From Matriculation
to Graduation!

IT IS FINISHED...

May 17th marked perhaps the most remarkable milestone of my life as I graduated from the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary with my Doctor of Ministry Degree.

I have jokingly told friends that I am looking for a way to draw retirement on 30 years of school... I haven't figured out how just yet. While my formal academic pursuits are now over, obviously my learning is not! Learning is a lifelong pursuit. I've spent the past five years of my life studying the discipline of prayer.

I am so thankful for all those who helped me to this accomplishment. Here are the acknowledgements and dedication from the foreward of my doctoral project:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Dr. David Meacham, Dr. Reggie Ogea and Dr. Keith Manuel for serving
as faculty and field mentors on this project.

Thanks to Dr. Tim Clark, Dr. Dan Crawford,
Dr. John Franklin, and Rev. Rob Lee for serving
as mentor guides on this project.

Thanks to the NorthStar Family of Faith - my labor of love!
May you truly become a house of prayer.

To Stephanie, my Proverbs 31 wife! What a joy to partner with you in ministry,
in parenting, in life! Thank you for your faithful encouragement,
your gentle advice, and your constant love and support.
I love you!

To Hannah, Haley, and Heidi. In looking to me as "daddy", you have taught me
to better understand our Heavenly Father’s love.

To Wayne Ross and Billy Joe Kennedy,
two men who have embodied a lifestyle of prayer

To Mom, my greatest cheerleader and source of constant encouragement.

DEDICATION

To the Memory of William Arthur Hanberry:
Thank you for being a godly father, a mentor, and a friend.
Thank you for demonstrating the love of Christ,
for teaching me how to pray,
and for teaching me to love souls.

Our brothers conquered him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony ~Revelation 12:11

Embracing Accusation

Tonight I saw Shane & Shane in concert for the first time. I highly recommend their live show! It was a true worship experience. The "Shanes" (Barnard and Everett) led worship for Breakaway Ministries at Texas A & M and then began touring and recording.

The video below includes a song with a powerful message. Embracing Accusation is deeply rooted in the theology of the gospel. Christ took our sin and became accursed for us. Although the devil, who is the accuser of those who believe, will remind us of the curse, he only shares half the story! What is the rest of that story? JESUS SAVES!

The whole theme of the song is that the devil haunts and tanunts us with part of the gospel story... but leaves out the emphasis of Scripture that Christ saves.

The song is based on Galatians 3:10 where Paul quotes Deuteronomy 27:26:
“Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out.”

But Paul goes on to say in verse 13 that…
“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us”

The gospel offers great hope because the work of salvation is completed in the work of Christ.
We offer nothing to that work! We are saved by grace through faith in Him!

Don't let the enemy discourage you...if you are redeemed, don't embrace accusations!

Here are the lyrics to Embracing Accusations…

The father of lies
Coming to stealKill and destroy
All my hopes of being good enough
I hear him saying cursed are the ones
Who can’t abide
He’s right Alleluia he’s right!
The devil is preaching
The song of the redeemed
That I am cursed and gone astray
I cannot gain salvation
Embracing accusation
Could the father of lies
Be telling the truth
Of God to me tonight?
If the penalty of sin is death
Then death is mine
I hear him saying cursed are the ones
Who can’t abide
He’s right
Alleluia he’s right!
Oh the devil’s singing over me
An age old song
That I am cursed and gone astray
Singing the first verse so conveniently
He’s forgotten the refrain
Jesus saves!

SAYING "FAREWELL FOR NOW" TO MAMAW

This past week I took an emotional journey home with my wife and kids. We went back to Hattiesburg, Mississippi upon the death of my 94-year-old grandmother, Gladys Hanberry. (Mamaw)

Over the next few days, I'd like to share some things from her life! She was simply AMAZING!

