Friday, December 07, 2007

HELLO?

As you know, if you read my last post, I destroyed my computer with a cup of coffee. I'm devastated! Having been cyber-active for less than 3 years, I was surprised to discover that I can't live without a computer. Right now I am using my wife's ancient p.c. It jist ain't the same.

The thing that really hurts is that I know that there is a multitude of faithful readers out there who are literally starving to death, spiritually, because of my absence in the blogosphere (Just kidding. Sheesh! Lighten up!).

I sure hope you guys don't de-link me. I'll be back soon...I hope.

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, YOU'UNS

I hope every one of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family. Steve and family, Jeremy and family, and Elizabeth and family are all going to be here for Thanksgiving. This is a rare blessing for Jan and me, to have the whole group here at once.

Now for excuses:
I have not been able to blog lately. Have you noticed? I thought not. Anyway, I was having problems connecting to the internet from my study. Enter SUPER STEVE! Evidently, he was born knowing about electrical gadgets, so he fixed the problem with a minimal amount of effort and large amount of cash. Thanks Steve. So, I'M BACK! At least for the moment. You see, I spilled my coffee onto my computer just a moment ago, and I might be gone again...soon. But you probably wouldn't notice anyway. Sigh.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Saturday, October 06, 2007

'NUTHER OLD CAR

For those who were wondering what ever happened to the '86 Monte Carlo, well... I traded it. I cleaned it up a bit, got it running, put new tires on the original wheels, and mounted them on the car...then I traded it for this 67 Impala 2 dr hard top.

When I first got this car, it had just been painted. It was originally blue, but the guy I got it from painted it a Cadillac pearl white (I would have preferred the original color, but the white looks good too.) The body of the car had been stripped of all chrome, both bumpers, and all the lights. Every thing was piled inside the car. I still don't have all the moldings put back in place, and the interior needs re-working, but it is a sweet driving car.

You will notice that I put a set of 15"x 8" Corvette rally wheels with 235/70 Uniroyal Tiger Paw radials on it. These are my favorite wheels, and I usually put them on every old Chevy I get. This car came from the factory with 14 inch wheels and tires, a 283 cubic inch v8 engine with a 2 barrel carb, and a 2 speed "Power Glide transmission. Under the hood, it's all original. It even has factory A/C (Which I hope to have working soon).

More pictures to come!

P.S. If you look closely, you can see a little bit of the Doodle-Bug that I got while blindly stumbling in automotive sin. You can also see that I could easily win Jeff Foxworthy's redneck yard award.







Friday, September 21, 2007

NEWS FLASH!!!

For those who are interested, I am leaving this afternoon for Tennessee. The Lord willing, I will be preaching in Rutledge, Tennessee on Monday evening and again on Monday evening. Please pray for Jan and me as we travel and for me as I endeavor proclaim God's word.

P.S. We'll get to see the 'boys' and 7 out of 9 grandchildren.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

MY HUMILITY IS SHOWING...AGAIN

I realize that I am not as witty as Bugblaster or as well read as David. I'm not as thoughtful as Kim. Nor am I as prolific as Jim. I am not as well educated as Steve, nor as naturally talented as Jeremy. I'm sure that I'm not as prayerful as Daniel, nor as deep as Marcia. I can't write like Dan or Tom...But I've been to the "well" where I have been satisfied and am being satisfied.

(How's that for blogspoting, saying "I" a whole buncha times, and revisiting a previous post all in one shot?)

Monday, August 20, 2007

MY HUMBLE OPINION ABOUT PIT BULL DOGS

Just for the record, I think all Pit Bull dogs should be given to Micheal Vick. I'm just sayin'.

Monday, August 13, 2007

ANNOUNCING MY SON'S FIRST PUBLISHED WORK WHILE ATTEMPTING TO NOT BE EXCESSIVELY PROUD

(And failing miserably in the attempt)

This is the book all sincere students of Church history and the spirituality of our Fore-Fathers in the faith have been waiting for. I expect it to set the evangelical world on fire...if they read it. One of the reasons that I am so confident in the value of this book is that it was co-edited by my son Steve and his understudy, Michael Haykin. Well...maybe it was the other way around, but anyway, Steve's name is on it. That makes it infinitely more valuable in my estimation. I ain't jist talkin' either. I bought 40 copies. You don't have to buy that many, but you should at least buy one. Right??

Monday, August 06, 2007

BARRY BONDS BEFORE STEROIDS

Barry Bonds Rookie Card. I thought this was hilarious!



HT : Tim Ellsworth

Sunday, August 05, 2007

HAPPY BIRTHDAY STEVE

Author, educator, pastor, conference speaker, blogger,Braves fan, student, and all around good son; Steve Weaver discovered America 33 years ago today. Happy birthday, son. I'm proud of you.

Who would like to hear some embarrassing stories from his youth?

Friday, August 03, 2007

As a loyal devotee to Buggy, I will follow his time-tested example of reposting past offerings. I apologize for my lack of productivity in the blogworld, but I have excuses. Maybe soon I'll be able to come up with something worth sharing and the time to share it. For now, however, this was one of my favorite posts from a while back.

A NON-DRAMATIC STORY OF DEALING WITH DEMONS

While checking out some blogs that I like to read, I came upon this post by Scott Hill http://fide-o.blogspot.com. It reminded me of an incident that occurred a few years ago in Mexico while I was serving as a missionary there.

A Mexican Independent Baptist pastor, who was serving a church in VeraCruz, came to visit me one day. This was a bit unusual, considering that he had ridden a bus over 90 miles to get to my house. Since indigenous pastors are notoriously poor, I wondered why he had sacrificed his meager resources just to come for a visit.

The mystery was soon cleared up, though, as he began to tell me that he had a serious problem with a member of his church. He said "We have a brother in the church that is demon possessed. He is fine during the day time, but as it begins to get on toward evening, he begins to scream and cry and even curse. This goes on until morning. By then he is so tired that he has to sleep and can't work." He went on to say,"I am trying to get a group of faithful Christians together to come to VeraCruz and have an all-night prayer meeting with this brother in order to cast the demon out of him. Will you help?"

