It has been the privilege of my wife and I to spend a week in the Smoky Mountains.  For our 30th Wedding Anniversary, our church surprised us with a week stay at the Hampton Inn in Cherokee, NC.  It has been a wonderful week.

Each morning, I have slipped out of the room quietly in order to go down and eat the continental breakfast supplied by the Hampton.  Kathy does not care for breakfast and does not awake as early as I do.  (I find it impossible to “sleep in,” even while on vacation.  I tried, but it don’t work for me).  Anyway, I carry my Bible with me in these early morning breakfast excursions and mediate on the Word while partaking of the cuisine provided.

This morning, I was seated by the window and I watched some of the motorcycle owners as they loaded their “bikes” for further travel.  Two things about these men caught my attention.  First, these men were each giving themselves to the pampering of their bikes.  They all had towels with which they were wiping the seats, the handle bars, the kickstand, the fenders and the chrome-spoked wheels.  They even got on their knees so they could give attention to the small details of polishing their bike parts.  The way in which they caressed their bikes was reflective of the great respect and admiration they had for their bikes.

The second thing that caught my instant attention was the camaraderie among these men.  These were men who were for various parts of the country, and from different walks of life.  These were men who, obviously, did not know each other prior to their arrival at the Hampton in Cherokee.  These were grown, gray-haired men. . .That instantly bonded.  It was amazing that the ONE thing these men had in common was their motorcycles, and that is the very thing that gave them instant communication.  There was no remotely gazing from a distance and wondering about the other man’s bike.  There appeared to be no awkwardness in just walking up and start talking.  No. . .It was an instant kinship. . .Part of the “bike culture.”

I could not help but think about how Christians should develop such a culture.  First, we should care for our souls and fellowship with God, in the way those men cared for their bikes.  We too should give careful attention, on our knees, to the smallest areas of our soul.  Yet, it is those areas that are so often neglected.

Second, there should be an instant camaraderie among believers.  Yet, here I set, with my Bible open on the table before me, and no one has approached to discuss spiritual matters.  As a matter of fact, the people in the area surrounding me, have chosen tables that are furtherest from me.  I observed families come toward me, then notice my Bible, and back up to another table.  Unlike the bike culture, there was an extreme awkwardness in the actions of the people.  It may be that none of the dozens of people that passed by were believers.   Yet, I wonder why, if there were any other believers in the area, why could we not discuss the Word as those men discussed their bikes?

Just a thought. . .

Bible Meditation

The following article is rather personal and is a glimpse into the life of a pastor.  The event described took place almost one month ago, and the notes were penned during a crushing hurt of the ministry.  The past month has been a time of reflection, retrospection and meditation.  The Word of God has become sweeter, and the prayer time dearer.

Please forgive the personal references, but this was not originally meant for public viewing.  The following notes were meant to be a private journal of that event.  Yet, I believe that there may be some other hurting pastor, who may read this, and realize that he is not alone.  It is my hope that this serves as an encouragement.

Despite the deep hurts of ministry, the blessings have been great also.  And, as the old song writer once stated. . .”It’s Been Worth Every Mile!”

The Hurt That Cripples

It is Tuesday morning, May 5, 2009, and I find myself unable to function and fulfil my daily tasks.  The hurt of Monday is still so fresh that there are no words that can convey the sense of betrayal and abandonment.  My chest feels as though it will explode. . .the pain is severe. . .the tears will not cease.

The source of this hurt came from those who have been called “friend.”  Yet, was it not the Savior Himself who said, “Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me” (Psa. 41:9)?  If the close friend of the Savior betrayed Him, it can be no surprise when those who are closest also betray us.

Although I know the above statement to be true and biblical, the pain still penetrates the heart and crushes the soul.  While we know that people are fallible and will forsake us, it still is a deafening sound to hear those painful words, “We won’t be back.”  Most of the time these words are prefaced with “We love you, but. . .”  So it was at the home of the member on yesterday.  They should know that no amount of words to the contrary, can offset their actions of abandonment and betrayal.  Actions speak louder than words.

