Blog entries

A weekend in Lynchburg

Gordon

Many people look upon holiday weekends as a time to travel. In fact, many have traveled even though the cost of travel has greatly accelerated since the last Independence Day weekend. My favorite spot is home. Thursday-Friday were devoted to yard work, mowing, trimming, and watering (since the Lynchburg area has had little rain the past few months). Our flowers are doing well. The mornings have been crisp, which makes being outside a delight. Today our grand-son-in-law came to help with [...]

Sudden death

Gordon

The nation is shocked by the sudden death today of Tim Russert. Most folks, especially those interested in politics, became acquainted with him and remember him as a probing journelist. We need to remember that no one is promised a tomorrow. That is what the Word of God says. It is appointed unto man once to die and after that the judgment. That is what the Word of God says. Actually, man is not made for this earth but for eternity. It is possible to be in eternity with God the Father and His So [...]

Web site challenges

Gordon

The past two blogs were written (one on severe weather and the other on a visit from a long-time Doorkeeper). When I asked that these treatises be saved, nothing happened. My suspicion is a fire wall is interfering with transmittal. So, I've turned the fire wall off and if you are able to read this blog, you know that my suspecion was true. Actually, this is the scientific method of problem solving. State the problem. State hypotheses that might explain the problem. Test the hypotheses. Hope [...]

Then and Now

Gordon

What a contrast between the days of my childhood and today as far as morals are concerned in America. The effort in our society to become secular has obviously been a bad decision. What will be the ultimate result? In Hosea, it speaks of Israel's "sowing to the wind and reaping a whirlwind." I perceived that we had made the decision to sow to the wind even before my days as a pastor were over (1980). Twenty-eight years later, there is abundant evidence that this is happened. [...]

Dr. Jim Moon

Gordon

When I came to Lynchburg to serve in the academic leadership at the new college (Lynchburg Baptist College, Liberty Baptist College, now Liberty University), I became friends with Dr. Jim Moon. At that time he was co-pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church, one of the largest churches in the nation. He was the music leader in the worship services, as well. That was thirty-six years ago. I was impressed with Jim's attitude. One day he preached a sermon in the college chapel and reminded us t [...]

Simple! Jesus first!

Gordon

It is helpful to have a daily "to do list." I have generally followed that practice the last fifty years. To prioritize is to order according to importance. This means that if you have ten things to do and you are going to prioritize them, the first item will be the most important and the tenth item the least. For all Chistians, my suggestion is to put Matthew 6:33 as the first and most important item each day. "Seek you first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all the [...]

A man sent from God

Gordon

Toward the end of the day, Sue gave me a gift book written by Macel Falwell about her husband, Jerry, who went to be with the Lord in May 2007. Although I did not intend to spend much time reading it tonight, once I began I want to read more about a man who became a good friend, as well as a professional colleague. Macel has done a superb job letting us see him as a family man and as a pastor above all. I will cherish this book. Hopefully, in the future I will share some personal anecdotes from [...]

"O, Man!"

Gordon

After a couple of days/nights when there have were tornado watches for long periods of time in our area, we have had one of those ideal June days here in Lynchburg. It is hard to sit at a desk when it so beautiful outside. Fortunately, Maggie, our twenty-five month old great-granddaughter feels the same way and says, "side" when she wants to go outside. "Come," and there we go. Today, we were playing in the sand box -- both of us without shoes and socks (at her insistance!)-- [...]

Praying for the lost

Gordon

Tonight I led the mid-week service at Forest Baptist Church, our home church in Forest, Virginia. We talked about praying for the lost from a biblical perspective (which is a part of the prayer seminar). It is important to pray for the unsaved. Over the years, I have seen few people come to Christ until someone began to pray for them. Remember that a person is lost because Satan has blinded his mind (2 Corinthians 4:4), Ask God to bind Satan as a part of praying for a lost person by name. Ask fo [...]

Prayer seminar brochure

Gordon

Over twenty-five years ago, we prepared a brochure describing the prayer seminar ministry. Periodically, we need to update it and that has been one of the chores that I have pursued the past few days. Of course, there is an effort to describe the six-hour seminar. I believe that we have approached this in enough ways that any reader will readily see the goals/content of theprayer seminar. There is information about the cost since that is of concern to any church/group considering a seminar. Amaz [...]

