I Don't Get It.

I just have to say... "I don't get it." Here in America the third worst storm of tornadoes in our history hit, killing more than 300 people in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. To find a storm that caused more devastation here, you have to go back more than 170 years. People... entire communities have lost everything. I read of a Church of God pastor who lost his mother, sister and brother in-law in these tornadoes. A friend, who pastors in Trenton, GA has described the devastation in his community as the worst thing he has ever seen. Peruse the internet and the images coming out of these areas are heartbreaking. But turn on the television yesterday, and 90% of the "news" was centered around a "Royal Wedding."
Really?
Tell me, someone, how this has any affect on my life at all? These people are not even involved in the political structure. Their only role is to walk around and look good while people throw their love at them... and live high on the hog while at it. What's the point?
OK... if you happen to be Brittish, maybe I can see your interest... just maybe. But here in America... what is the attraction? Fantasy? I don't know. All I know is that here in Amercia we have a LOT of people hurting and in distress, and all we can hear about is a wedding in which the bride wore a dress that cost more than most people's houses. Something sad and wrong here.

This whole thing bothers me. I'll admit it probably bothers me more because I personally know so may people who live in these regions who have been hit hard. But it bothers me that as a people, we are more concerned about a multi-million dollar extravaganza that is taking place across the ocean, that will have no impact on our lives what-so-ever, than we are about our own people who are homeless, grieving over the loss of lives and their possessions,... people sitting in areas with no power, no running water, no way to feed their children... they are without hope... and America is enchanted with a Disney like story, not just for an hour... but for more than a day!  It amazes me that when earthquakes or tsunamis or other disasters hit in other regions of the world, all the movie stars are out in force donating and raising big dollars for the people there. But the people in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee have almost been ignored.  I don't get it.

My hope is now that the royal distraction is over, maybe now they will get a bit more coverage. Maybe now someone will rise up and put together a telethon to raise money for them. I'm hoping... but I'm not going to hold my breath. If this was in an area like New Orleans, where there are huge political benefits on the table enticing the media to cover it, it would happen. But no, this is the Bible Belt. This is an area were religion and moral values are much more a part of the normal life. Somehow, I doubt the media coverage is going to be there, and neither will the star power to raise much needed funds. Just like Nashville was basically ignored last year, these people will be ignored this time. They are just not worthy of the coverage.... except for a brief few minutes when the President dropped by to say how bad it was. And let's call that the way it was... the only reason he came was because he went to see the last Space Shuttle launch, which was postponed due to dangerous conditions, so he made a quick trip up for a photo op of the tornado damage.
I just don't get it.

I Will Not Forget

I have not written much the last couple of weeks, and I'm now trying to get back into the swing of things. I cannot recall very well, but I don't think I have mentioned in my blog what I've walked through in the last three weeks. Most of you know some of it, but let me give a brief re-cap. Back on April 3, I began feeling kind of "odd".  I could not put my finger on it, I just did not feel well. When our praise team was practicing before church I kept saying that my ears were bothering me. While preaching, I was finding myself winded and a little dizzy.  I came home and napped that afternoon. The next day, I still did not feel well all day. Late that night my daughter asked me to go to Wal-mart with her. While there, I decided to check my blood pressure... a decision that probably saved my life. My BP was 196/106. I was stunned. I called the doctor, but mine was not on call and the one who was told me to just lay down and if not better in the morning, to call and make an appointment. His words tended to ease thinking that this was anything unusual, to the point that I almost ignored the abnormal feelings again the next morning. My wife was in Kentucky at the time, and I'm thinking that I'll be OK, at least until she returned home. However, I really started feeling strange and called my doctor, who told me to get to the ER immediately. 
So, off I went.

As anyone who knows me can attest, I can be quite stubborn. In the ER, the doctor was telling me that I needed to be admitted for observation and to run some tests. I resisted this for awhile, until the doctor told me that he had seen way to many people go home with symptoms I was showing, only to have a massive heart attack a few hours later. I still resisted a bit, but reluctantly agreed to stay. I was only in the hospital for a day, but during that time it was decided I needed to do a stress test, which could not be scheduled for a week. They put me on a BP med, which had me feeling enough better that I was convinced I was OK, and I probably did a lot more that week that I should have, not realizing how serious this was. Finally, the day of the stress test comes, and I honestly felt like I was wasting my time and money. Still, I went. The test began and just a few minutes into the test the nurse asked me if I was OK. I said I was and kept going. Just a few seconds later, she again asked if I was OK. I said that I was. Over and over, just a few seconds apart she kept asking me if I was feeling OK and to rate any pain I felt. I told them it was about a 2 or 3 on a 10 point scale. Again and again she asked, and honestly, I was beginning to get irritated. Then another tech in the room asked if I was feeling OK, and then the doctor asked, "are you feeling any chest pain?"  I responded, "No more than usual."  Suddenly, every thing changed. He told them to stop the test and lay me down immediately. He asked me about the pain, and how bad it was. I told him it was not that bad, about a 3 on the pain scale. And he said, "Mr. Garrett, this is not normal. Your test is very abnormal and I can tell you right now you have a very serious blockage and were on the verge of a full blown heart attack."  He asked me how I could only rate that pain so low, and I told him that with the constant pain I am in with my back and neck, this pain was nothing. He told me that he wanted to do an angioscope, and right away, within a couple of hours if possible, and to expect a blockage. Due to the battle with insurance, it could not be done until the next day. End result, I had one of my major arteries 100% blocked. He was able to open it up and put a stent in place and restore 100% blood flow. He told me while he was doing the procedure that I was a lucky man, that I should have had a "major event." (Don't you just love the terminology that doctors use?)

