is going to do in these final services. Keep us in your prayers.

Preaching the San Antonio Citwide Revival

Last night, I preach the first of five messages I am scheduled to deliver in the San Antonio Citywide Revival. The meeting began on Sunday night. And Henry Batson III of the Friendship West Baptist Church in Dallas (Pastor Freddie Haynes) was the speaker. And in the opening midday service yesterday, my preaching partner for the week, Pastor Dennis Jones of the Gethsemane Baptist Church in Houston, brought the message. Pastor Rudolph McKissick Jr of the Bethel Baptist Church in Jacksonville was my scheduled partner. But I was informed that he took ill last week and was unable to make the trip (please remember him in your prayers). So the brothers called Pastor Jones Friday and asked him to come. Pastor Jones has preached this meeting the past two years, so he was an obvious choice for the brothers. He had preached the meeting the past two years with Pastor John Adolph of the Antioch Baptist Church in Beaumont. And it was my friend, John Adolph, who recommended me to the brothers here. I am truly grateful for his continued kindness to me and for the fact that the pastors of this community consented to extend this invitation to me.

The brothers told me it was a light house last night (this is preacher-talk for the attendance was less that expected). But it was still a well-attended service. I am expecting it to be a good week of worship and fellowship. The evening services are being held at the Antioch Baptist Church, where E. Thurman Walker is the pastor. And the day sessions are being held at the Calvary Baptist Church, where Kevin L. Nelson is the pastor. Pastor L.A. Williams is the General Chairman of the revival. And Pastor Joshua Joubert is the President of the Baptist Ministers Union

I was more nervous than usual last night, not knowing anybody in San Antonio. And to my knowledge, none of the brothers had ever heard me preach – in person or via recording. But a couple of my friends from Corpus Christi were present, Pastors Lane and Pullum. So that helped me to relax a bit. And the brothers were so kind and welcoming to me. Likewise, the congregation was receptive to the ministry of the word. Sometimes you can feel that people are just “smoking you over” the first night. But I did not get that feeling last night. It was a warm service and congregation seemed just as eager to hear the word as I was to preach it. I will be preaching the midday service today and Pastor Jones will be preaching the evening service. Please pray that many lives will be changed in the remaining days of this revival series.

Giving to God

Yesterday, I began a four-part series on financial stewardship that I am simply calling, “Giving to God.” I usually do a stewardship series each year. Over the past years, it’s been in the month of May. This year I decided to do it in March. There was no deep rationale behind it, though. There are also several other differences this go-round. First, I am preaching thematic sermons, connecting passages, rather than expositions of a particular passage. Likewise, I am using printed outlines that we are distributing for the congregation to fill in as I am giving the message. Again, there was no deep rationale behind these changes. We just decided to do something different this time. And the congregation seemed to receive the message well yesterday. The message was entitled, “Why should I give to God?” Using selected scriptures I gave for reasons for giving to God:

1. What I possess, God owns.
2. What I give, God multiplies.
3. What I invest, God rewards.
4. What I need, God supplies.

There are three more messages in the series:

3/11 – What should I give to God?
3/18 – How should I give to God?
3/25 – What difference does my giving to God make?

My associate, George Hurtt, will deliver the closing message on March 25. Please pray for the remainder of these messages and that God help us to be more faithful stewards of our financial resources as our minds are renewed by the word of God.

Go, Natalie! It's Your Birthday!

Today is my daughter's birthday. Natalie Marie Charles turned 5-years-old today. Or is that 25? I'm not sure sometimes. My little girl is growing up so fast. She is such a little lady. And I am very proud of her. Crystal gave Natalie a tea party Saturday. When I arrived for the party, Natalie greeted my kind of coldly. She was upset about something. We couldn't figure out what the matter was. Finally, she told me and Crystal that the tea party was just for girls and that I was not dressed right for the party. Little girls. What are you going to do?

My ongoing prayer for Natalie, and her brother H.B., is that they would grow as Jesus grew - in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52)

Happy Birthday Princess!!!

R.A. Williams Speaking @ MSMBC

Tonight, we will conclude our Wednesdays in the Word Revival series. We have truly been blessed throughout this month of February to be challenged, confronted, convicted, converted, and comforted by the powerful preaching of the word of God. The Lord has blessed each meeting in a unique way. And the Spirit of God has empowered and directed each preacher to preach a timely word for the congregation. We are expecting no less tonight. Our guest speaker will be Dr. R.A. Williams, Jr., who pastors the McCoy Memorial Baptist Church right here in Los Angeles. Dr. Williams, who is also the president of WHW ministries, is not stranger to MSMBC. He has preached for us throughout the years. And he has always been a blessing to us. And we are looking forward to what God is going to do through him in this closing night of this series of services. Please pray for us.

Oh, by the way, if you would like tapes or CD’s of the messages, please call our church office at 323-734-1028. Or you can send your information via email to our office through our church website. Sorry that you can just order them online. We hope to fix that real soon. Thanks for your support.

God's Help for a Long Weekend

I had an unusually busy weekend of preaching and teaching. But God was good and faithful to provide strength as it was needed, as always. I do not think I stood to preach any time this weekend where I didn't feel God's presence and help with me. Praise God! Thanks for praying for me and for the notes of encouragement.

Sunday morning, I concluded my two-part series on prayer. Here is the skeleton from yesterday's message.

Title: “God is not a Crooked Judge”

Text: Luke 18:1-8

Theme: Persistence in prayer

Point: Men ought to always pray and not lose heart.

Outline:

I. Is God like this crooked judge?

A. Yes. God is the only one who can make things right in your life.

B. No. You do not have to beat God up in prayer to get him to do what is right for you.

1. God’s character is good.

2. God’s ways are just.

3. God’s timing is perfect.

II. Are you like this persistent widow?

A. Yes. You have an adversary (v. 3) that you cannot handle on your own.

B. No. You are God’s elect (v. 7), not some helpless widow.

C. I don’t know. Only time will tell whether you have the faith to persists in prayer (v. 8b).

An Unusually Busy Weekend

This will be an unusually busy weekend for me. I will have to teach or preach seven times over the course of the weekend. Please remember me in your prayers

Today at 11 AM I am to give the eulogy in the funeral service for Roosevelt Wideman, a longtime and devoted member of MSMBC

Tonight at 7 PM I am to close out the Spiritual Emphasis Conference at the Judson Baptist Church in Carson, where Dr. Johnny Baylor is the pastor.

In the morning at 11 AM I am to give the eulogy in the funeral service for Joe Bennett, another longtime and devoted member of MSMBC.

Tomorrow evening at 5 PM I am to bring the message in the California Baptist State Laymen’s Men’s Conference. That service will be held at Pilgrim Baptist Church here in L.A., where Dr. Albert Nicholas is the pastor.

During our Sunday morning services, I am to conclude my two-part series on prayer with a message on Luke 18:1-8, entitled, “God is not a Crooked Judge.”

Note: My small-group will not be meeting this Sunday.

And Sunday afternoon, I am to speak at New Life Christian Fellowship, for the pastoral anniversary of my boyhood friend, Barry Wilson.

Stay in the Race

Thanks for praying for our Wednesday in the Word Revival meeting last night. Our guest speaker was Dr. Ralph Douglas West of The Church Without Walls in Houston. He preached last night from the classic passage in Hebrews 12:1-2, which calls the believer to run the race of faith with determination, without impediments, and with focus on Christ alone. It was a rich, timely, and powerful message that I trust was edifying for the congregation.

I cannot begin to describe the great blessings Ralph West’s visit was to me personally. I believe that the Lord sent him to Los Angeles just for me. As much as I was richly blessed by the message West preached, our personal time of renewed fellowship was even better. I was able to glean from his pastoral wisdom and be the recipient of his encouragement. It was just what I needed when I needed it. I have been truly challenged and encouraged to run on to the completion of the goal that God has for my life, faith, and ministry.