That kinda put me on the spot because I had never cast out a demon before. I had never advertised myself as a demon caster outer, nor did I have any desire to learn about casting out demons. However, I did and do believe that demons exist. I believe that they are against God and His purposes. I believe that we are engaged in spiritual warfare. I believe as Paul said in Eph.6:12 that we "Wrestle....against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." But here is what I don't believe: I don't believe that Satan or his minions have any inherent power. They have no power other than what is given to them.

With that in mind, my response to this sincere pastor's request was fourfold:

#1 Stop calling him brother, because, if it is true that he is possessed, he is not a brother in Christ.

#2 Neither Satan himself nor his demons have the ability nor the authority to possess anyone at their whim. Satan cannot take it upon himself to knock down a person's will and take over without permission from God and/or that person.(Isn't it strange that people are willing to grant that power to Satan, who is not sovereign, but not to God who is?) See the 1st two chapters of Job. Although Job in this text was not being "possessed", he was being attacked. However, the principle is clearly taught here that the Devil cannot do just anything without permission. He couldn't touch Job's possessions without permission and he couldn't touch Job' s person without permission, and even then, Satan's boundaries are clearly set.

#3 Without a doubt, this man has opened a door in his life to let those demonic influences in. Find out where the door is open, exhort him to repent of that sin thereby closing the door to satanic influences, exhort him to seek Christ for salvation, and the demon will be gone.(James4:7) "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

#4No amount of praying, pleading the blood, or rebuking the devil, will do any good if he is unwilling to repent of sin, trust Christ, and resist the devil.

Well, the pastor left my house not a little offended. I dare say that he was hoping for a very dramatic and emotional experience that he would be able to tell about for years to come. A tale of spiritual warfare in which he and a few holy men of God prayed all night, confronted the demon, rebuked him in the name of Jesus and pitched him out on his ear. But, if he took my advice, there would be very little drama. No possibility of humbly shaking hands with the brethren while proudly saying "We did it! We cast out a demon!"

THE CONCLUSION OF THE STORY

I didn't hear from the pastor for a while, until we met at an area wide youth meeting. He came to me and said that he hadn't cared much for my advice at first, but as he thought about it, he began to think it was worth a try. He began to investigate and found that the family of the young man was deeply involved in the occult: fortune telling, astrology and such. After making a profession of faith, he had distanced himself from his family's satanic practices for a while, but soon the temptation was too great and he began to participate again. That's when the problem started. The pastor told me that when they confronted him about this, he confessed, repented, surrendered to the Lordship of Christ, moved out of the house where the temptation was and had no more trouble with demons. No drama. Just simple obedience to the Word of God.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

DON'T GIVE UP ON ME YET!

Just so you don't get worried...I'm okay. I am a very busy young man at the moment. I will post again soon. I promise. I haven't even had time to work on the Monte Carlo yet.

Friday, June 29, 2007

1986 MONTE CARLO SS PROJECT

I found this little jewel sitting in the woods behind a body shop. The owner of the shop bought it from it's original owner several years ago with the intention of painting it for a keeper. As you can see, he never got around to painting the car. I talked to him about this car 3 years ago and he would not even consider selling it, but yesterday, he said "It don't look like I'm ever gonna do anything with it, so if you want it, I'll sell it to you." So I bought it.

As you can easily see, the paint has completely disappeared from the top, flat surfaces. It has also accumulated a nice collection of live oak branches, as well as a fine patina of surface rust. Other than that, the body is strait and solid. The interior is near perfect with the exception of dirt, mildew, and a cracked dash (But I know how to fix that).

From this view it clearly seems to be saying, "Garry! Pleeese take me home with you." What kind of Christian would I be, if I hardened my heart and ignored such a pitiful plea?
Can you tell that it has the wrong wheels on it? Those are Camaro IROC wheels. Don't get me wrong, they are okay wheels, but they don't belong on a Monte Carlo SS. Have no fear, though. The original Monte SS wheels are inside the car.2 in the trunk, 2 in the back seat.

Today, I hope to charge up the battery, pour in some gas, and bring it home so it can have the love and attention it deserves. From time to time I'll be posting pictures of this '86 Monte Carlo SS as it progresses toward restoration...or gets sold.

BTW, I also intend to continue offering the unmatched, award winning wit and wisdom that my readers have come to expect from this blog, so stay tuned. But for now, I'm headed for Tennessee to hang out with my boys and grand younguns.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

DESIRING GOD BOOK SALE

I ordered a bunch of books! You should too! They're cheap! You can give 'em for gifts and people will think you paid a lot of money for them, but you dint. Better hurry! The big sale ends tomorrow.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

THE MANIPULATOR AND THE EASILY MANIPULATED

Buggy said that he didn't want me to blogspot him under any circumstances, but I see through the ruse. His words are really a plea:"Pleeeese mention me on your blog." So, here you are Bugblaster. It's all about you.

BTW, He has been posting some amazing articles on the book of Leviticus that are seriously helpful.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

TAKE A LOOK AT THESE PICHURS


I got these pictures off the internet. I presently don't have the proper equipment to scan my personal photos onto the computer. As you can see from these scenes, Santiago is a beautiful place. However, it is the people that are the real beauty of the place. Oh! For one more chance to gather that little group(I can see each face in my mind right now) into my living room and give them the glorious gospel of grace one more time.


Most towns in Mexico are built around a central park, which becomes a place of relaxation, entertainment and a thriving market-place every evening. This is one view of the park in Santiago Tuxtla, the town in which we lived while missionaries in Mexico.


This is the first view that you get of Santiago Tuxtla as you approach from the south on the Pan American highway. This is an interesting view because, when you first see it, it is on your left. As you continue on for about a half mile, you get the same view on your right.