It's been two weeks today, and I'm feeling so much better than I have in a long time. My doctor took me off one of the medications yesterday which has taken away the constant headache that I have had since the surgery. He told me I can slowly begin to resume my activities, to add exercise and activities as I can tolerate and build my strength back. Then he cautioned me to not forget this. That it could happen again if I did not make some changes in my life. I promised him, I would not forget, that this had gotten my attention loud and clear. As I talked with him, I asked him about some of the complications I had had since the surgery, such as being forgetful, not being able to recall names, losing my train of thought, slight confusion. Very seriously he said, "Mr. Garrett, you've been though something serious. You were confronted with the fact that you are human and could have died. This does something to you... overloads the mind with thought and emotions. Give it some time and you will be back to normal... but don't forget!"  

I can promise you... I will not forget. This has been like a ball bat upside the head. I look at my bride and realize, I almost left her way too soon. I talk to my kids and think that I could have seen them for the last time. Sunday as I was beginning to preach, the thought hit me, "I almost checked out before I finished what I've begun here."  No, I won't forget. I'm one of those guys that given the choice between a cup of coffee and a cookie vs going for a walk... I'd take the coffee and cookie 99.99% of the time. Not that I did not feel the need for exercise, but rather, it could wait until tomorrow. There was always something "more important to do than "waste" an hour doing exercise. Now I get it. If I want to finish this race well... I have to do the work today to assure tomorrow. I may be slow and stubborn sometimes... but I got it. 
No, Dr. Patel, I will not forget.

Where's the Outcry Now?

When George W. Bush was POTUS, the media was crucifying him at every turn for the price of gas and how he was not doing something to bring the price at the pumps down. So, now I ask, where is the media today? If they do say anything, they are attacking oil speculators, "Big Oil" and so on. Why are they not pointing the finger at the POTUS now?  Our current President has clamped down on drilling here in the US while at the same time praising the offshore drilling in Brazil and pledging to give them Billions of our tax dollars to help them do what he has banned here in the US.  Do a little research and you'll find that the price of gas has climbed more than 75% during Obama's time in office, yet the same media that ripped Bush to shreds is giving Obama a pass. Welcome to Campaign 2012!

I LOVE Easter

I love Easter more than any of the other Christian holidays. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love Christmas, although some would tell you that I am a Scrooge at Christmas. It's not that I don't like Christmas, but rather that I despise what we have made it. I don't even mind the whole Santa thing. What I hate is how it is all about the gifts that WE give and receive and the message of our Savior is somewhere in the background at best, and completely pushed out of the picture at it's worst. Anyway... that is for another day. I love Thanksgiving too. I think the older I become, the more Thanksgiving means to me. Too bad most of the world is only thankful that one day a year. (heavy sigh)  Then again, I don't think most of the world is thankful that day either. Once again, we, as a nation, have turned it into a day of gorging ourselves, football and shopping. Still, I love these days. But Easter? Easter is special to me. In fact, if you know me, you know that I hardly use the term Easter. I prefer Resurrection Day. No, I'm not one of those hard nosed, hard headed folks who rant and rave about Easter being a pagan holiday. I simply want to keep the focus where it belongs. It's about my Savior. Not a dead Jesus, for if he had only died, then we, as Christians, are no different than countless others who have died for their cause. It was prophesied that the Messiah would raise from the dead. Jesus said he would. Had he stayed in that tomb, then we, as a people, have a good example, but nothing more. But he arose! He is alive! This should be real and alive, burning in the hearts of the follower of Christ every day of the year... but once a year, we celebrate and remind ourselves that we serve a RISEN Savior! And we are assured, that because He arose, so shall we! There is more to this life than what we live out in our years in the flesh. There is hope for tomorrow and life everlasting... and it is found in what was accomplished and fulfilled on Resurrection Day!

That's why I love Easter!

He Lives!

I serve a risen Savior,
He's in the world today;
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy,
I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him
He's always near.


He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and He talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, He live, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives:
He lives within my heart.

Why Should Christians Attend Church?

This morning someone challenged me on an open forum that it was not necessary to attend church because, "we are the church."  I get this one all the time, so it was nothing new. Another person (I want to be clear, it was not the person who originated the discussion) continued this debate with me through private channels for more than an hour. I pushed them on the issue, and asked who held them accountable, to which they replied that no  one should be accountable to any other person. Really? I asked them if there was no need for a corporate church, then who filled the scriptural offices of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher... and what was the purpose of these offices if there was no corporate church. That one stumped the person, and they became irate and began throwing insults at me. Isn't that usually what people do when they have no intelligent answer or argument? 

After our exchange, I was thinking on this and actually spoke on the phone with a friend and colleague who pointed me to the following article, which Is posted in it's entirety. Hope it helps someone.

Why Should Christians Attend Church?

By Dr. Dale A. Robbins

For believers, there is no substitute for attending church. Besides something that pleases God, it is necessary for a believer's spiritual well-being. For shut-ins or invalids who aren't able to go to church, the ministries on radio or TV might be the only kind of fellowship or spiritual nourishment that they get. God certainly understands the circumstances of these people, and recognizes the sincerity of their hearts. However, it is a different matter for those who could attend church but are too lazy, or put other things such as entertainment and amusements before God, or who harbor bitterness or indifference toward other believers.