The hurt is magnified by the fact that, for ten years, I have been their faithful pastor, counselor and friend.  Not once have they been refused, even though the hour was late or the time inconvenient.  Their pastor has been there for them when their son was arrested, when the husband had a heart attack, when their grandchildren were in danger, and more.  In recent months we sat for hours together at the Police Station in order to protect the precious grandchildren.  Yet, all of those times are swiftly swept from their memories as they lash out in their present hurt.  This is a hurt that did not come from the pastor, the pastoral staff, or the church.  They have been hurt by individual people and, yet, the pastor who has loved them has become the target of their anger.

Oh, how those word, “You need to leave our house,” crushed the heart! What had I done but care?  What had I done that warranted such action?  When I continued to stay and try to love, reason and pray with them, they both got in their vehicle, closed the doors, cranked the car and left their house. . .Leaving their pastor crying uncontrollably on their patio.  The moments passed into minutes and, they did not come back.  No pricking of their conscious concerning their egregious action.  No conviction of the Holy Spirit that would have commanded them to be reconciled to their brother in Christ.  No human compassion for the pastor who has shown nothing be unwavering and unquestioned love and loyalty to them for ten years.  The pain of the next twenty minutes was unbearable.  Unable to move, walk, or talk. . .all I could do was cry.  The floodgates of my memory were opened, and the last time such deep hurt was felt was brought to mind.  It was in the Summer of 1993 that a similar situation occurred with a family in Bay Minette, AL.

This is a pain that surpasses the death of my parents.  The passing of one’s parents is a normal event of life.  Although it hurts deeply, it is still an expected event in life.  The betrayal and abandonment by those you have loved is never expected.   It should never be an expected part of life.

Such betrayal only comes from one source. . .Satan.  He is the father of lies and dissension.  This type of action is never Heaven-sent or God-ordained.  Rather, it is the result of the fruits of the flesh, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).  Those who love God and are filled with His Spirit will not do such things.  Their fruits will be evidenced by the fruit of the Spirit.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23).

It may be argued by those who perpetrate such actions, “We love God.”  Yet, the Bible offers a clear rebuttal of such an argument.  It was the Lord who said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (Jn. 14:15).  One of His commandments is that we “love one another” (Jn. 13:34).

I do know that “this too shall pass.”  Time will move on, and the hurt will begin to subside.  But for the moment. . .IT HURTS!  Yes, I know that truths of God’s Word.  Yes, I know that He will never leave me or forsake me.  Yes, I know that “people are people.”  Yet. . .IT HURTS!

This event will not end my ministry, nor will it lessen my love and trust for others.  That cannot be permitted.  This event will not be the last one of its kind either.  This is the hard, but normal, part of ministry.  Yet, I suppose it to be a good thing that it hurts so bad.  For if a pastor does not hurt in situations like this, he probably does not love in the way he ought to.  As someone has wisely said, “If you are not willing to bleed, then you are not fit to bless.”

Lord, grant me strength today to fulfill my calling.  Give me the wisdom to know how to deal with the repercussions that are bound to be felt by the church.  Give me the grace to love this dear family, in spite of the hurt.  Grant me the power to be a God-honoring example before my family and church during this time.

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul and all that is within me!  Praise His Holy Name!

Pastor Marty O. Wynn
May 5, 2009

The following articles is from an e-mail I received from www.fundamentaltop500.com. This is a sad commentary on the church of our day. When I came to Columbus, GA ten years ago, there were no Islamic Centers in the city. Since then, two independent, fundamental Baptist churches have shut their doors, and two Islamic Centers have been established. However, we need not despair! God is still King and on His Throne. Let us all commit ourselves to fulfilling the Great Commission and get the gospel into all the world.

Here is the article. . .

As I was visiting Wednesday, I was struck by the number of old church buildings I passed. A generation or two ago, these were spirit-filled country churches. Today they are Grange halls, thrift shops, and apartments.

It was sad. It was like driving through a graveyard.

These bygone churches reminded me of a passage from a book I had read:

While the country churches are the stronghold of the evangelizing and missionary enterprises of the Church at home and abroad there are alarming conditions of weakness in many country churches. … there were in Maine at that time 282 pastorless churches in farming districts and some of the deserted churches were then serving as cheese factories, dance halls, and road houses. The Day of the Country Church, by James Oliver Ashenhurst

This book was written in 1908! How much worse is our condition now?

