Our January Book of the Month

Here is the note I wrote in last week's bulletin about our January Book of the Month:

In New Testament times, humility was not considered a virtue. In the minds of the ancients, it was a sign of weakness which was the result of being forced into submission by someone who is greater than you. So humility was actually considered a vice, rather than the virtue. And not much has changed in the passing centuries. The world around us does not view humility to be beneficial, commendable, or virtuous. Instead, we look up to the aggressive types, who get what they want at all costs, won’t take no for an answer, and will not allow anyone to get in their way. Even in the church, would-be celebrities are honored, while servant-leaders are marginalized. Consequently, the life, message, and example of the Lord Jesus Christ is just as shockingly offensive to us today as it was when Jesus walked the earth in the flesh. To those who desire to be great, Jesus says, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).

This is the message of Humility: True Greatness by C.J. Mahaney. Mahaney is the former pastor of Covenant Life Church in Maryland. After serving this congregation as one of its founding pastors for twenty-seven years, Mahaney stepped down last year to allow the young man he had been grooming, Joshua Harris, to lead the congregation into the future. This is a great act of humility. Yet, Mahaney describes himself by saying: “I’m a proud man pursuing humility by the grace of God. I don’t write as an authority on humility; I write as a fellow pilgrim walking with you on the path set for us by our humble Savior.” And it is with this personal devotion to Christlike humility that Mahaney writes this biblical, practical, and passionate call to humility. In Isaiah 66:2, God says, “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” Affirming the fact that God’s gaze is on the humble, Mahaney calls us to active spiritual warfare against our own pride. He expounds on this point by focusing on how the Lord Jesus both redefined and demonstrated greatness for us. And the final half of the book is filled with practical application to assist the pursuit and practice of true humility. Quoting John Stott, Humility reminds us: “At every state of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is the greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend.”

Revival, Women, Anger, India, & Dry Bones

The past several days have been quite busy. Thursday and Friday, I had several meetings, deadlines, and study assignments. On top of this, I had to preach a revival meeting on Thursday and Friday at the New Revelation Baptist Church in Pasadena. The Lord blessed the two meetings. But I was absolutely exhausted by Saturday morning. But there was still work to be done. I had work for Sunday to complete. But before I could get to that, I had to prepare myself to speak at the Women's Fellowship Meeting meeting at the church. It was the first time I had spoken in to our women's ministry group, which has been in for a little over a year. I did an exposition of Proverbs 4:20-27, which I entitled "Developing a Godly Heart." The message was a call to godliness based, primarily, on Proverbs 4:23. The women were very attentive. I pray that the message was helpful.

In my Sunday School class this morning, I taught on "Overcoming Anger." The Bible has a lot to say about anger. And I tried to introduce the class to some of the key texts and central principles on anger. At points, I got very personal. I don't usually do that. But for some reason, I began to share some things about my relationship to my father. I guard those things very closely, and very rarely talk about them publicly. I really can't explain what why I did that today. And I don't know why I felt comfortable about talking about these things in my Sunday School class. I just hope that the testimonies didn't distract from the message. I think I should be more careful in the future about what I choose to share.

We had a special guest in our worship service this morning. His name is Alex Matthai. He leads Hope International Ministries, a gospel outreach to India, which is the place of his birth. A resident of Oklahoma City, Alex has a wonderful testimony of salvation and is doing a great work in India, where he sponsors a school that trains young men to preach the gospel in the villages of India. He spoke to our congregation this morning, which was a great blessing. In the providence of God, today our congregation was asked to give a sacrificial offering for world missions. And his testimony in our service really was a great challenge to our church to prayerfully support the spread of the gospel around the world.

Alex took about 30 minutes in the service. And by the time I got up to preach, it was getting pretty close to noon. Our services start at 10:30 AM and are usually about two hours long. I was pretty nervous, knowing that I would not have enough time to do a full exposition. I was scheduled to preach Ezekiel 37:1-14. And I didn't sense that the Lord would let me off the hook, and save that message for another time. So I took a shot at it. I only preached about 30 minutes. But I think I got across the essence of what I wanted to say. I will have to take a another shot at it some time down the road. The audio of the message is on our website.

Only 160 Verses to Go!

Here is my sermon skeleton on the second stanza of Psalm 119 from Wednesday night's Midweek Service:

Title: "How to Clean Up Your Life"

Text: Psalm 119:9-16

Theme: The Purifying Power of Scripture

Point: Holiness is the result of your devotion to the word of God

Outline:

I. God’s word purifies the person who is sincere (119:10-11)

A. Seek the Lord with all your heart (v. 10)

B. Store up the word in your heart (v. 11)

II. God’s word purifies the person who is submissive (119:12-14)

A. Praise (v.12)

B. Proclamation (v. 13)

C. Passion (v. 14)

III. God’s word purifies the person who is steadfast (119:15-16)

A. I will mediate on your precepts (v. 15a)

B. I will fix my eyes on your ways (v. 15b)

C. I will delight in your statutes (v. 16a)

D. I will not forget your word (v. 16b)

Monday Morning Quarterback

Yesterday was a blessed day of worship at Mt. Sinai. I have just begun a series of lessons in my Sunday School class on the "seven deadly sins." I'm calling it "Overcoming Sinful Attitudes." Yesterday, I finished the first lesson on "overcoming Pride." It is my intentional to teach through each lesson in one class session. But I was not able to finish this lesson in the hour I had. I hope this does not become a pattern for the rest of the lessons. I have not taught this class since the summer of last year. But I am glad to be back with them. I really do enjoy teaching this Sunday School class. I have an attentive class that comes to learn. We ought to call it "The Berean Fellowship" (Acts 17:11).