Ralph Douglas West @ MSMBC

Tonight, we will continue our Wednesdays in the Word Revival series at Mt. Sinai. We have really been blessed so far by the preaching ministries of William Curtis and Maurice Watson. Our guest speaker tonight will be Dr. Ralph Douglas West, who pastors the Brookhollow Baptist Church in Houston – a.k.a., “The Church Without Walls.” I first met and heard Pastor West when I was in my early teens. He was one of the keynote speakers each year in the Oklahoma City Simultaneous Revival, which my father would participate in. And Pastor West’s ministry shaped my view of preaching in its early stages. And throughout the years, Dr. West has continued to be a model of Bible exposition and pastoral leadership. Dr. West was last here in 1994, when he did three for us. It was a memorable meeting. And the messages he preached continue to bless us after all this time. So we are looking forward to tonight’s service and trust that God will send us a timely and powerful word. Please remember this revival in your prayers.

The Parable of the Friend at Midnight

Sunday, I preached the first of two messages on prayer. It's a two-part series on the parables of Jesus about prayer that I am simply calling, "God Answers Prayer." Here is the sermon skeleton from Sunday.

Title: “God is not a Sleepy Friend”

Text: Luke 11:1-13

Theme: Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray (Luke 11:1).

Probing Question: What is the most important lesson about prayer that you should learn?

Point: God answers prayer.

Outline:

I. Pray with reverence for God (11:2-4).

The Model Prayer teaches us three fundamental lessons about how to ray God-centered and God-exalting prayers.

A. Pray directly to God.

B. Pray about things that will bring glory to God.

C. Pray as if everything depends on God.

II. Pray with dependence upon God (11:5-8)

This Parable of the Midnight Caller raises two questions about your prayer life that reveal the nature and level of your dependence upon God.

A. Do you pray?

B. How do you pray?

III. Pray with confidence in God (11:9-13)

In verses 9-13, Jesus teaches his disciples to pray with confidence that God is able and willing to answer prayer.

A. Pray with confidence that God is able (11:9-10).

B. Pray with confidence that God is willing (11:11-13).

God Answers Prayer

It happens after prayer! I truly believe that. The things we desire God to do for us – and the things that we desire God to in and through us – happen after we pray. There is much we can and should do about about situation after we pray. But there really is nothing we can about a situation that will matter, ultimately, until we pray. I believe the two primary tools God gives us for Christian life and ministry are prayer and the ministry of the word. So I want to use the ministry of the word to challenge our congregation to be more devoted to prayer.

This Sunday, I will begin a two-part series on prayer that I am simply calling, “God Answers Prayer.” The messages will come from the two parables of Jesus about prayer that are recorded in Luke’s Gospel: the Parable of the Friend at Midnight (Luke 11:1-13) and the Parable of the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8). Between these two messages, I will ask the church to pray for themselves, another, the church, its leaders, the lost, and our community. Please pray for these two messages and the corresponding emphasis on prayer in the life of MSMBC to bear much fruit.

2/18 – God is Not a Sleepy Friend (11:1-13)

2/25 – God is Not a Crooked Judge (18:1-8)

Grace for Grown Ups

We continued our Wednesdays in the Word Revival series last night. Dr. Maurice Watson of the Beulahland Bible Church in Macon & Warner Robbins, Georgia, was our guest speaker. And Maurice Watson did what Maurice Watson does. He preached up a storm. The message was from 2 Corinthians 12:6-9, where Paul talks about his thorn in the flesh. He entitled it “The Painful Side of Grace.” It was very timely message. There are members of MSMBC who are struggling with various challenges, delays, and trials in their lives. I know those who heard that message last night left with their faith strengthened and the vision of God enlarged.

We had really good attendance last night, even though it was Valentines Day. I was hoping and praying that “Cupid” wouldn’t take precedence over Christ. And I was really proud of our congregation. It was a well-attended service. And I believe that God was glorified and the saints were edified in and through the meeting. We will not be posting the messages on our website. But they are available through our church office. Please remember the continuation of our meeting in your prayers. Dr. Ralph Douglas West of the Brookhollow Baptist Church (“The Church Without Walls”) in Houston will be our guest speaker.

Dr. Maurice Watson Speaking @ MSMBC

Tonight, we will continue our Wednesdays in the Word Revival series at Mt. Sinai. And I am really excited about tonight's speaker. One of my favorite preachers, Dr. Maurice Watson, will be bringing the message. Watson pastors the Beuhlahland Bible Church in Macon & Warner Robbins, Georgia. This is the first time Pastor Watson has been to MSMBC since he relocated from Nebraska. He really did take a great step of faith in leaving the historic Salem Baptist Church in Omaha. But the Lord has honored this step by blessing Watson's work at Beulahland in a great way. Since his arrival several years ago, the church has seen outstanding growth, going from two Sunday worship services to four - at two different locations. I have often prayed that the Lord would enlarge Pastor Watson's platform. And the Lord answered that prayer and continues to do so. Yet, in the midst of it all, Watson has not changed. He is still a good friend, a wise mentor, and a model preacher. Please pray for every aspect of tonight's service. But, most especially, pray that the Lord Jesus will be glorified as he uses Dr. Watson in a great way to proclaim the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Speaking @ New Mt. Calvary

I spoke last night at the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Fairfield, CA. The church is celebrating Dr. Claybon Lea Jr's 8th pastoral anniversary. The celebration will conclude this coming Sunday. Dr. William Curtis of the Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburgh will bring the messages. Lea and I have mutual friends who have encouraged us to know each other. In fact, last summer a brother pastor took me by the Mt. Calvary campus to meet Dr. Lea. He was not present. But his staff was very kind. They even gave me and my family a tour of the facilities and shared some ministry resources with us. I received a book that Dr. Lea had recently published on the cross. I really appreciated it. Anyway, it was a real joy to be at Mt Calvary last night. The worship and fellowship were warm and uplifting. And it is a great preaching station, as the congregation is both attentive and receptive toward biblical preaching. I hope the congregation was as blessed in hearing the message as I was in preaching it to them.

The personal time I was able to spend with Dr. Lea was refreshing and encouraging. He is both kind and humble. And as he shared with me the story of his pastorate and all that God is doing in and through Mt. Calvary, my heart rejoiced. Mt. Calvary is one church in two locations. Several years ago, they purchased and remodeled a large office complex. Today, it is a fully resourced church campus. And after being in the new facility for several months, the Lord led the church to return to its old church facility and continue their work there, as well. And the Lord has smiled on Claybon Lea and the Mt. Calvary Church as they have striven to walk in faith and obedience. Presently, the leaders of MSMBC are prayerfully considering relocation. Our ministry space is pretty limited, with little room for growth. We severly lack both Christian education space and parking that we need. We have had these and other space problems for some time. But now it seems like the Lord is pressing us to aggressively pursue relocation. So seeing what God has done at Mt. Calvary and having Dr. Lea share the story of the church with me were timely blessings from the Lord. I am going home this morning with greater faith in the goodness, wisdom, power, and faithfulness of God to provide what is needed to grow his church.

Speaking @ LABTS

I spoke at the chapel service for the Los Angeles Bible Training School tonight. It was my third time speaking at the schook, I think. It is a honor for me to be asked to minister the word at LABTS. First or all, I have the utmost respect and admiration for President Paul Felix. His kindness to me is a great encouragement. Likewise, Felix and LABTS zre doing a great work in our city, coming alongside of pastors and local churches to train men and women in the scriptures. George Hurtt, my associate pastor at MSMBC, is also one of professors at the school. He is teaching "How to Study the Bible" this semester. And several of our leaders and members have attended classes there over the past few years. I am not sure how well known this work is in our city, even though it has been around for quite some time now. But LABTS should be broadly known and supported generously. It was a joy to fellowship with the students again in worship and the study of the word. Please remember President Paul Felix and LABTS in your prayers.