SUMRALL - Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Hulett-Winstead Funeral Home in Sumrall for Gladys Herrin Hanberry, 94, of Sumrall, who died May 5, 2008, at Forrest General Hospital. Burial will be in Oral Cemetery. Mrs. Hanberry was a homemaker and member of First Baptist Church of Sumrall. She was preceded in death by her husband, James Hanberry; a son, Billy Hanberry; and two grandchildren. Survivors include two sons, Robert Hanberry and Jerry Hanberry, both of Sumrall; three daughters, Elizabeth Ross of Wiggins, Nadine McManus and Joan Terrell, both of Sumrall; two sisters, Inez Aultman of Sumrall and Ruth Herring of Gulfport; 13 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Sumrall building fund, First Baptist Church of Hattiesburg building fund, Temple Baptist Church, Bellevue Baptist Church of Hattiesburg or Big Level Baptist Church of Wiggins. Visitation will be from 5:30-9 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

EXPELLED:No Intelligence Allowed


Watch this trailer...SEE THIS MOVIE!

Insightful Interview...

ENGAGING CULTURE...INTELLIGENTLY!

I had the opportunity to see Ben Stein's new documentary Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed last night. In the next few days I will add a review of the movie, but for now here are a couple of thoughts:

1) This is a great opportunity for you to begin dialog with your friends and neighbors about your faith. The movie opens the door for conversation about the origin of life and the empty explanations offered by darwinian scientiests about beginnings!

2)This is a great opportunity for churches to engage their community. I would love for our church to rent out a theater and offer free tickets to all of the science teachers in our county's school district.

3) The film had a wonderfully successful opening weekend with a VERY limited opening. Many theaters were reluctant (even opposed) to showing this movie. Public outcry (measured best by TICKET SALES) is the best way to convince other theaters to join in. But word of mouth can also help spread influence. Here’s what you can do right now to ensure that hundreds of additional theaters not only show the film, but keep it running for several weeks:

Call or go to your local movie theater and ask the manager to show the film. If you are not sure where/who to call in your area, then use this toll-free number in the U.S. and someone will share that local information with you: 800-705-0485.

Go to your church leadership and encourage them to buy out a local theater so that Expelled could be shown there—and then make sure as many people from that church attend as possible.
Send the following email link about the film to your email contact list:

http://www.answersingenesis.org/link.asp?http://www.expelledthemovie.com/playground.php

You can print out Expelled flyers (http://www.expelledthemovie.com/freedownloads.php) and then pass them out.

These actions are key to a successful promotion of this heroic film, especially since a backlash is already building against it by the evolutionist community.

We also encourage you to spend time browsing the interactive Expelled website: http://www.answersingenesis.org/link.asp?http://www.ExpelledTheMovie.com.

RUNNING FROM GOODNESS & MERCY

This is the final blog entry regarding Psalm 23...

David has given us thoughts about how God relates to His own as a shepherd. David has sat on the hillsides...given the flock protection, direction, comfort, rest, and provision for their every need.

David recognizes that all of those things are easily seen in his relationship to God as well! God, the GREAT SHEPHERD, leads, guides, protects, nurtures, and loves His flock.

And so we come to the final line of what is now perhaps the most "Famous" Psalm.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life...

THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY GOODNESS AND MERCY!

FOLLOWED... It seems serene and peaceful. The goodness and mercy of God tagging along behind. For most of my life I read those words and pictured images of Andy and Opie strolling along, heading down to the fishin' hole with cane poles in tow. The daydream also included a little lop-eared beagle trailing along and bringing up the rear. NOT SO!!!

David chose his words carefully...the word "follow" in Psalm 23:6 is best translated "pursue". It expresses a cheetah giving chase to its next meal. It is the word for the advancing Israelite army giving chase to the fleeing Phillistines.

Quite literally, the Bible is saying to us that God's goodness and mercy are hunting us down! His goodness and mercy are chasing/pursuing/stalking.

God also uses the Psalmist to tell us to "BE STILL and KNOW that I am God".

Link those thoughts:

God's love and mercy and goodness and grace are giving chase. If we will be still, they will catch up. God is pursuing a love relationship with you and with me. He wants to bless us. He wants to lavish His goodness upon us, and if we still ourselves they will overtake us.

Rev. S.M. Lockridge called "goodness" and "mercy" the shepherd's watchdogs...always in pursuit. I like that. This loving, benevolent, gracious, shepherding God is looking for ways to pursue us with His goodness and mercy. Stop Running Away Today!!!

