Since I started pastoring at a young age (24) I have always found it necessary to surround myself with godly men who would be honest and speak into my life.  For my 12 years of pastoring, I have had one mentor who has meant a great deal to me.  Over the years we have talked often, had coffee together, eaten a few sandwiches and talked about many issues.  This mentor has always been honest with me.  He has given good godly wisdom and encouraged me not to throw in the towel.  He has heard me share my heart and helped walk me through times of hardship in ministry.

Of the many people I left when I recently moved, this gentleman is perhaps the one I miss most.  There is something about having a Paul in your life, when you are a young Timothy.  I value his friendship, respect his counsel and appreciate his willingness to speak into my life.  Since moving, I have needed a few pots of coffee with my faithful friend but we are too far apart. 

Good mentors are often hard to find.  Faithful friends even harder.  As leaders it is important for us to seek out men of integrity and wisdom who can speak into our lives.  Those who are not afraid to challenge our assumptions and tell us the truth.  A good mentor is not someone who always agrees with you but is someone who can reason with you.  The tragedy of many leaders is that they are afraid to ask for counsel because it may ruin their plans.  I cannot tell you how many times, I have been saved from bad decisions because of my friend who helped me see the other side.

If you are in leadership and do not have a mentor, find one.  I always feel it is best to seek one that is a generation apart.  One who has been down the road a little farther than you.  Since I came to Rogers, I have kept my eyes open for someone.  I am glad to say, God has allowed one to cross my path.  No, there will never be one to replace my endeared friend from the South.  But I always have room for two mentors.

Today is a momentous day in the history of America.  The first African American president will take office which speaks of America’s willingness to put race aside and elect the people’s choice.  Whether I agree with President Obama’s moral positions is beside the point today.  Today I pledge my support to pray for our new president.  Just as I prayed often for President Bush, so will it be for President Obama.  Instead of voicing my concerns often, I will pray about those concerns all the more.  As should every believer.  We are called to lift up our nation’s leaders and pray for their protection and wisdom.  God can change  the heart of anyone and He certainly can change a man’s moral stance.  Let us continue to pray for our president’s protection, wisdom, guidance and that his moral compass would lead to him to God and His Word.

Albert Mohler has written a great prayer to pray for President Obama.  You can check it out here.

I was bullied pretty bad in 6th grade.  I was the scrawny kid with a locker next to David, who should have been in 8th grade but flunked.  Many wedgies later, David finally left me alone.  But the emotional scars remain:)  This cartoon brought back the  memories.  You certainly reap what you sow.  Who knows David may come to a service one day, and boy will I preach hard on him:)

Today we went to Tanyard Creek Falls in Bella Vista, for a short hike.  It was pretty frigid so we did’t stay out too long.  At Tanyard Creek is a beautiful waterfall that is evidence of our Creator.

Jonathan Edwards wrote some thought provoking words, “It is the spirit of a godly man to prefer God to any earthly enjoyments of which he can imagine.  He not only prefers God to anything he now possesses, he views nothing any other people possess to be as worthy of admiration.  Even if he could have as much worldly prosperity as he desired, the earthly things he could imagine, he values the portion that he has in God incomparably more.  He prefers Christ to earthly kingdoms.”

I have been trying to get Adam Clarke’s Commentary in book form for a long time.  It is my favorite commentary set but they are out of print.  I use the internet to read his commentaries now, but since I collect books I want them in book form.  The only place to get them is on Ebay.  You can find them here.

I was in an Ebay war today with someone else for a good set of Clarke’s Commentaries.  We went back and forth and in the end, I lost because he was willing to pay more than I was.  My blood pumps and the competitive juices flow in a bidding war.  My goal moved from getting the books, to making sure the other guy had to pay alot more for them:)  In the end, I lost and yet another bidder goes home with my prized set of commentaries.  On days like today, I wish Ebay was never invented:)

I just got finished going over my notes for Sunday’s message.  I am excited to preach in the morning.  The text has been stirring in my heart all week, but I didn’t decide to preach from it until Thursday morning.  I love to preach when a message has been kindling in my heart.  We are in week three of our Momentum series and tomorrow we will talk about reconnecting with God.  We lose Momentum, when we disconnect from God.  To regain the Momentum we must reconnect.  I am looking forward to what God does in the lives of our people tomorrow.

Robert Murray McCheyne said, “Live so as to be missed.”

If you  move to another place, will you be missed?  If you were to die, would you be missed?

Many people in life, live for themselves.  They live for their own pleasures or own gain, but when we live life only for ourselves, what do we leave behind?  As a child of God, we live for Christ, not ourselves.  Paul said, “For me to live is Christ…”  Is your life consumed by Christ?

We must live for others as well.  If we hold that charge well, we will be living for others and touching their lives, we certainly will be missed.  Our goal is to make disciples, to touch the needy and to minister to the hurting.  If we are doing those things, we will certainly be missed.  Again , “Live so as to be missed.”