Series Stuff

Yesterday, I finished the six-part Sunday series I have been preaching, entitled, "Resolved! Taking Advantage of a New Beginning." These weeks (Doesn't time seem to just fly by!) have been an enriching study for me. However, I must admit that I really didn't expect the messages to be so hard. When we selected the passages and themes, it all seemed to fit together so smoothly. But I don't think I really considered how challenging passages would be. For instance, yesterday's text, Luke 17:1-10, was really stern. I don't mind this. But I just didn't expect it. I have been confronted and convicted quite a bit over these weeks. I think the same could also be said of the congregation that heard these messages. May God be please to bring much fruit from this study.

Likewise, I finished my series on Psalm 119 at the end of January. I preached 22 messages from the 176 verses of this "Mt. Everest of the Psalms." This was one of he most personally enriching series I have ever done. And it really stretched me as a preacher. I plan to do more work with these messages in the days to come.

This Sunday, I plan to begin a two-part series that I am calling, "God Answers Prayer!" The two messages will be on the parables about prayer that Jesus gives in Luke 11 and 18. Between these two messages, we are planning a week long emphasis on prayer for the church. Please pray for this work.

Hey! I almost forgot. Yesterday was my 34th birthday. Happy birthday to me!!!

Happy Birthday Mom!

My mother, Ellen Louise Charles, turns 65 years old today. And I am glad to be able to celebrate it with her. As many of you know, the Lord called my father, H.B. Charles Sr., to glory while I was in my middle teens. But the Lord has graciously given me these years with my mother. She has been able to see my development as a man, my growth as a Christian and a pastor, and my life as a husband and a father. And my mother has been my biggest cheerleader every step of the way. I praise God for the gift my mother is to me. Whenever I need a pick-me-up, all I have to do is call my mom. And she will inevitably make me feel like the most special and important person in the world. Plus, she will inevitably say something to make me bust up laughing.

The plan was for me and my siblings to all meet up in Oklahoma City this weekend, where my mother lives, to celebrate her birthday. But these plans fell through. So I sent for her to come here and spend her birthday here with us. I am glad it turned out this way. If we would have gone to OKC, I would have had to rush back tonight to be in the pulpit in the morning. But now that she is here, we get to spend our birthdays together (I turn 34 years old on Sunday). I am glad that the providence worked things out this way. I have even talked her into singing “Only What You Do for Christ Will Last” in one of our services Sunday. It should be a great weekend. The only problem is that my children will no doubt give her a long report of my “wrongdoings.” When I do something that H.B. and Natalie don’t like, they regularly threaten to tell my mom on me, so that I can get a “whipping” when she sees me. I try to tell them that I’m a grown man and that I don’t get whippings. But that only makes them laugh. They are convinced their grandmother is the great equalizer. So I guess I should brace myself for my birthday “whipping.” I am just grateful that my mom is still with me to issue it.

Happy Birthday mom! I love you.

My Spring 2007 Small-Group

This Sunday, between our two morning worship services, I will begin my spring 2007 small-group. Well, I don’t know it if is really a “small-group,” as thirty-two people have signed up for it so far. Each semester, I tell myself that I am not going to lead any Sunday school class (we call them “small-groups” or “Bible study fellowship groups”). But I end up changing my mind each time. This semester is no different. I just enjoy it too much to let it go. And I am excited about this upcoming semester. I like (and seem to need) the opportunity to pray, study, and fellowship with members of MSMBC in a more informal setting. And my spiritual growth is always nurtured by the experience, even though I am usually the one leading the group. I really do learn just as much from the other members of the group as they learn from me.

This semester, my group will be reading together He’s God and We’re Not by Ray Pritchard. Pritchard is the former pastor of the Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois. And he is the president of Keep Believing Ministries, which is his writing and speaking ministry. Ray Pritchard is one of my favorite preachers and authors. His work is consistently sound, clear, and practical. And I have been richly blessed by it through the years. By the way, for my fellow preachers, Pritchard’s sermon manuscripts are also posted on his website. They are a great resource that will benefit you both devotionally and homiletically. Likewise, Pritchard’s church website is what introduced me to the world of ministry blogs. So it is no stretch for me to use one of his books in my small group. And even though I have enjoyed and been enriched by all his books I have read, He’s God is one of my favorites. It’s about what Pritchard calls “the seven laws of the spiritual life.” These seven biblical principles will be the focus of my small-group’s study this semester. I solicit your prayers for my small-group. And I encourage you to pick up this book for yourself and be blessed by its call to spiritual growth in Christ.

Wednesdays in the Word Kick-Off

Last night, we began our Wednesday in the Word Revival series at MSMBC. Dr. William Curtis of the Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Pittburg was our guest speaker. And he kicked off this series in a great way. The Lord really did use Pastor Curtis to deliver a timely, challenging, and uplifting message from the word of God. I don’t like to attach a lot of descriptions to the term “preaching.” I think the word ought to stand on its own – either one preached or he did not. But there are two terms that I think are appropriate to describe preaching – “faithful” and "courageous.” And both terms describe Pastor Curtis’ message last night. The message ministered to me in a personal way at an important time in my life. Praise God! Likewise, our congregation was enriched by the ministry of the word. I was somewhat disappointment that more people were not present. But I am grateful for everyone who was present – members and guest alike. And I pray that last night will be just the beginning of a great revival in and through MSMBC.

William Curtis @ MSMBC

Tonight begins our Wednesdays in the Word Revival at Mt. Sinai Church. Rather than meeting consecutive nights which we typically do, we are meeting consecutive Wednesdays in February for the first time. The idea is not original with us. But I am praying that the Lord will honor this meeting with his blessings in a special way. We are not a large congregation. And this meeting is a real step of faith for us in some ways. Yet, we are honored to have some great men of God to minister the word to us over the course of these weeks. Dr. William Curtis, who pastors the Mt. Ararat Baptist Church in Pittsburg, is our guest speaker tonight. Dr. Curtis is also the new president of the Hampton University Ministers’ Conference. Most importantly, this guy can just flat out preach. I have heard him on tape quite a bit over the past few years. I also watch his internet broadcasts occasionally. I had the opportunity to meet and hear him personally last October. I was enriched by both the personal fellowship and the ministry of the word he delivered. And I trust that tonight will be no different. Please pray that this revival will be a fruitful in, for and through MSMBC to the glory of God.

The Freedom of Forgiveness

Title: “The Freedom of Forgiveness” (“Resolved to Forgive Others”)

Series: “Resolved! Taking Advantage of a New Beginning”

Text: Matthew 18:21-35

Theme: Being forgiven and being forgiving

Point: You are not really free until you forgive the ones who have wronged you.

Probing Question: Why forgive?

Transitional Sentence: In the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant, Jesus gives three reasons why we who are Christians must forgive others from the heart.

Outline:

I. I must forgive because God has forgiven me.

A. Sin is a debt that you owe to God.

1. It is an incalculable debt.

2. It is an unpayable debt.

B. God has forgiven your sin-debt through Jesus Christ.

1. The forgiveness of God is free.

2. The forgiveness of God is full.

3. The forgiveness of God is faithful.

C. The forgiveness you have received from God is the grounds upon which you extend forgiveness to others.

II. I must forgive others because no offense is beyond my forgiveness.

A. The wrong you have suffered from others is significant.

B. The wrong you have suffered from others is insignificant in comparison to the debt you have been forgiven.

III. I must forgive others because unforgiveness is too costly.

A. Unforgiveness is wicked.

B. Unforgiveness is torture.

When Your Life is on the Line

Here is the sermon skeleton for my Midweek Worship message last night:

Title: “When Your Life is on the Line”

Text: Psalm 119:153-160 (Resh)

Theme: A prayer for revival

Point: God is able to revive you when your life is on the line.

Probing Question: What do I have to do to move God to revive me when my life is on the line? A godly attitude.

Transitional Sentence: God revives the one who has a godly attitude toward self, toward sin, and toward scripture.