FACEBOOK...FINALLY

I finally entered the world of facebook. What is facebook, you ask? It is a social networking website...This free site allows people to connect by job or industry, schools, location, interests, etc...(Check out more info HERE)I have heard friends talk about this for a while (actually, I've heard the youth at my church talk about it) I didn't understand it or necessarily want to try it, but I took the plunge today.

Already over 30 friends in the first 4 hours! That is somewhat gratifying. I shutter to think of my emotional state if NO one had agreed to be my facebook friend. I've reconnected with people that I haven't spoken with in years; I've connected with people who share similar interests; and I have found a medium for sharing information rapidly. You should try it!!! Seems fun enough. Yet, I get a sneaking suspicion that this could become a huge time-waster. we'll see! :-)

MY CUP RUNS OVER
God’s blessings are always available in abundance. When the “LORD is my shepherd,” “my cup runs over” is a natural result. Blessings overflow from God, who blesses lavishly! We do not have to wait until we get to heaven to experience God’s banquet house. His overflowing grace is something we experience as Christians in this life. Jesus said, “I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10b). That is a cup running over with God’s grace. He does not just give us the gift of eternal life when we first believed, but He keeps on giving eternal life. Eugene Peterson, in the Message, translates that verse as "real and eternal life...more and better life than they ever dreamed of!" The life He gives us is abundant, in surplus, overflowing! Jesus gives us Himself (John 14:6). He is this abundant life. It is God’s kind of life. “My cup overflows,” means it is not just full; it is “running over,’ filled to the brim and overflowing. God’s saving and sustaining grace is always like that. His grace is always in fullness, abundance and all-sufficiency. Today, recognize the abundance of God's blessing. He is available to you even now as you cry out to Him by faith

DANGER, DANGER, DANGER!

We must be so careful to know the truth, to teach the truth, to live the truth. Wave after wave of relativism pushes against absolute truth.

So much of today's TV programming is poison...watch TV at your own risk!

GOD PROVIDES!

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

Sitting down to a meal shows the confident and serene attitude of those lead by this Shepherd. Even in the face of extreme opposition, the Psalmist conveys how God's gracious provision overshadows the enemy's threat!

In 1735 John Wesley was on board a ship on his way to Georgia in the American Colonies when a violent storm came up suddenly. During the storm, the main mast of the ship broke, and passengers began to cry out in fear. Wesley, who had been afraid of dying since his youth, could not help but notice the calm assurance of a group of Moravian Brethren. In the face of what seemed to be impending doom, the Moravians were calmly singing hymns and praying. Wesley at that moment in his life was like so many of us, though we many times refuse to acknowledge it. He was trusting his own religious "experience" and efforts. The Moravians were trusting Jesus Christ solely. After that near death experience in the Atlantic, Wesley sought out the Moravians to find their secret. He found that their secret was not a "secret," but a Person. He realized that he was not only saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone; he was kept by faith in Jesus Christ alone. The rest of his life, instead of trying to prepare his own table, he allowed Jesus to "prepare a table before him."

KNOW THE SHEPHERD…KNOW NO FEAR

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

What an incredible scene. The day is ending and the shepherd is leading the sheep back to safety for the evening. As they go down through a narrow gorge the long shadows lie across the trail. In the Hebrew this is a "valley of deep shadows". The sheep, because they are so timid and defenseless, are frightened by their experience. But they trust the shepherd, and sense comfort. Their fears melt because the shepherd is with them.

Similar words are found in the New Testament -- "I will never leave you nor forsake you," (Hebrews13:5). Hence we can also say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear what man can do to me," (Hebrews13:6).
Have you ever felt scared? Alone? Abandoned? The circumstances of life can so often make us feel this way, but the truth of God’s Word is that He will not leave, He will not forsake. What comfort. His presence means that we also have His protection.

The Psalm goes on to say, "Your rod and staff comfort me." The rod was a club used to drive off wild animals. It was never used on the sheep but was a heavy instrument used to protect the sheep from marauding predators. The staff was a slender pole with a little crook on the end. It was used to aid the sheep. The crook could be hooked around the leg of a sheep to pull him from harm. Or it could be used as an instrument to direct, and occasionally to discipline the sheep, with taps on the side of the body.