This is a carved stone head from the Olmec era (1500B.C. -200B.C.) that was discovered nearby. It sits at the west end of the park. 3 houses down the street, which is directly behind the head, is the house where we first lived when we arrived in Santiago. To the right of the pink house that you see behind the head is a hospital where I spent some time. To the left, on the corner, (not visible in the photo) was a restaurant where two large ladies known as "the chicas" cooked up a variety of tasty treats. I spent some time there too.

Sunday, May 27, 2007

A MEMORIAL DAY REMINDER

This is a post I did last year. I'm too lazy to write another, so I'm re-posting this 'un. Meanwhile, I'm goin' to Tennessee to see the fambly. Ranulfo will be back soon. Happy Memorial Day!

I am thankful that I live in the U.S.A.,a land of prosperity and freedom. I am fully aware that the freedoms we enjoy here have come at an extremely high price. That price is the life-blood of many a soldier who, in various wars and conflicts, has carried the battle to the enemy in order to keep us safe here.

This is a day that we have set aside to remember with grateful hearts those who have given all to preserve and protect our freedom. We are also mindful of those whose lives are daily on the line as they track down the enemy there so he can't come here. The words 'thank you' seem terribly insufficient, but it's all I have so, THANK YOU!

However, there is another group of freedom fighters that is often overlooked. They are missionaries. The missionary is one who takes the great comission seriously and personally. He hears his Master's call and readily obeys. He immediately begins to downsize and make preparation to leave. He says goodbye to loved ones and friends. He packs his bags, and together with his wife and kids, leaves behind the comfortable familiarity of his homeland to go to an unfamiliar place where they have not asked for him and possibly may be hostile to him.

Many missionaries are working in hostile environments where their lives are constantly in jeopardy. Many of them have died in faraway lands where their bodies lie in unmarked graves. Some of them have been attacked and killed by the very ones to whom they were ministering. Others have succumbed to diseases or other dangers that are inherent to the harsh evironment in which they lived and worked. They are like those of whom the writer of Hebrews says "...the world was not worthy".

While the value and success of a soldier can be more or less easily assessed, the contribution of these unsung heroes cannot be calculated by human reasoning. Only in eternity will we be able to truely assess the value and fruit of the missionary's service. (Rev. 14:13 "...and their works do follow them.')

In the eternal state we shall hear the story of the potentially successful terrorist who, through the preaching of a missionary, surrendered to Christ. We shall rejoice with the one-time political rebel who was transformed by the faithful gospel witness of a missionary, and through the teaching of that missionary, began to preach the good news too. In eternity we will fellowship with many who would have been our enemies, but because of a missionary, they are our brothers in Christ .

As we remember the awsome contribution of those in the armed forces of the U.S.A., let's not forget the soldiers of the cross. When we get to Heaven, we might learn that they contributed more to the preservation of our freedom than the military, without firing a shot.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

BLOG BIRTHDAY


May 10th is my blog's birthday. I was hoping to have made more of an impact on the world thru blogging by the time I had been at it a year, but alas and alack! Nothing earth-shattering has come from this blog...yet. Just wait. One of these days I'll write something that even I will be pleased with. It could happen in year #2. Therefore, you should read this blog every day lest you miss the life-changing event.

Tuesday, May 08, 2007

TAGGED YET AGAIN

I was tagged by Marcian to do this Meme which is to consist of 7 things about me that you should know. Wow! That's gonna be hard. There's just not that much to know about me. Anyway, here goes nuthin'.

1. I was born at Presbyterian hospital in Knoxville, Tn. I guess that's why I have always leaned toward Calvinism. That hospital is located very near the campus of the University of Tennessee, so that's probably why I'm so smart.

2. I have only one sibling, a younger brother, with whom, aside from the same parents, I have almost nothing in common.

3. There are a bunch of preachers in my family. My maternal Grandfather was a Methodist preacher, my Dad is a Baptist preacher, my Dad's sister's husband is a Baptist preacher, their oldest son is a Baptist preacher, and my two sons are also B.P.'s . It must be genetic or something.

4. My wife and I were married the 30th of December, 1972. I was 18 and she was 17. She has graciously endured the up's and down's of life with me for over 34 years.

5. We have 9 grandchildren, each of which, is the cutest, smartest, most tallented child I have ever seen.

6. I love pastoring. I love verse-by-verse preaching. I long for the mission field. I wish that I could pastor, be a foreign missionary and train young missionaries, all a the same time. My dream would be to pastor a church near the Mexico-U.S. border where I could work some in Mexico, and have a ministry in that church to help missionaries get prepared to work on the "field".

7. I love old Chevy trucks. I try to not be so interested in 'em, but I'm weak. Every time I think I've gotten victory, one of them seems to follow me home.

Wednesday, May 02, 2007

NEWS YOU CAN USE!

J. D. Hatfield's book, THE VOICE OF VISION, is now available! Go to his blog and follow the links to order it. J.D. is one of my favorite bloggers and a very gifted writer. I highly recommend both his blog and his book. In my opinion, if you like Tozer and Ravenhill, you'll love Hatfield's writing.

Also I'm registered for the Together for the Gospel conference which will be held at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky, April 15th-17th 2008. I went to the last one in 2006. It was probably the best conference that I have ever had the pleasure of attending. I encourage you to make every possible effort to go. If you want to go, you had better hurry and register! I'm thinking it will fill up fast. BTW If you go, they give you a bunch of free books!

I sure hope they have a blogger fellowship like the last one. I really enjoy getting to meet the people who really make a difference in the world thru their blogging. If you are going, let me know in the comments section.

Monday, April 30, 2007

IT'S BEEN REALLY DRY IN FLORIDA LATELY

I will admit that I was a little nervous about answering the door, but, as it turns out, he only wanted a drink of water.

Friday, April 27, 2007

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

THE HUSBAND STORE

A store that sells husbands has just opened in New York city, where a woman may go to choose a husband. Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates. You may visit the store ONLY ONCE!

