My Thoughts

I am so happy to go to church here at FPB and get to lead some wonderful people. I have a great job and am blessed in the fact that I get to fulfill my purpose every day. There is just a great peace in knowing you are doing what you were designed by God to do. It makes life seem really right. I heard a short interview today on the radio where the DJ asked a man what he did for a living. He remarked he was retired and how that every day was a Saturday. I must admit I thought yes, someday maybe that will be me. The DJ then asks the man what he did for a living. He replied he worked for a moving and storage company for 47 years. Yes, I know what you are thinking. Not a big time important job. But to the people who he moved and stored there furniture everyday for 47 years, he was a very important man. No his job doesn’t seem like a top of the company position but the fact that he got up every day and did what he was designed to do positioned him in the place where he can say, I have enjoyed life and still am. Do I think he ever had any bad days? Do I think he ever had any moments he just wanted to quit? Do I think he had any days he didn’t want to get up and move heavy stuff? Of course! No matter what you do in life, life sometimes weighs heavy and you just don’t want to get up and go at it again. But the fact is he must have got up anyway because one doesn’t get to say he retired after 47 years if you don’t get up every day and do what you are intended to do.


I love what I do. I don’t think I could be happy doing anything else. Is it all easy and no problems? No, not by any means! I have Mondays when I just want to resign and walk away. I have had days and weeks when I just wanted to get on a box car and become a drifter. (I know some of you think your Pastor needs therapy, I no doubt do.) Honestly, everyday may be a bed of roses but sometimes all I can seem to see and feel are the thorns. Anyone who tells you they have never wanted to quit and walk away is not being honest with you. (Really they need therapy) Life has a way of just getting heavy at times. If you and I want to be able to look back and see that our purpose really did matter we will have to get up and stay after it every day no matter how we feel. Then one day you can say that you worked at something and were a success after 47 years or longer. (In case you haven’t noticed years only pile up daily)

As I attended the funeral of G.A. Mangun, a man you lived for God faithfully for over 70 years and pastored and led in the same church for over 60, I was reminded again of the importance of living out everyday right. The only way one can have a legacy is to keep living everyday right. Get up every day and do the right thing. G.A. Mangun got up every day for 70 plus years and did the right thing. He worked and worked hard at his purpose, what God put him together to be and I might add he did it well. I know there will be people who will use the excuse that they are not G.A. Mangun. I agree God didn’t design you to be someone else; He designed you to be you. But God didn’t not make you, you so you could quit, not try, and simply make excuses everyday as to why you are not being a success in God’s design of you. The reason any of us don’t have the years piling up and us becoming all God planned on us being, is we are living with the mindset of the One Talented Servant. The story is found in Matthew 25. Let’s look at that story.

Several things stand out about this story that Jesus preached about.

• Remember this is a last day story, an end of time event. What we do with what we have been given is a Heaven or Hell issue. Read verse 30.

• The One Talented Servant was given one talent because the Lord knew and believed that was all he was capable of doing. It was given because of their abilities. Verse 15

• The Lord was the one who gave the talents. It was His and not the servants but He expected the servants to handle what was His well. What we have been given is not ours but we are stewards of the gifts and purpose of God. We will have to give an account one day as to how we did.

• The One Talented Servant hid his in an unproductive place. Why? Two reason I can think of.

 He must have been some-what lazy and didn’t want to commit daily to the task of production.

 He tells the Lord when he was asks to give an account that he was afraid. They only reason he would be afraid of his Lord was he lacked a relationship with Him. We know the Lord was not an abusive leader because the other two didn’t deal with the fear. The simple reason the one talented servant was fearful was he didn’t have a relationship with his Lord that would give him faith in what the Lord had entrusted him with. When we don’t remain faithful it’s because we lack a relationship. Again relationships are an everyday thing. One doesn’t just try to be faithful a day or two and see how it works out, they get up every day and are faithful because they have a relationship.

 Another reason he might have been afraid was because of his lack of production. Yes, on the day you and I have to give an account this is a good reason to be afraid.

• One last thing that stands out to me is the fact that the One Talented Servant could have grown his talents to the place of the other two’s beginning if he would have worked at it every day. I have heard people say they are a one talented person. If this is true there must not be any growth. Time and being faithful to ones purpose daily will cause growth. The One Talented Servant could have easily become a two talented servant or more if he would have gotten up every day and went after his purpose and was faithful.

If we want to be a success we have to understand it’s an everyday event. Get up and be faithful every day. Then the next thing you know the years have started to pile up.

 Let me end by saying how great the week end was. Sunday evening’s Kid’s Church was something else. WOW! The altars were full of kids praying to Jesus at the end of the sermon. James’ message was great! I have never seen someone fly a live bumble bee on a string while they preached. Brad and Heather, you and your team did a wonderful job, I love the way the children’s team works together and all they accomplish. Way to go to all you. I am so happy you go to church here at FPB!

 The top of the excitement list goes to AJ Hennigan and Braden Morrow who received the Holy Ghost at Crusaders Camp. Way to go guys!

I hope all this didn’t sound like a ramble today. It just was my thoughts and what’s on my mind today and the last several days. I plan on living everyday faithfully and doing the right thing. If I do one day when God is finished with me here on this earth I can stand before Him and give an account of how I lived out every day for Him and doing His purpose that He tucked in my life.

I challenge you not to just lay there and hope for the best. It will not happen. Get up, walk for God, be faithful and take care of the wonderful talents God has put in your life. Do it every day, the next thing you know there are years of doing the right thing piling up.