Open your present

A few years back at a family Christmas get-together, the house was filled with presents and persons. I am sure you know something of this kind of gathering. It consisted of two grandparents, a couple of great grandparents, several children, a few in-laws, a bunch of grandkids, a trio of pets and some assorted family friends. When the time came the kids began the opening their presents, followed by the adults. Finally, there remained one nicely wrapped box. It had no tag or name listed. It remained unopened until we could figure out what to do with it.

Salvation is also a gift: "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23). It cannot be purchased or earned through our good deeds; it only can be accepted on the basis of faith. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). Faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ is the only way to open the gift of God.

What of the unopened gift? Finally someone was selected to open it and it was directed to the right recipient. Perhaps this Christmas there is still one gift you have not opened. God is waiting to give you the gift of salvation.

Digging Deeper

Here is a preview of my next teaching series at Bible Center. For the next three Sunday Nights we are going to be going a little deeper into the Word to find some hidden treasures for our souls. As we look beyond our English translations to the original language of the Bible and see the concepts and ideas that do not translate well into our language. As we do we will find some amazing truths that has been buried there all along.

A sample of this kind of study can be found in the video one this page.

So I hope to see you Sunday night as we prepare to dig.

Jesse Waggoner

Backing into the future

Here is a clip from last Sunday's message, a reminder that our view of the future is informed by God's faithfulness in the past.

The Anitdote for Fear

I don't usually post Drive Time Videos in my blog as you can always view them at www.DriveTimeVideo.com or www.WaggonerMedia.com You can also subscribe to the podcast or e-mail list, but this one goes so well with my Sunday Morning series at Bible Center Church, I thought I would make an exception this time. (In case you are wondering, I am driving on Smith Road between South Charleston and Tornado WV.

Blessings from the Road and otherwise,
Jesse Waggoner

Living out of a suitcase

For most of the week just past I have been staying in a hotel and I have been living out of a suitcase. I am glad to being back in Charleston, in my own home, sleeping in my own bed, and today to be back with you. But there is something one can learn from living out of a suitcase. I am (for a brief time anyway) able to live quite well with only a limited amount of stuff, and even at that I usually pack more stuff than I really need. But maybe I am not the only one who is a little “over packed.”

In 1 Peter 2:11 the apostle Peter appealed for believers to live a life of purity because believers are “Pilgrims” or travelers in this world. In essence, this side of heaven, we are all “living out of a suitcase.” Our real home is with our Lord --our present location is only temporary. But during this trip we often overload ourselves with baggage we were never meant to carry. Our God really wants us to travel light by casting our burdens of worry and care on him (1 Peter 5:7). As we look at another portion of God’s Word that provides for us some amazing reasons to trust God, I hope you will leave with a little less baggage today. It is my prayer that God will cause you to trust Him more today. Will join me in praying that God will help us all do a little unpacking?

If you are not in Charleston, you will be able to listen to this message shortly on www.WaggonerMedia.com

Meerkats

This is the video I put together to introduce my current teaching series, the "good news" is there are amazing reasons to trust God. The series is available at www.WaggonerMedia.com

Crossing the border

I vividly remember the first time I was outside of the United States and was crossing the border back in. I was a teenage and with my family had crossed the bridge that connects El Paso, Texas, and Juares, Mexico. In those days a passport was not required but you had to verbally declare to the border patrol officer the nation of your citizenship. I enthusiastically stated that I was a citizen of the United States because I was proud to be, but also so I would not be stranded on foreign soil!

In a spiritual sense, we are citizens of one “country” (Phil. 3:20) but are currently residing in another (John 17:16). As we continue our Bible study series, “Amazing Reasons to Trust God’, this Sunday’s study in the Word will help us see more clearly our spiritual connection and help us overcome the fears that our “alien status” sometimes causes us. I also trust as we can focus more on our spiritual connections that we will be enthusiastic in our declaring before others that we are part of the kingdom of God, and that they too can enjoy the benefits of citizenship through faith in Christ.

If you want to get a head-start on this study read Luke 12:22-34 / If you missed any of this series, you can get caught up at www.WaggonerMedia.com

Amazing Reasons To Trust God

Here is a little "heads-up" on what I am preaching on for the next few weeks... In case you haven't noticed there are many reasons to fear, in fact it seems like just about anything can scare us. God obviously knows this, for more than 60 times in the Bible we are told not to fear. If you would like some help in this area I want to invite you to go along on a spiritual journey over the next two months.

We are going to use these "fear not" passages to uncover some amazing reasons to trust God. You will be blessed -- and perhaps you know of someone who is needing some encouragement that you can invite to join you. Make plans to be part of this encouraging study in these troubling times.

Sundays 9:00 and 10:45 p.m
You can follow this series online at www.WaggonerMedia.com

Fear or Faith?

The photo to the right was taken by my friend Dan Robinson, for those of you in Charleston you will recognize that it was taken from Fort Hill, looking North across the Kanawha river toward Charleston. It is also obvious that it was taken during a thunderstorm. (For more of Dan's weather pics go to www.AppalachianSkies.com) This picture is now being worked on by our graphic artist and will become the main graphic for my next sermon series, beginning Nov. 1.

I chose it because the lightening can be viewed one of two ways. Is it a source of fear that one should run for cover and tremble in its presence or does it stand for a power that is beyond us and that power is one that can uphold us in scary times? Right now it seems to me that the mood of most of us is that there is some fear among us, some frustration or worry that things on many levels are not quite right. To respond correctly we must not look at the storms but the one who controls them!

There are more than 60 times in the Bible where God instructs us not to fear and some of these will be the passages from which we learn together that there are some amazing reasons to trust in God, no matter how ferocious the onslaught. I would appreciate your prayers as I study and seek to find ways to communicate these truths. The results can be heard live at Bible Center or after the fact on www.WaggonerMedia.com - whatever the means of delivery - I pray they will cause you to trust more and tremble less.

Bible Teaching Online

Six complete Bible Teaching series are now available online, these include sermon outlines, mp3 audio, and mp4 video.