It is important to attend church for the following reasons:

(1) It is an Expression of our Love for God

Going to church is a visible, tangible expression of our love and worship toward God. It is where we can gather with other believers to publicly bear witness of our faith and trust in God, something that is required of all Christians (Matt. 10:32-33) -- and it is where we can bring Him offerings of praise, thanks, and honor, which are pleasing to Him. The psalmist wrote, "I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You" (Psa. 22:22). People are often motivated toward church attendance for how it will bless themselves, however we should remember that the primary purpose of the corporate gathering is to bring "service" to the Lord as a blessing to Him (Psa. 134:2). Indeed, the Lord is deserving of our time and energy to honor Him with our service of devotion. "You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created" (Rev. 4:11).
(2) It builds up our Spiritual Strength

Receiving the preaching and teaching of the Word of God increases our faith and builds us up spiritually. Every believer knows what it is to face spiritual conflicts to their faith, and must realize the importance of being fed spiritually so that they can overcome the challenges. Paul states that Christians face a wrestling match with the Devil and his evil spiritual forces, and warns that the church must put on spiritual armor for protection, as it will take everything at our disposal to stand (Eph. 6:10-18). How important that we take every opportunity available to receive ministry and strength from God's Word. "So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Rom. 10:17).

(3) It brings a special visitation of the Lord's Presence

There is the promise of a special visitation of the Lord's presence whenever two or more gather specifically in the name of Jesus. By implication, this means whenever "Jesus" is the object of gathered prayer, worship, praise, preaching, etc. Even though Jesus resides within the heart of every believer, he honors a gathering in his name by coming in the "midst," with his power, awareness, and anointing. In such a gathering, Christ is able to do things in hearts that he may not at any other time. The scripture says that God inhabits the praise of His people (Psa. 22:3), and in such an atmosphere the Holy Spirit will often manifest spiritual gifts that minister to the body of Christ. "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20).

(4) It provides fellowship with other Christians

Gathering together also has compounded importance to the relationship of the Christian brethren. The Bible makes it clear that a right relationship with God requires a "vertical" and "horizontal" alignment -- that is, we must have a vertical fellowship with God and a horizontal fellowship with other believers. It is not possible to love God and refuse to love the brethren. If you have a problem loving other Christians, you have a problem in your relationship with God. Scripture warns us that unforgiveness toward others will void God's forgiveness of our own sins (Matt. 6:15). John wrote, "He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him" (1 John 2:9-10).

One of the most important reasons that we go to church is to practice love toward the brethren in the form of fellowship. The Bible clearly shows that if we have a right relationship with God, we have fellowship with others believers. "But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Keeping ourselves in love and harmony with other believers keeps us humble before God so that Christ's blood can continue to cleanse us from our sins.

(5) It is an act of obedience to God

Not to be forgotten, going to church is also a matter of obeying God's Word. The writer of the Hebrew epistle tells us not to forsake assembling together, implying that continued absence can lead to willful sin. "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins," (Heb. 10:24-26). Once again, we are reminded that a great part of the purpose of the gathering is for the consideration of our brethren, coming together to help motivate and encourage one another. This is a responsibility charged to every believer. To reject church attendance, is a rejection of one of the sacred duties of the believer. "Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).

(6) It provides accountability to spiritual leadership

More strong evidence that proves that we're to be a part of a church fellowship, is that we're told to submit to the authority of spiritual leaders (within the boundaries of God's Word). "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you" (Heb. 13:17). God designed this system of accountability for the progress and protection of His flock. Obviously, this really isn't possible unless we are a part of an organized fellowship which has identified elders, pastors, or leaders. It is easy to see that one cannot genuinely be under submission to a TV pastor who has never met you. Nor is it possible to be under submission by visiting a different church each week. The Bible tells us to know them that are over us in the Lord (1 Thes. 5:12). Submission necessitates a commitment and relationship to a local body of believers and to their spiritual leaders.

(7) It combines our spiritual strength in prayer

The Bible indicates that agreement in prayer with other believers has special favor with God. "Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven" (Matt. 18:19). There is multiplied strength in the combined faith of God's people, and it is clear that greater spiritual gains can be realized through corporate prayer and worship. This agrees with how God has historically blessed the union of His people in battle against their enemies. "Five of you shall chase a hundred, and a hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight; your enemies shall fall by the sword before you" (Lev. 26:8).

(8) It honors the Lord's Day

The fourth commandment of the law that God gave Moses was to set aside the seventh day of the week, Saturday, as a holy day to the Lord. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy" (Ex. 20:8). This was, and will always remain, the official Sabbath. However, after Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week, Sunday, the early Christians began meeting together on this day as well as with the Jewish community in the synagogues on the Sabbath. History indicates that due to the enmity of the orthodox Jews toward the Christian Jews in their midst, the Jewish Christians were eventually ostracized. And although they were no longer bound to a rigid code of laws (Gal. 3:10-11, Col. 2:16), it is believed that they came to view Sunday as a combined observance of the Sabbath and the resurrection day of Jesus (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 16:2). This day of Christian worship came to be called the Lord's Day (Rev. 1:10), a day to fellowship in celebration of the resurrection, to worship, pray and study the Word together.

