IS ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR THE LORD?

 

And the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, ‘Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?' Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.” Genesis 18:13-14

"Is anything too hard for the Lord?" What a great question. In times of personal crisis, national confusion, and societal chaos, you and I might be tempted to believe that problems of today are too much for our God to handle. Beloved friend, cast that kind of thinking as far away from your mind as possible, as nothing is too hard for the Lord. Let's think about it...

Abraham had already begun his great faith journey, whereby he was called a friend of God. He began this walk of faith at the age of seventy-five as revealed in Genesis 12:1-4. Here is man who had passed the prime of life being told that his offspring would become a great nation. When the Lord appeared to him in Genesis 15 some ten years later, he and his wife still had no children. Yet the plan and promise of God had not changed with the changing circumstances of natural aging. By the time you reach our focus text in Genesis 18, another fifteen years had passed. He was now ninety-nine years of age, and she was ninety. Surely the promise of God would prove null and void considering their ages, as she had long lost the ability to conceive and bare children. No wonder she laughed at the prospect of God's promise becoming an actual reality for them. But, here's that hard, pressing question: "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"

Now you might be wondering what this has to do with the photograph of an aging vehicle. Let me explain. In 2001, Tammy and I encountered the Lord's leadership to trust Him in providing us a home to call our very own. This was a very daunting proposition for us, and at times I nearly baled out of following His leadership when I could not see how we could make our financial ends meet while operating a faith ministry. The following year, as we were praying earnestly about trusting Him for our Faith House, it became apparent that we needed new transportation. As is our habit, we partnered together in prayer for the Lord to lead and direct us concerning this need. God worked as only He could in making our paths cross with a car dealer who sought to minister to ministers. We had come to the understanding that we were to look for and purchase a Chevrolet Trailblazer with a third row seat and room to seat seven passengers. When we arrived at the lot to meet this gentleman, he had only one of the Trailblazer extended versions available, and it was brought in from another dealership at the request of a potential buyer. We gave it a test drive, sat down with him to talk about pricing and financing, and told him that we would let him know of any decision that we made should that vehicle still be available at a later date. Even with a very generous discounted price and an extremely low interest rate, we knew the payments would be just over $500 per month. To us, sending that amount to GMAC every month for five years seemed utterly impossible. But, is anything too hard for the Lord?

We knew that we would be returning to his area of Mississippi in a couple of weeks, so we prayed that if we were to trust God for that SUV, that one, not another one, then it would be on this man's lot when we returned. When we arrived on August 20, 2002, that same Trailblazer was still sitting on the lot at Ackerman Chevrolet, and we left that afternoon with the very first brand new vehicle that we had ever purchased in our years of marriage. We put the first 100,000 miles on it in three and a half years, and it hit 200,000 sometime in 2010. It's now been a part of our family and ministry for eighteen years. It doesn't get used as much as it once did, but this morning the odometer reached 368,000 miles. By the grace of God, we never missed a payment. By the grace of God, everything still works on it. And by the grace of God, it even survived being Laurie's beach buggy for a couple of years when she lived in Pensacola (but that's another story, LOL!).

Friend, why do I share this with you? Because it's so very easy to be overwhelmed by current circumstances of life and lose sight of the faithfulness of God. Not only was He faithful to us in the purchase and financial obligation of the Trailblazer, but He maintained our vision for our Faith House as well. Have you ever heard the old cliché: "Where God guides, He provides"? Well, IT'S TRUE! Before we bought this vehicle, we were living debt free in my hometown of the Mississippi Delta, paying $200 a month rent to the Duncan Baptist Church to live in their parsonage, which was a very nice, three bedroom/two bath, ranch style, brick home. But now we had entered into a financial obligation to General Motors while preparing to undertake the responsibility of relocating and building our new home. We agonized in prayer over all of this, and moved forward in obedience. When we completed our Faith House in 2004, we had a $950 monthly note on a thirty year mortgage, as well as the Trailblazer payments, and neither of us had what is considered to be gainful employment with a guaranteed income. How we even qualified for extremely low interest loans is another testimony of God's grace working in our lives. When the Trailblazer was paid off, home interest rates were on a lowering trend, so we refinanced to a fifteen year mortgage with a $1,200 monthly obligation to hasten our payoff. And as only our gracious God could do, He worked to have our goal of once again living debt free a reality, as we just paid off our Faith House mortgage six years early. Thank you JESUS!!

The journey has not been easy, and many questions circling our lives remain unanswered. Yet through it all, God has been faithful. When we step outside and see the Trailblazer, it constantly reminds us that God can make a way, when there seems to be no way. Amen! In fact, there are three other automobiles parked outside of our home, and the Trailblazer is the only one that we paid for. All of the others were given to us! The Lord makes sure that I remember this whenever I want to camp out in a place of despair and wonder how He can possibly supply our many needs. NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR THE LORD!

Abraham's wife, Sarah, was going to soon learn this great principle. In Genesis 21:1-3, the Bible says: "And the Lord visited Sarah as He had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as He had spoken. For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him. And Abraham called the name of his son who was born to him—whom Sarah bore to him—Isaac." Is anything too hard for the Lord?