I trust these will be a blessing and do feel free to share these with others. If you would like to obtain Powerpoints for any of these series feel free to contact me via the website. Note: Powerpoints are widescreen 19:1 format.

www.WaggonerMedia.com

Blessings,
Jess

In the Master's Hands

I used this video to introduce the final message (#8)in the "Extreme Makeover: Soul Edition" series. It is a fitting summary of what God is doing in the life a believer. You can access the entire series at www.WaggonerMedia.com (notes, mp3 audio, mp4 video). Enjoy...

Bible Teaching Series Online

In case you have not browsed over to my homepage at www.WaggonerMedia.com I want to let you know what you can find there. You can find the latest Drive Time Video, as well as the last 15 episodes in a handy player. You can find complete Bible teaching series with Mp3 Audio, notes in pdf and Mp4 video. Please feel free to distribute or use any of this material, notification and credit is always appreciated. There are also links to my personal photo galleries, an archive of writing projects and more.

You can also find a brief bio, and info about my current ministry assignment as the Senior Associate Pastor at Bible Center Church, West Virginia's only megachurch.

So get here to click on over..... www.WaggonerMedia.com

Driverless Car

I used this video clip to illustrate a point in my message on Sunday. Just as it may not be a good idea to have a driverless car (at least not yet) it also a good idea to make sure we have the right "driver" steering our lives. Eph. 5:18 tells us that we are to allow the Holy Spirit to fill us - literally to control us. We need to allow Him to take the wheel. The great news is He is already available as He indwells all believers. He also is able as He has all the divine attributes of God, and He is willing to change us from the inside out. He is both the architect and the builder of the new you.

If you want to hear more you can listen to the complete message all of the others in the "Extreme Makeover: Soul Edition" series on WaggonerMedia.com. Comments always welcome.

Celebrity or Hero?

I won't share his name, not only because he would be embarrassed but because you wouldn't know it. I recently ran into an old friend. It was great to see a warm smile of friendship on his worn face. I wanted to tell you a little about him but was wondering if you would listen. If I name dropped a celebrity name you may have taken notice. But why would we? For some reason the star of some meaningless TV show, or the voice on a recording or long-gone victories on the athletic field grabs our attention. We take note, we stop and look and listen. We tend to overlook real character while being captivated by the emptiness of make believe fame. Instead, we see a well-known face that was once a person we all thought we "knew." We don't think much of the addictions, the failed relationships and the layers of self-centeredness, we only see the face that once beamed from so many autographed 8x10 glossies.

No, my friend is no celebrity, he has simply kept his marriage vows for 40 years, took his kids to Sunday School, went to work and paid his bills and above all loved his God. He is not a household name but he is a hero. Not for what he did that was noticed, but what he did wanting no notice.

I prefer heroes to celebrities.

Video used to introduce the fourth message in the Extreme Makeover: Soul Edition series. More to come - follow it on www.WaggonerMedia.com

Drive Time Video

I recently completed an update for the website of Drive Time Video (http://www.DriveTimeVideo.com).

These twice a week video messages began in July of 2008 and has now grown to a monthly audience of more than 1800. Thanks so much for your feedback, encouragement and sharing these. If you have missed previous ones we keep the last 15 episodes online. You can also subscribe by RSS or sign-up for an e-mail list that will alert you to when a new episode is released.

Also, beginning today you can keep up to date with Drive Time Video via Twitter, just go to http://www.Twitter.com/DriveTimeVideo

Twitter & Facebook

Always on the lookout for new ways to allow the Bible Center family to connect I am pleased to let you know of two social networking tools to allow you to do so. We are offering daily (at times more) daily updates (tweats) on Twitter and we have created a Bible Center Fan page on Facebook. If you use either of these services or would like to, use these links.

Bible Center on Twitter

Bible Center on Facebook


If you want to follow my personal activities, quotes and thoughts feel free to use these links for my personal tweats and FB page

Twitter.com/JesseWaggoner

Facebook.com/jwaggoner


Twitter is a microblogging service where users can post brief (140 characters) updates of their thoughts and activities. You can choose to follow others and others can follow yours as well.

Facebook is the largest Social Networking service in the world with more than 250 million users. You can must sign up for a free account for most activities on Facebook but you can view the content of our fanpage without becoming a member, to add content you must be a member. So give a try to these new ways to connect.

Voice of the Valley

I enjoyed being a guest on the Voice of the Valley program with Ric Cochran today, the show is heard on all seven radios stations of the West Virginia Radio Corp. Southern Division. It was great chance to talk about everything from my Drive Time Videos to Theology. I was on to promo Bible Center's Backpack project and the upcoming Fresh Grounded Faith Conference. To hear a segment of the program use the link below.

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

Shout-Out to Drs. Eastwood

Both Julie and I have been helped so much by the services of Dr. Jody and Heather Eastwood with Healthsource here in Charleston. I would recommend them to you! Their approach of Chiropractic & Progressive Therapy is truly the way to go with back and neck problems. As a bonus Megan and Grant are the best massage therapists in the valley! Thanks guys.

Trail Map, Sunday Nite Bible Study for Kids

Beginning Sunday night August 16th elementary aged children can participate in the evening Bible Study by using a Trail Map, this interactive Bible study sheet will bring them into the study of God's word. Many parents use Sunday nights as an opportunity to worship with their children and with this added resource it can be even more fun and valuable for your family.

Just have your children pick up a trail map near the front doors and use it during the service. After the service they can show it to one of the guides at the front door "Mailbox" and select a small prize as a reward for a job well done. We hope to see you and your children there. Nurseries for preschool children and youth programs will continue to meet on level one on Sunday nights.