Today, the Christian Jew or gentile, is free from the bondage of the old law. The indwelling of God's spirit has brought a new way for Christians to fulfill the desires of God through His love (Gal. 5:18, Rom. 13:8-10). However, the new covenant does not invalidate the relevance of the ten commandments as they pertained to God's wishes for His people. As much as it remains God's desire for man not to kill, steal or commit adultery, God is still very much pleased for believers to honor Him on a day reserved for Him, out of their love for Him and His people.

Well, it's because...

A little while earlier tonight, I got into a little discussion with a young person on Facebook chat, and they told me that they read my blog pretty regularly. This person told me that they really enjoyed reading my writing, but that they were not really convinced on "all this God stuff."  They said that they did not really agree with me completely on my political thought either, but they liked the way that I thought. Then they asked me this question, "Why don't you just write more often about life in general and not talk about God and Jesus so much?"  I had to laugh and reminded him that I am first and foremost a Christian, and to not forget that I am a Pastor.  I'm really flattered that he, (and others) like to read my thoughts, even though they don't agree with me. I've thought a lot about our little conversation for almost an hour now, and decided I wanted to respond to him (and maybe others with similar thinking) here on my blog.

There is an illustration I read some time back which fits this scenario pretty well that I'd like to share here. There was a young man whose grandfather would place his Bible under his arm and walk through the small town where he lived to Sunday School and worship every Sunday morning. For the last five years of his life, the grandfather was completely deaf and he never heard a word of the church service or sermon. Yet, he faithfully continued to go, never missing a week.

One day the young man asked him, “Grandpa, why do you keep on going to Sunday School and church every week when you can’t hear a word that the preacher says?”

“I keep on going,” replied the grandfather, “even if I don’t hear, because I want people to know whose side I’m on.”

To the young man who asked me why I write so much about Jesus and my faith in God, my answer is, "I want people to know whose side I am on."  I want it to be clear. I don't want people guessing and trying to figure out where I stand. I am a believer and and follower of Jesus Christ. I don't want them to know just so they can say, "Hey, Darrell is a Christian," but my goal is that you and others might see Christ in me, and hopefully one day you will discover that the God I speak of is real, that he loves you and he sent his son to die for your sin and mine, that we can have an abundant life on earth and eternity with the Lord. I want you to know I am honored that you consider my thoughts worth reading... and I hope you will continue to, but what you need to understand is that the reason I talk about Jesus so much for is because that's what is on my mind most of the time. My life is nothing without Jesus. Absolutely nothing.

At great risk of offending you, I want to ask you this simple question: "Do the people around you know whose side you are on? Do they know what you believe? Do YOU know what you believe?  I do... My mind is made up, and I'm serving God with all that is within me for as long as I have a breath in my lungs. 

Again, I hope I've not offended you, but I do hope I've caused you to think. I hope you realize that I care enough about you and your eternal soul to risk offending you.

I hope we are still friends.

Is It Well?

One of my favorite hymns is a powerful hymn, standing on it's own. But when you know the story behind the hymn, it takes on even more meaning, and it stands as a testimony as to what faith in God will do for a man. The following is not my own, but is copied from biblestudycharts.com  (See it here)  I hope it speaks to you and that the song takes on new meaning for you as well.



This hymn was written by a Chicago lawyer, Horatio G. Spafford. You might think to write a worship song titled, 'It is well with my soul', you would indeed have to be a rich, successful Chicago lawyer. But the words, "When sorrows like sea billows roll ... It is well with my soul”, were not written during the happiest period of Spafford's life. On the contrary, they came from a man who had suffered almost unimaginable personal tragedy.

Horatio G. Spafford and his wife, Anna, were pretty well-known in 1860’s Chicago. And this was not just because of Horatio's legal career and business endeavors. The Spaffords were also prominent supporters and close friends of D.L. Moody, the famous preacher. In 1870, however, things started to go wrong. The Spaffords' only son was killed by scarlet fever at the age of four. A year later, it was fire rather than fever that struck. Horatio had invested heavily in real estate on the shores of Lake Michigan. In 1871, every one of these holdings was wiped out by the great Chicago Fire.

Aware of the toll that these disasters had taken on the family, Horatio decided to take his wife and four daughters on a holiday to England. And, not only did they need the rest -- DL Moody needed the help. He was traveling around Britain on one of his great evangelistic campaigns. Horatio and Anna planned to join Moody in late 1873. And so, the Spaffords traveled to New York in November, from where they were to catch the French
steamer 'Ville de Havre' across the Atlantic. Yet just before they set sail, a last-minute business development forced Horatio to delay. Not wanting to ruin the family holiday, Spafford persuaded his family to go as planned. He would follow on later. With this decided, Anna and her four daughters sailed East to Europe while Spafford returned West to Chicago. Just nine days later, Spafford received a telegram from his wife in Wales. It read: "Saved alone."

On November 2nd 1873, the 'Ville de Havre' had collided with 'The Lochearn', an English vessel. It sank in only 12 minutes, claiming the lives of 226 people. Anna Spafford had stood bravely on the deck, with her daughters Annie, Maggie, Bessie and Tanetta clinging desperately to her. Her last memory had been of her baby being torn violently from her arms by the force of the waters. Anna was only saved from the fate of her daughters by a
plank which floated beneath her unconscious body and propped her up. When the survivors of the wreck had been rescued, Mrs. Spafford's first reaction was one of complete despair. Then she heard a voice speak to her, "You were spared for a purpose." And she immediately recalled the words of a friend, "It's easy to be grateful
and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God."