Outline:

I. God revives the one who has a godly attitude toward self. (119:153-154).

A godly attitude toward self is demonstrated in what and how you pray:

A. Pray as if God is the only one who can deliver you (v. 153).

B. Pray as if God is the only one who can defend you (v. 154).

II. God revives the one who has a godly attitude toward sin (119:155-158).

What does it mean to have a godly attitude toward sin?

A. Embrace the nature of salvation (v. 155).

1. Salvation is far from the wicked.

2. Salvation is found in the word.

B. Embrace the mercy of God (v. 156).

C. Embrace the walk of faithfulness (v. 157).

D. Embrace the grief of sin (v. 158).

III. God revives the one who has a godly attitude toward scripture (119:159-160).

A godly attitude toward scripture is marked by love and trust.

A. Love the word of God (v. 159).

B. Trust the word of God (v. 160).

1. Trust that the word of God is true (v. 160a)

2. Truest that the word of God is eternal (v. 160b)

Finishing Psalm 119

My plan is to resume the exposition of Psalm 119 in our Midweek Worship Service tonight. I have three more stanzas to go. Tonight, I will preach verses 153-160, God willing. And the plan is to finish the last two stanzas over the next two weeks. Pray for this final leg of our journey up this “Mt. Everest of the Psalms.” May our view of God be enlarged, our confidence in the word strengthened, and our passion for holiness intensified as a result of this study of the sufficiency of scripture.

My MLK Day Mix-Up

It had been a long weekend. So I decided to sleep in Monday morning. My plan was to take my time waking up and going through my morning routines, have breakfast with my family, and get to office about midday to prepare myself to preach. I was scheduled to speak at the MLK celebration for the Orange County Minister’s Conference Fellowship. The president, Dr. John McReynolds and the Second Baptist Church of Santa Ana hosted the meeting. I have been preaching in the Santa Ana area since I was fifteen years old. And the various pastors of that community have been extremely kind to me. Specifically and especially, Pastor McReynolds has been a faithful “cheerleader” who has encouraged my ministry over the years. He has gone out of this way to be a blessing to me and my family. And I love and respect him deeply. It was truly an honor to be asked to speak in this service. I agreed to come even before I was sure what he wanted me to do. For the record, thank God he didn’t ask me to give some “civil rights” address. I would have really been in a jam.

About 10:30 AM, Crystal, the kids, my sister, niece, and I were about to leave for breakfast. As we made our final preparations to leave, Crystal and I started debating what time the service began. I said 7 PM. She said 3 PM. So I called my secretary to ensure I was right. Crystal and I were both wrong. Very wrong! When Scharmaine told me that the service started at 11 AM, I just hung up the phone and stood there frozen for a few minutes. I really didn’t know what to do. I decided while I processed what to do, I had better put a suit on. Fifteen minutes later, I was in my car headed to Santa Ana in a mad panic. I hadn’t had the opportunity to finish editing the message and setting to memory the message I had intended preach. So I didn’t know what I was going to preach. But that might not have mattered. I wasn’t sure I would even make it to the service in time to preach anything! Thankfully, I was able to contact Dr. McReynolds, who assured me that I would get there in sufficient time. And, by God’s grace, I did. In fact, I didn’t get up to preach to about 1 PM. But it was a special service. I was sure I could(correction) count on Dr. McReynolds to keep the focus on Christ, even though it was a MKL Day service. The congregation was somewhat tired and restless by the time I ministered the word. But they were attentive and responsive. I pray that the ministry of the word will bear much fruit. And I praise God for the reminder that God has everything under control at all times – even when we mix things up!

A "Postcard" Reminder of God's Faithfulness

I found a cassette tape yesterday of a sermon I preached on Wednesday, June 14, 1989. The sermon is entitled, “The Day Man Prayed for Jesus to Leave,” based on Mark 5:15-17. The recording is from Chapel Hill Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan. The late Dr. Roy Allen was the pastor. I was preaching their youth revival, which went from Sunday morning through Friday night. I was only sixteen-years-old. And it was the furthest and the longest I had ever been away from home to preach. When I told my wife about the tape last night, she immediately asked if I had listened to it. “Absolutely not,” was my firm response. When I was sixteen, this sermon was one of the best arrows I had in my quiver. But, in reality, it was just a boy preacher’s vain attempt to sound “deep.” I was really swinging for the fence with this one. But I think it ended up going just a little past the foul pole (As a more mature preacher – I hope – I do not think it is proper for the primary point of a message to be based on a secondary point of the text.) If I remember correctly (Note: I am determined not to listen to this tape, so memory will have to be the best I can do), I closed the sermon with this story about how God the Father derived the name of Jesus from taking the “J” out of Jeremiah’s name; the “E” out of Eli’s name, the “S” out of Samson’s name… You get the point. I cringe when I think abut that story. And for the record, a month away from my 34th birthday, I am now ready to lend my support to any proposed ban of boy preachers from the pulpit. For that matter, I think I would also support a pulpit ban of some young adult, middle aged, and old preachers, too, who refuse to faithfully preach the word.

The last reason this tape has sentimental value to me is because my father, H.B. Charles, Sr., died the Saturday after this meeting ended. As I was flying home from Detroit to Los Angeles; God was called my father from earth to glory. I got the news when I arrived home from the airport. When I finally was able to get out of the car – some two hours later – I put the tapes on the mantle on top of the fireplace. I was excited for my father to hear these tapes of my first “major meeting.” But God did not will it to be so. And by the end of the day, most of the tapes were gone. This is one of the tapes I was able to hold on to. Even though I am not big on holding on to things for sentimental reasons (I prefer memories over things that people can fight over when someone dies), I will try to hold on to this tape. It is a “postcard” reminder of God’s faithfulness to me over these years. Praise the Lord!

MSMBC Vision Night 2007

Our first Midweek Service of the year at Mt. Sinai is designated as “Vision Night.” No, I do not reveal to the church the “fresh word” I have received from the Lord for the year (Think, “It’s your year; slap your neighbor, turn around three times, praise him to you get your... pull it down…” Sorry for that. I couldn’t resist). In fact, we really don’t do a church theme for the year. We try to let both the preaching and periodic special emphases guide our planning. What we do on Vision Night is pray for the upcoming year of mission and ministry. We sing praises to God together. And I usually give a “State of the Church Address.” Last year,I preached this meeting. But this year I will again give my congregational address. It’s nothing formal. I just use the opportunity to remind the congregation of what the Lord has done in, through, and for us over the course of the last year. And I endeavor to chart the course for the coming year, introducing new leaders, updating program changes, and describing special goals, projects, and efforts.

MSMBC exists to win more Christians to develop better Christians. Period. That’s all we are about. And we don’t what this to be just a slogan for us. We want it to be the Christ-centered priority that shapes our life together. And we strive to make sure that the major things we endeavor support this fundamental mission. My prayer is that we will be a biblically-functioning church in every way. And that the Headship of the Lord Jesus will be freely and fully exercised in our lives, relationships, and service. And I am very excited to see how the Lord will work in and through us this year. Indeed, we have some challenges that we are facing. But I face them all with faith-filled hope. And I am so glad and grateful for that. Honestly, I was not there last year this time. I started 2006 at such a low point that the only prudent thing for me to do was to preach, rather than to give a “State of the Church Address.” But the Lord sustained me through that dark period and has renewed my sense of vision, focus, and passion for my work here. And I can say with all sincerity that our dreams are greater than our memories.

I’m asking all of our members and friends to pray for tonight’s service and for this year of ministry at MSMBC. And may the Lord be obviously present and actively in-charge wherever he has planted you to serve. God bless

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. – 3 John 4

Thankful for a Great Preaching Station

I exhorted the congregation of MSMBC to be thankful this past Sunday. As I walked to my car after church, my heart and mind were filled with gratitude for the privilege of ministering the word each in week in such a great pulpit. The Lord has truly blessed me to serve him at a place that fits my gifts, sense of calling, and personal convictions. I feel a great sense of freedom to preach my heart and to lead as I believe the Lord is leading me. And MSMBC always prove to be a prayerful, supportive, and edifying team to serve with. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to serve as pastor-teacher of MSMBC.