Download a sample Trail Map Sheet

Follow me on Twitter

I have enjoyed connecting with friends old and new on Twitter, if you would like to follow me or would like a follow from me, go to www.Twitter.com/JesseWaggoner

Drive Time Video Sample

I thought it may be time again to give you a sample Drive Time Video on my blog, in case you have missed this, new videos "from the road" are online each Tuesday and Friday, you can find them at:

www.DriveTimeVideo.com,
www.WaggonerMedia.com,
www.facebook.com/jwaggoner,
www.waggonermedia.podomatic.com,

you can also subscribe to my e-mail list to inform you of new episodes or subscribe via RSS to receive the podcast via iTunes or your favorite podcatcher. Updates usually appear on Twitter as well

http://twitter.com/JesseWaggoner

So watch via your desktop, laptob, Blackberry or iPhone but however you watch, I trust you are blessed and encouraged.

Jesse Waggoner

Extreme Makeover: Soul Edition

I thought I would give a heads-up to a new teaching series I am working on. If you can participate in person you can listen or watch online via the podacast or video podcast available at www.BibleCenterChurch.com, here is the description of the series:


Extreme Makeover: Soul Edition
Sunday Evening Teaching Series
Pastor Jesse Waggoner

It is no secret that mankind needs a radical makeover; that we need to be remade from the inside out. The good news is that through Christ just such a makeover is in progress in the life of a follower of Jesus. Come and learn about who you are destined to be in Him and learn how you can cooperate with the process of change that He wants to accomplish in you.

So join us Sunday evenings at 6:00 p.m. beginning
August 9, 2009.

Online Bible

My friend Jon Browning has created and introduction/tutorial video for the Online Bible. This is great program that I use often and best of all it is free! Watch the video and see what I mean.

Thoughts from Dad

Children do seem to grow up fast, this year my youngest crossed the line into being a twenty-something. This has happened in a blur of time. In fact, I now find myself telling young parents to enjoy every moment with their little ones because they will blink and the kids will be heading out the door.

As I have watched my children grow and change I have to wonder if my Heavenly Father can see growth and change in me. I want to be a father and person who stays on the growing edge of life. I want my life to display constant growth in the Lord.

On this special day, may each of us be reminded – especially those of us who are fathers – to continue growing and changing so that our Heavenly Father will be pleased with how quickly we’ve grown, and our children will follow in our footsteps.

Flag Day

June 14 is Flag Day, while not an official Federal Holiday it does commemorate the day in 1777 that congress adopted the United States Flag. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14 as Flag Day and in August 1949, National Flag Day was established by an Act of Congress. The week of June 14 is designated as "National Flag Week." During National Flag Week, the president typically issues a proclamation urging U.S. citizens to fly the American flag for the duration of that week. I never tire of seeing the Stars and Stripes flying and so appreciate all that our Flag represents of our great nation.

Psalm 60:4 tells us that God has given us a Banner (flag) of truth. It is our allegiance to the truth that should be on public display before an often skeptical world. In addition to our study of the Word to understand and know the truth, we must also live out God’s truth every day.

So get your flags flying.

Feeling Small

When we express size we often use comparisons to do so. Expressions such as "big as a whale", "small as an ant", or "the size of a breadbox" all communicate size. But if we can make it a little more personal, what comparisons do we use to determine our size? If you have stared at an amoeba through a microscope you no doubt felt quite huge; while peering into the Grand Canyon or viewing the ocean will make you feel quite small. Such experiences tend to put us back into our place.

The Psalmist David describes such an experience in Psalm 8. The thing that made him feel small was considering the extent of God's creation. He wrote: "When I consider the heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained: What is man, that Thou are mindful of him?"

When was the last time you felt small in the presence of God? Perhaps this summer would be a great time to seek out some place to experience the awesomeness of God's creation. So pack your lunch and your Bible and head out to be impressed with who God is and what He has done. Seek to reach that point of feeling small, and while you are in that reduced condition, offer words of praise for His immeasurable grace.

Webster says that a reward is something given in return for good or for service or merit. In our lives we are motivated by rewards. The most obvious is the paycheck we receive for work. There are three major kinds of employee payment. The first is a salary. This is a fixed payment at regular intervals for work performed. The second is hourly, whereby a person is paid a fixed rate per hour worked. A third is piece work where payment is made strictly on the basis of production.

In I Corinthians 3:8-9 God tells us that -"every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are laborers together with God:" It seems as if God's rewards are most like piece work. I This labor is not to get us to heaven but is the product of a life transformed by God's grace as one labors because he is on his way to heaven ( see Ephesians 2:8-10).

It is worth thinking about what rewards may await us at God's throne. All of us who are part of God's family are to be involved in the service of our Lord. Remember His Word to us --"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Rev. 22:12

The Valley of Vision

I have recently been reading The Valley of Vision, a collection of Puritan Prayers, edited by Arthur Bennett. Whatever you think of the puritans you cannot fault their sincerity and personal devotion. I have been challenged in my own prayer life as I have read these. To see what I mean here is a sample from a prayer entitled Kept by God.

"Jehovah God,
Thou creator, upholder, proprietor of all things,
I cannot escape from thy presence or control,
nor do I desire to do so.
My privilege is to be under the agency of omnipotence,
righteousness, wisdom, patience, mercy, grace.
thou art love with more than parental affection;
I admire thy heart, adore thy wisdom,
stand in awe of thy power, abase myself before thy purity.
It is the discovery of thy goodness alone that can
banish my fear,
allure me into they presence,
help me to bewail and confess my sins."

Praying for our Leaders

We are commanded in 1 Tim. 2:2 to pray for those in authority. We usually apply this to include praying for our elected leaders. I would assume that most of us likely spend more time complaining about our leaders than we spend actually praying for them.

I have been reminded in the last few weeks of this need. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet and share my best wishes with Governor Manchin and today I had the privilege of praying for the opening of the State Senate session. I had the opportunity to visit with several of our legislators and support staff and was reminded that these are not just folks whose names and pictures appear in the newspaper or on TV; these are real people with real needs and real problems and are in need of real prayer. It is our job to come through with the real prayer!

So let’s devote some time to pray for our leaders- national, state and local. God will be pleased.

Prayer for the WV Senate
March 25, 2009

Dear Heavenly Father:

You have told us in Your Word that every good gift comes from above, from You, the Father of Lights. So we give You thanks for the gift of this day,we give You thanks for the gift of a great land that we call West Virginia, we give You thanks for the gift of a great people, and we give You thanksthat we have the high privilege of calling ourselves West Virginians.