FEAR or FAITH?

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

I'm sick. No, I am not sick with the Wuhan virus, or COVID-19, or coronavirus, or whatever we're supposed to call it, I'M SICK OF IT! I'm sick of the constant chatter about it. I'm sick of the non-stop news coverage concerning it. I'm sick of the political posturing over it. And I'm sick of the unbelievable display of "stupidity panic" as a result of it!

Some are reporting this event as a doomsday catastrophe, which at times crosses the line from revealing basic facts to fear-mongering. Others are prophesying that this virus will usher in the final Great Awakening via Facebook technology before the return of Christ. (By the way, I didn't know that God needed social media to accomplish His work. And I also remind you that if an awakening does not take place, the Bible says in the Old Testament that we are to execute false prophets. Be very careful, preacher, what you say. And because of your lying tongue and deceitful words, be very thankful that we don't live in Old Testament days.) While even a few are challenging this whole scenario as a false scheme to manipulate the markets, destroy our prosperous economy, and cause a tidal wave of hatred towards our President in order to assure his defeat in our upcoming election.

In light of all this commotion around us, what are we to think? How should we respond? And what are we to do? Please read my observations with an open mind and an humble spirit, as I have prayerfully prepared to post my thoughts:

• I do not believe the coronavirus is a false news narrative. I believe it is a real disease that should not be taken lightly. I do not know if it originated from someone eating a diseased bat purchased in an open market in Wuhan, China; or was an experiment gone bad in some kind of chemical/biological testing facility in that city; or was a man-made virus intentionally loosed in order to fulfill the desires of those with an extremely depraved heart. I do not know the exact origin, but I believe that it is real.
• Like some, I question why this virus is getting such news coverage when other sicknesses and diseases cause much more death than the coronavirus. The latest report states that there are 186,707 confirmed cases and 7,471 deaths linked to this disease globally. As I stated in my MARCH MADNESS post last week, it is estimated that at least 100,000 have died in this same time period of the common strains of the flu. Hmm, that's an interesting comparison. Also, the likelihood of contracting the coronavirus is very minimal. China, where the virus originated, has a population of 1.4 billion, and has reported just under 81,000 cases with 3,226 deaths. Look at that again: 1,400,000,000 people, and only 81,000 cases. Italy, with a population of 62 million, has certainly been hit hard with the virus according to alarming reports. It has about 28,000 confirmed cases with 2,158 deaths. The United States has a population of 330 million. We currently have 4,743 confirmed cases resulting in 93 deaths. In the state of Mississippi, we have a total population of approximately 3 million, with 12 confirmed cases of coronavirus, and no deaths. What does all this mean? With a total population of 7.8 billion people on planet Earth, only 0.000024% has the virus. In the U.S. only 0.000014% of our citizens has the virus. And in my home state of Mississippi, only 0.000004% have the disease. If you were to double, or even triple the confirmed cases, it would still remain a very small, minute percentage of the entire population. Estimated figures tell us that so far this year, there have been 7,700 traffic fatalities in the United States compared to 93 coronavirus deaths. You are much more likely to be killed in a car crash in this country than to die from this virus.
• One of the reasons for the concern over the coronavirus is the limited number of hospital beds and medical supplies. Our health care system is not made to handle large numbers of extremely ill members of our society. Just looking at Mississippi, there are a total of about 12,000 hospital beds throughout the state. With a population of 3 million people, it is easy to see that we are not able to house and care for a large number of our citizens should they get desperately ill. Since this is a new virus, we have no natural immunity to it. Therefore, medical professionals, researchers, and governmental leaders have the right to be alarmed and to put forth advice and recommendations to us concerning the desire to lessen the spread of this virus.
• As upsetting as this situation is right now, our world will eventually return to a place of normalcy. For those who like to schedule everything, have all their plans and courses of action spelled out, and possess a sense of control over their lives and circumstances, you will have to adjust to the new normal for the next several weeks. I encourage you to consider others more than yourself. Check on the elderly and those with compromised immune systems who might be in your circle of influence. Look for those opportunities to share the gospel with those who do not posses the same hope that we have in Christ. And by all means, please lovingly encourage everyone to CHILL OUT concerning toilet paper!

                                                                                                  

Many of you probably know that for half of my ministry experience, I have been classified as bivocational. If this term is new to you, it simply means that I have been employed outside of my ministerial vocation to meet the needs of my family's financial burdens. Tammy and I both helped operate a family owned restaurant in Sturgis when our girls were younger and who also worked there with us. I worked at a local hospice company for several years as a chaplain, serving patients, caregivers, and my fellow employees as I ministered to people in the midst of very difficult circumstances. Since 2011, I have been involved in the transportation industry, driving ACR Coach charter buses, as well as Mississippi State University shuttle buses for a three year period in that time frame. During these nine years of meeting thousands of people and helping groups reach their travel destinations, I have sought to be a witness for Christ in a subtle yet straight forward way. I have purposely played Christian music on low volume via the radio or satellite TV on my buses, to which I have never heard one complaint. While working on campus, I engaged in numerous conversations with students who trusted me to give them sound, biblical advice concerning some of the issues that they were facing in life. And in the charter world, I have often quoted the above scripture from Philippians chapter four before purposely praying for our safety on the roadways before embarking on a trip.