I began a series of messages this Sunday entitled, “Resolved! Taking Advantage of a New Beginning.” Here is the sermon skeleton from Sunday’s message:

Title: “Resolved to Give Thanks”

Text: Luke 17:11-19

Theme: The benefits of responding with thanksgiving to the healing grace of Jesus Christ

Point: The greatest demonstration of the life-changing power of Jesus Christ is reserved for the one who goes out of his way to give him thanks.

Outline:

I. Trust in the mercy of the Lord Jesus (17:11-13).

II. Obey the commands of the Lord Jesus (17:14).

A. Jesus often calls us to participate in the process of our own blessings by doing what doesn’t make sense.

B. Faith obeys the commands of the Lord Jesus.

C. The Lord has a way of fixing your situation as you do what he commands you to do.

III. Give thanks for the goodness of the Lord Jesus (17:15-16).

A. Go out of your way to give thanks to Jesus.

B. Offer your grateful to Jesus wholeheartedly.

C. Thanksgiving to and for Jesus is the highest praise to God.

IV. Receive the salvation of the Lord Jesus (17:17-19).

A. Jesus expects everyone he blesses to come back and give him thanks.

B. Jesus is grieved when you do not come back to thank him for his blessings.

C. Jesus rewards the faith expressed by those who go out of their way to give him thanks.

Resolved! Taking Advantage of a New Beginning

I have approached my preaching calendar a little differently this year. My plan this year is to preach through shorter thematic and expository series on Sundays, rather than doing an extended, sequential exposition of a book of the Bible. (I intend to pick up the exposition of Ephesians I began last year in April, during our midweek services.). This Sunday, I am preparing to begin a six-part series entitled, “Resolved! Taking Advantage of a New Beginning.”

During the new year, many people began to think about making changes in their lives. Often, the commitments they make to change are expressed in terms of “new year’s resolutions.” Unfortunately, many of these good intentions are not carried through to fulfillment. Furthermore, many of these resolutions target the wrong areas of life. They are about external things – money, possessions, weight, appearance, etc. – rather than on the thing that matter the most, what’s going on underneath the skin. So I would like to challenge the congregation at Mt. Sinai to take advantage of this new beginning by making some resolutions that address attitudes of the heart that need to be changed.

Each of these messages will come from one of the Gospel narratives. They will be miracles, parables, or other episodes from the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. And I will try to examine what Jesus teaches us in these passages about taking advantage of a new beginning in a specific area of life. Please pray for me in the preparation and presentation of this series of messages. And pray for the membership and guests of MSMBC who will hear these messages. May our lives be changed to the glory of God, as we resolve to take advantage of the new beginning God has given us in 2007!

Here is the schedule for this six-week sermon series:

1/7 – Resolved to Give Thanks (Luke 17-11-19)

1/14 – Resolved to Really Change (Matthew 12:43-45)

1/21 – Resolved to Express Devotion (Luke 7:36-50)

1/28 – Resolved to Live Productively (Luke 9:1-9)

2/4 – Resolved to Forgive Others (Matthew 18:21-35)

2/11 – Resolved to Practice Obedience (Luke 17:1-10)

My Last Sermon of 2006

We emphasize world missions on fifth Sundays at MSMBC. Sunday was also the last day of 2006. With both factors in mind, I chose to preach Sunday on Psalm 67 – The Missionary Psalm. It is a prayer for personal blessings with the goal that it will result in the worldwide praise and worship of the Lord God. Here is the sermon skeleton of the message:

Title: “Embracing God’s Mission for Your Life”

Text: Psalm 67

Theme: The Missionary Psalm

Point: God desires to use your life to reach the world for his glory.

Outline:

I. God wants to use you so that the world might know him (67:1-2).

A. Ask God to bless you (67:1).

B. Ask God to make you a blessing (67:2).

II. God wants to use you so that the world might worship him (67:3-5).

A. Long for the glory of God to be praised (67:3, 5).

B. Long for the joy of God to be enjoyed (67:4).

1. There is joy in the holy justice of God.

2. There is joy the sovereign authority of God

III. God wants to use you so that the world might fear him (67:6-7).

A. May the faithfulness of God be experienced (67:6a).

B. May the favor of God be enjoyed (67:6b-7a).

C. May the fear of God be expanded (67:7b).

Prayer Bowl 2007

The Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, where Dr. Melvin V. Wade pastors, hosts their annual “Prayer Bowl” each year on New Year’s Day. This is an all-day worship service with preaching, prayer, and praise. If I am correct, Pastor Wade has been hosting this event every year since he has been pastor of Mt. Moriah, which would be more the thirty years now. I remember attending this meeting when I was a boy preacher. I would be squeezed into one of the back rows with my other young preacher buddies. And we would stay the whole day listening to some of the best preachers of Los Angeles. I first preached this event more than ten years ago. And Dr. Wade has graciously invited me to speak in this meeting each year since then.

There were five other speakers besides me this year. I had the opportunity to hear three of them. I was encouraged by each of them. There are different styles and backgrounds represented. And this is a great reminder that God has a lot of different tools at his disposal to use to minister his word. I was the final speaker. And the Lord helped me to preach the message he had laid on my heart, even though I wasn’t feeling well. The Prayer Bowl is always special, uplifting, and edifying. This year was no exception. Praise God for Pastor Wade and the Mt. Moriah for being so gracious as to open their doors each year to invite the city to join this in this great celebration of God’s gracious gift of a new year. Praise God for each of the preachers who gave themselves to the Lord so freely, and for the saints who gathered to hear the word proclaimed. And I praise God for the privilege of proclaiming the word of God to the greater Los Angeles church community once again. May much fruit come from this meeting to the glory of God.

Happy New Year!

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." - Numbers 6:24-26 (ESV)

Tell the Truth!

I heard one of his best sermons I have heard all year long this past Sunday. Phil Placenti, one of the associate pastors of Mt. Sinai who leads our children’s department, preached his “annual” December sermon. I am usually on vacation the week after my pastoral anniversary. And in most recent years, Phil has ended up preaching for me on the third Sunday in December. So we just consider this Sunday his annual spot. Sunday, Phil preached a message on Matthew 5:33-37 entitled, “Tell the Truth.” It was a clear, challenging, and convicting message taken from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. And it was both well-prepared and well-presented. Most of all, it was God glorifying. Click here to get to the audio of the message on our church website.

Personal December Holidays

In the midst of all that has been going on these past weeks, I have failed to note several days in December that have a deep personal significance for me.

12/10 – Sunday, December 10, we celebrated my sixteenth anniversary as pastor of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. My friend, Romell Williams, who pastors the Lilydale Baptist Church in Chicago, preached our two Sunday morning services. And my pastor, Dr. Melvin V. Wade Sr., who leads the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in Los Angeles, preached the afternoon service. Likewise, some of the “Sons of Sinai,” my brothers, joined us for the celebration. It was a special day. I was refreshed, encouraged, and motivated by all of the events of the day. I thank the Lord for the wonderful privilege of shepherding the loving congregation of Mt. Sinai. And after all these years, through the good and the bad, our dreams are still greater than our memories.

12/12 – Tuesday, December 12, was the eighth anniversary of my marriage to the former Crystal Moreland. Because we were preoccupied with the upcoming trip to Midland, we didn’t plan any thing major. We simply had dinner together at one of our favorite restaurants, which we only get to go to about once a year. We had a long, quiet dinner. We talked a lot and made each other laugh out loud, exchanging stories. We both really needed that. Then we kind of goofed off for several hours. As we went, we thought of things to do. And we just hung out until we started getting sleepy. This was what it was like when we were dating. We never seemed to have big plans. We just kind of did nothing together. But we were really good at it. Thank God that after these years we are still pretty good at just doing nothing together.