I led the opening songs yesterday in our worship service. I love to sing praises to the Lord. And I enjoy leading times of praise in our church services. I don't do it that often any more, however. And that's probably a good thing. I may be good that I do it even less, I'm not sure. Anyway, I preached on "The Rich Fool" yesterday.(The audio of the message is on our church website.) It was a challenging message to preach, as it called the church to declare war on greed. But I think it was clear. As always, I hope it was helpful. Only time will tell.

I am preparing to continue our study of Psalm 119 for our Midweek Service this coming Wednesday. I am studying verses 9-16. I am tentatively calling the message, "How to Clean Up your Life." Thursday and Friday, I am scheduled to preach at the New Revelation Baptist Church in Pasadena. For the past several years, they have begun the year with a 31-day church revival. This will be the second time I have participated in this meeting. Then, Sunday, I plan to do an exposition of Ezekiel 37:1-14. It will be the first time I have ever preached on Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones. I don't know how anyone can consider me a real preach, in light of the fact that I have preached on the "dry bones in the valley." So, hopefully, this Sunday I will earn my ordination by preaching this great text. Along with much study, I have quite of few meetings to scheduled for this week. And I have several writing assignments to complete. Pray for me.

The Rich Fool

This morning, I preached a message on Luke 12:13-21, the parable of the rich fool. Here is my "sermon skeleton."

Title: "The Rich Fool"

Text: Luke 12:13-21

Theme: Jesus issues a warning against covetousness

Point: Declare war on greed in your life before it's too late (12:15)

Outline: In the parable of the rich fool, Jesus issues to stern warnings against covetousness.

I. Jesus warns us about the focus of covetousness (12:16-19)
A. Selfishness (vv. 16-19)
B. Materialism (v. 18)
C. Pleasure (v. 19)
II. Jesus warns us about the folly of covetousness (12:20-21)
A. It is foolish to ignore the limitations of your time on earth (v. 20)
B. It is foolish to ignore the limitations of your treasures on earth (vv. 20-21)

Honoring a Faithful Soldier

Last night, Crystal and I attended the retirement banquet for Dr. Clarence J. Davis, Jr. It was a special event. And we were both honored to have been present. It was a "black-tie" event. I don't have a tux, and didn't think really be that dressed up. I was wrong. And I felt very under-dressed. It was a good thing we were seated toward the back of the room. Dr. Davis entered the room behind the rhythm section of the USC marching band, who made a special appearance to honor Dr. Davis. The MC for the evening was assemblyman Mark Ridley-Thomas. He did a good job of moving the service along (even though it was after 10 PM when we left, and they had at least 30 more minutes to go). I didn't he had such a sense of humor. There was good music, warm fellowship, and Christ-centered celebration. I was honored to just be there.

Dr. Davis pastored the historic Calvary Baptist Church in Santa Monica from 1969-84. In 1985 he organized the Mt. Hebron Baptist Church, where he has served until his recent retirement. Receiving his Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary, Dr. Davis is a bona fide scholar. But his preaching is theology is on fire. Yet, he is such a humble man. He is kind, gracious, and full of life. He heard me preach on January 2, at Mt. Moriah's "Prayer Bowl." I was so honored by the fact that he stayed for the rest of the meeting, in order to shake my hand and thank me personally for the message. Dr. Davis was friends with my father. And the fact that he has some level of respect for my work is very affirming.

The tributes to Dr. Davis were very special. Dr. Charles Walker, who pastors the 19th Street Baptist Church in Philadelphia, spoke of his longtime friendship with Dr. Davis. Dr. Walker succeeded Dr. Davis in the pulpit of 19th St. Church. And it's rare to find two men to share the same pulpit to be so close. Along with several ministerial colleagues, friends Dr. Davis has made over the years from different walks of life spoke in tribute to him. Finally, his daughter gave a moving tribute to him on the behalf of herself and her three siblings, who were all present with their families. And the gifts and remembrances of the Mt. Hebron members testified of a faithful and loving pastor. Dr Davis' wife, LaVerne, went all out in planning this banquet. And it was a wonderful way to end this season of full-time pastoral ministry for such a great man of God.