You may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up a floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the Building! So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband...

On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1 - These men have jobs and love the Lord.

The second floor sign reads:

Floor 2 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, and love kids.

The third floor sign reads:

Floor 3 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, and are extremely good looking.

"Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

She goes to the fourth floor and sign reads:

Floor 4 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop-dead good looking and help with the housework.

"Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!"

Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:

Floor 5 - These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop-dead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have a strong romantic streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor and the sign reads:

Floor 6 - You are visitor 4,363,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor.

This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please.

Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store. Watch your step as you exit the building, and have a nice day!

Ht:Free funny jokes blog

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

THE MEN WHO WOULD BE KING

A mini-firestorm, it seems, has been ignited by a statement that Dr. Jerry Falwell made concerning limited atonement. As I understand it, Dr. Falwell called the doctrine of limited atonement heresy. In doing so, he implicates all those who believe and teach this doctrine as heretics.

I certainly do not begrudge Dr. Falwell nor Liberty U. the right to believe what they believe and to state it publicly. I agree with Tom Ascol's statement; "I simply regret that they believe it".

My problem with this way of thinking is, I fear that often times, men will allow their own personal motives to govern how they interpret Scripture rather than allowing Scripture to govern their motives. Some men in the world of Christianity are so set on their own self-importance, their own desire for greatness, and their unfaltering dedication to their own sovereignty that they just can't see the doctrines of grace no matter how much Biblical evidence they are shown.

This is the root of the problem, as I see it: Men, even dedicated religious men, will not only reject the doctrines of grace (5 point Calvinism), but will fight them tooth and nail, because these doctrines will remove them from the throne of their own private, self-proclaimed kingdom. They long for place and position. They struggle ceaselessly for notoriety. They want to be catered to by political leaders and feared for their political clout. They want to be thought of as leaders so badly that they find a way to blend their doctrine with their ambitions.

The doctrines of grace will allow no self-exaltation. They will tear the crown from puny man's head and cast it at the feet of the only One who was ever worthy to wear a crown in the first place. The doctrines of grace, rightly understood, will put God high on the throne and a weak and utterly helpless man face down in the dust before God's throne.

To the men who would be king, thinking seriously on the doctrines of grace would be dangerous to their personal sovereignty. Therefore they bitterly oppose Calvinism. They build straw men to misrepresent the beliefs of those who hold to these truths in order to fight the misconceptions rather than the real issues. To fight the real issues would require an honest evaluation of them, and that would be a threat to their private little kingdom.

Have these men ever read this verse? Mat 23:12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. If they have read it, they have not rightly understood it, nor have they applied it personally.

On the other hand, the men of whom I am aware, who hold to the doctrines of grace, are men who have never sought great things for themselves. They are men whose first priority has been to know and honor God. They have studied deeply and passionately to know more about Him so that they could honor Him as He deserves to be honored. This has caused them to have an exalted view of God and His sovereignty while exposing them to the utter depravity of man. They have sought not only to know truth, but to apply it, first in their own lives, then to teach it to others.

These men, by conviction, do not seek for name nor for notoriety. They seek for God and His glory, depending on God alone to give them their place and position in His kingdom. Many of them have come to places of note and are in the public eye, but not because they sought it. They were busy humbling themselves in the sight of God and He has lifted them up.(James4:10) Among these are John MacArthur, Al Mohler, John Piper, R.C Sproul and many others who are our contemporaries. Others from the past who believed, taught and ordered their ministries in light of the doctrines of grace were Spurgeon, Whitfield, Bunyan, and William Carey (who is known as the father of modern missions).

These are the men whose examples I would emulate. As for the men who would be king, we shall see in eternity where their theology and their example lead.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

NEW BLOGGER AWARD!!!

Daniel at Doulogos has created a new Blogger Award!




It is for bloggers who use their gifts to "build up" God's people through blogging.

I was, at the same time, surprised, honored and humbled to be included in Daniel's list of bloggers that edify (Thanks,Daniel.). If I understand correctly, this award also constitutes a "tag". I am to list some of the bloggers that consistently build me up in my faith by their thoughtful writing.

I would have to say, that Daniel himself, would be high on my list of edifying bloggers. Also both my sons, Steve and Jeremy are a blessing to me on many levels.

Here is a short list of bloggers that I consider to be most helpful to me, personally:

J.D. Hatfield


Pyromaniacs

Dan Phillips

Big Orange Truck


Ray Van Neste

David Kjos

Desiring God Blog

There are many others that I could have named. In fact, every single blog or website on my side bar is a blessing. Read them when you have time. I'm sure you'll agree.

Saturday, April 07, 2007

NEWS FLASH!!! CHRISTIAN IS 5 YEARS OLD (ALMOST)

It's Christian's birthday, but Conner needs a little attention too.


The Cake.

The birthday boy. His birthday really isn't till Monday, but he said:"Since it's my party today, I'm just gonna go ahead and be 5".

Thursday, March 15, 2007

RECENT FAILURES AND SUCCESSES

The last two weeks have been unusually busy for me. We had our annual Bible conference at the Church, which required much preparation and time. Of course I still had to keep up with all the mowing. Steve and his family were here for the conference and stayed on thru today. They are leaving this morning, and to be honest, I can't hardly stand to see them go. It looks like I'm gonna be a weepy, clingy old man. Anyway, I haven't accomplished some of the things I had hoped I would, but on the other hand there have been some small accomplishments. Here's how I see my failures and accomplishments. I'm sure I'm over-looking some of my most glaring failures, but I've had 53 years of practice at it.

FAILURES:

Started okay, but failed to post reviews of the messages preached in the Bible Conf.

Took some pictures of speakers at the Bible Conf., but failed to post them.

Took pictures of Gordon Cloud during a luncheon with Steve and me, but failed to post them.

Tried to upload a video from You Tube and failed... twice.

Failed to read the blogs that I normally read every day.