With the news of this coronavirus inundating the airwaves of talk radio, news reports, social media, and everyday conversations everywhere, this verse is taking on a whole new meaning for me and my family. The charter bus industry is taking a direct hit in this time of crisis. With an announcement just yesterday of governmental officials suggesting that we do not gather in groups no larger that ten, who's going to plan to fill a bus with 50 passengers to go somewhere? In fact, over 80% of my trips in 2020 have been school or sports related, and now all of my upcoming trips for the next several weeks have been cancelled. Spring time is the "Christmas season" for those of us in this type of work. If we don't make it now, we won't make it at all. We have historically called the months of February, March and April our industry's March Madness because of the hectic schedule associated with this time of year. Now, however, everything has drastically changed.

Other businesses, like ours, are about to be thrown into the fires of financial uncertainty. I say all of this to let you know that I am not writing in an ivory tower, unconnected from the world of fear and concern. Though not physically, this virus is having a direct impact on me and my family. So what are we to do? We can either allow FEAR or FAITH to dominate our hearts, lives, thoughts, and actions. It cannot be both, it is an either/or reality. So we choose FAITH! What about you? Are you going to join forces with those who add to the chaos, or will you link up with the calmness of the redeemed? Jesus said, "In the world, you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." Amen? So, my dear friend, I encourage you to KEEP CALM and FAITH ON!

The Acute Pain of Personal Rejection

"And the Lord said to Samuel, 'Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.'"

1 Samuel 8:7

It was a tragic time in the life of the nation of Israel, as the elders of the land demanded an earthly king. They boldly declared that they wanted to be like all the other nations that surrounded them. It is truly a sad testimony whenever the people of faith have a desire to be like the people of the world. As Samuel tearfully brought this request to the Lord, he was told that this was not a reflection upon him as a prophet, nor as a judge, but was a clear statement of personal rejection rooted in a greater problem. The people had rejected the wisdom, counsel and leadership of Samuel, because the people had rejected God. Samuel was not the first to experience this pain, as Moses encountered the sting of rejection. David also knew about rejection, first from Saul, and later from within his own family. Likewise, Jeremiah and Amos, two Old Testament prophets, were rejected men. And, of course, Jesus knew the deep pain of this malicious reality. The Bible says, "He was despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him."

Rejection is an awful word that produces agonizing wounds. It carries with it a harsh stigma that is extremely difficult, and nearly impossible, to overcome. A child rejected by his or her parents. A wife rejected by her husband, or a husband rejected by his wife. An individual rejected by their community. A worker rejected by their peers. And within the body of Christ, we often realize that the acute pain of personal rejection is not limited to the testimonies of those whose lives are portrayed in the word of God.

In my thirty years of gospel ministry, I too have faced and experienced the pain of rejection. Memories surface from time to time that remind me that the path of obedience has not always been easy. As the Lord faithfully opened doors for me to proclaim His word, I soon discovered that others were working to spread malicious lies and unfounded rumors against my personal character, and my scriptural beliefs, in order to damage, or perhaps destroy, my ministry. I would often laugh at such foolishness, until I discovered that some friends were being swayed to believe these baseless attacks. At one time I was in an area of service that still had strong pockets of racial division and prejudice in the lives of people, politicians, and even pastors. Preaching a message that God's grace is mighty to save no matter the place nor the race of an individual, caused a label to be placed upon me that was less than ideal. I remember being in those places where pastors would foolishly share the latest "n----r" jokes in order to raise my ire and judge my reactions. One particular time an ugly racist joke was told IN THE PULPIT, and then the preacher looked down at me and said, "What do you think about that, Brother Charles?" I wanted to get up immediately and leave as I felt my face flushed with anger, but I had been invited to preach the primary message before lunch by the host pastor. I was nearly in shock by this sinful and horrible display of hate and stupidity. When we later had a short break, I quietly left without saying anything to anyone. I don't know what happened after my departure, but I was told that I was the invisible recipient of many crude comments. Up until then, I counted that very influential pastor of a large church as a good friend, but our relationship eroded to a nonexistent level after that unpleasant event.

At other times my boldness in the pulpit caused my peers to turn against me. I was labeled a pulpit agitator by some who disliked both my style and my substance. A beloved associational missionary told me of an interesting phone call that he received from our state convention concerning my future. Some statistical information had garnered their attention concerning our church's growth, and they had several questions to ask about me. He validated what they were hearing in the state office, but when they voiced concern that I was a man who "rocked the boat" and they wanted him to speak to me about becoming a bit more moderate and agreeable, he laughed and told them that they should look elsewhere for a man who could be moved and controlled by the convention. It was via this man's knowledge and experience that I learned many prominent churches would have pastors who were groomed and chosen by the power of convention politics rather than the divine working of the Spirit of God. Years later a pastor told me that he always avoided me personally and professionally after other pastors voiced negative comments about me in his presence. When I was privileged to preach at a state evangelism conference where he was in attendance, he approached me and apologized for listening to useless gossip rather than talking with me face to face concerning what he had heard.