Dear God, we ask Your blessing on all of those who make this state great, those who today are in the factory, in the school, at the desk, in the home, in the mines,or on the farm; those who are in the firehouse, the court house, or in this House. We ask that You might give us all a knowledge of Your presence and the wisdom and the strength to carry out our duty in a way that helps our fellow man and brings glory to You.

We ask that Your particular blessing may rest on these Senators who have gathered to do ourstate’s business and to be about Your business.

We humbly seek these favors from the hand of our loving God and in the name of our Savior. AMEN

The Washington Generals

If I were to ask you, what is your favorite basketball team, I am sure of one team you would not pick. That would be the Washington Generals. They were in town playing at the Charleston Civic Center last Tuesday to add to their impressive string of losses to the Harlem Globetrotters. Since their founding in 1952, the Washington Generals have lost to the Globetrotters in excess of 13,000 times! I don’t want to spoil anyone’s fun, but just perhaps the odds of winning are stacked against the Generals. After all, does anyone pay to see the clown princes of basketball lose? No, the losing falls to the Washington Generals.

Let me let you in on a secret: the game of life is stacked in our favor. How do I know? Romans 8:31 states: “If God be for us, who can be against us?” With God in the picture we will win- game over. How can we lose or be defeated if God is on our side?

Let that truth encourage you even in your darkest hour. It may be late in the game, the clock is ticking and we appear to be behind, but remember the game is stacked in our favor- God is on your side.

Gone Fishing

Growing up in the hills of West Virginia, fishing was just part of life. As boys we fished in creeks, rivers, lakes, and ponds. We would dig up worms in the backyard garden, net minnows or catch assorted other critters for bait. Fishing was big stuff. I must admit fishing is an infrequent activity of my adult life; perhaps this is due to the pace of my life or my lack of patience, but I am safe in the knowledge that there are enough fishermen in the Bible Center family to keep the fish population of West Virginia streams in check.

Several of those closest to Jesus were professional fishermen before He changed them into "fishers of men," and by means of their example we are all to do some fishing among the people we know. Sometimes I feel I am not much better at fishing for men than I am fishing for fish. When it comes to fishing, I need help. The fishermen's encounter with Jesus in Luke 5 will provide us all with that help. I invite you to learn God's plan for fishing and together, to go fishing with me. In so doing we will be blessed, God will be glorified and we don't even have to mess with any squirmy worms.

When Confronted with Jesus...

1. Mary – Marveled
2. Joseph - believed
3. Angels – praised
4. Shepherds - announced
5. Star – pointed the way
6. wise men – worshiped
7. Herod – threatened

8. John – Baptized
9. Devil – tempted
10. Andrew - followed
11. Matthew – sold out

12. Demons – trembled
13. Pharisees – tested
14. Sadducees – mocked
15. Winds – obeyed
16. Fig tree – withered
17. Diseases – yielded
18. Home town – rejected
19. Nicodemus – questioned
20. Rich Young ruler – grieved
21. Many – were healed
22. Multitudes - were fed
23. Lazarus – came forth
24. Mary – sat
25. Martha - served

26. Judas – betrayed
27. John - loved
28. disciples - fled

29. Sanhedrin – tried
30. Peter – denied
31. Pilate – acquitted
32. Mrs. Pilate – was troubled
33. Herod – was Amused
34. Pilate Condemned

35. High Priest – called him a blasphemer
36. Crowds – cried crucify Him
37. Sanhedrin – condemned Him
38. Soldiers - mocked
39. The nails – pierced Him
40. Cross – held Him
41. Centurion – eulogized Him
42. Joseph of Arimathia – buried him
43. God – raised
44. Women – praised
45. Discipled – were amazed
46. Thomas – doubted

47. Paul – persecuted
48. Peter – proclaimed
49. Paul – preached
50. John - prophesied

51. You - ??????????

Jesse Waggoner

What we empty nesters do in our free time

Thanks to some good friends Julie and I spent some quality time with TSO (Trans-Siberian Orchestra) on 11-7-08

Drive Time Video

I have been working on a new ministry outlet since July and have finally got everything up and running. It is a twice per week video podcast called Drive Time Video, if you watch any of these videos you will get the name. You can visit www.drivetimevideo.com to see more. You can subscibe via iTunes or get on my e-mail list at the website. I would appreciate any feedback you may wish to offer. For a sample I have embedded the player below.

Advice for Husbands

Tim Hawkins offers this musical advice to all of us husbands...

If the Cross Never Happened

During my years of ministry I have preached many times on the death of Christ. Having covered the same territory so many times, I am always on the lookout for a fresh way of looking at the same events. Recently, I ran across a book edited by J.C. Squire and published in 1931 titled "If It Had Happened Otherwise." This genera of writing is known as counterfactual history, and this work is a series of essays by various authors (including Winston Churchill) imaging what the world would be like if a particular event had not occurred. Such questions are considered as: What if Booth had missed Lincoln? Or what if the Confederacy won the Civil War? Interesting mental exercises to be sure, but none of the authors of this book dared to ask "What if Christ's crucifixion had never happened?"

The list of potential disasters would grow long without the crucifixion and resurrection of the Lord. The church would not exist, much of western civilization would be drastically altered, and we would remain in our sins forever. Not pretty options, but stark reminders of the manifold blessings of Jesus Christ’s work on our behalf.

However we approach it, we must remain enthralled with the centrality and eternal necessity of the cross. Don't allow your gaze to veer too far from Calvary's hill.