Pastor L. Daniel Williams, who is the President of the Baptist Ministers Conference of LA, was the keynote speaker. He rightly lamented the fact that there are very few sound models for us young preachers to look up to. And many of us young preachers are foolishly looking to the wrong models to emulate. Dr. Davis is a serious thinker, compassionate leader, and faithful preacher. I pray that God will help me to follow godly models like him. And that the Lord would help me to be a leader worth following until he calls me to my great retirement celebration in glory.

My Sermon Skeleton on Psalm 119:1-8

This is the "Sermon Skeleton" of the opening message on Psalm 119 I preached last night in our Midweek Worship Service.

Title: "Living by the Book"

Text: Psalm 119:1-8

Theme: The blessedness of devotion to the word of God

Point: The word of God is totally sufficient to meet every spiritual need in your life

Outline:

I. The Delight of Living by the Book (119:1-3)
A. God blesses sincere devotion to his word (v. 1)
B. God blessed steadfast devotion to his word (v. 2-3)
II. The Duty of Living by the Book (119:4-6)
Verses 4-6 gives us three ways to develop and maintain a life of obedience to God's word:
A. Acknowledge God's authority (v. 4)
B. Confess your transgressions (v. 5)
This exclamation teaches us three elements of true confession:
1. Honesty
2. Desire
3. Petition
C. Remember the consequences (v. 6)
III. The Display of Living by the Boook (119:7-8)
Verses 7-8 gives us two characteristics of true devotion to God's word:
A. A true devotion to God's word is marked by praise (v. 7)
B. A true devotion to God's word is marked by prayer (v. 8)

Climbing Mt. Everest

This evening, in the Midweek Worship Service at MSMBC, I will begin a verse-by-verse exposition of Psalm 119, "the Mt. Everest of the Psalms." It is both the longest psalm of the Psalter and the longest chapter of the Bible. It contains 176 verses, divided into twenty-two eight-verse stanzas. And the sections of the psalm are poetically arranged into a beautiful acrostic using each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The theme of this psalm is the total sufficiency of the word of God in the life of the believer.

I intend to preach through the psalm stanza by stanza (or twenty-two messages). I will start tonight with 119:1-8. I am calling the message "Living by the Book." I pray that the the Lord would cause my devotion to be deepened, strengthened, and intensified as I study this glorious exaltation of God all-sufficient word. And, as pastor of Mt. Sinai Church, I pray that the Lord would cause the word to become even more central to our fellowship, service, and witness of our congregation. And I pray that for you, too - whoever you are that may read this. May God so work in your life that your personal testimony becomes "Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!" (Psalm 119:1, ESV)

Helpful Resources on Psalm 119

Here are some Bible study works that I have found helpful in my study of Psalm 119:

1. Living by the Book by James Montgomery Boice - This is a book developed from the late Dr. Boice's expository messages through the book of Psalms. The same material is found in the third volume of Boice's commentary on the psalms.

2. A Guide to the Psalms by W. Graham Scroggie - Helpful introductory material on Psalm 119. Scroggie's expositions of the psalms are consistently helpful.

3. The Treasury of David (Vol. 3) by Charles Haddon Spurgeon - This is a part of CHS's classic work on the psalms. A must for any serious expositor.

4. PSalm 119 by Thomas Manton - A three-volume exposition of Psalm 119, with each volume containing more than 500 pages. Enough said.

5. An Exposition of Psalm 119 by Charles Bridges - It contains a sermon for each of the psalm's twenty-two stanzas and was issued in 1827 when Bridges was only thirty-three years old.

5. Psalms: A Devotional Commentary by Herbert Lockyer, Sr. - A new work I have discovered by the the author of the famous "All" Series (e.g. "All the Miracles of the Bible" and "All the Parables of the Bible")

7. Trusting Thy Word by Jimmy Draper - Twenty-two expository, homiletical, and practical sermons on Psalm 119

Also I have been greatly helped by the audio of the expository sermons on Psalm 119 by Dr. Steven J. Lawson, pastor of Christ Fellowship Baptist Church in Mobile, AL. You can find them at www.christfellowshipbaptist.org

The Sanctity of Human Life

Following is the little note I wrote for our church bulletin this past Sunday:

Today, many Christian congregations across America will observe Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. It’s a time when followers of Jesus Christ affirm the centrality of God’s role in the important issues of life, sexuality, pregnancy, abortion, adoption, family, and children. In the providence of God, this year’s observance is taking place at the conclusion of Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Samuel Alito, the president’s nominee for the Supreme Court. For those who hope, pray, and labor for Roe vs. Wade to be overturned, the 1973 Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in this country, the selection of conservative minded justices is vital. But it is disappointing that many believers seem to have no passion for this issue beyond overturning Roe.

We live in a country with a democratic process that allows and expects us to be a part of the governmental process. And this is certainly a blessing from God. So it would seem to me to be irresponsible if we did not support godly political and judicial leaders and strive for just laws to be established. However, we deceive ourselves if we think that passing the right laws or electing the right people will automatically change this godless society we live in. The Prohibition Act of the 1930’s, noble as it may have been, is proof that you cannot legislate morality. And even after civil rights movement led to certain racist laws being changed; it didn’t change prejudiced attitudes. Likewise, overturning Roe would not change the sinful mindset that causes many children to be killed in their mother’s wombs. In fact, I fear that it may make things worse. Our sinful flesh is determined to have its own way. Just ask the men of Sodom who continued their attempts to break into Lot’s house to molest the new men who had come to town, even after the angels had struck them with blindness (Gen. 19).