12/18 – Yesterday, December 18, was Crystal’s thirty-second birthday. The kids and I took her out to dinner last night. It was also the birthday of a lady sitting near us at the restaurant. She tried to guess how old Crystal was. And, of course, she was nowhere near it. This is typical. Unfortunately, people I meet often think that I am older than I am. But it is just the opposite with Crystal. Many think she is just a teenager. They find it hard to believe that she is a married mother of two children. This is fine by me. Crystal is just as pretty today as she was when we met in high school years ago. And I can’t wait to see how much more beautiful she will be thirty years from now. Happy birthday, Sunshine!

Spiritual Comfort in Personal Grief

The past several weeks have been quite eventful for me and my family, to say the least. The day after Thanksgiving, my father-in-law became ill at our home. And our family went through an almost two-week vigil, praying for his recovery. The reports we received about his condition seemed to change from day to day – one day good, one day bad. Ultimately, the Lord had the last say. And the Lord chose to call dad home this past Friday. This has been a tragic loss for us. But we praise God for dad’s salvation, for which we had prayed for years. We thank God for dad’s faith and hope in Jesus Christ. And for the fact that he is perfectly healed in the glorious presence of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thank you for those who have covered our family with believing prayer during this period. And thank you for every act of kindness, love, and sympathy. Mt. Sinai, you have been an invaluable source of love and support over these past days. Crystal and I love you very much and are truly grateful to God for blessing us to serve such great people. And to all our loved-ones and well-wishers, thank you. God bless you.

We will be headed to Midland, Texas, this weekend for dad’s funeral service. Please keep me, Crystal, our children, and our entire family in your prayers.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)

Happy Thanksgiving

From my family, to yours, "Happy Thanksgiving!"

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!" - Psalm 100:4

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31

"Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!" - 2 Corinthians 9:15

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:17

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of GOd in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Seven Reasons for Thanksgiving

I have many reasons to be grateful today - health, strength, family, friends, provisions… But here are seven primary reasons I have to especially give thanks to God for his goodness to me.

Life: I thank God that he has spared and sustained my life through another year. As I grow older (and more mature, I hope), I am experiencing an increasingly greater sense of my own mortality. I am still a young man. And I trust I have many more years to live and serve God. But I am also aware that life is “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14 – ESV). So I am grateful for every day of life God gives me.

Salvation & spiritual growth: I thank God for saving me by his sovereign grace. I praise the Lord that he has not treated me as my sins deserve. Instead, he has given me eternal life through faith in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. And I thank God that he is still at work in me, conforming me to the image of his Son. And he will bring the good work he has begun in me to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6).

Crystal: I thank God for my wife, Crystal Reanne’ Charles. She is my “Sunshine.” It seems like the Lord transforms her into just what I need her to be, exactly when I need it. It is an amazing thing to experience. To steal a line from a Jack Nicholson movie, she makes me want to be a better man. I love her and thank God for giving her to me.

H.B.III & Natalie Marie: I thank God for my two children. They are gifts of God that give a sense of gravity to my life, keeping me from drifting away in superficialities. I praise God as I watch their continual growth and development. And it’s the coolest thing in the world to be their personal “Jungle Jim.” I just don’t have the words to express what they mean to me. I thank God for them and pray that they would continue to grow as Jesus grew (Luke 2:52).

My call to preach: I thank God that he has called me to be a herald of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. My goals for my preaching are pretty simple. I want to be faithful, clear, and authentic. However, these simple goals are incredibly lofty for a sinner like me. I am still amazed that God would use someone like to do something as important as this. I am truly grateful that the primary task of my daily life is to get ready to preach and teach the word of God. I can’t believe I get paid to do this. And I thank God for every opportunity he gives me to proclaim the scriptures, be it in season or out of season.

MSMBC: I thank God for the wonderful privilege of pastoring Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church. November 5th marked the sixteenth anniversary of the day I was selected to pastor this great church. And even though I have been called to spiritually nurture the congregation; they have done just as much to nurture me over the years. The primary human credit for what is good about me and my ministry belongs to the loving membership of MSMBC. I thank God and pray for them in all my prayers (Philippians 1:3-4).

2006: I thank God for all that he has done for me, in me, and through me in 2006. This has been a challenging year for me in some respects. At points, I have been low in spirits to a degree that is not typical of me. But in the midst of it all, God has been faithful. And through the ups-and-downs, the Lord has continued to use me, help me, and bless me. Amazingly, the things that “stick” to me about this year are all positive – that is a reason to be thankful, in and of itself.

“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift.” – 2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV)

You Can Trust the Bible

Here is the sermon skeleton from Sunday's message:

Title: "You Can Trust the Bible"

Text: Psalm 119:137-144

Theme: The trustworthiness of the word of God

Point: You can trust the Bible.

Outline:

I. You can trust the Bible because it is the word of God (119:137-138).

A. The righteous source of scripture is God (v. 137).

B. The righteous substance of scripture is faithful (v. 138).

II. You can trust the Bible in every situation (119:139-141).

A. It is worthy of your zeal (v. 139).

B. It is worthy of your love (v. 140).

C. It is worthy of your remembrance (v. 141).

III. You can trust the Bible to provide what you need the most (119:142-144).

A. It imparts the truth of God (v. 142).

B. It imparts the joy of God (v. 143).

C. It imparts the life of God (v. 144).

Recoving from a another Long Weekend

This past Friday night, the Pastor’s Aide Team of Los Angeles honored me as their “Pastor of the Year.” The service was held at MSMBC. And several pastoral colleagues and sister churches were here to encourage me and others pastors. I deeply appreciated the kind gestures. But, most of all, I really appreciated the presence of Mt. Sinai. I have served this congregation for almost sixteen years. They are the ones who really know what kind of pastor I am, good or bad. But even though I enjoyed the service, it was rather draining for me. Being in those kind of settings take a lot out of me for some reason. There is such a sense of unworthiness that I feel. I am still a young preacher and pastor. I have a long way to go. Maybe thirty years down the road, I might be more deserving of such an honor. But I do really appreciate the encouragement. Mark it down: Preachers need to be encouraged. And, to be honest, many times I am desperate for it. I just want to know that what I am doing is making a difference. So it’s encouraging to have been considered, no matter what else did or did not happen. Thank you, Mt. Sinai, for every expression of your love me and Crystal. We love you.

Well, what do you do after you are honored as “Pastor of the Year”? You go to Disneyland! That’s what you do. Thinking I would be finished with my work, I promised H.B. and Natalie that I would take them to Disneyland Saturday. Crystal told me not to say anything to them. But I had to open my big mouth – the anticipation is just as much fun as the trip itself. So off we went – Crystal and I, the kids, and my pastor’s grand-daughter. It totally wiped me out. And I got sick. My sinuses started bothering me, and my head was aching. Crystal gave me some medicine. And it helped me to rest… to well. I overslept Sunday morning (something I basically never do). And in the rush to get myself ready, I got sick again. I struggled through the first service. Then I went home, ditching my Sunday School class. I intended to go home and stay, but my headache subsided enough that I came back to preach the second service. The Lord gave me strength to lead the service. But I was totally wiped out afterwards. I rested all Sunday afternoon. And I did as much of nothing as I could yesterday. I am back at work today, and I feeling a lot better. Thanks for your prayers and your notes and/or calls of concern.

Embracing the Wonderful Word of God

Here is the sermon skeleton from Wednesday night's message:

Title: “Embracing the Wonder of God’s Word”

Text: Psalm 119:129-136

Theme: The wonderful word of God

Point: You can move beyond the common life by embracing the wonder of God’s word.

Transitional Sentence: Embracing the wonder of God’s word will transform your life in specific three ways.

Outline:

I. The word of God will renew your mind (119:129-131).

Verses 129-131 shows us three attitudes you must in order to experience the power of God’s word to renew your mind.