Now I do not want to paint an ugly picture over my thirty plus years of ministry. Time and space do not allow me to reflect upon the awesome adventure that I have had in following Christ. The trips to other countries to be involved in medical evangelism, revival conferences, pastor training, and missionary retreats have been wonderful encounters of His Spirit working in my life and in the lives of those in attendance. Numerous trips to Central and South American countries, as well as to European and Asian mega-cities, and those African adventures to both large cities and small villages will always be treasures stored in my memory. Preaching in elaborate chapels with huge windows to view the surrounding majestic mountains, as well as in mud huts with thatched roofs, were all privileges of grace. I remember being in a tiny Mexican village where an ongoing feud among two church families caused most folks to stay away. The congregation consisted of the missionary couple that we were with, my own family, two very aged women, about five little boys, and three dogs. The missionary led the music, the little boys took the offering, and I was preaching when the dogs decided to liven everything up with a good fight underneath the homemade pews! Dust was flying, teeth were biting, and the women started swinging whatever they could find at the dogs, as well as the boys, as they had joined the ruckus beneath the pews. When everyone guilty of fighting had been beaten out the door, they all went home. Looking at the missionary, I said, "What should we do now?" Replying with a smile, he said, "Let's give an invitation. After all that commotion, one of our wives might need to get saved!"

Funny experiences of life, coupled with those deeply moving times of Spiritual awakening and renewal, are also cemented in my mind. It has been an incredible adventure of faith that still continues today. I will be the first to admit that I have failed in numerous ways, yet the faithfulness of our Lord has been consistently present throughout the good times, as well as the not so good. As I look toward entering my thirty-first year of gospel ministry, I readily admit that where I am now was not a part of my long-range plan. Yet the past and current circumstances of my life have not dampened my faith, nor my zeal, for serving the Lord Jesus and seeking to be a positive influence through His name in whatever capacity is open for me.

If you are one of those servants of the Lord that has also experienced the acute pain of personal rejection, I encourage you to look away from those who would sidetrack you from your faith journey, and get a fresh glimpse of the Lord Jesus Christ. I remind you again that He is the ultimate example of rejection, yet He did not allow the God-haters of His day to interfere with His accomplishing His Father's will. In fact, the rejection was an important part of God's plan for the life, and the ultimate death, of His Son. And Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father, nor Me." Amen!

Seeking Him

“Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, and He will abundantly pardon!”

Isaiah 55:6-7

"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you
search for Me with all your heart."

Jeremiah 29:13

It is a very humbling experience at times to publish a personal blog, or to post on social media some sort of journal chronicling one's walk of faith. As I work on this first post of 2019, my heart yearns to simply be silent about some of the details of the previous year, and to carefully guard myself against those who might misunderstand my motives, or who would desire to discover some kind of ammunition to use against me. Nevertheless, what I have experienced needs to be told, and what I am learning needs to be taught.

The verses above from Isaiah and Jeremiah have always rebuked me when I have been too busy to spend adequate time in the Lord's presence. And they have also reminded me that His promises to restore my position of fellowship, renew my passion for worship, and reinstate my power for ministry are hinged upon my simple acts of faith, repentance, and surrender. Faith is necessary to seek, call, and return to the One who says that He can abundantly pardon. Repentance is required in order to forsake our ways and our thoughts as we complete our u-turn towards Him. And surrender is revealed in that this can only be accomplished by those who long for new experiences of His divine grace and delightful mercy with all of their hearts. To seek Him in such a fashion means that you must be all in. This promise is not for the worldly minded, fence-straddling, carnal hypocrites that can so often dominate a local church. This promise is reserved for those who long to see God work in mighty power, even if it costs them absolutely EVERYTHING!

I believe that God is showing me and calling me to a deeper level of intercession in this new year. I hate to admit it, but my commitment to a strong prayer ministry has often been diminished by the demands of a more visible ministry. If you are a pastor, you know very well what I mean. Hospital and shut-in visitation, families in bereavement, couples needing counseling, sermon preparation, community outreach, youth and children events, committee meetings, and the list can go on and on. These are good, necessary, and important areas of ministry in a church, but if we are not careful, they rob us of the most pressing issue of life: SEEKING HIM!

Changes have taken place that have been both emotionally upsetting and personally challenging for me and my family during the past year. My ministry assignment in our home church was terminated in September, a decision that was very disturbing. This is not what I envisioned as the year unfolded, nor is it an experience that I would wish upon anyone. As a result, I was forced to return to my previous employment of driving charter buses for ACR Coach. God has used this scenario to show me that I may not currently have a ministry opportunity that occupies a great amount of my time, but I can now invest more time in intercessory prayer for needs around the world. Those hours that I would normally invest in meeting the needs of hurting people, can be spent praying for pastors, denominational workers, missionaries, evangelists, seminary professors, etc. (I can also spend time praying for the owners, staff, and the many drivers that I have learned to love and enjoy working with at ACR. Which should be a reminder to all of us that are gainfully employed outside of a church field or home business: we are on the mission field wherever we might be at all times.)