Jesse Waggoner

The Blessing in the Thorn

Here are the lyrics to the song that ended the service on 9-21-08, May you find the blessing in your "thorn in the flesh" (2 Cor. 12:7-9)

The Blessing in the Thorn
by DAVE CLARK, RON KOCH and RANDY PHILLIPS


I read about a man of God
Who gloried in his weakness
And I wish that I could be
More like Him and less like me
Am I to blame for what I'm not
Or is pain the way God teaches me to grow
I need to know

When does the thorn become a blessing
When does the pain become a friend
When does the weakness make me stronger
When does my faith make me whole again
I want to feel His arms around me
In the middle of my raging storm
So that I can see the blessing in the thorn

I've heard it said the strength of Christ
Is perfect in my weakness
And the more that I go through
The more I prove the promise true
His love will go to any length
And reaches even now to where I am
But tell me once again

Lord, I have to ask You
On the cross You suffered through
Was there a time You ever doubted
What You already knew

Don't Stop Praying

“Pastor, I have been praying for this for 45 years.” These were the words of an elderly Christian lady as she talked to me about her desire to see her husband come to Christ. Now he lay in a hospital bed after radical surgery for cancer and he was left unable to speak. During this conversation I was struck by two things. The first was the love and persistence of this long-suffering wife. The second was how after years of praying and years of no response she did not give up her trust in the Lord.

There are times when it seems like God is saying “no” to our requests, or at least a positive answer has not yet come. Do we view this as a rejection or do we look for what God is really saying? Often times, when it looks like God is saying “no”, He is really saying something else - things like…”trust my timing,” or “I can accomplish more by not intervening than coming to a dramatic rescue.” As Paul learned in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, sometimes a “no” is really a “yes” to what He wants to do in and through us, in spite of difficulties. Perhaps we should never take “no” as the final answer.

And what of the wife who didn’t give up? Shortly before her husband’s body could no longer fight off the cancer, through nods and hand signals we both were convinced that he had put his faith in Jesus. To God be the glory!

Go Directly to Jail

If you have ever played the game Monopoly, you will remember that there was a space called “Chance” and if the roll of the dice left you parked there you would have to pick up a card and do whatever it said. Sometimes the news was good. One card I particularly remember said, “Go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200.” This was usually not a good moment in the game. To this point in life, I have avoided jail except to be there for ministry, and I consider that a good thing. But God has allowed and used his people in some special ways behind bars.

Joseph received vision while in prison in Egypt (Gen. 39-40), and Daniel shared a “cell-space” with lions (Dan. 6). In the New Testament Barabbas (Luke 23:18-24) was set free from prison as Jesus was condemned. Peter was sprung from prison by an angel (Acts 12:5-11) Paul’s jail break was accomplished by an earthquake, (Acts 16:24-34) John was in on the prison-island of Patmos when he received the revelation (Rev. 1:9-11). Each of these jail-time experience was used of God in a special way. This reminds me that whatever we may view as a limitation, God views as an opportunity -an occasion to show that He is God and in control. What is limiting you? Turn to God in trust. That is even better than a “Get out of Jail Free Card.”

Tom Terrific

If you look up the name Tom Seaver in Wikipedia it will tell you that Tom was a professional baseball pitcher for the New York Mets and later the Cincinnati Reds. It will tell you he is a member of the baseball hall of fame, and that he was known as “Tom Terrific” and “The franchise” Tom however did not submit to the definition of a “pitcher.” He once stated to an interviewer that he considered pitching to be a performing art! He so studied, practiced and refined his craft to the point that he saw it as elevated above a mere athletic endeavor.

What would an encyclopedia consider your occupation? I would submit that we should consider whatever we do a performing art. You may be a painter or philosopher, a factory worker or shop worker, a teacher or preacher. But as a follower of Christ your life is really a command performance for an audience of One. We are “to do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

So, when you next walk into the office, the garage, the sales floor, the baseball diamond or the loading dock let me remind you, that you and I should seek to so study, practice and refine our craft so as to offer God our best. As we do we will bring glory to our God and bring some light to those who dwell in darkness.

Traditional Service

Here is a sample of a traditional service at Bible Center Church

Bible Center - Video

Here is a video produced by Ward Hiney showing some of our Praise Team at Bible Center Church.

AIM Air

Here is a video produced by AIM Air, the ministry Brandon is working with in Africa this summer. You can also visit his blog at www.blog.brandonwaggoner.com or view his Photo Album at: www.photos.brandonwaggoner.com/africa-08/

Hog Pens

This month I want to share with you an experience from our family's summer vacation. I could share with you our stay in a mile-high mountain range. I could tell you about our hike to a rushing mountain waterfall. I could mention many other delightful experiences, but the one I have chosen to write about is our visit to a hog pen! While exploring the Mountain Farm Museum in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park we enjoyed the log structures, the cellar, the water-house and the barn, but in the back corner of the farm was an animal pen of some kind. One of our children asked what it was? I could identify it with my nose even before we could see inside. The hog-pen display was not primarily a visual or auditory experience; it was most strongly an olfactory one. The smell was horrendous!

This encounter (or, I should say odor) jogged my memory back to the Story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. In this parable, Jesus tells the story of a young man who was restless to be out from under the restrictions of his father's house. He asked for his share of his inheritance, left home and lived in the fast lane. After he had run out of money and the friends it could buy, he could only find a meager existence tending hogs. His circumstance was so bad that he even envied the food the hogs were getting. It was then that he saw the benefits of his father's house and said to himself: "I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants" (Luke 15:18-19). It was only when he sniffed the stench of the hog pen that he looked back at what he used to be and do.

The story of the prodigal son teaches much about the forgiveness of God, but it also serves as a dual warning. First it warns those who are in the hog pen, or on the way, that they must turn around and come back to the Father's house. Maybe you should look back at what you used to be and do. If there was time in your life where your service for God was more consistent, your love for God was deeper and your fellowship with a local church was more frequent, perhaps you have left the Father's house; you are on the road to the hog pen. You have willingly stepped outside the protection and blessings of the Heavenly Father's house. You can turn around at any point; you can reverse your course and head home. Admit your straying ways to Him and seek His forgiveness and restoration.

The second warning is for those still in the Father's house. It is better to stay put than to stray away no matter how appealing the freedom of the outside looks. The world, the flesh and the devil make what is out there seem so appealing, but remember the end of road will lead to the bondage in some sort of "hog pen." Guard you heart.