A. An attitude of reverence (v. 129)

B. An attitude of openness (v. 130)

C. An attitude of longing (v. 131)

II. The word of God will change your ways (119:132-135).

Verses 132-135 record four things you should pray for in order to
experience the power of God’s word to change your ways.

A. Pray for God’s gracious intervention (v. 132).

B. Pray for God’s sanctifying power (v. 133).

C. Pray for God’s mighty deliverance (v. 134).

D. Pray for God’s for divine favor (v. 135).

III. The word of God will break your heart (119:136).

A. Godly sorrow ought to lead you to talk to God about unbelievers.

B. Godly sorrow ought to lead yout o talk to unbelievers about God.

Resisting Empty Homiletics

Early in my pastoral ministry, a wise professor warned me to make sure my preaching was more like roots than like pipes. The water and other nutrients a tree or plant needs are found passes through the roots. And as the roots feed the tree, the roots themselves become stronger. However, water passes through pipes without the water benefiting the pipes in any way. The water helps others, but not the pipes. In fact, the longer the water passes through the pipes, the more rust and decay corrupt the pipes. So those of us who preach and teach the word must vigilantly strive to be roots, not pipes, as we minister the word of God to others.

I face this challenge each week in preaching and teaching. Ninety-nine percept of the time, I am plodding through new scriptural territory. And I am taking in so much that sometimes it is hard to keep up. I also face the fact that Wednesday and Sundays come with blinding speed. For instance, I have been studying Psalm 119 on Wednesdays for the better part of this year. And it has definitely been a challenge, homiletically. First of all, it is one (singular) psalm, with basically the same theme approached from different angles. Likewise, many of the same terms and phrases are used in stanza after stanza, requiring that I keep considering fresh ways to same the same thing. And each stanza is eight verses long. This forces me to think about how to organize the messages differently, so that they don’t sound redundant. In some stanzas, this is rather easy to do – as the outline of the section is obvious. But with others, you have to wrestle with it a little bit to get it to yield. These practical challenges require me to work hard to make sure I am feeding my own soul as I do that nuts and bolts work of ministering to my beloved congregation. I do not want to be a “preaching machine,” in the bad sense of the term. I don’t want to be a pipe that pumps out sermons, without my life being changed by the word that I preach.

Recently, my son told me that when he grows up he wants to writer sermons, just like me. I was surprised and encouraged to hear him say this, seeing my son is usually rather intimated by what I do. But I also found it funny that he did not say that I preach sermons. Most of the time, he catches me in the process of preparation. And it seems like the actually preaching of the sermons is just a momentary blur. But I must remember that my preparation really isn’t about the preaching of sermons. My study is to be for the feeding of my own soul. And the congregation is to receive the fruit of my personal time with God in prayer, meditation, and study. Even though the preaching moment is the most urgent matter; it’s not the most important. The life I live and the work I do between sermons are more important than the sermons themselves. So may the Lord grant that my personal life and commitment to sound doctrine be a system of strong roots from which much fruit grows to his glory.

My Final Speaking Engagements for 2006

This past week, I spoke at the last three meetings outside of MSMBC that I have scheduled for 2006. Tuesday (11/7), I spoke at the Perfect Peace Bible Church in Los Angeles, where Charles Ashley is the pastor. Wednesday through Friday (11/8-10), I spoke at the Union Evangelistic Baptist Church in Chicago Heights, where Pastor James Flint has served for over thirty-five years. Pastor Flint began his ministry under my father, many years ago. And it was an honor to have this opportunity to preach to the warm congregation of the Union Church. I also had the opportunity to meet pastor’s son, James Jr., who serves with his father at Union. Of course, I am always moved when I see fathers and sons serving together in the work of ministry. It was a real joy to be in Chicago Heights (a suburb in south Chicago), until Friday. It was so warm and sunny Wednesday and Thursday. I thought I wouldn’t need all the stuff I brought to bundle up in. But Friday it was cold, windy, and raining (when I woke up from a nap Friday afternoon, I looked out the window and saw that it was raining sideways!). It was Chicago. And I couldn’t wait to get on that plane and get back to civilization.

Saturday morning, I flew to Houston to preach for Dr. A. Louis Patterson Jr. at the Mt. Corinth Baptist Church. I was a teenager when I first heard Pastor Patterson preach. I bought a tape of him in a church bookstore. And two things happened. First, I straight stole that sermon. I preached that thing all over town. In fact, today – almost twenty years later – I can recall that message well enough to steal it again, if need be. (I trust, however, that I have enough of my own work stored up so that I would not have to steal if I was in a jam). The second thing that happened is that Pastor Patterson became another strong link in the chain that pulled me toward expository preaching. Over the years, Pastor Patterson’s manner and ministry has been an example for me in so many ways. And I am overwhelmed by the fact that he has been a source of great kindness and encouragement to me – both he and his dear wife. So when Dr. Patterson asked me to preach for him a month or so ago, the answer way yes even before he asked. I do not usually leave my pulpit on Sunday mornings; but an invitation from Dr. Patterson is an instant and automatic exception.

Yesterday was Men and Women’s Demonstration Day at Mt. Corinth. However, there was only a brief acknowledgement of it. There was no pomp and circumstance connected to this annual day. In this, Dr. Patterson and I are kindred spirits. I preached both morning services. The congregation was attentive, warm, and responsive in both meetings. What can I say? Mt. Corinth is a great church! The members of the congregation reflect a genuine love for Jesus Christ, the scriptures, their pastor, Mt. Corinth, and one another. If there are unloving members of Mt. Corinth, Dr. Patterson must hide them in the basement before I arrive. Much of the spirit of the congregation is the result of the Lord’s work in and through Dr. Patterson. His often speaks of “joy for the journey.” And this is spirit seems to have become contagious in Mt. Corinth. It was a great blessing to worship and fellowship with the Dr. and Mrs. Patterson and the wonderful congregation at Mt. Corinth. The twenty-four hours I was there seemed to fly by. But I was glad to get home to Crystal, H.B., and Natalie last night. Praise God for his continued blessings of strength, guidance, and mercy.

Perfect Peace and Union Evangelistic

I spoke at the Perfect Peace Bible Church in Los Angeles Tuesday night. Pastor Charles Ashley asked me to come several months ago, when we saw each other at a convention meeting. But we failed to talk again after that. So there was somewhat of a scheduling conflict. But I was able to speak Tuesday night. Pastor “Scruffie” Shiggs and the Love Lifted Me Church family were also in attendance. MSMBC partnered in ministry with this congregation some years ago. And it is such a joy to see how the Lord is continuing to work in and through this unique congregation.

Last night, I began the first of three nights at the Union Evangelistic Baptist Church in Chicago Heights, Ill. Pastor James Flint, who has served this congregation for 38 years, began preaching under my father in Los Angeles. I am encouraged to see how the Lord continues to sustain the impact of my father’s work, even though he went home to be with the Lord 17 years ago. Pastor Flint serves the Union Church family with his son, James, Jr. And, of course, it blesses me to see a father and son working together in this way. I was so grateful to be in worship last night. Union is a good preaching place. I look forward to the next two nights.

Christianity at its Worst and its Best

Over the past week, America has had a front row seat to see Christianity on display at both its worst and its best. Last week, Ted Haggard, the former pastor of New Life Church in Colorado Springs and former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, was confronted with allegations of gross sinful behavior. And though he claims that all of the charges against him are not true, he admits that enough of them are true to warrant him being removed from his various ministry leadership posts. In a letter read to New Life this past Sunday, Haggard described himself as “a deceiver and a liar,” as he confessed his sexual immorality to the congregation he formed. What can I say? It is a bad when leaders fall into gross sin that brings reproach to the name of Jesus Christ. And it is sad that the “celebrity preacher” mindset, which has corrupted Christianity in America, pressures men to pretend to be something they are not. And it sad that we allow a few high-profile preachers to become the “voice” of Christianity, causing the credibility of the church to rise or fall with the statements and conduct of a few “big named” religious personalities. And it is sad that many people have been hurt, disillusioned, and turned off by these events.

