For God Alone

One of my favorite scripture verses - and there are many - is Psalm 115:1. I have heard many preachers quote this verse throughout my nearly forty years of ministry, but none as frequently as Duane Brooks during our shared years of ministry at Tallowood Baptist in Houston. Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,  for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! I often sign my correspondence with this verse, not so much to point my readers to its truth, though that is true; but more as a personal reminder that my singular purpose in this life is to give God’s name glory, for the sake of His steadfast love and faithfulness. For the sake of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness. In August of 2013, I participated in a mission project in Dublin, Ireland with a small team from our church, Central Baptist Bearden in Knoxville, Tennessee. We were there as guests of a Romanian Baptist congregation to partner with them in their first Vacatio...

This past Sunday, I joined our Bridge Builders Sunday School class for fellowship and Bible study. How encouraging to see the faces of some of our members (some 30 or so) via ZOOM, and hear their teacher, Dennis Parrott teach from God’s word. During his lesson, Dennis mentioned a verse that is dear to most of us, and certainly to this pilgrim, who learned it singing Jimmy Owens’ setting in the 1970’s, If My People.* If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14, KJV) Dennis mentioned that this verse is a favorite of one of the class’s members, whose name is Mack. Upon hearing Dennis make this statement, a light came on in my head and heart. For the past year-plus, each first Tuesday of the month, I have joined a group of twenty or so faithful men for a prayer breakfast at Southern Recipes Gri...

A New Day: Connected for a Purpose For God Alone Yesterday, via social media, I worshipped with a number of congregations around the country: New York, Massachusetts, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and all over Texas. (Additionally, it was my joy to study God’s word with Dennis Parrott and the Bridge Builders Sunday School Class.) Each congregation employed whatever resources they could to effectively proclaim God’s glory through music, scripture, liturgy, and prayer, and preach the gospel with clarity and conviction. I was moved by the vast array of talent, and the meaningful ways each congregation conveyed the timeless message of Jesus to all who listened and watched. Praise God for the gifts He has bestowed on His Church. To God alone be all the glory! The Church is connected by One Lord, One Fatih, and One Baptism. Even through the myriad of expressions within the Christian faith, Christ-followers are connected through our singular confession in the Person of Jesus, who i...

A New Day: Power. Love. Sound Mind. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7) This scripture verse has challenged me in the past days. Through these words, God’s Spirit has reminded me what it means to be made in God’s image. Please take time to meditate on these words: Power. Love. Sound Mind. You are a person of great value to our Lord and to others. God loves you with an eternal love! God has gifted you with POWER! God has granted you the power to be loved and to LOVE! God has gifted you with a SOUND MIND! How will you exercise all three on this New Day? Yesterday, I was deeply moved (as in - Paul was moved to tears) as I watched and listened to this recording of Nashville recording artists (including my niece, Katie Peslis), singing It Is Well with My Soul. I trust this hymn, sung by amazingly talented young people will encourage you on this New Day. This recording was made in the past few days on cell phon...

A New Day: Trusting Jesus The past two Sunday’s, as churches throughout our country have moved to online worship, Mary and I have listened and watched several worship services, including our own at First Baptist Richardson. Each pastor has offered a clear gospel presentation as part of the sermon; one pastor encouraged members of his own congregation to record their own gospel story and place it on social media. Each of these gospel presentations, these personal testimonies brings to mind the story of another preacher from the first century, the Apostle Paul and his missionary partner, Silas, as found in Acts chapter 16. I first truly discovered this passage as a seminary student while learning the various scripture passages from the old and new testaments that mention music. (Yes, minister-musicians study those passages so we may approach music in the church from a solidly biblical understanding and perspective.) About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymn...

A New Day: Earth's Grand Pause The World has slowed to a near stand-still. Businesses large and small, institutions of every level of learning, churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, airports, and all mass transit systems have been silenced, frozen as humanity hunkers down in homes with loved ones in every country, and on every continent of planet Earth. It is as though the Earth has provided a Grand Pause* in life, forcing humankind to stop in mid tracks, mid sentence, mid … to reassess … Every. Single. Priority.  How do you feed your mind, your body, and your soul? I pray you regularly read, meditate upon, and memorize God’s word, the Holy Bible. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures.  He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your ro...

A New Day - March 23, 2020: Trust in God One of the first scripture verses I learned was Proverbs 3:5-6: Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make straight your paths. (ESV) Each Bible my parents and Sunday School teachers gave me contained certain verses in the front of my gift, and Proverbs 3:5-6 was a frequent passage. I suppose they wanted to be certain I placed my trust in God and not in man. Trust in the Lord. Trust not in man. I am still on the journey of learning to place my whole trust in God. Perhaps you are as well. My own journey is filled with times of stepping off that pathway of trust in God, and placing my trust in someone or something else. Of course, that decision has led to disappointments. About thirteen years ago, a colleague stepped into my office to caution me not to place my trust in a man. Unfortunately, I did not heed my colleague’s wise counsel, and, one year...