I recently observed from a distance as a friend was named President of the International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. As Paul Chitwood undertakes this new assignment, my heart aches over the challenges that he will face, the decisions that he must make, and the pressure that he will endure in this strategic role of ministry. What can I do for this brother? I can pray for him! And I can pray for you, and I can pray for the biblically focused churches of our land, and I can pray for the Spirit of God to work wonderfully in and thru all of our lives for His glory around the world.

If you have encountered changes in your life that has caused you to rearrange your normal routines and activities, I implore you to use the added time that you might have to become a prayer warrior. We desperately need to experience seasons of refreshing from the hand of the Lord, and no one can close Heaven's door to you, but you! "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near...And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." AMEN!

My Last Drink

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging.

Whoever is deceived by it, is not wise!"

Proverbs 20:1

The two most popular articles that I have posted have been those about with my personal conversion ("1983") and my thoughts concerning the use of alcoholic beverages ("Don't be Stupid!"). Realizing that we still face the reality of deception concerning the use and abuse of alcohol, I felt moved to expand my experience of God's merciful deliverance in my own spiritual journey. So many differences began to take place in my life when I trusted Jesus Christ, that many people who knew me well were confused and concerned at my transformation. This does not mean that I was instantaneously delivered from the power of sin, for that is an ongoing process that continues today through what the Bible calls sanctification. Yet even in my baby steps of faith, I began to display a love for what I once hated, and a hatred for what I once loved. Friends and family may have been shocked at what was happening in my life, but God was not surprised at all, for this was His plan from the beginning of time as we know it. The Bible says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10

When I came to a saving knowledge of God's grace available through repentance and faith in His Son, I had no idea what a strong noose had been wrapped around my life by alcohol. Drinking was not just a casual pastime or occasional habit, it was a controlling lifestyle. As a new born babe in Christ desiring the pure milk of His word, I was immediately convicted by His indwelling Spirit that I should separate myself from all temptations to consume alcoholic beverages in any type of setting. This was quite a challenge while living on a college campus, and I'm sure I often failed to be as strong in Him as I could have been. When I eventually moved into my own apartment the following year to prepare for my upcoming wedding plans, victory was easier to experience. After all, I could barely afford the rent and utilities, so groceries were sometimes unaffordable. With that being the case, the holy desire for bread would easily overcome the unholy desire for beer!

After Tammy and I pledged our vows to each other, the inner struggle to loosen and remove this noose began to be further realized. Yet even then I found it difficult to disconnect totally and completely from this monstrous destroyer. When we gathered with some of my old friends where alcoholic beverages were available, I would seek to blend in and have a few drinks. Tammy never fussed or berated me in any way, but I knew her strong stance on complete abstinence, and I certainly did not want to upset nor disappoint her. Another problem during this critical time of spiritual development in my life came from some within our own church family. Whenever our pastor mentioned the poison of alcohol in a scathing way from the pulpit, I would hear some men, who were very influential in my life, standing outside together after the service and saying something like this: "I don't care what the preacher says, I can keep it and drink it in my house if I want to." Another would say, "I agree, beer in my refrigerator is not going to send me to Hell." Listening to statements like these that came from the lips of church deacons and Sunday School teachers, softened my resistance. I still refused the temptation to have these beverages in my home, but I decided that the occasional use of alcohol in certain settings must be okay. After all, that's what I heard these church leaders saying, and I knew that they would not say or do anything wrong.

I was still growing in the Lord during this time, so I was certainly not actively looking for a party to attend or a gathering of some kind that might help me drink socially. In fact, I was assuming more and more responsibilities in our church family, and was even getting invitations to speak at other events in some of the local churches in our area. It was also during this time that I accepted the job of assistant manager at the Oktibbeha County Co-op, a local farm and ranch supply store. Our manager, Gerald Jackson, was a great guy and a wonderful mentor to me in this new endeavor. Another man of great influence was a regional salesman who called on us several times a month. He was a lay speaker in the Methodist church and very active in the Gideon ministry. I never remember a time that I saw him that he did not have a Gideon New Testament in his shirt pocket. These men, as well as numerous others, were about to have a profound impact upon my life in a way that I could never imagine.

Not long after the rush of the spring season at the Co-op had passed, Mr. Jackson informed me that we would be going to a manager's conference at the co-operative headquarters near Jackson, Miss. Leaders from all over the state, along with some from Louisiana, would be in attendance. I was very impressed when we pulled up to the multi-storied glass and steel structure, and was even more in awe of the building when we stepped inside to a beautiful vestibule with a remarkable water feature. We made our way to a very large, theater styled conference room, filled with tables and leather chairs, that gave every attendee a good view of the podium and platform. When our CEO called the meeting to order with a few opening remarks and announcements, he called on our Methodist/Gideon friend to come forward to lead us in prayer. I thought, "Wow! We're coming together as a secular company and will start this meeting with prayer! I like this!"