What America needs is a God-sent, Gospel-driven, life-changing revival. Then, as Christ transforms fallen souls into new creations, we will see change in our society. So, above all, what we should do to bring about a change is pray. Pray that lost people will be saved. Pray that the church will be the church. Pray that the Lord will change the hearts and minds of this sinful society so that God’s will shall be done, sexual purity promoted, individualism exchanged for community, children viewed as a blessing, and a true sense of family is embraced. Remember, God does need us to be lobbyists in order for him to do something great among us. 2 Chronicles 7:14 outlines what he needs us to do: “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (ESV).

The Great Sermon Chase of 2006

I had a rather strange experience this week as I prepared for today's message. I simply could not determine what to preach this morning. I worked on about five different texts this week. I started the week with Psalm 139 on my schedule to preach. Today is "Sanctity of Human Life Sunday." And I thought that Psalm 139 would be an appropriate exposition. But when I got to work Monday morning, I knew that would not be what I preach. I don't think I am ready to do an exposition of a psalm with twenty-four verses in one setting. I know my limitations. So I passed on that one.

The staff usually knows what I plan to preach for the entire month. But when we began to review our plans in Monday's staff meeting, I was still uncertain. I had planned to do an message on Matthew 11:1-6, during our "Vision Night" service on Wednesday. But during staff meeting, I decided that I was going to do a "State of the Church Address," and do the exposition of Matthew 11 today. But by the time I had to give my full attention to Sunday on Thursday morning, I had decided to do an exposition of Mark 5:25-34, the story of the Jesus healing the woman with the issue of blood. But when I woke up Friday morning, I knew that I would not be preaching Mark 5. Friday morning, the heat was on. I had to land on something to give myself enough time to fully prepare. I had these several passages that I had done work on. I just needed to land somewhere. Eventually, I began to study Psalm 131, a short three-verse psalm of David. I spent all of Friday studying it, even though I had a feeling that it would not be what I would preach. Late Friday evening and early Saturday morning, I finalized a "Sermon Skeleton" on Psalm 131. A "Sermon Skeleton" is a framework that I organize before I actually write out my manuscript. It consists of my title, text, theme, point, transitional sentences, and outline. I try to make sure I have this complete before I start writing, so that I have a sense of where I am going when I begin my actual writing of the manuscript.

I had a Church Council meeting Saturday morning. When it was over, I had a long afternoon lunch with my wife, Crystal. I wasn't feeling well, so I took a long nap after lunch. It was late evening when I finally woke up. Still not feeling well, I simply went back to sleep - sure that I was to preach, but still unsure of what I would preach. When I woke up early this morning, I was pretty clear that I was going to preach Romans 5:3-5! I had been meditating on this passage all week. I knew all week that it was an option for me to preach, but it was not high on the list. I first preached this text when I was 18-years-old. I think I called it, "Problems with a Purpose." So I knew the text. So I just organized the main ideas of the message and preached it this morning. The message was not as tightly or obviously organized as I usually strive for. And I don't think my presentation of it was the most compelling, even though I do think it was clear. I hope, trust, and pray that the congregation was helped by the message.

Thus ends the "Great Sermon Chase of 2006." I don't usually have weeks like this. I am usually very clear about what I am going to preach. In fact, as I write this post, I am clear about what I going to preach this coming Wednesday and Sunday, if the Lord allows. I don't know what was up with me this week. I just pray that I don't have another week like this again any time soon, if ever. My plan to get into a sermon series in February should help. Should I have preached today? Should I have just stuck with one of the other passages I was studying and saw it through to its completion? What caused me to finally land on Romans 5? Good questions all. So good that I don't have any answers to them. I am confident, however, that the providence of God has been been in full control of these matters this week. May the sermon chase me to the pulpit this week, rather than the other way around.

Still Trying to Get into a Rhythm

Howdy.

It's a new year. And I am motivated, excited, and focused. But it has hard for me to get into a rhythm. I am still getting done the things that I need to do. But I am not yet in a "groove" in terms of how I am governing my time. I think my problem is that I am fighting off the early stages of a cold. I have been taking medicine, which always makes me drowsy, no matter what the box says. And when I have not been feeling well, I have been trying to just lay down. Rest is usually the only thing that really works for me. I hope to win this battle with these cold symptoms. I really don't want to start my new year this way.

This past Sunday, I took a shot at the sin of anxiety. I preached from Matthew 6:25-34. I called it "What Are You Worrying About?" (The audio of the message is on our church website.) It seemed to be a very timely message for many people in our congregation. Yesterday, we had our "Vision Night" service. This is the time when I usually give my "State of the Church Address." I review the previous year of ministry and do some "vision casting" for the upcoming year. Last night, I didn't really give the address, even though I had the message right in front of me. As the old-folk used to say, "I felt the prayer-wheel turning." So I just gave the the major points that I wanted to make, challenging the church to "Get Connected" to one another in the coming year. Then we spent time in prayer with and for one another. It was a good meeting.