Upon hearing the terrible news, Horatio Spafford boarded the next ship out of New York to join his bereaved wife. Bertha Spafford (the fifth daughter of Horatio and Anna born later) explained that during her father's voyage, the captain of the ship had called him to the bridge. "A careful reckoning has been made", he said, "and I believe we are now passing the place where the de Havre was wrecked. The water is three miles deep." Horatio
then returned to his cabin and penned the lyrics of his great hymn.

The words which Spafford wrote that day come from 2 Kings 4:26. They echo the response of the Shunammite woman to the sudden death of her only child. Though we are told "her soul is vexed within her", she still maintains that 'It is well." And Spafford's song reveals a man whose trust in the Lord is as unwavering as hers was.

It would be very difficult for any of us to predict how we would react under circumstances similar to those experienced by the Spaffords. But we do know that the God who sustained them would also be with us.

No matter what circumstances overtake us may we be able to say with Horatio Spafford...

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

What Really Matters?

The events of the past week, especially the last 48 hours have caused me to spend some time in serious reflection and evaluation. I realize that God has kept His hand on me, and in reality, I should not be here today. As I have thought back I now see the warning signs I've had going back more than 6 months that I was blind to, and I know, I've been blessed and given a fresh lease on life. In that light, I've thought back over my life, amazed at God's grace and goodness to me. Amazed that He could love someone like me and I stand in awe at what God has done in a life that was wrecked and ravaged by sin. June 15 will mark 30 years since I gave my life to Jesus Christ. 30 years ago at about this time, I was facing the possibility of life in prison, bound by alcoholism and drug addiction with no hope for my future. What a difference Jesus can make if we will only surrender our life completely to him, his Word, his will and his ways. Thank you Lord, for the life you have given me.

As I have thought on this early this morning, I was reminded of a song I heard long ago, while I was in prison. I liked it then... but I love and appreciate it at this stage of my life more than I could have ever imagined at 22 years old.  The song is called, "My Mind Forgets a Million Things."  Here are the lyrics:

 

Life goes by, so much is past, most things change, but some things last

So many days just slip away, mellowing there like yesterday

 

My mind forgets a million things, places, dates, and names of kings

Only one memory stays new, the day I gave my life to You

 

The things I've done, the things I've seen, melt into a life long dream

And I become what I've gone through, I am so glad I've been there with You

 

My mind forgets a million things, places, dates, and names of kings

Only one memory stays new, the day I gave my life to You

 

The day will come when I'm so old, one more day will be like gold

And all the days I ever knew, are measured by my life with You

 

My mind forgets a million things, places, dates, and names of kings

Only one memory stays new, the day I gave my life to You.

 

 

Just When You Think You've Heard It All

Last night, my cell phone rings and there was a woman on the other end of the line that sounded very confused. As we talked on, I understood her confusion, and have to admit that I became a bit confused... and angered myself. 
The conversation began something like this... (recalling it to the best of my ability) 
"Hello, is this Darrell Garrett?" I said that it was, and she said, "I'm calling to check something out."  I'm thinking, "What now?"  She said something to the effect that she did not quite know where to begin, and then asked if I was Darrell Garrett, who was pastor in Galesburg, Illinois.  I again said that I was, and she sighed a big, heavy sigh, and said, "Well, then, your identity has been stolen."  I asked how she knew this, and she told me that she had met a Darrel Garret (note the spelling) through an internet dating service, who was using my name and my photograph on this dating service.  She told me how that they had been talking, and that he had told her that he was a business man, and again, using my picture and name, with the slight misspelling.  Somehow during the course of their discussions/emails, she had become suspicious of him and someone recommended to her that she Google the name Darrel Garrett and see what popped up. So, when she did, she runs across my church website and my photograph on it, and now she is thinking that she is dealing with a whacked out preacher who is cheating on his wife on an dating service. So, she confronted him by email, asking him about the fact that it said he was a preacher in Illinois. So he weaves this story about how his wife and died and how he blamed God for taking his wife away, and that he had now left the church and had gone to California first, and was now living in Atlanta. He apologized for his deceit and assured her that he was now being honest.  She told him that she was going to call the church to verify his story, and he begged her not to do that, saying it would cause so much trouble for the church. 

After mulling this over for some time, she finally realizes that the guy she has been chatting and emailing with was most likely not the Darrell Garrett who was a pastor, yet she new my picture was there on the website, so she realizes she has been had. This prompted her to phone me just to make sure that it was not some weird, twisted preacher playing games. As we talked for about 30 minutes or so, she was convinced that I was not the guy that she had been communicating with. She was mad. I was mad. Both of us were stunned that some low life knucklehead would do something like this. She forwarded me copies of the emails that this guy had been sending to her, so I now have in my possession his Internet IP address, and as soon as I am recovered from my surgery, the first of next week, I am taking all this info to the States Attorney to see what justice can be done. Once we have the person's identity, I will also be securing a lawyer to a lawsuit for damages done to my name and reputation. I really hope this guy enjoyed himself for the past week, because I am going to make him pay dearly for it.

Can't I Do It My Way?

