Moving On Up

I am not certain of where all the time has escaped since my last post. This blog has obviously become a low priority item on my list. However, maybe now I can move it up a notch or two. Only time will tell.


It has been a very busy era of life for us. Our son is now married and is residing with his bride in our upstairs. He is currently working seven days a week during harvest and is exhausted. His wife is working for a famous retailer. Challenges have been faced and conquerored, but continue to rise but victory is ours.

Work has also submitted its challenge to me with loss of personnel and workload increases. There have been so many changes in such short period of time with many difficult clients to deal with.

The best part of this time has been the culmination of a healing from personal wounds that ran deep. I complied with Matthew 5:23; the response I received was given with obvious bias and guilt sent my direction. I refuse to revisit the pain and misunderstandings of that past event. It is time to move on!

We are stronger now in our faith than before. The church organization is no longer our crutch. There I no need to rely on personalities or nepotism to be successful.

We are now actively involved in an amazing church fellowship. My wife and I have been asked to participate in the elder prayer team at close of services. We are hosting a small group study beginning in February 2011; we are currently in training. There are so many opportunities to serve. We have met some very wonderful maturing Christian people. This is our first time to actively attend such a large church (estimated 1,300 attendees at this time). We experience great teaching and worship each time we attend.

WOW!

Busyness has preoccupied my time to prevent blog posting. Sometimes you just have to set priorities and unfortunately, blogging is low on the list. However, I do feel the need of the therapy it provides and maybe I can soon return to this part of my world to be expressive and creative.

The wedding mentioned in my previous post has taken place. The bride and groom are settling in their new relationship. We are all adjusting to this big change and working on getting things done to bring success to their lives. Hopefully pictures can be soon forthcoming, whenever I get them from my sources.

Work has been very busy too. Makes the days go fast but tires me out. The neurologist has got me on new medication and it may be affecting my tiredness. I do sleep well at night, but my wife says I really snore. What can I say now?

Waggonner Goings On

In case you have an interest in what has happened to us this blog can provide some deeper insight if you want to read past posts.

Currently we are doing quite well in spite of many obstacles thrown our way. We have learned a lot about friendship and betrayal. The paths of darkness that we have traveled lately are no longer stretches of great magnitude. Contentment has fallen upon us that are difficult to explain. Our disassociation from previous affiliations was humanly forced, ugly and improper but turned to good by the God we serve.

My summation of the matter that confronted us smack in the face and removed us from full time ministry is: “sorry for them, good for us”. I am truly disappointed in a vast number who are in leadership in the organization. I do not believe they have fully executed their responsibility in accordance with God’s mandate to train. My eyes have been opened to this deficit. I have asked God to forgive me of my blindness and flawed focus of ministry that I pursued for a time. I was seeking man’s approval and promotion rather than walking in the fullness of my God given ministry.

Currently we remain in our new 2,769 square foot home we purchased in 2007. We have retained possession in spite of the economy and lack of employment for nine months. We are in a very nice quiet neighborhood with kind neighbors. All bills were kept current.

God provided a very good job for me. I am a Family Service Coordinator for a housing authority. Carolyn continues to maintain our home and just recently started working for a friend one day a week to earn a little extra. Micah continues to work and will soon enjoin married life. God has blessed us all with wonderful health for which we are so grateful.

Although I soon will be 65 years old I do not plan on retiring unless I inherit a good fortune. I do not engage in pulpit ministry activities unless called upon. My job serves as a great opportunity to minister to a multitude of searching peoples fallen upon hard times. I do hold credentials as a doctor of divinity and ordained bishop. I am excited about life and what the future holds in spite of all the bad press. I would encourage all to "look up, your redemption is near."

Networking for Gain

The social networks accessible by internet lend themselves to a variety of use. There are luring ads that end up costing the gullible more than they anticipated. Offers of winnings that have minutely written disclaimers are abundant. I have seen these advertisements, announcements, and petitions posted by individuals, businesses, and assorted groups. What a tool of deceit and deception! Illusion of immediate gain is a great advantage in this modern system of communication.


Sadly I have observed begging through this media that disappoints me. This method of panhandling is rather subtle and usually represents someone who wants to publicly display a shortage that exists in their life. This could also infer their lack of resourcefulness to resolve life’s obstacles.


I could certainly use extra funds to ease my burden of bills. For example: If I purchase the latest expensive and unnecessary hi-tech item and cannot pay my rent because the money was misused for my pleasure should I expect anyone else to bail me out of my predicament by posting my stress to all on my social network?


Everyone comes upon hard times. I don’t want to be a beggar. My confidence must truly be in God, my provider. He can come through in those times through true face-to-face relationships, not electronic transmissions.