I like pork as much as the next guy but I must tell you I was glad to leave the hog-pen display and stroll along the tree-lined banks of the Oconaluftee River as it continued its desent toward Cherokee, NC. It was definitely more pleasant to take in the shade, the sound of the rushing water and fresh air of the river bank than the foul atmosphere of the hog pen. Yes, it is better to stay in, or return to, the Father's house.

(from April 2002)

A Sense of Direction

I have always thought I had a good sense of direction. I can usually tell where I am and which direction I am heading. I am sure such knowledge comes from a semi-conscious awareness of the location of the sun (it comes up in the east and goes down in the west) or of a general knowledge of geography (If one leaves Charleston and goes to Atlanta they are generally going south). Perhaps it is some internal navigational sense similar to a biological clock. (Is there such a thing as a biological compass?) I have tended to trust my senses and have never seen the need to lay down $400 for a GPS system. However a recent experience has reminded me of the limitations of my own senses and the need to have an external reference point to keep one on track.

I was on my way in late August to Hong Kong to spend twelve days visiting with a missionary team. After brief flights from Charleston to Pittsburgh (heading North) and from Pittsburgh to Newark, New Jersey (heading East), I began a sixteen hour flight from Newark to Hong Kong. There were already a number of unique aspects of this trip for me: this being the longest non-stop commercial route flown in the world meant this trip was going to be more than twice as long than any I have ever endured on an airplane. Further, Hong Kong is twelve hours ahead of our time, so (if it is noon here, it is midnight there) I knew a number of adjustments lay ahead. The biggest adjustment, however, was dictated by our flight plan. We traveled North, nearly over the North Pole. The views out the window were unique to me. We flew over vast undeveloped land in Northern Canada, over the brilliant blue water of the Hudson bay and over seemingly endless expanses of ice flows in the Arctic Ocean. The Boeing 777 I was on had a video screen which constantly displayed flight information including a map showing our present location over the globe. I was traveling North, my video map confirmed what my internal compass was telling me. But at some point the little plane on the video screen suddenly stopped pointing toward the top of the screen and began pointing to the bottom. The plane had not made a 180 degree turn, the direction of sunlight had not suddenly shifted. In fact the inside of me was telling me we were going North when in fact we had topped the globe and we were heading South. I had packed a small magnetic compass in my carry on bag and it too confirmed our new direction. But for at least an hour there was an internal argument going on in my brain. One part seemed to cling to the data that had seldom failed me and said that if you are going North and you continue in a straight line you are still heading North. The other a part argued just as forcefully that I was in a place that I had not been before and I had to readjust. I do want you to know that I understood the logic of where I was, but there was a real sense of inner confusion or discomfort that is hard to explain. Perhaps if you have ever been lost and without any sense of direction you can relate, except in this case there was no fear --just a faint feeling of perception and reality not matching up.

Well, no great harm done as I was not responsible for getting the aircraft from point A to point B. I should have been sleeping rather than considering such things at 41,000 feet, but it did remind of this: I have spent far too much of my life following my own "sense of direction" rather than following an absolute compass. God knows that we are easily fooled, easily misled and often choose our own way which is often the wrong way. He has given us the Word of God which is an absolute standard of direction for behavior and life. He has likewise given Christians the Holy Spirit to indwell us and guide us through the murkiness of living. Such gifts are only of value if used. How easy it is to default to trusting one's instincts, to follow the crowd, to follow the path of least resistence. Perhaps it is time to get back to church, to get back to the Word of God, to get back to listening to the still, small voice of the Spirit.

As I tucked my compass back into my bag and tried to get as comfortable as one can get in a coach seat on a 283 passenger plane, I whispered a prayer that God would give me the good sense not to trust my "sense of direction" but to seek His leading each day.

(From Septeber 2001)

Moonwalk

I grew up in the space age. Men going into space and going to the moon was big stuff back in the day. Above is one of my favorite pictures, it shows Jim Irwin standing on the moon in August of 1971. Even though He was a long way from home he was in some ways more connected to the his fellow earthmen than most of us will ever be. I tell this to illustrate a particular truth…

A couple of the first verses I learned as a junior higher was Proverbs 3:5-6, the reason I learned them was Mr. Lester Arnold my Sunday School teacher would often (like every Sunday) do Sword Drills and these two verse were always going to show up. Looking back he was teaching us more than we and perhaps even he thought. These verses warn against self-reliance (“lean not to your own understanding”). If I would have followed that part faithful since the age of 13 I would be better off. It seems as if the default setting on most of is trust in our own ingenuity, our plans, or own schemes. This has led to many a disaster! The verses also recommend trust in the Lord with ones whole heart. This is always good advice. Verse six promises that if we are obedience if we live up to our responsibilities God will direct our paths – I like that – no more head scratching, hand wringing, squirming about what to next in life. There is one last element in this text that for the last 30 something years that has remained elusive. What exactly does it mean when it says “In all your ways acknowledge Him.” Whatever it means it is the key ingredient to gaining God’s direction in our lives. Here are few stray thoughts I have had on the subject of acknowledging God in life.

1. First of all the basic meaning of acknowledge is to recognize, to give recognition of something or someone. If see someone I know, I acknowledge them with eye contact, a nod, a wave, a word or a touch. I am letting them know that I know that they are there. I need to need to maintain the discipline of recognizing God’s presence with me and within me.
2. Second acknowledge is a two way street. It speaks of relationship. There needs to be an ongoing dialog between us.
3. I need to do this “in all my ways.” This means God is not to be a super 911 service to call when I am in trouble. His is not to be only on my mind when I am in a setting that reminds me of Him, I am to include Him in my thinking and life at all times.