I was going to do my devotions yesterday morning, but I really did not know where to go to read. I'd finished my last plan and had not set myself on a new one. So I stood my Bible up and let it fall open, figuring that's where I'd read. It fell open to 2 Kings 5:10... which reads, "Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean. But Naaman was angry and went away and said, Behold, I thought he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God , and wave his hand over the place and heal the leper."  That's all the further I got in this reading, because it spoke to me so much, especially in light of recent events and circumstances. Why is it that we (the created) are always wanting to tell God (the Creator) how we want things done, or how we want to be blessed, healed... whatever? It seems that when we decide how it should be done or accomplished, we have told God that we know better than Him. Someone just this past week said to me, "I just can't understand why God doesn't just do it this way. It would be so much more simple."  But God's ways are not our ways, and so many times, as was the case with Naaman, it is a simple matter of our obedience. 

Can you do it your way? Sure you can. But don't blame God for the outcome.

One Thing?

There is a song done by the group Finger Eleven, titled "One Thing" that I love. It is not a Christian song, but I have, since the first time I heard it, thought and sang this song as a Christian song. 

The words to the chorus go like this:

If I traded it all, if I gave it all away,
for one thing, just for one thing.
If I sorted it out, If I knew all about this one thing
wouldn't that be something?

In Luke the 10th chapter we find the story of Jesus going to the house of Mary and Martha. While Martha was busy preparing the meal and other things about the house, Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to his teaching. Martha got upset that she was doing all the busy work, while (in her opinion) Mary was being lazy. Jesus told her that she was worrying and fretting about so many "things" but that there was only "one thing" that was needed, and that Mary had made the right choice. In fact, he said that Mary had chosen that which could not be taken from her.  Let that sink into your heart.

I'll probably find myself in hot water over what I am about to say, but hey, what else is new?

As pastor, I have people who will call, text or message me on the computer all the time, especially this time of year, apologizing for missing service because (choose one) "It was such a nice day that we had to clean the yard/get the garden ready, decided to have a family cookout/dinner, went to the lake/for a drive.  I could add countless others, but it is always something that had them "too busy" to come to church, be it  on Sunday or Wednesday night.  First, I always tell people, "you don't owe me an explanation." It is not like my understanding/approval makes it all ok, or vice-versa. Let me be clear, and I stress this to my church folks all the time, there are times we all need to miss a service. In fact, I missed this past Wednesday night myself. It happens.  

BUT...

We must ask ourselves, "is this something I need to do? Am I choosing what is best for me?" I am not meaning to sound harsh with my next statement... but the fact is, if you knew that you had made the right choice, you would not feel compelled to get the approval of Pastor for what you have done.  It seems almost like going to the Pope asking for indulgence. You don't need the approval of pastor or anyone else, but ask yourself, why are you seeking it?

Go back to the words of that song...

What if we traded "it all" gave up everything else for that "one thing"?

What if what really mattered most, was drawing closer to God, drawing from the teaching of the Word of God?  Notice, I did not say "going to church."

We can get so dogmatic and legalistic about church attendance that it is nothing more than religion which binds us up. I'm not talking about that.  I'm not talking about missing a service now and then. But I am talking about when we are so "busy" that we have to find time to squeeze in a worship service or Bible study.  We can even "think" we are doing a good thing... even a God thing... but be missing what is best for us. 

Think about this story in Luke 10 again. Both were in the same house, where Jesus was. Martha was doing all the "stuff" that she thought was "for Jesus"  but Mary stopped, stilled herself and sat to listen. Jesus commended Mary for doing the "one thing" that was needful... the thing that would benefit her most... that which could not be taken away from her... the teaching of the Word of God.  Martha was doing the busy work, doing it for the son of God... but Satan stole her fries... because she was bitter inside because she was doing all the work while Mary sat.

Sound familiar?

I've probably made someone mad today... and I'm fixing to make them madder.

Going back to that song, there is a bridge in the song that says:

Even though I know,
I don't want to know
Yeah, I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds

Deep inside, we all know it. (Be honest... you know it... you just hate how it sounds!)

We know that we need to stop the busy work, still ourselves and listen to the teaching of Jesus. But it ticks us off when we've been busted.

Usually when someone gets mad, they choose to stay home again... or leave the church... and they let Satan steal more of their fries.

One thing is needful. 

But will we choose that one thing, or to choose the busy things that rob us?

A Shaking in America?

I had a dream last night that has been on my mind all morning, troubling me. In the dream, I saw me sitting on my couch watching the news when suddenly the room shook for several seconds to the point things fell off the wall and the shelves. On the television, they reacted as well, as the shaking was taking place there as well. For a few seconds there was confusion on the news set, then they announced that there was an earthquake that was so large that reports were coming in from more than half of the United States where they felt the shaking. Then news reporter kept saying, "earth quakes don't happen there! This does not happen! It has never happened before! The nation has been changed today."  This is where I woke up. 

I have found myself dwelling on this all morning. I keep asking, "Is this a literal earthquake that is about to hit, or is there something getting ready to happen that is going to shake this nation to the point that we are never the same? I just don't know... but I believe this dream was from the Lord. 

Take Your Fries Back!

I've been preaching a series of messages for the last few weeks entitled, "Don't Let Satan Steal Your Fries."  The messages are about how Satan steals what is rightfully ours and already paid for, yet Satan tries to cheat us, not by taking it all, but rather some of our inheritance in Christ. The illustration is that of going to McDonald's, paying for a bag of fries, and when you get it, it is only half full. Jesus said in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (NIV)  God wants us living to the full... the abundant life; but Satan desires to steal our fries, allowing us to only have half a bag.