After the meeting, we were instructed to move to the dining hall for a wonderfully catered meal, complete with an entertaining speaker from Louisiana who was extremely funny. His performance was wholesome and family friendly, a Cajun version of the late, great Jerry Clower. Our CEO returned to close the evening by inviting everyone to take advantage of the long evenings of summer by staying and enjoying a time of refreshments outside. When we exited the building, I discovered that refreshments meant alcoholic beverages. Several kegs of beer were available, as well as a couple of bartenders to serve mixed drinks. Immediately I felt uncomfortable, but I lost sight of Mr. Jackson among the 200 or so men who were mingling and talking. I finally spotted our Methodist/Gideon friend from behind, and was approaching to ask him about Mr. Jackson, when he turned around and I saw him drinking a beer from a plastic cup. He had a beer in his hand, and a Bible in his pocket. Immediately I heard the sound of other church member's voices saying, "It's okay to drink socially and moderately, it's not going to hurt anybody." Seeing what I saw, and hearing what I heard, I walked to the bar.

It had been quite a long time since I enjoyed the taste of an ice cold brew. One cup led to two. Two cups led to three. Three cups led to four. I then decided Coke and Jack would be good, so I began to drink several mixed drinks. As the sun began to set and the bar was about to close, some of the guys decided to confiscate the open liquor bottles and the remaining kegs of beer and take them to our motel to continue the party. I helped them load up everything we wanted, then unloaded it and carried it all up to one of the guest rooms. Several guys left and returned with a large amounts of snack foods for everyone as we continued drinking. Another group eventually left, then returned as well, carrying several paper sacks. As they began to empty their bags and throw pornographic magazines to everyone still in the room, an inner voice began to say to me, "Get out, get out!" When the last two men walked into the room, one had a VCR player that they had rented, and the other had a box full of x-rated movies. The guy with the VCR saw that I didn't have a magazine in my hand, so he instructed me to turn the television around and help him set up the video player. As my hands touched the TV set, that inner voice began to scream, "GET OUT! GET OUT!" Needless to say, I left immediately.

When Mr. Jackson and I arrived for additional meetings that next morning, I was still contemplating all that had transpired the night before. He went into the dining hall for breakfast, while I sat down near the water feature in deep thought. After a few minutes, a very tall man walked up to me, extended his hand, and said, "Brother Charles, I want to meet you." This greeting startled me, for it was the very first time that anyone had used the endearing term "Brother" in front of my name. Those of us with a Southern heritage realize this title is one that shows respect to those who serve in some capacity of ministry. Helping me to my feet, he then said, "The reason I wanted to meet you, is that I'm from (and he named a town that I cannot remember, but I do know that he mentioned a place in south Mississippi) and heard that you are preaching when you have the opportunity and sharing your testimony of what God has done in your life. I think that's wonderful, Brother Charles, God bless you."

I stood there speechless as he walked away, and sensed myself shrinking from nearly six feet tall to about two inches. Mr. Jackson returned in just a few minutes and I told him about this encounter. I described the man's facial features, his unusual height, and where he said he was from, and Mr. Jackson said that he didn't know anyone like that, and that he knew everyone associated with the Co-op. "I watched him walk into our meeting room," I said. "I'll show him to you." But when we walked into the room, which was about half full at the time, he was no where to be found.

"I don't see him, Mr. Jackson."

"Well, I don't either, and he couldn't go out that exit door without setting the alarm off. I'm not sure who you met, Charles, because I've never met a man like you just described to me."

During all of the subsequent meetings, my mind was on two things: my foolish actions the night before, and this stranger that had spoken to me that morning. Riding with Mr. Jackson back home, he talked the entire time, yet my mind was still occupied with my stupidity and sinfulness. As he talked, I prayed. I finally remember praying something like this: "God, I have often prayed that I might be delivered from the evils of alcohol. I have asked you to do this in the past because I know that it is not good for me. But now, Lord, I realize that it's not about me, it's about You. Oh, Jesus, alcohol is not good for You. It robs You of Your glory. It destroys Your testimony. It's about You. Please Lord, deliver me from this deceptive evil not because of the harm that it can cause me, but because of the harm it causes You!" Tears streamed down my face as I looked out Mr. Jackson's truck window that day. He had no idea that I was involved in a moment of intense spiritual warfare. Nor was he aware of the great victory that God gave me that day in his pick-up truck. For that prayer, coupled with God's amazing grace, broke the chains of alcohol over my life once and for all. I had consumed my last drink.

Years later as my mind remembered this experience, I began to consider Hebrews 13:2, where the Bible says, "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels." I have often wondered: Did God send an angel to intercept me that day before I reached a point of no return? I really do not know the answer to that question. But I do know the reality of the experience. The Lord so touched my heart through the words of this man, or angel (if that's the case), that it forever changed my life. As the hymn writer said, "To God be the glory; great things He hath done!"

Spiritual Leaders: Born or Made?

"He who leads, should lead with diligence."