… back to Jim Irwin on the Moon. While he was walking around on the moon he could speak via radio with mission control in Houston, Texas. His every move was followed on TV by rooms full of experts, and multitudes. If he made a comment about a particular kind of rock a whole team of geologist were listening to offer advice and guidance. If some piece of equipment broke the engineers that designed it were available, and the technicians that built is were on hand. He could easily acknowledge the "presence" of other to help in any situation. I think acknowledging God in everything is similar, I need to remain aware of the presence of God in everything I do, I need to keep the communication lines open and the conversation in motion, I need to evaluate my actions against the grid of my Bible knowledge. I trust I can make progress in my earthwalk.

from 11-20-2005

Hanging out with the famous

I am not above name dropping as witnessed by some of my preceding entries. But this week I met a very famous person. I guess we should define "met" I was in his presence, I saw him with my own eyes, I spoke to him and he to me, I shook his white-gloved hand. We didn’t have a deep conversation and I didn’t get his autograph but I did meet him. He even gave me a Christmas ornament for my tree, with some coupons on the back so I could save money the next time I was in one of his places of business. I met a person that has appeared on Television countless times, is a house-hold name around the world, I have seen pictures of this man on display in my travels to Europe and Asia as well as all over North America. He is a spokesperson for a gigantic international corporation and here he was coming to address the students at Bible Center School. Oh, and you know him too, he is easily recognizable – yellow one-piece jump suit, large red shoes, bright red curly hair, flour-white face, red nose – you know your typical celebrity type. And just so you won’t jump to this line and figure it out without reading all the gifted prose above I will give you his name spelled backward: dlanoDcM dlanoR

Yes it was he of hamburger fame, he of Saturday morning cartoon commercial break fame. It was he and I met him. OK, OK, lest you think I am crazier than I really am, I do know that RM is a fictional character and there are likely several RMs running around the country on a company expense account. I did find it somewhat humorous that RM was giving the third-graders a little talk about a healthy life-style, this was from the same character that has pumped more cholesterol into American’s arteries than all the other fast-food joints combined! Yes, this was just a pseudo-celebrity.

But, what is a real celebrity. What is so special about someone who can sing well, or write a book, or act in a drama or tell a joke, or throw a football or who has won an election, or made a lot of money, or done some heroic deed. When it comes right down to it a celebrity is just an ordinary part of the human race that is known by more than an average amount of other humans.

I assume that if you are reading this you are a non-celebrity. And all of us need to remember that God is not impressed with fame. The Bible states that He is not a respecter of persons. He treats us all fairly. And for those of us who are His children. He delights in us, He writes us fan mail, He is our biggest cheer-leader. To most we are not famous, influential or important. To God we are. Thank Him for it.

Oh and by the way, Julie and I were at the mall last night and saw Santa Claus, in person, with my own eyes...

(From Dec. 16, 2005)

Blasts from the Past

My writing time has been quite limited of late, so over the summer I am taking the opportunity to republish some of my musings from the past. I hope you enjoy

Graduation

A news story about Brandon's graduation

We believe

Steve Green was in concert at Bible Center last evening and
sang one of my favorites, "We Believe" the words say it all ...enjoy and be blessed

Up Up and Away

Short video of flying somewhere over Virginia

The Center of the Bible

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits " (Psalm 103:1-2).

These two verses are the middle two verses of the English Bible (some lists erroneously cite portions of Psalm 118). Since there are an equal number of verses (31,102) there can be no single “middle verse.” It may be of interest that the chapter and verse divisions that we are all familiar with were not in the original manuscripts but their addition greatly aids our navigation through the Bible, and today leads us to this focus on these two verses that point us to our God and enable us to express our heart to Him.

I note a couple of observations about these “middle verses” first they are words of worship directed to God. They are not primarily about the human condition, man’s destiny or the quality of our lives. The center of the message of the Bible is and our lives should be centered on Him. Truly it is all about Him. Lesson: Worship is that which brings us back to having our God truly at the center of our thoughts, intents and heart. Secondly not how these verses end. We are not to forget the benefits that God heaps upon us. All “benefits” start and end with Him, and He has a great benefit package.

Maybe this would be a good time to ask how you are doing in the worship department. If it has been awhile since you really met with God in worship make time to do so.

All Out Blitz

Ephesians 1:3-14

One of the most exciting and risky plays in football is the all-out blitz. This is when the defense rushes everyone toward the quarterback and pass-receivers are left undefended. Everyone on the defense is moving toward one goal, to tackle the passer, before he can throw the ball. In today’s reading, note that God the Father (vs. 3-5) God the Son (vs. 6-12) and God the Holy Spirit are moving in harmony with one goal: the salvation of His own. All that God is, is involved in bringing us to Himself.

As you meditate on this truth, rejoice in the fact that God has thrown Himself into saving you. He has held back nothing of Himself. As an act of reciprocal love, we should throw ourselves full-force into worshipping Him and serving Him.

Five Words from Psalm 23

Contentment

It is common that buildings, monuments and landmarks be named for notable people. Most of us do not have our name in high-profile places. Note the fourth word of verse one. Substitute your name for the pronoun. “The Lord is (insert name) Shepherd.” God wants us to make such a personal connection to His Word. We need to see ourselves on the pages of scripture. Such a view will help us gain the perspective that God is totally involved in our lives.

One result of seeing God as our ever-present Shepherd is that we can find true contentment. Freedom from want is not having as much stuff as we may like it comes from having all of God that we need.

Restoration

Focus on verses two and three. As we follow our great Shepherd, notice the three places He will lead His sheep. Green pastures, a place of nourishment and rest; still waters, a place of quiet and refreshment; and the path of righteousness, a place of growth and purity. We often seek out places to go for restoration: a favorite vacation spot, or recreational activity. The context of God’s restoration is not a place but a Person. It is the good Shepherd who leads and provides. He wants us to regularly spend time fellowshipping with Him.

Are you in need of some restoration work on your soul? If so set aside some extra time to spend in God’s Word, prayer and meditation. You will find the experience transforming.

Fearlessness

What scares you? The list can be seemingly endless: spiders, water, flying, heights, speaking in front of others, etc. Somewhere on everyone’s list of fears is the fear of facing death. It is the last battle, the great unknown. It inevitable and irreversible. In verse four we find David expressing that he will not fear even when walking through the valley of the shadow of death. The reason is simple; he doesn’t have to face the valley alone. He has the presence and power of God at his disposal. The great news is so do you!

Even if the fear you face is not death, you can still rely on God being with you. Recall His love, ability and care. You, too, can “fear no evil.”