This week, already, on only Tuesday morning at 8:21 AM, I've already spoken with countless people from my church, some who were there Sunday... most of who were not, who are stressed, beaten and frustrated with life... Hello? The fry snatcher cometh, seeking whom he may devour! 

Someone said to me yesterday... it (my life) is getting crazy, like everything is spinning out of control and I feel like I am going insane. Just saw another person speaking about the insanity level going through the roof. 

So, how do we deal with this? Not by screaming "I can't take it anymore."  Not by running away from God... but toward Him, and toward His Word.  Paul told us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ."  Memo to anyone and everyone: "We all have days (sometimes weeks or months) where we feel like life is spinning wildly out of control. I've learned that usually when life is feeling that way, it is because I have allowed my circumstances to dictate my thought life and my attitude.  Hey, I hear you... money is tight in an economy that is tanking. Gas prices took yet another spike overnight last night. Even as I sit here writing this, I'm fighting my own serious health issues and I am waiting for a call from the doctor's office to determine what to do next. I spoke with a young person yesterday who was talking about how unfair life is, and that they just wanted to run away sometimes. (Join the club hon!) Life is not easy! But running solves nothing, only delaying the day when we confront our issues and problems. A friend of mine who has had a thriving business has seen it melt away in this economy and recently said to me that he thought he'd rather die than face the loss of his business. I said to my friend, "Are you telling me that your business is the only thing you have in your life worth living for? What about your wife... your kids? What about our friendship... and most importantly, what about your relationship with Christ?"

Sunday, I did not get to preach my message in it's entirety, but I wanted to say then, and I am saying to all who read this today... "Today is the day you pursue and take your life back! The process of taking your life back begins by taking your thoughts back!  My church has heard me speak of this a lot recently... we need to realize that we may live in this earthly body in the natural realm... but as believers... followers of Christ, we are not limited by this natural realm.  We can draw from the power of God by taking control over our minds and making every thought line up with what the Word of God says.  Do not allow your circumstances to manipulate and control you, but rather meditate on God's Word and let the truth of that Word set you free!

Today... right now, begin to take captive every thought... when those those come into your mind, confront that thought with what the Word says. Declare that Word... God's promise over your life. In doing so, we are turning the table and setting ourselves up for victory. As we do so, we are positioning ourselves to receive the blessing and provision of God. As you take captive your thoughts, you are beginning to take your "fries" back, reclaiming what belongs to you and readying yourself to walk out the destiny that God has prepared for you.

Time to reclaim your fries! 

Hold This Man Accountable

"Pastor" (I use that term loosely) Terry Jones of Gainesville, Florida made national and International news several months back for threatening to burn the Quran/Koran (take your pick) at his church in Florida. Yes, this is America and we have the right to freedom of speech, but this is just pure stupidity. This is nothing more than a publicity gimmick and people played right into his game. This was all last fall, around September, if memory serves me correctly. Jones was then planning on burning a pile of the Islamic religions highest book, in order, as he put it, "to stop Islam."  Really? Which of us really believes that this action is going to cause people to stand up and say, "I renounce Islam"? This was nothing more than a publicity stunt, plain and simple.

So now, we fast forward 6 or 7 months, and this nut case re-emerges and this time actually burns the Quran. He got his moment in the spot light... and halfway around the world, a group of radical Islamic believers react to his provocation by invading the United Nations building in Afghanistan, killing 15 innocent people.  Yes, those radicals are responsible in and of themselves for this barbaric behavior, but there has to be a burden of guilt placed on the shoulders of this whack job who calls himself a man of God, Terry Jones.  I really wish people would investigate who this guy is and realize he is a desperate man looking for attention and a way to make a buck. Long before any of this Quran burning issue came up, a friend of mine had sent me a news story and links to a couple of videos on Youtube about Jones. Jones had been the pastor of a church in Germany for many years, and by our standard of judging success by numbers of people and dollars coming in, he was pretty successful. However, the church became known pretty much as a cult, and accusations were being leveled that there was gross misuse of church funds, which led to the church and parsonage being raided by German police in the middle of the night to seize the church books for an investigation. Long story short, Germany expelled Terry Jones and his wife from the country.  Jones NOW tells quite a different story, suggesting that he was targeted for speaking out against a Muslim take-over of Germany. Anyone can use Google or a Youtube search to find videos documenting all of this. There are many newer ones, but while I have not searched for them, I am quite sure the old videos, predating the events of the last 7 months by several years, are still out there to be viewed, so it is pretty obvious where the truth lies in all this. 

Again, Jones' behavior in no way justifies the behavior of the radicals in Afghanistan, however, he knew full well that his actions were going to provoke a response. He got one. I predict that it is not over. I will certainly not be surprised when we hear of Mr. Jones being killed or at least an attempt on his life. I'm not wishing that on him by any means, but he has asked for it, all so he could get a little press time. I was talking with someone Saturday about this, and I told them, if it were some of my family that was killed in Afghanistan because of his irresponsible behavior, he would not only be worried about a radical Islamic coming after him, he'd better be watching out for me. This guy is a whack job and it offends me deeply that he does what he does, stealing from church people and stirring up hatred, using the name of Jesus as a tool, when he is obviously in it for his own selfish agenda.