Last year, I read that churches in America are closing at a rate of 3,000 per year. Massachusetts — the very state where our pilgrim fore-fathers landed — now rates fourth from the bottom in belief in God according to a 2009 survey. Right below Massachusetts is my own state of Maine.

Following is Gallup’s entire list of states, in order of what percentage of respondents said religion is “an important part” of their daily lives:

* Mississippi: 85%
* Alabama: 82%
* South Carolina: 80%
* Tennessee: 79%
* Louisiana: 78%
* Arkansas: 78%
* Georgia: 76%
* North Carolina: 76%
* Oklahoma: 75%
* Kentucky: 74%
* Texas: 74%
* West Virginia: 71%
* Kansas: 70%
* Utah: 69%
* Missouri: 68%
* Virginia: 68%
* South Dakota: 68%
* North Dakota: 68%
* Indiana: 68%
* Nebraska: 67%
* New Mexico: 66%
* Pennsylvania: 65%
* Florida: 65%
* Maryland: 65%
* Ohio: 65%
* Iowa: 64%
* Minnesota: 64%
* Illinois: 64%
* Michigan: 64%
* Delaware: 61%
* Wisconsin: 61%
* District of Columbia: 61%
* Idaho: 61%
* Arizona: 61%
* New Jersey: 60%
* Wyoming: 58%
* Colorado: 57%
* Hawaii: 57%
* California: 57%
* Montana: 56%
* New York: 56%
* Connecticut: 55%
* Nevada: 54%
* Rhode Island: 53%
* Oregon: 53%
* Washington: 52%
* Alaska: 51%
* Massachusetts: 48%
* Maine: 48%
* New Hampshire: 46%
* Vermont: 42%

Where will we be in our children’s time?

Where are the preachers who will give up hope of wealth and fame to serve in little country churches, bringing our nation back to God one soul, one community at a time?

Where are the missionaries to America, a nation rapidly becoming a pagam land?

We can give up an say, “well, we’re in the end times. It’s just gonna be like this.” Or we can rise up and fight back against the dark tide sweeping our nation.

One day after big storm, a man walked out on the beach and saw thousands of starfish washed up and dying on the sand. A boy was picking them up one-by-one and tossing them back into the water. The man said, “What are you doing, son?” The boy replied, “saving the starfish.” The man chuckled at the boy’s ignorance and said, “There’s no way you can save all those starfish — there are too many of them.” The boy picked up another one and tossed it out into the waves. “There’s one more.”

Maybe we can’t save them all. Maybe this country will never turn back to Christ. But, if we try, we can save “one more.”

Hawaii Lawmakers Pass Bill to Create ‘Islam Day’ - Presidential Politics | Political News - FOXNews.com

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Christians need to awaken from our apathy and get serious about the Lord’s command to evangelize and reach the world. This video is presents staggering statistics that are real and alarming. Watch the video and post your comments. What do you believe the Christian response must be?

In a few days, our church will be hosting the annual Spring Revival. This year, our theme is “Breaking Up the Fallow Ground” (Hos. 10:12). As we approach these days, I wonder “Will this be a revival, or simply a revival meeting?”

Revival meetings have been around for generations. The annual Spring or Fall revival, at one time, was a regular event on the church calendar. Such meetings once commanded the attention of the surrounding community. School events, work schedules and such all fell subservient to the church calendar. There were no such things as ball games during church times. Work schedules were planned around the church events. During my youth, this was the atmosphere of the communities wherein I grew up. These were times when families stayed together. Most children had a Dad and Mom who lived in the same house with their children. Doors could be left unlocked at all times, because parents had instilled the values of honesty and integrity into the character base of their children. Neighbors knew each other on a first-name basis and helped each other. The worse problems at the public school was talking in class, chewing gum in class, or the ruffian boys smoking outside behind the gym. These were the days when the community planned on being at the local-church revival meeting. Yes, I remember those days when the aisles and altars were full at the invitation time. The revival meetings were often extended for another week, or two, or three. Lives were changed, and drunkards got saved and were made sober.