This Sunday, I am working on a exposition of one of the miracles of Jesus. I'm telling you, I need to get into a series soon. I am not good at deciding week-to-week what I am going to preach. There are too many texts that grip my mind and heart and attention for preaching. I have friends who can't understand how I select a series that charts my preaching a year in advance. In contrast, I can't understand my friends who have to figure out what they are going to preach each week. I am too busy, passionate, and undisciplined. I have to know where I am going from week-to-week, so that can actually spend my time studying, not figuring out what I am going to study.

This Sunday, I will also resume teaching my Sunday School Class. I plan to teach a series on the so-called "seven deadly sins." I am calling the series, "Overcoming Sinful Attitudes." I intend to start this Sunday by teaching on overcoming pride. Next Wednesday, I am scheduled to begin our verse-by-verse exposition of Psalm 119, which I will preach during our Midweek Worship Services. And on next Thursday and Friday, I will preach my first "revival" of the year. So my plate is pretty full. So I must get into some kind of rhythm quick, fast, and in a hurry. Pray for me.

Preaching in the New Year

I began the new year by preaching, preaching again, and preaching some more! And I have absolutely no complaints. Saturday night I preached the Watch Night Service at New Philadelphia AME Church in Carson, where my friend Sherman Gordon is the pastor. When Crystal and I arrived, they were introducing a "Christian comedian. " One day someone is going to have to explain the difference between a Christiand and a non-Christian comedian. For the record, the guy was pretty funny. I think I would have laughed a lot harder if I didn't have to preach after this guy was done with his set. I guest the laugh was on me! When he finished, there was a mime group that performed. Then there was a poetry reading. Great stuff all. Again, my only complaint is that I had to preach after all of this stuff. I think it's pretty hard for people to transfer the minds from entertainment to exposition. But I shot my best shot at it. I really do appreciate Pastor Gordon and his ministry. And I am grateful that he invited me to minister the word to his congregation. I hope and pray that my message was beneficial.

Sunday morning, I was dead tired. Crystal and I didn't get home from church until after 1 AM. And when it was time to get up, it seemed like we had just gone to bed. I was absolutely bushed when I got to Mt. Sinai. But it didn't matter. I was so grateful to be in worship on the first day of the year. And I was glad to have the opportunity to minister to my beloved congregation on the first day of the year. I attempted an exposition of Matthew 14:22-33, which I called "Following Jesus beyond Your Comfort Zone." I had two big points I was trying to make: (1) Trust Jesus enough to get into the boat, and (2) trust Jesus enough to get out of the boat. It was a enriching and encouraging time of worship. I trust the Lord was glorified. And I pray that the message will be reality for MSMBC this coming year.

Yesterday, I attended the annual "Prayer Bowl," hosted by Pastor Melvin V. Wade and the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church of Los Angeles. I rained hard here yesterday, which is the equivalent of a blizzard somewhere in other parts of the country. So the attendance was down at the meeting. But the guest speakers all swung for the fence. And I trust that God ministered to those who weathered the elements to worship. I preached a message that I had been eager to preach again since I presented it at Mt. Sinai about a month ago. I am not sure that the message fit the occasion. In fact, I don't really think that my Watch Night or Prayer Bowl sermons were "occasional" messages. But they were what the Lord put on my heart. And beggars can't be choosers. I think the Lord honored by attempts to be faithful to him.

Now, it's back to the lab. For the rest of January, I plan to preach some various texts that I have been on heart. Then in February, we will have a ministry emphasis month. And I intend to preach on Christian service for the entire month. Our midweek services resume on January 18. And I intend to begin an exposition of Psalm 119. I plan to go through the psalm stanza by stanza, so it be take me at least twenty-two message to get through it. I look forward to it. I difficult texts make good great preachers, I should be a better preacher after this exposition. Please remember me in your prayers that the Lord will help me to devote myself to prayer and the ministry of the in a greater way in 2006. And may he do the same for you, as well. God bless.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

"The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face 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)

Back to Work!!!

I'm back to work after being on vacation for the past two weeks. This was the best vacation I have ever had. I feel rested, refreshed, and ready for the new year. I have been in the office the past several days. But I have not really been able to catch up on much administrative work. The office is closed until next week. So I have kind of had the house to myself. This has allowed me to plunge right into my study. I am scheduled to preach Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Saturday evening, I am to preach a Watch Night Service at the New Philadelphia AME Church in Carson, where Sherman Gordon is the pastor. To my knowledge, MSMBC has never had a Watch Night Service. So, usually, I am in the bed sleep when one year passes to the next. So this will be new for me. But what better way to start a the new year than in the assembly of God's people in worship.