Is posting your needs a matter of putting trust in the omnipotent God who supplies? Is it like taking an offering for your own lack of faith? Do you hope to obtain cash or gifts to declare God is faithful in supplying your needs? I read in my Bible that “motives are weighed by the Lord.”


Consider also that this type of display will show a discerning person how poor of a steward you are in the first place. However, the Bible says, “Let your request be known.” Is that a valid argument to support internet panhandling?

REPOST OF MY EARLIEST BLOG

I feel it is necessary to repost this blog for those who may have missed it or wonder what happened to us.

WHERE HAVE ALL MY SERMONS GONE

Yep, when I was "evicted"as pastor from the church I began the process of vacating my office. I packed up my pens, pencils, paper, equipment, etc. One of the things I did was dispose of all the sermon notes I had cataloged and preserved in binders. I must say some of them were really good. The 100's of notes had been used, unused, revised and revised again during a period of more than 30 years of ministry. I had never been treated with such disdain by so-called Christians. I taught and preached the Word of God without fear or favor. Hours of prayer and study had been applied to formulate homiletical sermons for the congregations I served in. It could be said some had impact and others were kind of missing something. My last sermon was on Walking In The Spirit. I was told by my superior that it was not appropriate (he didn't even hear it). My response is that I preach what God wants delivered: I obey God rather than man. The price was high but I would do it all over again and with more conviction than then. Well all the notes went into the dumpster at that church and who knows where they ended up, perhaps in some earth-filled dump I suppose. Maybe someone discovered them prior to the trash pick-up and they live on. I don't care. But now I have you to know that the disposal I made of them was my symbolic expression of how the people trashed me. These sermons are stored on CD's. Yeah, isn't that a kick? It was only ink-filled paper that was dumped, but the messages live on in data form accessible on any PC. Perhaps soon I will publish them on a blog. Hang around and see what happens. Father, forgive them for they knew not what they did.

HEY PREACHER!

Now that I have your attention I want to ask you a very serious question and expand upon its theme with additional thought provoking questions:



First, what are your motives?



Do you perform your ministry out of job profession obligation or God’s love?

Are your goals and intents pure through the call of God?

Are you truly called to your place of ministry?

Is there a spirit of competitiveness within your bosom to become important?

Are you self-aggrandizing to advance in your profession?

Do you crave for hierarchical attention?

Do you please people more than God?

Do you succumb to whims of contributors for the sake of survival?

Is the role of finances more important than the truth that may offend?

Are you joyful in your relationship with the Lord?

Is your family a constant sacrifice for the sake of the church?

Do your sermons reap maturity in the listeners?

Is the size of your congregation more important than the quality of relationships?

Is your “boss” the denomination or God?

Does your community know you exist?

Are you impacting your community effectively?

Do you impose your questionable convictions upon your congregants?

Are your people skills honed and effective?



I believe the above questions will, when answered truthfully, help evaluate your true purpose. Everybody needs change in their life, including preachers. It is critical for the preacher to understand that it is God who weighs our motives. He is the judge we will stand before. We need to continue to be transformed through our rethinking of what is important and what is trivia.



I am truly astounded at the ineptness that is exhibited by preachers who have no formal training. I suggest you apply yourself of available resources. If you are going to write, use correct grammar and punctuation. Be able to support your hypothesis or give good argument for your stance. Check your statements after backing away from them for a while. Reread what you wrote or have someone close to you critique your writing. Don’t unintentionally fall into a pit of unnecessary muck through misuse of the language art. Remember the media of the internet reaches a large audience.

Escape From Presumption

Recent life events have led me to a “know so” perspective. There is now more clarity of direction and purpose for my life. A certain confidence is within my spirit. In my introverted personality I had failed to realize my individuality. Personalizing comments regarding my activities and endeavors have to take their rightful place and not remain offensive. I certainly need to take charge and not feel intimidated or competitive with my peers or others of seeming powerful influence. There is no need for me to “kiss up”. I can now say that I am finding my own way with respect of good advice and counsel that is given with true concern of my life. I believe in myself more and will not succumb to put-downs by those who do not know the whole facts.


My assertions in the above paragraph are meant to assist the reader in finding their rightful place in life too. Each of our life assignments must be taken under the guidance of Scripture and the wisdom imparted to us through life experiences. We should not avoid counsel and advice of family and friends, but ultimately we will have to take responsibility for our decision and suffer the choice, right or wrong. Not all advice and criticism is valid. Weigh each piece of information with the tools you have been given: your sound mind, Scripture, and common sense. A view to the future is advantageous.

Competitiveness should be conducive to personal growth. This is matter of doing what you have been called to do; finish the race God has put you in with integrity and character always in place. I will no longer allow false or phony presumption to overrule truth unfolding in my life.