Looking In the Spiritual Mirror

I have found myself to be quite self reflective for the past few weeks. I've witness and discovered things in people's lives that have absolutely stunned me and in some cases broken my heart. All of these people are professing Christians, some even involved in ministries in their churches and even some who have been preaching the gospel for many years. I've had one long term friend leave his wife out of the blue and then a few days later announce to the world that he is gay and that God is okay with his sexual orientation and he will continue in ministry. Just floored me, and when I confronted him with scripture, his response was that the Bible is outdated and God is working in a new way today. It would take too long and be too personal to name them all, but in the lives of these individuals there are those who have cheated on their wives for years with countless women and one of these men explained it away by saying that it is something innate in all men that they must sow their seed. It's like God is just okay  with this behavior. Several others as well... but suffice it to say, I have found myself in very deep thought these past few weeks, questioning just how one gets to this place, and how to safeguard against it myself. I've always lived with the understanding that except for the grace of God, I can find myself in the midst of a mess of my own. So, I'm not here writing this to cast stones at anyone, I'm hurt and crushed for them... and yes, even by them. But my goal is to safeguard my own life and the lives of my own family members. 

As I have thought, one thing that just jumps out at me in every situation is this: I don't believe that any one of these folks just got up one morning and said, "I think I will do (such and such) to trash my life and my ministry today."  It just does not happen this way. It began somewhere... probably with something small, and it build over the coarse of time as it was left unchecked and not dealt with. I am reminded of the story of King David, and how he committed adultery and then had a man murdered to try to cover his sin. When we go back and look at this story, the Bible says that in the time of year when Kings go to war, David remained at home. He had become comfortable and accustomed to the victories that God had given to him and his armies, and decided that he did not need to go out to war, he sent others to do what he should be doing. There is a powerful lesson here. Actually several. 1) We need to know what our position and responsibilities are, and do them... not have them done... do them. When we take short cuts, problems ensue. 2) When David was not where he should be, doing what he should have been doing, he became bored and restless, which led to his walking around on the roof tops looking for something to excite him.  He found it. He saw Bathsheba.  3) Because he a had already opened the door to disobedience by not going where he should be, he found it easy to walk into further disobedience. The sin was not in seeing Bathsheba. The sin was when he continued to gaze at her and began to lust in his heart and there he hatched a plan.

I think this is where so many of us get ourselves into trouble. First, we end up being where we should not be because we have not obeyed God. Then we become restless in our hearts and minds because our spirits are troubled and we begin looking for "something."  When you look from the flesh, you will find... flesh.  I don't know about my friends and the others I referred to, because I've not spoke to most of them, but somehow, I think that if we were to have their stories laid out before us, there would be strong similarities in them all.
Again, I'm not trying to point fingers at anyone... that simply is not my intention. But I'm taking a good look at myself in my "spiritual mirror" and trying to be brutally honest with where I am and making sure that my heart is pure and that I'm walking in obedience to the Word of God and the voice of the Holy Spirit.  I share this tonight hoping that it might help someone else to really examine themselves and prevent another tragic story from being walked out in any of our lives.

Living With Lucy

Last night our family decided to get pizza and go to a movie together. It's been like forever since we all had time to do something like this together. So, we are on our way up to Abingdon to LaRoma's Pizza discussing the absolutely horrible day that Daniel had at work, when all of a sudden Libby jumps and asks, "Does anyone have on a slip on shoe?"  I'm taken back and said "Why do you need a slip on shoe?"  She announces, "there is a black widow spider down here" pointing toward the floor of the van. I told her that she doesn't need a slip on shoe, to just kill it! She said she could not get to it with her foot. So I said, "Are you sure it is a black widow? In the van? That would be pretty odd." She said again that it was a black widow. All the while she is searching for something to kill it with. I again said, "Are you sure it's a black widow?"  She asked, "What does a black widow look like?"  Daniel answered, "They are black with a red hour glass on their back."   "Yep, that's a black widow" she said. 

So, by now, we are all getting a bit excited, and I'm saying, "just kill the thing!" Daniel is saying, "It's going to crawl away and we will have a black widow roaming the van. I'm not going to be riding in here!"  Libby finally grabs a bottle of water and begins pounding like crazy until the thing is not just dead, but is in dozens of tiny pieces in the floor of the van. I asked her why she needed a slip on shoe, and why did not just take off her own shoe to kill the thing. She told me that the shoes she had on were really hard to take off and put on again." I said, "Hello? Black Widow!!!"  Of course we all just laughed at my wife's unwillingness to have to take off her shoe to kill a spider that could kill any of us if it bit us.  Then we began laughing and joking at Libby's "over-kill" when it comes to any kind of insect or bug... and I said again, "that is so odd, a black widow being in the van. Are you sure it was a black widow?" She again says, "Yes, it was a black widow! It was black with a white hour glass on it's back!" Daniel starts laughing and says, "I said RED hour glass mom!"  Libby responds, "All I heard was hour glass."  We all responded that he had said it was a red hour glass.  She was repeated, "All I heard was hour glass."   We all had a good laugh at her. 

Now, those of you that know my wife, you understand. For those of you who do not know her, let me explain, that my wife is a very intelligent woman, but she is prone to moments of lapse or air-headedness.  So much so that one day after one of her exploits, her own mother looked at me and said, "Darrell, what's it like being married to Lucille Ball?"  You just never know what is gonna happen next around our house.