Failed...again to make my children and grandchildren know how important they are to me, and how much I love them.


SUCCESSES:

Posted a review of the first message of the Bible Conf.

Uploaded pictures of J.D. Hatfield.

Moderated the conference without preaching before and after each sermon.(Almost)

Convinced Pastor Jimmy Strickland, one of the conference speakers, to help me mow two mornings strait. I might have him come back and preach a whole week this summer.(grin)

Begged, borrowed, dickered, and traded to successfully acquire two Chevy trucks.




Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Bro. Jim Hatfield and Bro. me


Bro. Jim Hatfield and Bro. Steve Weaver

No, Halloween didn't come early this year. No, these are not production photos of another "Scary Movie" sequel. These are pictures taken last night featuring world famous pastor/writer/blogger, J.D. Hatfield. Bro. Jim graciously consented to allow his picture to be taken with pastor Steve Weaver and yours truly (me). I can't speak for Steve, but I feel that my years of struggle to become successful in ministry has (have?) finally paid off. I am on the pinnacle. There is nowhere to go but down from here.

Seriously, though, it was a blessing to meet and fellowship with Bro. Hatfield. My impression of him, from far too short a time together, was:

He is passionate about God.
He is passionate about the Word of God.
He loves the People of God.

If you are not currently reading Voice of Vision you should start now.

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Bible Conference Summaries

I haven't had time to post the summaries of the services as I intended, therefore check out my son Steve's excellent summaries of the services thus far. You can access his posts by clicking here.

Monday, March 05, 2007

REVIEW OF 1ST MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE CONFERENCE

We had a wonderful day on Sunday as we began our annual Bible Conference at the Way of Life Baptist Church. We enjoyed some Good singing by the River Jordan Quartet. The singing was great, but the highlight of this gathering was and is the preaching of the Word of God. Our souls were both fed and made hungry for more of God's precious truth.

The first message was by Pastor Jimmy Strickland. He preached from 2Cor. 7:2-16, showing to us the tender, pastoral heart of the apostle Paul as he wrote about how he had commanded the Church at Corinth to exercise Church discipline.

Paul had written to the Corinthians a letter of rebuke (1Corinthians) to correct some serious errors of both doctrine and practice. One very serious moral failure with which Paul dealt was that described in 1Cor. chapter 5. It was an example of gross, open sin that needed to be addressed by the church. However the Corinthians had not dealt with this sin. On the contrary, they were "puffed up" (v.2) and even "glorying" (v.6) in it.

Bro. Strickland helped us to see into Paul's heart as he wrote again to the Corinthians about this matter, only this time, not to rebuke them but to rejoice in the fact that they had received his instruction, obeyed it, and had made this matter right.

Paul had been grieved in his own spirit because he had had to write such a harsh rebuke to them. He didn't want to do it, but he had to do it. Bro. Strickland made the application of this by telling us that very often it would be much easier on a pastor to not have to deal with sin. It would be much easier not to practice Church discipline. It is not something that the pastor just wants to do. He leads his flock to exercise discipline because it is necessary for the spiritual health of the Church.

Also, Bro. Strickland spent a good deal of time dealing with the distinction between "godly sorrow" and "the sorrow of the world"(v.10). Another great theme of this message was the cause and effects of true repentance .

My review doesn't do this excellent message justice. Everyone seemed to agree that this was probably the best treatment of this passage that we had heard. My own personal reaction was:"Shoot! I wish I'da said that!"

I wish I had time to tell you about Bro. Steve Weaver's sermon on Nehemiah ch. 8 and Bro. Howard Estep's message on the Kingdom of God, but I gotta go mow. I'll try to write about the others later today if possible.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

BIBLE CONFERENCE AT WAY OF LIFE BAPTIST CHURCH

We have a Bible conference beginning this coming Sunday thru Wednesday. The guest speakers will be:

Pastor Steve Weaver from Lenoir City, Tn.

Pastor Jimmy Strickland from Clarksdale, Miss.

Bro. James Shutt from Savannah, Tn.

Bro. Howard Estep from Elizabethton, Tn.

Most of these men are not widely known, but they are faithful preachers of God's Word.

The only one who is widely known is Pastor Steve Weaver. I probably couldn't have gotten him to preach in such an insignificant place as this, but I know stuff on him. He'd better preach good, or I'll tell it. Wait a minute...He knows stuff on me too. Never mind.

Monday, February 26, 2007

IT'S MY PARTY


It's my birthday and these guys threw me a surprise party early this morning. We had a delicious meal of grub worms.

Thursday, February 22, 2007

I'M HURT

I was pretty excited about the previous post. I thought it might resonate with some, surprise others, or at least generate a little bit of discussion. However, almost none of the above happened. As a matter of fact, according to my site meter, almost no one even read it. To be honest, that stings a little.

I offer my sincere thanks to the 4 or 5 of you who read it. I know it was long. I too am often guilty of either skimming or just plain not reading over-long posts. I guess I got what I deserved...

Do you feel sorry for me yet? Well, then READ THE STUPID THING!!!

Friday, February 16, 2007

ARE THE HEATHEN HUNGRY FOR THE GOSPEL?

As an Independent Baptist intimately involved in missions, I have heard this assertion made on many occasions: "The people in (you supply the name of the country)are hungry for the Gospel." This claim is most often made in the hope of encouraging people to give financial support to a missionary or to a mission project. The missionary often backs up his claim by showing pictures of people eagerly accepting tracts, or he tells of the numbers of professions of faith he has had in evangelistic outreaches while on the field. Since independent missionaries are always in need of support, he seeks to put an image in the minds of his audience of multitudes of previously un-evangelized people clamoring for the Good News of salvation.

I don't mean to sound cynical here, but I think that the statement mentioned above, if examined by the Scriptures, will be seen to be false. Let me say right up front, that I DO believe:
A) That the Gospel is to be preached to everyone.
B) That Jesus has sheep in every people group and every language group. They are His sheep, and when they hear His voice, they WILL come to Him.
C)That there are times when the Spirit of God begins to work among people, through the faithful preaching of the missionary, so that numbers of people are swept into the Kingdom of God in a very short time.