Of course, those days have long gone. The church calendar is barely an honorable mention on the agenda of most people today. The work schedule reigns supreme, with school activities following as a close second. The church has become little more than another social network like MySpace or Facebook to many professing Christians. If the event at church is convenient Read the rest of this entry »

The following article is one written by Dr. J. Don Jennings, an excellent expositor of the Word of God.  Dr. Jennings shared these thoughts as he recently meditated on Hebrews 11:21.  They are truly challenging thoughts.

Jacob Blessing the Sons of Joseph

How to Die

“By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.”  (Hebrews 11:21)

Jacob may not be the best example in the Hall of Faith as to how to live the perfect life of faith. However, he shows us the strength of faith at the time of death.

“By faith Jacob”
In mentioning Jacob the Holy Spirit selects a small fragment of this man’s life with which to illustrate his faith in God.   As with all the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11, not all that transpired in their lives is recorded. We could say that Hebrews eleven is the chapter of “Honorable Mentions.” Just to be mentioned is an honor!

Although Jacob was in many ways the most illustrious of the Patriarchs, and the one who received from God the name “Israel”, he was, in some respects, the least attractive representative of one of God’s heroes of faith. Jacob was inconsistent in his walk with God, and perhaps, more than the other Patriarchs, shows that God is a God of grace.

Jacob was an up and down individual. Sometimes he walked by faith and sometimes he walked by sight – just like us. In spite of Jacob’s failings the principle of faith was constantly at work in His life. Faith is essential to our salvation and spiritual progress even if it be but a ”mustard” seed” faith. (Matthew 17:20) At no time in Jacob’s life was this more evident than at the end of his life.

“When he was a dying”
The threat of death has a powerful way of clarifying the mind. To the sensitive soul the incidental fades into insignificance, the essential looms large; the temporal is less important, the eternal all important.

The valley of death is a crucible that tests faith. The process of dying brings an awareness that only truth matters unless the dying one has been greatly deluded. In the face of death self-deception is forced to Read the rest of this entry »

It seems that every day, the news is reporting another action of our politicians that appears to ignore our Constitutional boundaries. The biggest flap is concerning the qualification of Obama to be President. Until this point, there has been no Certificate of Live Birth (COLB) produced to verify that he is a natural-born citizen of the United States, as required by our Constitution.  Of course, there are many who are angry over his consistent refusal to address the situation and produce a COLB.  (It seems that, if he were natural born, the common sense thing to do would be to produce the COLB and end the debate. That should be a no-brainer).

Anyway, that issue and many other have spawned a national discussion over the Constitution. Citizens should be alarmed and angry that the founding document seems to no longer matter.  It should distress the nation that our guiding document is ignored and no one can seem to stop the ignoring of it.

However, I would like to surmise that we should not be surprised. It should not be a cause for amazement that politicians simply ignore the portions of the Constitution that they find disagreeable or unpleasant. After all. . .Is that not what people do with God’s Word?

We have sown the seeds for this ignoring of the U.S. Constitution. When our nation declared that the Bible, the Word of God, was no longer applicable to our governance, then we planted seeds that are now bearing fruit. If a man has no regard for the most sacred document of all history (i.e., the Bible), then is it any wonder that lesser documents can be ignored or disposed of at will?

Yes, we should insist upon being governed by our nation’s founding document.  We must demand that Constitutional boundaries be adhered to.  Yet, we must remain prayerful for our nation’s leaders.  Our prayer must be that they come to salvation and begin to love God’s Word.  When they respect God’s Word, only then will the Constitution will be restored to its rightful authority.

Once again, Nick Cardot at the Baptist Muse has offered a practical suggestion  for a church ministry.  This one involves the church nursery, which seems to always be an area of much chagrin for the church Nursery Director.  This one is a must read.  You may read the article at the link below.

9 Tips for Successful Nurseries at the Baptist Muse.

Normally, I do not simply post a quote.  However, there is little more that could be added to this poignant thought.  It is a quote from a sermon by Dr. Adrian Rogers.   It is certainly worth reading and praying that our national leaders understand its truth!

“You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

(The late Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931 - 2005)
[Source: http://www.topix.com/forum/source/lowell-sun/T7482S8HA8P2120QO]