Of course, New Year's Day is this coming Sunday. So I will have to get out of that Watch Night Service and try to get as much rest as possible, so that I will be ready to lead worship and preach in our Lord's Day Service. We will meet at 9:00 AM. And there will be no Sunday School (it's scheduled to resume on 1/8). I am working on an exposition of Matthew 14:22-33, where Jesus walks on water to rescue his disciples who were caught in a storm. And then Peter walks on the water to go to Jesus. I preached this text when I was a teenager. But that has been so long ago, that I am doing a fresh study of the passage. This is why I strive to be diligent is taking good notes now as I study scripture and write out my sermon manuscripts. If the Lord allows me to live and minister another ten or fifteen years, I want to have a better record of what I am presently learning and teaching from the scriptures. Anyway, I plan to finish my research today and write out the message tomorrow.

Monday, Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, where my pastor Melvin V. Wade, Sr. serves, will host its annual "Prayer Bowl." It's an all-day interdenominational worship service of praise, prayer, and preaching. It's usually a really good meeting. When I was a boy, my friends and I used to go to Prayer Bowl every year. Mt. Moriah's rather large auditorium would be packed to capacity. And we would squeeze into on of the back rows. On several occasions, we sat in the last row with the ushers. I would hear men like Dr. William Epps, Manual Scott, Jr., Pastor Jarvis Collier, and other stellar preachers, one after the other. I never thought I would one day preach this meeting. My goal each year was just to get a seat. But in the providence of God, I have been preaching this meeting for twelve or thirteen years now. Many members of MSMBC will be present. Mt. Moriah is my "home church," so they usually receive my eagerly preaching. And many friends from across the city will be present. I pray this will be the best meeting in a long time. I am note yet sure what I will preach either Saturday night or Monday. I have been working this week to get myself ready for Sunday. 95% of the time, I preach and/or teach new material at Mt. Sinai. But I virtually never do new material away from Mt. Sinai. If it's good enough for my family; it's good enough for someone else's. So I am working to prepare for my first sermon of the year in my own pulpit. And I am trusting the Lord to guide me what to preach that will win the lost and edify the saints. Remember me in your prayers. And happy new year!

Georgia on my Mind

It was a long, exhausting, and wonderful weekend. Crystal and I caught a red-eye flight from Honolulu. We were to arrive at LAX and then catch another flight to Atlanta. But we missed our connecting flight. So we left Saturday for Atlanta in the afternoon, rather than in the morning. It was past 9 PM when we reached Atlanta. And by the time we reached Macon, it was about 11 PM. In essence, we spent all of Saturday in planes and on/or in airports. By the time we got something to eat, checked into our hotel, showered-up and settled-down, it was past 2 AM. And we had to be ready for church at 7 AM. We had jet-lag, airport-jag, and any other "jag" that has to do with being tired. We didn't fall asleep as much as we simply passed out!

Yesterday was Crystal's birthday. And we spent the day "churchin." We were in Macon to be with our friend, Pastor Maurice Watson. Watson, former pastor of the Salem Baptist Church in Omaha, is now the pastor of Beulahland Bible Church of "middle Georgia." The church is spoken of this way because it is one-church-in-two-locations. The congregation meets at 7:30 and 11:30 AM at its Macon location. And it meets at 9:30 at a site in Warner-Robbins, where is currently building its own facility (By the way, Pastor Watson announced yesterday that the church would be going to four services in February, 2006). I preached all three services at the two locations. That was something new for me. I was very tired. But the Lord gave me strength to preach. Pastor Watson is my favorite preacher, hands down. He is a solid and consistent expository preacher. And he is a sincere, prayerful, and devoted pastor. His example has been a great blessing to my life and ministry. And I am honored beyond words that he considers me his friend. So it was with pure joy that I watched him lead his new congregation in worship (He has served Beulahland for less than two years.). I am so excited that the Lord is blessing his ministry here. And I pray that the Lord will continue to strategically use Pastor Watson and the Beulahland Church to proclaim and promote the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

After the services, Crystal and I had lunch with Pastor Watson and his family. Then we came back to Atlanta. I slept off most of the entire evening. Crystal went out to see the Leslies, a family from MSMBC that moved to Atlanta a couple of years ago (By the way, our daughter, Natalie Marie, got her middle name from Marie Leslie). We miss the Leslies a lot. They were not able to make it to Macon for the worship services, but I am glad that Crystal and Marie were able to hook-up. When we get up and moving this morning, we plan to spend the day seeing the sights around Atlanta. This is really the first time either of us have been to Atlanta. I have been here once before to preach, but I was here for less then 24 hours. In fact, I was here to preach on October 8, 1999. When I sat down from preaching, I found out that my wife had given birth to our son, H.B. III, who was six-weeks premature. Interestingly, I met one of the "mothers" of Beulahland Church yesterday who heard me preach that night, more than six years ago. This "young lady" was at least in her seventies. And I thanked her for remembering. She assured me that, although she had a stroke a few years ago, God simply used it to get rid of the stuff she didn't need to remember. Now, she only remembers the importance stuff! That was great. I really enjoyed those few moments talking with this dear mother. I love to see senior saints who are still on fire for the Lord.