However, I am compelled to say that both Scripture and my own experience disproves the assumption that unregenerate men are hungry for the Gospel. The Word of God is clear, at least to my understanding, that men in their natural condition are "...dead in trespasses and sins..."(Eph.2:1). The Bible says in Jn.6:44"No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him..." Also in Romans 3:11, Paul quotes Psalm 14:1-3 and 51:1 when he gives this Divine assessment of man in his natural condition: "There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God." Since the Word of God is our final authority, these passages make it abundantly clear that, even though many will be eager to accept a free Gospel tract, their attitude toward God and His Gospel may well be a different matter.

In my own personal experience, I have seen how this false assumption has been perpetuated. In January of 1984 I moved my family to Mexico to work with some veteran missionaries who had been on the field for a long time. They already had a large work going, so we were able to start to work immediately with them. They were good and sincere people. They loved the Mexican people and sacrificed much in order to bring the Gospel to them. I do not criticize them personally, however I am critical of their methods.

Being located in the northern part of Mexico, this work was easily accessible to church groups who wanted to visit a missionary and experience, first hand, what goes on on the mission field. When a group of visitors would come, the lead missionary would plan the time so that there would be very little time for rest. He would always make plans to take them to a village where we had never been before. This wasn't difficult because these remote villages abound in Mexico. He would always take a film, presumably to make it easier to get permission from the village chief, to have a service there. We would go around to all the houses witnessing and inviting the people to the evening service. The missionary would begin the service with a 'thank you' to the jefe for allowing us to have the meeting, and to the people for coming. Then he would start the movie(The Life of Christ or The Burning Hell or something similar). At the mid point of the movie he would stop the projector and tell the people that a pastor from the United States was going to speak to them about the Gospel. The Preacher would step forward and preach in English as the missionary interpreted in Spanish. This was strategic, in that the people wouldn't leave because they wanted to see the rest of the movie. When the preaching was concluded, the missionary would restate the Gospel, then ask:" How many of you want to go to heaven when you die?" Or, "How many of you want to be saved?" Usually a large number would raise their hands, sometimes the whole bunch would.(Even Catholics want to be saved and go to heaven when they die.) They would be divided into groups and be instructed to repeat a prayer after the missionary. To the missionary's credit, he did say,"If you meant that prayer you are saved."

While this is happening, the visitors are walking in the clouds. The pastor is thinking,"Man! I preached and a whole village got saved! That would never happen in the U.S. Just wait till I tell the folks back home about this." He, along with the rest of the group go away with the impression that this is the common, every day experience of missionaries. He goes back home and tells his Church and everyone he knows," In Mexico the people are hungry for the Gospel. We need to get all our resources channeled into this work because they are getting the job done!"

What this poor mistaken pastor doesn't know is, that a few days later, when a rookie missionary like yours truly, would go back to that same village(without films or gringos) to follow up on those professions of faith; it was almost impossible to get even one or two to come together for another preaching session. What happened? They seemed so eager at the first presentation of the Gospel. Why aren't they as enthusiastic now?

There are many minor reasons why they aren't willing to continue in their profession of faith. Some of them, no doubt, only came because of the novelty of the situation. They lived lonely, difficult lives, normally, and this was a welcome diversion from the daily grind. Others probably made a profession of faith simply because it seemed everyone was doing it. Still others, assumed that we were preaching the same thing that they had always heard. After all, we used the same terminology and names that their religion used. However, when they told their priest about what they had heard and done, and found out from him that it was not consistent with the teachings of Roman Catholicism, they abandoned their profession.

Those are minor reasons. The main reason, however, is that they had not been enlightened by the Holy Spirit as to who Jesus really is and what He demands. They had not been convicted of their wretched and hopelessly lost condition. They had not been irresistibly drawn to Him by the Spirit in repentance and surrender to His Lordship. There is no substitute for that. That only comes through faithfully praying for His power and anointing, and by the faithful proclamation of His Gospel, which is "...the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes..."

I don't like to say it like this, but I feel that I must. Both the villagers and the visitors became unwitting participants in the perpetuation of a false assumption. The assumption that it is much easier to "get people saved" in foreign lands. The reason many missionaries encourage this false-hood is financial.It speaks of quick results. That is what we want in our American Churches, and we will pay well for them. The truth is, that even on the foreign mission field, they need the same patient teaching, the same convicting work of the Holy Spirit, the same miracle of grace that so-called 'Gospel hardened' Americans need.

I know this has been a longer than normal post. There are still many things that I could say on this subject, but I guess I had better conclude for now. I want to close this post by sharing with you my reply when people would ask me how the people responded to my ministry on the mission field. I said:"They normally respond to my preaching exactly like Adam and Eve, after they had sinned, responded when they heard the Voice of God in the Garden of Eden: They try to hide in their own religion. Every once-in-a-while, though, He will follow them and call them to Himself."

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

SON OF GEARHEAD, CAN THESE PARTS CRUISE?


...and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of Chevy parts... and lo, they were very rusty.('37 Chevy Service Manual)

Thursday, February 08, 2007

WHY DO I DO LIKE I DO, DO, DO?


I am sure that by now everyone has heard of the arrest of astronaut Lisa Nowak on charges stemming from her cross country trip, allegedly for the purpose of harming a romantic rival.

I talked to a friend, this morning, who is closely involved in the shuttle program and has close contact with the astronauts. He, like everyone close to the case, expressed his shock and surprise at the actions of this young woman saying, " Something must have happened. She must have had a mental crash or something." He went on to tell of the remarkable work that she had done while on her earlier shuttle mission. This, I think, was meant as added evidence that some sort of break down must have occurred that caused her to act in the way she did.