One commentator that I ready said it this way: Understanding how the shepherd tends his sheep has helped me so much in understanding the character of God. When I go wandering away he doesn't say, "There goes that stupid sheep!” and -- WHAP! down comes that big club! No. His attitude is, "Well, there's one of my very own, wandering away again. How can I help him? How can I move in to bring him back into line? How can I comfort him, and supply what he needs?" He may have to discipline, but he always does it in love. He reproves, corrects, encourages, and instructs in righteousness, dealing with us firmly and gently.

The rod and staff are also used against the two greatest enemies we have to face. The rod is for the enemy without, Satan, who is working through the world system to destroy us. Jesus said, "He is a liar and a murderer." He's out to devour us, and so the Lord uses the club on him. But the other enemy is me, the enemy within. In the immortal words of Pogo, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." I know that. The shepherd's staff is used to chasten, and to subdue the enemy within. But the confidence he gives is that I have nothing to fear, either from the enemy without, or from the enemy within.

PSALM 23

HE KNOWS MY NAME

As I continue sharing thoughts about the 23rd Psalm, I don't want to lose sight of the fact that the entire passage is couched in the relationship of shepherd and sheep. It's easy to pick the Psalm apart and look at various facets like comfort, guidance, provision...but the focus is, AND SHOULD BE, on the Shepherd! He is the Good Shepherd. He is powerful, benevolent, gracious, and wise. And the wonder of wonders is that He cares for His sheep. He knows them, He calls them by name.

Several years ago, Tommy Walker wrote a great song that celebrates the intimacy of a relationship with God. I thought that today I would share the lyrics of that song.

"Before I formed you...I knew you! Jeremiah 1:5

"HE KNOWS MY NAME"
Words and Music by Tommy Walker© 1996 Doulos Publishing

I have a Maker
He formed my heart
Before even time began
My life was in his hands

Chorus
He knows my name
He knows my every thought
He sees each tear that falls
and He hears me when I call

I have a Father
He calls me His own
He'll never leave me
No matter where I go

HE LEADETH ME, O BLESSED THOUGHT!

"He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake." Psalm 23:3

The word used for “paths” refers to a “well-defined and well-worn trail.” This is one more bit of evidence about how stupid sheep really are. Even when the path is perfectly clear, sheep will still stray. Since the shepherd knows the trails, he can guide them in the best way. God guides us for His sake, not for ours. His reputation is at stake. His character is on display. His name is Yahweh and He will accomplish His purposes and lead us on proper paths.

Without the guidance of a shepherd:

Sheep will wander! They'll wander into peril. I know this from experience! I am prone to wander...Sometimes it's because of my a.d.d. (things catch my eye and I'm off to the races in exploration) Sheep are often oblivious to the danger of uneven ground or of predators and so are we. We see "greener grass" and lose sight of what dangers are around us. That's the way temptations work.

Sheep will settle! They'll stop for brown, crusty chaff. They'll devour husks with no nutrients. Sheep will drink from stagnant, polluted pools. But thanks to the wisdom care and knowledge of the Shepherd, the sheep are led past stubble and polluted waters, and even past some pretty tempting oases, until they reach the grassy meadows. So also God our Shepherd will lead us in paths of righteousness. We too are called upon to walk right by paths that obviously lead to destruction and even some paths that seem on the surface to lead to happiness. But we follow the Shepherd because we know his kind disposition and his wisdom.

Sheep will perish! In Verses 1-3, the sheep are in sunshine, but we see a movement into the shadows. Without the contentment, nourishment, restoration and guidance of the shepherd, the sheep will die!

It is to the honour of our great Shepherd that we should be a holy people,
walking in the narrow way of righteousness. (Spurgeon)

RESTORATION

I have several friends that are into "restoration". Cars, houses, and furniture mainly. I am intrigued by their attention to detail, but more than that, I am fascinated at their vision. They see what can be in what is. I look and see a hunk of rusting metal. They look and see potential. They see a Sunday drive in an antique beauty.