Tomorrow, God willing, we will head home to our children. I really miss them and look forward to seeing them. And I will start my work for Christmas morning. I intend to do an exposition of Matthew 2:1-12. I will have to be very disciplined and creative about my study time this week. Crystal and I plan to take the kids somewhere in driving distance from LA for a few days. We are going to celebrate Crystal's birthday together as a family. I have had (and am having) a good vacation. But I do look forward to getting home and returning to my life and ministry routines. I really miss MSMBC. Even though I travel a lot, I am not often away from Mt. Sinai on Sunday morning. Being with Beulahland yesterday made me long for my own pulpit. Hopefully, I'll be there soon. But not too soon... I still have a little more vacation time left.

Are You On Your Honeymoon?

Yesterday, three different people asked me and Crystal whether we were on our honeymoon. Our answer was no. We then told them that we have been married for seven years. And each time our questioners responded with utter shock. They were amazed that we looked so young. There’s no way we could be married for seven years. We must have been kids when we got married. Now, these are great compliments, except for the fact that none of them were for me! In each instance, the comments were about my wife, Crystal, not me. These people couldn’t believe that Crystal could be married seven years, much less be the mother of two. And when she told them how old she is, they were even more shocked. All the while, I was standing there, trying to look as young as I could on the spur of the moment. Unfortunately, I look like I have been pastoring for fifteen years, and then some. So I don’t get the “you-look-so-young” look. I get the “what-is-that-old-man-doing-with-that-young-girl” look. Actually, I’m not offended. I read somewhere that young-looking wives are evidence of good husbands. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it!

After Seven Years, I Still Do!!!

I met Crystal during my senior year at Los Angeles High School. She was in the tenth grade. She was in my World History class. And I thought she was absolutely beautiful. We really didn’t interact much in school. She was doing what tenth-graders do. And I was doing what very few twelfth-graders do (pastoring a church). After I graduated, I did not see Crystal again for several years, even though I would ask my sister, Donetta, about her often. They were in the same grade and had formed a friendship at LA High. In fact, that’s how I met up with Crystal again. I went to visit my mom one day, and Crystal was there. My sister was doing her hair. That weekend, we made a connection. And we talked and saw each other periodically after that. From the first time I was around Crystal, I have said that she is the easiest person for me to be around that I have ever met. And that hasn’t changed. I love being with Crystal.

I do not know exactly when I first fell in love with Crystal. But I vividly remember the night I found out that I was in love with her. At the time, she was not even speaking to me. She had told me that she didn’t want to see me anymore (for the record, it was all my fault). And I thought I didn’t care, until that night. I will not go into details about that night, or the circumstances surrounding it, but that night was a turning point for me. However, it took months before Crystal reached that point. She was so mad at me that she wouldn’t receive my calls. We only started talking again because of her mother's intervention. Crystal’s mom, Charlene, picked me way before Crystal did (She passed away early in our marriage, but was the best mother-in-law a guy could have.). After we reconnected, we dated for quite some time before I asked her to marry me. I had intended to ask her to marry me on her birthday, December 18, in 1997. But, believe it or not, I was in the middle of a court case with a group of church members who wanted my pastorate terminated. The case was supposed to come to an end at the beginning of the next year. And trusted friends asked me to wait until that happened before I proposed. I reluctantly agreed.

It was several months into the following year, and the case was still pending. I had been on the road for several weeks. And I returned home to the news that my older sister’s newborn had died. I went to my office. I called one of my best friends. And he gave me the news that his grandfather, who has raised him, had died. I was overwhelmed. And all I could think about was Crystal. I concluded that life was too short for me to delay any longer. I told my friend that I was going to marry Crystal immediately. I didn't know if I was going to have a job in the comign days or not, but it didn't matter. I wanted to be with Crystal. While I was on the phone, there was a knock at the door. My sister and brother-in-law were concerned about me and had sent Crystal to my office to check on me. I was so glad to see her. And I proposed to her right there in my office.

Crystal and I were married at the end of that year, on December 12, 1998. Within a year, we were parents. H.B. Charles III was born on October 8, 1999. Several years later, on March 4, 2002, our daughter Natalie Marie Charles was born. So here we are after seven years. Ten years ago, if you have told either of us that we would be here together, we would have laughed. In fact, we did laugh at those who said we were going to end up together. But here we are, by the grace of God.

I thank God every day that I am privileged to be married to Crystal. Incredibly, she is even more beautiful today than she was when I first saw here in high school. She is humble, God-fearing, maternal, patient, optimistic, and wise. The more time I spend with her, the more reasons I find to fall in love with her all over again. She is my "Sunshine," my best friend, my prayer partner, my unwavering ally, and my soul mate. I really couldn’t imagine what life would be like without her. And I hope I never do. So much has happened in my life at an early age that I used to think that the Lord was getting so much in early because I would be checking-out early. But being with Crystal has caused me to regularly pray that I will live to be an old man. I look forward to growing old with Crystal. At the same time, I cherish every day with her. I love Crystal with all of my heart. I did seven years ago, when we exchanged vows with one another. I still love her (now, more than ever). And I always will.

