Weekly Update
10-14-16
So often I will get asked by well meaning and sincere
believers, “Why or How do you do what you do? I could never do what you do, and
I don’t know how you keep doing what you do with all you have to go through.”
They are asking how I keep doing ministry as a pastor. Some are asking why I
keep doing ministry as a pastor. Shoot, sometimes I even ask myself the very
same question. Ministry isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. Most of
the time it is challenging, difficult, frustrating, draining, and lonely. But I
do have an answer to that question whatever form it might take. It is very
simple and this past Sunday is that answer in visible form. God’s calling is
clear and unmistakable. I wouldn’t for one minute be in ministry if it were not
for God’s calling. Ministry, quite often, yields little visible proofs or fruit
that anything worthwhile is being done. Most preacher/pastors go to bed each
night wondering if they really accomplished anything of eternal value that day,
and those same men wake up each morning wondering if anything truly significant
will be accomplished that day. So often it is very easy to loose sight of the
truth that surrender and obedience, daily, to King Jesus is the ultimate
success for any Christ follower, including preacher/pastors. God is good and
God is faithful. As a pastor I long for and rejoice in those moments when God
allows you to SEE the fruit. As those cadets from the Tarheel Challenge Academy
passed through the waters of our baptistery we all witnessed, we watched, we saw
the fruit of the work of the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah! What a Savior we have.
Thank you Lord Jesus. God reminded me that faithfulness in the daily things of
life produces eternal fruit in the Kingdom of God. They publically confessed
Jesus as Savior and Lord as they were baptized in the death of Jesus and raised
to walk in the newness of life. What glory we beheld! May our participation in
their coming to Christ excite our hearts and be a motivation to reach out in
the darkness with the light of Christ Jesus more and more. There are literally
thousands around us, right here at home in Stanly County, who will die and go
to Hell unless someone goes where they are and tells them the glorious gospel
of Jesus Christ. The gospel is “good news,” but only if they hear it in time.
We will be going out into our community tomorrow from 9-11
am hanging doorknockers and inviting people to come to our Fall Festival/Fish
Fry on October 29. We are going to have a lot of great things going on, and we
want to be intentional about sharing the gospel with those who come on our
campus. Will you come help us invite people to come? Will you commit to be here
on the 29th to minister the love of Jesus to those who come to take
part in this annual event of our church? We need you! We want YOU!
I will let you know that we still have 6 tickets to the
David Jeremiah event next Wednesday evening. Contact me ASAP if you would like
to go with us. It’s going to be a great evening of worship through song and
God’s Word. You can get more details in the bulletin.
There is still room for some of you to join me in a quick
overnight trip to the mountains on October 20-21 to view God’s handiwork as the
leaves change. We will probably also find an apple orchard somewhere and bring
home some delicious fruit. The cost is one nights lodging and meals.
Let me leave you with these words from Psalm 92:1-4.
1 It is
good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most
High;
2 to
declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
3 to the
music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
4 For
you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for
joy.
God bless you. Have a great weekend. I’ll see you for worship
on Sunday.
Serving Him,
Pastor Mike
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