I said,"My response, of course, is from a theological perspective. No matter how well educated and how well trained one is, or how much good one has done for humanity, according to the Bible, we are all sinners by nature." That includes all of us, not just the ones who have acted out publicly. We do bad things because we are bad.

Don't get me wrong. Miss Nowak might really need some psychological help. However, the fact that the possibility of committing unthinkable acts lies within the nature of everyone of us, should not be ignored. The cure for that is not psychological, but spiritual.

It seems that every time the media reports a moral failure in some celebrity or some spiritual or political leader, they report, almost in the same breath, that that person has entered counseling or rehab. This, very often, is nothing more than an attempt to shift the blame from one's moral character to either mental break down or chemical dependency. This is not only blame shifting, but it camouflages the real problem, which is sin.

You can counsel sin. You can suppress sin. You can try to control sin. You can even re-define sin as mental illness, or blame it on some dependency. But the only way to finally and forever deal with sin is to repent of it.

No one asked me for it, but I would give this advice to Miss Nowak or to anyone who has come face-to-face with the reality of their own depravity:
1) Seek Jesus through the the witness of those who know Him or through His Word.
2) Confess her actions as sin and herself a sinner.
3) Repent first of all privately before God, then publicly.
4)Surrender to the Lordship of Christ, trusting Him alone for salvation.
5) Identify herself with a body of faithful followers of Christ where she can be nurtured in the faith.

It is quite possible that, if she did that, she would find little or possibly no need for psychological help.

Saturday, February 03, 2007

ON PRAYING FOR LOST LOVED ONES

I said this in a previous post: "...we always practice what we really believe." The same can be said in this way: What we really believe governs our actions and attitudes. In no way is this truth more clearly and readily demonstrated than in our attitudes and actions concerning the lost.

As in-errantists we say that we believe all of the Bible is true. Even the unpopular parts like those that describe the sure and certain punishment of those who reject the Gospel of Jesus. However it seems that our actions and attitudes toward the ones who are sure to be the objects of the righteous wrath of God, don't match the horror that we profess to believe, that according to scripture, they are shortly to endure.

Jesus taught that hell (that's a word rarely heard from modern pulpits) is so horrible, that one would be better off to cut off his hand, or foot, or even pluck out his own eye, if through the sins relating to these, he would be cast into hell (Mk.9:43-48). What a terrifying prospect; to think of a place where there is no rest from the torture of eternal fire. Where the mercy of God will never again be experienced, and where the hope of a better tomorrow is always disappointed. It is a friendless and lonely place where their torments are the due reward of a wasted life and foolish rejection of the offer of grace.

This whole thought process became more clear to me last night and this morning as I thought on the wrath that abides on one who is near and dear to me. According to God's Word, the path that she is traveling is the "broad way...that leads to destruction" (Matt.7:13). As I prayed for her, I was rebuked in my spirit for how lightly I have taken the reality of her doom. Do I really believe that hell is a real place? Do I really believe what the Bible teaches about it? Am I really convinced that, at any moment, she could step into the abyss of eternal agony? If I really do believe it, where are my tears? Where are the hours of agonizing prayer for her soul?

Being a Bible believer, I know that there will not be a single soul in hell for whom Jesus died. However, I also know that God often uses the prayers of His people to melt the heart of the sinner. This is why I feel rebuked in my spirit; because, though I know these things, my heart is strangely lethargic, and lacking in the passion that should be the evidence of my knowledge.Especially when it concerns one that I love.

Here is the agonizing question that is tearing at my heart right now: How would I be able to go into my comfortable, climate-controlled house, lay on a soft bed with over-stuffed pillows and go to sleep, knowing that one that is dear to my heart is, at that very moment, screaming in torment?

The time will come when our loved ones will be forever beyond the help of our prayers and our tears for their souls. May God grant that we would have a passion for their souls now, while there is still hope, like we surely will have then, when there is no hope.

Friday, February 02, 2007

SHOOT ANOTHER MONKEY, I'VE BEEN TAGGED AGAIN

It seems that, after experiencing the pith and power of your humble blogger(that's me), the world is curious as to how I keep the sharp edge on my wit and wisdom. Therefore, from time to time they tag me in a not-so-subtle attempt to discover my sources. Well, my friend, it won't work. My smarts are my own. I only read the writings of others to see if they got it right. Anyway, here 'tis.

HERE ARE THE RULES:

1. Grab the book closest to you.

2. Open to page 123; go down to the fourth sentence.

3. Post the text of the following three sentences.

4. Name the author and book title.

5. Tag three people to do the same.

HERE IS THE TEXT:

Instead of additional coal, according to L.P.Kirwan, each ship made room for a 1,200-volume library, "a hand organ, playing 50 tunes," china place settings for officers and men, cut-glass wine goblets, and sterling silver flatware. The officers' sterling silver knives were particularly interesting. The silver was of ornate Victorian design, very heavy at the handles and richly patterned.

THIS IS THE BOOK:

"LUKE VOLUME TWO: THAT YOU MAY KNOW THE TRUTH" by R.KENT HUGHES

I TAG:

R.C Sproul, Al Mohler, John Piper. Yes, they are all faithful readers of this blog. You didn't think they were just born smart, did you?

Sunday, January 28, 2007

WHAT KIND OF CHEVY TRUCK WOULD I BE, IF I WERE A CHEVY TRUCK?

The other day, I took a quiz to see what kind of Chevy truck I would be if I were a Chevy truck. They seemed to think that I would be a 2007 Silverado S/S. They don't know me like I know me. This is much closer to the truth. A 1935 Chevy pick up.
I don't want to leave the Ford lovers out. If I were a Ford truck, what would I be? Broken down! Hee, hee.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

EXCUSES, EXCUSES

This week I am in Astatula, Florida. I am preaching each morning in a Bible conference at the Astatula Baptist Church. For that reason, I haven't had time to do a really for real post. I do, however, want to continue posting on some of my experiences and challenges as I served on the mission field. At some point, I intend to do a post on how to pray for a missionary. I realize that is nothing new, but I want to put in my two cents anyway.