Great-grandchildren

Gordon

When our first grandson arrived, Sue and I were thrilled. Now we have seven grandchildren. I have often said that if I had known how wonderful grandchildren were that I would have had them before the children! Now that Sue and I are in our seventies, we feel even more strongly about the great-grandchildren. We have the privilege of having Maggie Pribble with us several days a week. She is a delight and her vocabulary is increasing daily. It is fun keeping up with a twenty-five month old who [...]

Psalm 1

Gordon

During the month of June, my Bible readings are from the Psalms. The Bible reading plan that I follow is laid out in the June Reflector in the prayer calendar. All types of human emotions are reflected in the psalms. A person learns what to do when trouble comes, as it invariably will. The truly happy ("blessed") person is one who meditates on the Word of God. Two ways of living are given in Psalm 1. When a person gets in step with the wise man, he is on his road to true happiness.

2008--Five months history

Gordon

Time and tide wait for no man. That is an old saying that is 100% true. When I was a child, I heard my elders discuss how quickly time moved in their lives. I wondered about that perception and now understand it. It seems impossible that we have used up five of the twelve months of 2008. I can remember getting started in a new century with a prayer seminar at Shenadoah Boptist Church, Stephens City VA, a congregation I had the privilege of serving as founding pastor. It seemed strange to leave m [...]

Rwanda on my mind

Gordon

Martin and Andrew left Kenya yesterday for Rwanda to conduct a series of prayer seminars. Among the one million killed in the genocide that took place in Rwanda were many spiritual leaders. Consequently, we know that the prayer seminars will made a difference in the churches just now. I am praying for traveling safety for Martin and Andrew, for protection as they ministered, and for the power of the Holy Spirit to rest upon them as they teach. I am praying for their families while they are on [...]

Watch and pray

Gordon

Watch and pray. Any work that we do for the Lord succeeds because of His hand working in us (Philippians 2:12-13). Therefore we must dedicate to Him the work that we do for His glory. Otherwise, we may become proud and the work will then become an idol that takes God’s rightful place in our lives and ministry (Deuteronomy 8:11-20). To watch and pray means trusting God while at the same time being alert to what the enemy is doing. It is the way to be ready for Christ&rsqu [...]

Reflector day

Gordon

Today most of our time has been given to labeling the June Reflector, inserting response envelopes for the use of our Doorkeepers, and mailing. When I started the Reflector fifty-four years ago, I was blessed in preparing each issue. This has not changed. I've tried to include articles that are both inspirational and informative. The June issue has the theme of the place of the Word of God and prayer in the lives of believers--two basics. Now, as the paper wends its way into homes across Ame [...]

Great increase

Gordon

When I began the prayer seminar ministry twenty-eight years ago, I was a voice crying in the wilderness as far as teaching about prayer was concerned. Actually, I knew of only one person in the U. S. conducting prayer seminars. Many of the seminars utilized a video-tape approach. For a live seminar, a minimum number was required. There was a registration fee. Now, to my knowledge, there are many prayer seminar movements around the world. In fact, many have been birthed by our own prayer seminar. [...]

Only eternity will reveal

Gordon

During our recent meeting of the JGHM Board of Directors, one of the directors said that only etermity will reveal the lives/churches that have been impacted by the prayer seminar ministry. When I began to envision a ministry that would go to churches/groups and teach for six hours the fundamentals of prayer and the Spirit-filled life, Sue and I were aware we could not do it ourselves. We begin to ask God to touch hearts of those He wanted to stand with us and He has faithfully answered our pray [...]

Praying together

Gordon

One of the "traditions" that has become part of our quarterly meeting of the JGHM Board of Directors is the prayer time--which is how meetings are closed. After sharing concerns, the board members come into agreement (which is discernable) and begin to pray. My own heart is touched and encouraged each time. Our late pastor, Don Edwards, said that for him the board meetings were a spiritual highlight and a time of revival. It is good, also, to be back home after a hard day of travel. Su [...]

Murfreesboro Tennessee

Gordon

Today Sue and I are in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, for our quarterly board meeting. Murfreesboro is at the mid-point (north-south, east-west) of Tennessee. A large university sets near the mid-point marker--Middle Tennessee State University. The city has grown by leaps and bounds. Headlines in the local paper today is that population has now exceeded 100,000. In the county, there is 210,000. When we moved here from the New York City area, the population of the county was 80,000. One would think he [...]