When A Church Got a Pastor at a Yard Sale

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I’m not much of a yard sale person, although I readily admit one can find some tremendous deals at a yard sale. I remember the last yard sale we had; the temp was below freezing and the chill factor below zero. We advertised to begin at 7:00am and at 5:30am when I raised the garage door to move the stuff out, people were already standing in line. By the end of the day we offered everything on tables for “one low, low price.” I never realized someone could find a useful purpose for the stuff that had become “clutter” in my house. The old saying is true, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.”

Last week marked my one-year anniversary as pastor at Bellevue Baptist Church in Macon. What does that have to do with a yard sale? Read on.

I left my last church in what would be considered a “forced termination.” I wrote about how that felt back in a couple of October blogs. Suffice it to say, I felt I had been thrown out with the trash and that ministry would no longer be an option for me. Thankfully, by the grace of God, I was wrong.

I am thankful for the support, unconditional love, and encouragement that came from my family, both immediate and extended. I also realized how blessed I was with a great number of friends. Looking back, I am most overwhelmed by the providence and plan of an intentional God. Things panned out the way they did because HE had HIS PLAN.

The brave people of Bellevue took a chance on me when other churches passed me over due to my circumstances. I guess those other churches weren’t willing to bring home a “yard sale pastor.” I am thankful that God brought my family and me into the Bellevue family. We have a wonderful church family whom we love dearly. I am so glad they were willing to find treasure in another church’s trash.

I share this with you because I hope it will be an encouragement to you. No matter how difficult a blow life has delivered you, nothing can snatch you from God’s hand and His plan for your life. In fact, He may have allowed that painful circumstance in your life for the sole purpose of moving you on to something better He has in store for you. So don’t lose heart. God is not finished with you. In God’s eyes you are NEVER trash and you are always His TREASURE.

I recommend the following Bible verse for your reading and meditation. You need to know just how God feels about you and what He promises for your life.

Zephaniah 3:17

Romans 8:28, 31-39

Philippians 1:6

What March Madness Teaches Us About Intentional Living

NCAA BB TrophyMarch Madness has begun. Most college basketball teams are playing in their conference tournaments determining which teams will move on to the national “dance” – The NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. College basketball is a big deal…and even bigger deal in March. All of the “hoop”-la to win that big ol’ trophy.

No NCAA Championship team began the season without a vision of how they would win enough regular season games, win the conference championship, and win their way through the national tourney to be crowned champions. No championship is won accidentally; champions win on purpose. No team just shows up to play, tosses the ball around, and plays to “make the best” of each game as it comes. Champions work hard for their championship, and they play a full season with (here comes my word again)…intentionality. From the opening practice until the buzzer of the final game they work hard with a singular goal: win the trophy.

Sadly many believers drift through life without a game plan for a successful spiritual journey. Consider the sense of purpose Paul had in mind when he wrote to the Corinthian church:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. – 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

“So run,” he says. “I do not run aimlessly,” he testifies. “I discipline my body,” he demonstrates. Purpose. Intentionality. Vision.

What is your game plan? What are you doing to win in the important areas of your life? Your spiritual development? Your marriage? Your relationship with your kids? Other important facets of you life? What is the game plan?

Let me encourage you to answer four questions for yourself today.

  1. What are the most important relationships in my life?
  2. What would “winning” look like in each of those relationships?
  3. What’s the score right now in each of those relationships?
  4. What are one or two things I can do today to start running better in those areas?

Ask God to give you honest insight into your own life and ask Him to give you wisdom and strength to make the necessary changes to begin living intentionally in those areas. Run to win. Run with purpose. Run with self-control.

God’s Infallible Radar

The search for Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 has captured the attention, and imagination of the world.  During the early morning hours of March 8, the flight experienced a normal take off, then about an hour later the plane turned to head in the opposite direction and vanished from radar and all other electronic contact. MH 370 has been neither seen nor heard from since.  Theories abound as to its whereabouts and the causes for its disappearance.

Thankfully, our God has charted a course for our lives and we are still on course with His plan. He is a God of purpose.  Our direction may seem a mystery to us, but God knows exactly where we are and precisely where we are going. 

Yet He knows the way I have taken;
when He has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold.
My feet have followed in His tracks;
I have kept to His way and not turned aside.
I have not departed from the commands of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth
more than my daily food.

But He is unchangeable; who can oppose Him?
He does what He desires.
He will certainly accomplish what He has decreed for me,
and He has many more things like these in mind. – Job 23:10-14

Read those last two lines again and BELIEVE them.  God WILL accomplish what He has determined for you, certainly, and He has many things in His mind for you.  

But what about our part?  Job reminds us of our responsibility: FOLLOW in His tracks, KEEP His way, TREASURE His Word.  When we live in obedience we can leave circumstances in control of the Sovereign of this creation knowing that He is working His plan for us and for all of His creation.

Read, study, and obey God’s Word and leave the rest up to Him. He never has navigation malfunctions.