The Celebration of 15 Years

Today was the culmination of our celebration of the 15 years the Lord has blessed me and MSMBC to be together as pastor and people. This morning, Dr. John A. Reed Jr. of the Fairview Baptist Church in Oklahoma City, delivered the message. His preached a message called "You Can't Quit" from Acts 18:5-6, 9-11. He will never know how timely his message was and how the Lord was used him to speak to specific matters I have been struggling with. I am convinced the Lord sent Pastor Reed here just for me. I know that many other people in the congregation were blessed by the message. But I really think the Lord sent Pop here for me. This message is one of the most important messages I have ever heard in my life. It wasn't because of its expositional depth or homiletical brilliance. It was because the Lord used this message to speak to my heart and mind at a very critical time. Praise God for his goodness, his wisdom, and his faithfulness.

This evening, my pastor, Dr Melvin V. Wade Sr. of the Mt Moriah Baptist Church here in the city, preached the message. He preached a message from John 20:24-29, entitled "Don't Miss the Meeting." Doc was tired. And he had a plane to catch tonight. So I didn't really expect him to preach that hard tonight. Boy, was I wrong. Pastor Wade went into that "zone" that he is known to enter. He just poured himself out in the midst of preaching. The last time Pastor preached at MSMBC, he didn't "whoop" at all. Tonight, someone would have had to sit him down if he would have gone much further. My friends, Pastor Prentiss Lewis and the Greater Starlight Church, also joined in the service. And we got a chance to hear Prentiss sing. This is always a treat. Prentiss is multi-gifted. And I praise God that he is my friend.

Well, one anniversary ends and another begins. Tomorrow, Crystal and I will celebrate seven years of marriage. Interestingly, our wedding ceremony was performed by Pastors Melvin Wade, John Reed, and Kevin Willis. So it was very special to have the three of them with us this weekend. Tomorrow, Crystal and I have a flight to catch to an "undisclosed location." Oh, well, Crystal just came in the door and gave me permission to tell that we are going to Hawaii for the week. Then we are going to Macon (GA) to be with our friend Pastor Maurice Watson and the Beulahland Church next weekend. And when we come home, we'll pick up the kids (they'll be staying with our nephew and my mother while we're gone) and hang out somewhere together until I have to be home for service on Christmas Day. I trust that I will get a lot of rest over the next two weeks. I intend to post when I feel like it, which may every day, or not much at all. We'll see. I won't make any promises. I'm on vacation!!!

Get Yourself Some Help

Last night, my brother Kevin preached the message during our fifteenth pastoral anniversary celebration. His text was from Exodus 18. His title was, "Get Yourself Some Help." The passage is about Moses' encounter with his father-in-law, Jethro, in which he is instructed to spread out the leadership responsibilities of the people so that they will not all wear themselves out. Kevin used the text to talk about the importance of pastors and church leaders not having a inflated sense of self-importance. And he challenged the church to partner with the pastor in order to reach the goals God has for the congregation. It think it was a rather gusty sermon. He discussed a lot of things that pastors struggle with, but don't often talk about (publicly or privately). And it was encouraging. But it's always hard under my brother's preaching. I am listening to the message. But at the same time, I see my father in him. And I look up to him so much. I have to work much harder than usual to concentrate on the message. Kevin is my big brother, "in whom I am well pleased." I continue to pray for his growth, family, and ministry.

During the service, Barry Wilson, Reginald Payne, Tracy Johnson and I all sat together on the front row. That's was a trip. The four of us began preaching together at MSMBC when we were still teenagers. Actually, I hadn't made it to my teens yet (sorry guys). And we were nurtured together under my father's leadership. In fact, we were all sitting together the night I was called to pastor Mt. Sinai fifteen years ago. It was great to have them share this milestone with me. Likewise, Clinton Smith and Ronald Saunders were on the front row with us. Clint, my brother-in-law, joined the church not long after I became pastor. And Ronald joined a couple of years after that. And for some time, it was only the three of us there serving as pastors. We would split up the work between the three of us. At this point, all six of us are pastoring local churches. And we don't get to see each other that often. It was very special to me to be with them for that time of worship last night.

Pastor John Reed made it to town and came out to the service last night. "Pops," who pastors the Fairview Church of Oklahoma City, is scheduled to bring the message in the morning. He ordained me, Reggie, Barry, and Tracy. It was good to have him there with us last night. Likewise, my sister Donetta sung in the service last night. She has been sick for several months. But she is slowly doing better. And it was good to hear her sing again ("The Lord Will Make Away Somehow"). Tomorrow, Pastor Reed is to preach in the morning and my pastor, Dr. Melvin Wade of the Mt. Moriah Baptist Church, is to preach in the afternoon. I look forward to high times of worship and two edifying messages. Then, it's off to my vacation!!!