Blessings

Most floods are not positive experiences whether the flood was a river or a basement. There is one overflow that is a welcome experience. When the blessing of God surpasses our ability to account for them then our cup of blessing truly runs over. Verse five lists a trio of blessings the Good Shepherd allows to flow into our lives. These are His provision in spite of opposition (table), healing for the wounds of life (oil) and an overflow of joy.

What does one need do in order to get in line for such blessings, simply this: follow the Shepherd. The hearts attitude of a follower include: humility, obedience and devotion and these will keep us in the place of blessing.

Eternity

Someone has said there only are two things you really need to worry about: This life and the afterlife. The final verse of Psalm 23 gives us rock-solid promises that cover both. David was sure that as he followed the Lord, his Shepherd, his life would be marked by both the goodness and mercy of God. He does not expect a life of ease or one free from hardship but through whatever life would bring, he would find the benevolent character of God. In the life to come, he would live in God’s house. What blessing, what comfort.

Take a moment and release your anxieties for the present and the future as you fall back on the promises of God for both.

Wilderness Again

“For this our heart is faint; for these things our eyes are dim. Because of the mountain of Zion, which is desolate, the foxes walk upon it.” (Lamentations 5:17-18)

For two and half hours, earlier this month, Julie and hiked along the North Fork of the Blackwater River in Tucker County, WV. We were strolling along an abandoned railroad grade in search of Douglass Falls, a seldom seen, scenic spot on this river. The picture of above should be proof of our success. We enjoyed the solitude, the sound of the water, and the spectacular scenery of this part of the eastern highlands of West Virginia. (If you want see some more from our trip you can see our entire photo album.)

One unexpected discovery was the land we were walking over was once a thriving community. More than 3000 people live along this stretch of river and mined coal and refined it into coke to ship it downstream to power the engines of progress in the first third of the twentieth century. Once the coal was mined out, the jobs left and the people left and the wildness began to march back into this valley after a period of rapid retreat. We did see a few signs of former habitation, dozens of “coke ovens” still peaked from the hillsides and few foundations of the former time. We passed by Barbershop Falls, so name because a barbershop once overlooked the falls. The falls remain, no barbershop in sight. Douglas, West Virginia is now wilderness again.

Julie spotted a red fox scouting the trail ahead of us. (picture below) This visitor sent my mind scurrying to the Bible passage above. In these verses the prophet Jeremiah used the imagery of foxes walking in the city of God as a proof of desolation, a place of habitation that has now been pruned of people and has been left for the beasts of the field.

It is a sobering thought that some day my home, my city may become a habitat of foxes and begin the reversal to nature. The things I own, the things I build will soon be swept into the dustbin of history and be gone. Does that sound depressing? I hope not, I hope it brings perspective and a little relief. Perspective that only what is done for His glory will last, and only people who are made to last forever are really of value. And relief – why worry so much about stuff, why strive so hard for material success, it really is not that crucial. It will soon be going. Listen you may hear a fox approaching…

Another Trip Around the Sun

To day completes my 47th complete trip around the sun. I have never been a big fan of my birthdays, I do appreciate the people in my life who try to make the day special, but I don’t like being the center of attention. But birthdays do have a way of getting me thinking. As I think, certain realizations come: Some days it seems unbelievable that I am this firmly in the grips of middle-age. Other days it feels like I am getting close to what ever the next stage is (older middle age, or just old age? Yikes!). I can clearly remember my father at the age I am now (wow!). My children are all adults, no more permission slips or naming a guardian in case of my untimely demise. (ohh!). I can see lines in my face and gray in my beard (ouch!). Others my age look really old (no!). In dog years I would be 329 (glad I am not a dog!). My heart has beat 1.8 billion times (I wonder how many it has left?). And last but most profound – life is really short. I know this because I got to this point fast. I also know it because the Apostle James reached this conclusion by divine inspiration a couple of thousand years ago.

“For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away?” (James 4:14)

I am not quite ready to be known as a wise old sage. Or even a wise sage. But a few bits of wisdom considering life is short would include the following: 1. Make every day count. 2. I don’t have time to waste feeling sorry for myself. 3. Every experience is an opportunity to learn. 4. People are more important than anything else, they last forever. 5. Laugh more, complain less. 6. Life is not about me. 7. Life is about bringing glory to God.

If you want to add your own bits of sage advice – please feel free to leave a comment.

Blessings…

Life Below the Surface

I have been a keeper of fish for more than 30 years. Currently there is 55 gallons of water in my office housing a few swimming friends. At home are three more. One is Brandon’s tank, which those of us at home have adopted since he is away at college. This is the one that housed Curly – a “prize at the fair” goldfish that he had for nearly 10 years. Brian has one that brightens up the hallway in our basement. Aquariums are good for you, psychological studies a have shown that observing a peaceful aquarium can lower your blood pressure. In my mind they are living, moving work of art, a cross-section into the world below the surface.

I have learned this over the years. That fish outside there natural habitat require significant, maintenance, supervision and care. Some of the required items include:

• Water constantly filtered
• Water oxygenated via an air pump
• Water warmed to a proper temperature by means of an electric heater
• Lighted by a florescent light fixture
• water maintained a proper PH by chemicals
• Water chemically declorinated

A few years ago in South America I remember looking into a drainage ditch and was surprised to see fish that I could swear I had seen in a pet shop back in the states. In their natural habitat a ditch will do, out of there natural habitat it takes hundreds of dollars of equipment and a not so small investment in time to keep the scaly ones healthy and happy.

Christians are also not in their native environment. Spiritually we are citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20). Positionally we are in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6). Practically we are camped out on planet earth. It takes a great deal of care on God’s part to keep us healthy and flourishing in this non-natural world. He must limit the amount of temptation we receive (1 Cor. 10:13 ). He must provide us with proper nutrition (1 Pet. 2:2 ). And He must constantly monitor our condition (Matt. 28:20).

As God pears into my little cross-section of a world I hope he finds a grateful, growing part of His creation.

“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20)