Stay tuned and, if you have a moment, pray that our Lord will use me this week to glorify Him.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007

MISSIONS AND THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD'S WORD #2

As promised in the previous post, I want to explain how difficult it can be to try to build a work for God on the mission field while being faithful to the conviction that His work can only be accomplished through prayer and the ministry of the Word.

My convictions on this matter were severely tested in many ways. One way in which they were tested was by my own selfish desire to hurry things along. This desire is particularly deceptive because it often masquerades as a desire to accomplish things for God's glory. However, by prayerful examination, it becomes clear that it is more akin to a desire for my own glory than for God's glory.I confess that in the pride of my heart, I longed for the gratification of a pat on the back for a job well done. Although I knew that if I would just be faithful to work in God's way, He would reward me; still, it's nice to be appreciated by men too. There is always that image in the back of the missionary's mind of being able to return to the states and tell of his accomplishments and his exploits to the amazement and the congratulations of his audience. This temptation must be resisted though, knowing that at the moment we win the approval of men, we loose the approval of God.

My convictions were also tested by the "apparent" success of those who didn't share my understanding of how missions should be carried out. There was an occasion when a group of Pentecostal missionaries came into the town in which we were living. They were there for about a week having "evangelistic" services each night. When they left at the end of the week, they had a church going with a pastor (who just one week before was an unsaved Roman Catholic) and a fairly large congregation.

Now that will make you examine your methods! I was not having that kind of instant success.That drove me back to the Word and prayer. In prayer, the Lord reminded me of the parable of the sower and the soils in Matt.13. He reminded me that plants in unprepared, rocky soil spring up quickly, and that weeds grow where there is no cultivation of the soil, but a fruitful and desirable crop requires hard work and careful cultivation. So, I survived to plant on for another day.

My resolves were tested by other missionaries also. Although we didn't live near other missionaries, there were others within a two or three hour drive. One who had been on the field for more than twenty years, sent word that he wanted to talk to me. When I went to his house, he began to show me the statistics he had been keeping on the responses to his ministry. He pointed out that the numbers clearly showed that the response was much greater when he showed films than when he preached. He said:"Based on these numbers I am changing over almost exclusively to movies in my evangelism." He went on to offer his services to me, to show his films in my works to help me get more results in my ministry.

That kinda put me on the spot. I didn't want to be critical of his ministry, but at the same time, I felt I had to refuse his offer. "Why not?" he said. "The numbers speak for themselves. Don't you want to have more people saved?" (My opinion on that question would require another post, so I won't go into detail here.) I said; "Of course I want to see more people saved, but I determined when I came to the field, that I wanted to see if God would still build a 'work' through prayer and the preaching of His Word alone like He did before movies were available." This is no exaggeration. He exploded! He verbally attacked me, my ministry, my motives and my methods. I tried to remain calm, as I said;"Brother, if you are convinced in your heart that this is the way God is directing your ministry, then I will not criticize you for it.(I guess I kinda lied on that one, because I have been critical of his methods.Sorry!) However that is not the way God has directed my ministry so thanks, but no,thanks."

Mission work is spiritual warfare, folks; and..." the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds." (2Cor.10:4 )

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

MISSIONS AND THE SUFFICIENCY OF GOD'S WORD

I made this assertion in the post entitled"Why Would a Calvinist Go To The Mission Field?": "The Calvinist knows that the Word of God is sufficient and powerful enough in itself to effectively bring men to Christ. This I say by experience: He may be the only preacher on the field who has complete confidence in the power and sufficiency of the Bible he preaches to accomplish God's holy work."

I can say this by experience because I have been there and have personally witnessed the bag of tricks that many men use on the mission field in order to get results. Pragmatism is alive and well in modern missionary enterprise. Our supporters demand results. Quick results. And we had better produce them, or we will be in danger of loosing our financial backing. Men like Carey and Judson who labored long before seeing their first convert would not fit in well with modern missionary expectations.

I certainly don't intend to try to present myself as a model missionary. While on the field, I fell far short of my own expectations, not to mention God's standard. However, I can only speak of my own experiences and my own understanding of how missionary activity should be carried out according to the Scriptures. In this post, I want to give you a brief look at a few of the principles that guided my efforts on the mission field.

#1. Jesus said ..."I will build my Church..." Therefore, I will labor according to the principles of His Word knowing that He is faithful who promised.

#2.All through history, God's men have succeeded in ministry using the means of prayer and the preaching of the Word. Therefore I will use those means only, knowing that whatever is accomplished will be His work and not mine.

#3.Paul said in Rom 1:16 " For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." The Gospel of Christ is sufficient to bring men to saving faith. I will trust it's power and resist the temptation to try to "help it" by any artificial means.

#4.The results are His business, not mine. He has commanded me to go and preach, so I will go. If, through my preaching, people are saved, I will praise Him. However, if I obediently go and faithfully preach, and no one is saved, I will still praise Him because the results are His business. My responsibility is only to obey, not produce results. I can't save anyone anyway.

Please don't assume that it is easy to be faithful to these standards. they were severely and often tested. Tomorrow, the Lord willing, I will relate some of the ways in which these convictions were tested.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

A COUPLE OF GOOFY LOOKIN' PICTURES

These are the grandpuppies. This is the closest I was able to come to a good picture of them all together. As of today there are 8 of them, but Steve's wife, Greta could deliver #9 (a girl) at any moment.




This is a picture of the 3 stooges . I don't know what they are laughing at. They are usually more solemn and respectful.

OKAY I'M BACK!

Actually I've been home for over a week, but I have had sermons to prepare and deliver as well as 2 weeks worth of grass to mow. The blessing of living in Florida is that you get to enjoy lawn care year round.

Also I'm preparing to preach a Bible conference in Astatula, Fla. later this month. All this is difficult for a lazy guy like me.

Hopefully I'll get a new post up by Monday. Thanks for being patient with me.