Romans 12:8

In my previous post concerning spiritual gifts, I referenced the teaching of Dr. Charles Stanley, who is the long time pastor of the First Baptist Church, Atlanta. In his study, Ministering through Spiritual Gifts, he states that the seven gifts named in Romans 12:3-8 are perpetual gifts, while the other gifts found in the New Testament are only revealed during special circumstances. He states that every believer will have one of these seven perpetual gifts, perhaps more, but one will be more dominate than the others. He also says that these gifts are resident in a person's life at birth, and will become fully operative for its God-given purposes after that person is born again. He further says that these "gifts span the course of a person's life. They might be manifested in slightly different ways, in different situations, with varying degrees of intensity, but the identity of the gift remains intact and is unchangeable." Because leadership is listed as one of these seven perpetual gifts, and because of Dr. Stanley's belief concerning these gifts, the question that I posed in the title of this post should be re-visited. Are leaders born or made?

I have often been involved in discussions concerning leadership, both spiritual and secular. Some argue that leaders are born, while others argue that leaders are made. I was blessed to become friends with Dak Prescott when he was the third string quarterback at Mississippi State University. Because of his size, I thought he was either a tight end or linebacker. He was an exceptional young man that I had numerous conversations with. He was polite, kind, humble, and would eagerly listen to me as I shared biblical truth with him. As he eventually led MSU football to unprecedented success, I read articles of his leadership. It was interesting to read how as a high school player coming to Big Dawg Camps, he would vocally encourage and uplift the other players going through difficult workouts and weight training exercises. As a teenager, Dak displayed leadership skills that are now well known from his success as a Bulldog, as well as with the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL.

In my final semester at MSU, I was in a class focused upon personal skills and techniques of successful leaders. Just a few weeks into the course, we were divided up into groups of seven to eight students. We were told that we would be getting an assignment to form a corporation, and each group would have to name a president, vice-president, and a secretary/treasurer. We were then told to form our chairs in circles, according to our group placement, and discuss and decide who the officers would be for each corporation. I remember like it was yesterday as we noisily moved our chairs around to get in place. In my group, there were a couple of students that I had met in other classes, but the rest were basically strangers. I looked at the other students, who were all quiet and looking at everyone else in awkward silence, when I finally said: "Okay, let's do this. I'll begin with me, giving you all my name, where I'm from, why I chose this particular major, and any other pertinent information that might be helpful for us to know each other. Then we'll go around the circle and allow each of you to do the same. That way, we can make an informed decision concerning our corporate officers."

After everyone had the chance to speak, I said: "Alright, we should now discuss who needs to be our president. Any suggestions?"

A guy immediately said, "You, I move that we name you as our president."

"Why me?"

"Because you've already started acting like our president, I nominate you."

"I second his nomination," was the reply of a young lady, "and also move that the floor be closed for any further nominations."

Well, guess what? I became the president! The student who nominated me became the vice-president, and one in our group who was getting a double major in business management, along with banking and finance, was named our secretary/treasurer. When our professor realized that all groups had named their officers, he asked for a list of names from each corporation, and had us return our chairs into their regular location. Then he said: "The corporation assignment is over with. Later in the semester, we will have case studies and assignments to prepare you for the corporate world. But this brief exercise was all about recognizing leadership qualities. I believe that leaders are born, not made. Now we are going to discuss why each group chose their particular officers, and how they chose them."

I realize that others think differently. In one of Bobby Bowden's books on leadership, he states that anyone can be groomed, coached and encouraged to become a great leader. I understand what he said, but I don't fully embrace his analogy. I am convinced that Dr. Stanley is correct, and especially is this so in the spiritual realm. Leaders are born. There is something unexplainable about a person who has that take-charge attitude. Yes, those with leadership skills need to have those skills developed. The opportunity to hone those skills are invaluable in preparing a leader to face greater, and more diverse, responsibilities. And in this honing process, personal failures are often the catalyst for ultimate success. In fact, Bowden said, "People that are brilliant and successful, we think they've just always been that way. That's not the case. Most of them have had some tough adversity in their life. It's prepared them. I've never felt like you could develop character without adversity. A guy who has all the money he needs and never faced any hard times, he won't have any character. But when you've had it tough, and you've had it rough, and you thought you were at the end of the rope, and you work your way out of it, that's the way you build character." Though I may not agree with everything he says about leaders, I whole-heartedly agree with Coach Bowden's understanding of adversity preparing and maturing a person to possess strong leadership qualities.

Do you have the spiritual gift of leadership? If you do, it's not because you desire to be the head hog at the slop hole! Please excuse my country humor, but I trust you can understand that simple terminology. If you desire to lead so that you might have the preeminence, you've not been gifted with spiritual leadership. This mindset clearly demonstrates a self-centered, egotistical, and unhealthy focus upon the praise and applause of men. Those who are gifted as true spiritual leaders will be those who express the attitude and actions of Christ, Who got up from the table, laid aside His garments, took a towel to gird Himself, and washed the disciples feet. Jesus is our example of an humble, pure, holy, and perfect leader. As we follow Him and His example, it will be no problem for others to decide to follow us. Why? Because they will know that we are following Jesus. Amen!

Don't be Stupid!