Indeed, this scandal has exposed Christianity at its worst. But, at the same time, this situation has demonstrated Christianity at its best. Even though New Life is an independent church, Haggard and his associates apparently organized the congregation with an elaborate system of accountability, in the unfortunate event that something like this would happen. Many congregations that are closely affiliated with associations and denominations do not have this kind of accountability system for its leadership. Haggard’s fate was not in his own hands, or in the hands of his hand-picked staff, but was in the hands four pastors, called “overseers,” who lead churches in different parts of the county. Haggard and New Life gave them full authority to decide when and how the pastor should be disciplined or removed. And that system was followed by all involved. You may not like the system. But at least they had one. And they followed it.

A letter was also read to the New Life congregation Sunday from Haggard’s wife, Gayle. Addressing her comments to the women of the church, she wrote, “I love my husband, Ted Haggard, with all my heart. I am committed to death do us part. ... My test has begun. Watch me. I will try to prove myself faithful” Wow! Claiming “irreconcilable differences”, many people quit their marriages for far less than what Mrs. Haggard is experiencing. I know that many people may think that she should leave him. And, eventually, that may be what she does. But the fact that this was her initial response is remarkable to me. It seems so “Job-like” to me. May she experience the sufficient grace and enabling help of God during this trial.

What was New Life’s response to the news of Haggard’s sin and his admission of guilt? They forgave him. No doubt, this congregation is experiencing hurt, grief, and betrayal, as they have been caught in the crossfire of this controversy. Yet, they have chosen to forgive him. And they have affirmed their continued love for Haggard and his family. And in their worship services Sunday , they prayed for his full restoration and return to public ministry, even though it was said that he would never return to the pastorate at New Life. They even prayed for the gentlemen whose allegations kicked-off this sad saga. This, again, is Christianity at its best. We are people of grace. We forgive, not because people deserve it, but because we have been forgiven. May the Lord comfort this congregation, send them a godly shepherd soon, and continue to use them as a witness for Christ in the days to come.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. – Galatians 6:1 (ESV)

The Way of Salvation

Here is the sermon skeleton from yesterday's message:

Title: "The Way of Salvation"

Text: Ephesians 2:8-10

Theme: The way of salvation

Point: Christians need to understand how we got save just as much as non-Christians need to understand how to get saved.

Outline:

I. We need to understand the source of salvation: "by grace you have been saved" (2:8a)

II. We need to understand the means of salvaiton: "through faith" (2:8a)

III. We need to understand the nature of salvation: "It is the gift of God" (2:8c)

A. Self does not save: "And this is not your own doing" (2:8b)

B. Works do not save: "not a result of works" (2:9)

IV. We need to understand the purpose of salvation: "for good works" (2:10)

A Recap of a Long Weekend

This weekend, the pastoral leaders and staff of MSMBC met together for our annual retreat, in which we review the previous year and plan for the coming year (and beyond). While I noted that Friday's meeting went well; Saturday was a litter tougher. Our congregation worships at a location where there is no parking (members park a block or so away, behind a supermarket). We do not have much Christian education space either (we also use another building a block away for Sunday School). And our building needs much repair. And as we process the options that we have, it is always difficult for us to reach consensus on what to do, what to do first, and how to do it. Our Saturday meeting reflected this struggle. We did not get accomplished all that I hoped. But we were able to take some good steps forward. I praise God for this. We are trusting God to make room for us - in both place and space. Continue to pray for us about these matters.

I was beat Sunday morning. I think the weekend had caught up with me. I was really movign in slow motion when I woke up. Praise God that I already had my sermon ready before the weekend started (which almost never happens). All I had to do was review my manuscript through the weekend. Yet, I still ended up preaching from the manuscript at the 8 AM service. I read much of it, even though I knew the sermon. I was just tired. I went to the pulpit with it again at 11 AM. But before I read my text, I put my manuscript back in the folder and just went for it. God was faithful to bless the presentation of his word in both services. The message was a contination of study of Ephesians (2:8-10).

Speaking of Ephesians... It my intention to break from the exposition of Ephesians at this point. I am not yet finished with my exposition of Psalm 119. I have 6 more sections to go. And I intend to preach through them on Wednesdays and Sundays, so that I can get it done be year's end. Come January, I would like to start editing the manuscripts for publication. But it would be quite an ambition project. We'll see. I plan to resume Ephesians on Wednesday nights some time in 2007. We have planned several shorter series for the Sunday meetings in 2007. There are some specific subjects that I want to address. I tried to do that this year. But there was a gap between planning and preparation. I trust that will be different this time around. Please remember my pulpit ministry at MSMBC in your prayers.

Yesterday afternoon, we joined the First Goodwill Baptist Church in celebrating their pastor's 4th anniversary. Clinton Smith is my brother-in-law, married to my older sister Tracy. He started preaching here at MSMBC during the early days of my pastorate. And I praise God for the years we served together, and the opportunities I had to see the Lord develop him and his ministry. He was even our full-time Pastor of Christian Education for a period. The First Goodwill Church had faced some challenges, before Clint's ministry began there. Yet, he has had to minister through them. And I am really proud of his diligence, focus, and confidence in God. Please remember this pastor and church in your prayers.

2006 Church Council Fall Retreat

I am at the 2006 MSMBC Church Council Retreat. Actually, the staff and the pastoral leaders of the church are together this weekend - evaluating the past year of ministry and planning for the upcoming year. This is the fourth of fifth time we have done this. And it is usually a great time of prayer, fellowship, and vision-casting. This year is no different. No, I take that back. It is a little different this year. We have come here with a pretty clear and unified agenda of matters we need to process and made decisions about before we go into 2007. Yesterday was a good start. We were able to address most of the things that we scheduled for the agenda. We were even able to move forward on some of the challenging subjects we have to tackle. This is truly a blessing from God. In the past, it has been much harder for us to work some through issues. And we have used the blocks of time reserved for five different things just to cover one. I am not sure what is making the difference this year. But, whatever it is, I credit God for it. Please pray that today's meetings will be just as productive and will bear much fruit to the glory of God. And pray that God will use us in a greater way in 2007 to win more Christians and to develop better Christians to the glory.

Praying your Way through Mistreatment

I continued my exposition of Psalm 119 in our Midweek Worship Service last night. At this point, I am pressing to conclude this study by the end of the year. That's the plan. I hope I am able to accomplish it. Here is the skeleton from last night's message on the sixteenth stanza of Psalm 119.

Title: “Praying your Way through Mistreatment”

Text: Psalm 119:120-128

Theme: A prayer for deliverance from unjust suffering

Point: You can trust God to do what is right even when it seems that everything is going wrong.

Transitional Sentence: In this Ayin stanza of Psalm 119, the writer shows us three things to pray for when we are being mistreated for doing what is right.

Outline:

I. Pray for personal deliverance (119:121-123).

Verses 121-123 remind us of three attributes of God we can out on as we pray for personal deliverance.

A. God is holy (v. 121).

B. God is good (v. 122).

C. God is faithful (v. 123).

II. Pray for spiritual enlightenment (119:124-125).

The spiritual enlightenment you need to deal with mistreatment will come as you seek the favor and wisdom of God.

A. Seek the favor of God (v. 124).

B. Seek the wisdom of God (v. 125).

III. Pray for divine intervention (119:126-127)

There are two things you must remember as you wait on God to intervene to change your situation.

A. God’s timing is perfect (v. 126).

B. God’s truth is perfect (vv. 127-128).

1. Treasure it (v. 127)
2. Trust it (v. 128)

The Burden of Ministry

"If I Should write of the heavy burden of the godly preacher, which he must carry and endure, as I know from my own experience, I would scare every man from the office of preaching." - Martin Luther, The Table Talk of Martin Luther