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear,

but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:7

If you have read my story of saving grace (Pulpit Truth: 1983), you know that I spoke openly about my life and lifestyle before meeting Christ. I chose not to embellish upon the depth of my depravity, for you can certainly read between the lines and understand how far into the darkness that I traveled. In the past, I have boldly declared more openly my horrendous sin, to the degree that some pastors asked me when they discovered that I would be preaching my testimony, "Will this be the PG variety, or the R-rated version?" Some of these men heard me share my story in prison crusades, where I chose to bare my soul to those who were helplessly locked away from family, friends, and freedom. In those settings, I refused to withhold punches in presenting the power of the gospel to change any man's life!

One area, however, that I choose to be more open about today is the curse of alcohol in my past. I come from a family heritage with an intense problem of alcoholism. I'll not bring shame upon those that I love dearly that were hounded by this monster, but I will say that as soon as I began pleasure drinking as a teenager, it quickly began to control my life. I simply could not get enough, and before I was saved, I was consuming massive amounts of both soft and hard liquor products. When I drank beer, it was not one or two single cans or bottles, it was one or two six packs, sometimes more. Hard drinks were consumed straight out of the bottle, usually a fifth at a time. If I decided to mix, it would be half and half, some kind of Coke product and PGA (pure grain alcohol).

Why share this information? Basically, for three reasons:

1. There were those who knew of my salvation experience who pointed me in the direction of counseling for my alcohol abuse. They desired that I get professional and community support from groups like Alcoholics Anonymous. I have the highest respect for these kinds of organizations, as well as for Christian counselors who seek to minister to people with these kinds of problems. Yet I joyfully discovered that by the grace of God, I had the Holy Spirit living inside of me, and He had no drinking problem. In the course of time, my personal dependence upon and desire for alcohol was completely broken by the power of the indwelling Christ!

2. Because of the longevity and depth of my abuse, some believed that I may have suffered irreparable brain damage. When someone is intoxicated, they have reduced the oxygen level in the blood and replaced it with ethanol. This not only alters short term behavior, but it can lead to long term complications due to damaged brain cells. Thank God this was not true for me, or perhaps He gloriously intervened with a miracle in my case, repairing those injured cells.

       Before graduating from MSU, I was called into the office of the head of the Management department in the College of Business and Industry. Sitting in his plush office, he opened a folder and said, "Charles please help me to understand your grades. I have your transcript from your previous experience at another university, as well as your grades since transferring to State. You have been on a steady progression the longer that you've been a student here. In fact, you have a 3.85 GPA in all of your business courses, and a 4.0 in your management classes. As a lifelong educator, what is the explanation for such a remarkable improvement?"

       Not only was he the department head and a lifelong educator, but I also knew that he was an admitted agnostic. Saying a quick prayer, I replied: "Dr. Ray, you may not want to believe this, but the simple answer is Jesus Christ. My life was a royal mess when I transferred to State, and not long after arriving I met Tammy (she worked in the Management office at that time), who led me to faith in Christ. I know that you are not a believer, but after I had an experience with Jesus, He opened my eyes to see the importance of an education, how blessed I was to have a second chance, and that I should no longer pursue the things of this world but apply myself to do my absolute best in the classroom."

       "Well, Charles," he replied, "thank you very much. I appreciate your sincere answer. You've really given me something to consider. I enjoy having you as a student in my class, and every time I see you, I'll think about what you have told me."

3. The final reason in sharing my experience with alcohol, is because of the lax attitude among so many church members about this deceiving, destroying, and damning fact of life. I am hearing that some seminarians and younger pastors, who have a theological slant towards Calvinism, will drink socially. There are even those who will promote the smoking of fine, expensive cigars (claiming a personal enlightenment that liberates them from legalism, as well as a silly desire to be like Charles Spurgeon). The Bible says, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whoever is deceived by it is not wise." The Bible also says, "The thief does not come but to steal, kill, and destroy." I believe he uses alcohol to destroy the lives, marriages, faith, homes, careers, testimonies and futures of those who listen to his lying tongue! And finally, the Bible says, "drunkards will not inherit the kingdom of God."

       Yes, I've had those who blow up and get in my face about Jesus turning the water into wine. My questions have always been: (1) Do you know of a certainty that Jesus drank this miraculous product? And (2), were you there to drink it so that you know beyond a shadow of any doubt that it was fermented wine instead of good, fresh fruit of the vine (grape juice)? The Bible says, "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whoever is deceived by it is not wise." I've had others speak of Paul's instruction to Timothy, "use a little wine for your stomach's sake and your frequent infirmities." Isn't it wonderful that Timothy could use these beverages for medicinal purposes? Yes, it certainly was. But why didn't he just go down to the local CVS and purchase some Maalox, or some Tylenol PM? Oh, that's right, he didn't have a CVS, nor any other kind of pharmacy. Therefore, he had to use what was available to him. Do not try to justify your petty little arguments about purchasing "medicine" at your local liquor store to a man who nearly had his life destroyed and his eternity damned by alcohol!

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging, and whoever is deceived by it is not wise." What a simple, straight forward verse of scripture. Before I mellowed as a communicator of the gospel, I used to tell folks that the country-boy interpretation of that verse would be: "Wine (and beer) are mockers, and anything stronger than those are raging, and if you are deceived by these, you are stupid!" Now, now, don't get all mad, remember, you might be reading the thoughts of a man with brain damage.