The Psalmist said of God, "He restores my soul." John Piper says that this could mean either he returns our soul from erring in sin or he refreshes our soul when we are dry and lifeless. The same phrase occurs in Lamentations 1:16, which says, "My eye, my eye runs down with water because far from me is a comforter, one who restores my soul." The idea of comfort also occurs here in Psalm 23:4, "Your rod and staff comfort me." So I think we should probably think of soul refreshment here instead of moral correction. In either case...restoration is the work of a loving shepherd. He guides and He guards. He leads and He loves. He strengthens and He satisfies. More than all of this, He sees what can be. He looks at our tired, sinful, dry, depleted souls and loves us with a restoring love. He loves you where you are, but He loves you too much to leave you there. Perhaps on another occasion, I'll talk about the process of restoration. It can be painful... sandblasting rusty spots or stripping away old paint and varnish.

Today, relish the wonder of these simple words, "He restores my soul"!

“He leads me beside the still/quiet waters”

I love water! I love to swim, ski, fish, splash, boat (you get the picture. I have lived most of my life near waters… Near the Gulf of Mexico…By Pickwick Lake in Tennessee…In the river city of New Orleans…by the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene… and now near the mighty Mississippi as it rolls past Memphis. I have spend many days beside the waters.

I love the ocean. There is something intriguing about lapping waves, roaring and foaming and crashing.

I love rivers. On occasion, I go watch the waters roll down the banks of the Mississippi. Swiftly moving…not still water at all! There is something mesmerizing about the steady flow.

I love the glassy appearance of a lake or pond! There is something so peaceful and surreal about the deep waters, the still waters.

For the sheep in the Psalm, rushing water is frightening. Still water is important. Nervous and frightened by the rush of a river, sheep would become agitated and restless. A good shepherd knew this. A good shepherd finds still waters because he loves his sheep.
In His presence, there is calmness and quiet. Jesus loves us and knows that we need the security and serenity of the still water. He wants to lead us beside quiet, still waters...

BUT I DON'T WANT TO LIE DOWN!!!

"He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside the still waters".

In the hustle and bustle of my life, very rarely am I still. Activity for God is a cheap and easy substitute for intimacy with God! I fill my daytimer with appointments that keep me from slowing and experiencing time alone with the Master. Yet He knows my need for rest, for solace, for replenishment.

Shepherd boy, David wrote from first hand experience when he expressed thoughts on God's leading to green pastures and by still waters. The wise shepherd knows that nervous, anxious sheep need aggressive care and leadership. David declares, "He MAKES ME lie down". Why does He MAKE us lie down? I am convinced that it's because we don't want to.


David knew other terrain than green pastures and still waters. He knew parched land and turbulent storms. Of those times he said:

●"How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? For ever?" (Psalms 13:1)
●"Hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble." (Psalms 69:17)
●"My soul thirsteth for thee...in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is." (Psalms 63:1)
●"My heart is smitten, and withered like grass." (Psalms 102:4)


And so David's discoveries in the twenty-third Psalm were incredible! He exchanged a thirsty land and withered grass for green pastures. He was no longer a lost sheep for he found the Shepherd. His thirsty soul was restored. The Shepherd granted him a miracle beside the still waters.


Jesus is the Great Shepherd and He knows what you need. He will quiet your soul and will lead you to a place of peace.

He is all I want!

A Child was asked to quote the 23rd Psalm for her Sunday School Teacher, and with great confidence began by saying, "The Lord is my shepherd, He is all I want". While misquoting the verse, she nailed the theology.

When the Psalmist said, I SHALL NOT WANT, he was establishing another beautiful benefit of belonging to the Shepherd.

Namely, The Shepherd assures me!

When you establish the relationship of Shepherd and sheep, you have all that you need. Two dynamics come into play.

1) CONFIDENCE - When I live my life in light of the fact that I have a shepherd, and not just any shepherd, but Jesus Himself, I walk in confidence. A quiet assurance of protection, leadership, and grace rises in my life. I lack nothing, I have no want. He has my best interest at heart all of the time. That means that anything that I might need, He supplies. This assurance of provision leads to another wonderful dynamic:

2) CONTENTMENT - When I realize that He is my shepherd, I realize also that I can live in total peace recognizing that all I need is already mine. I don't wrestle with petty lusts and desires for more and more. I am content because I am satisfied with Him.

I challenge you, as a follower, to walk confidently and with contentment with the ASSURANCE of the shepherd's provision.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD, HE IS ALL THAT I WANT!

WE HAVE A SHEPHERD

Yesterday, I faced one of the most difficult tasks of my life. I shared my resignation with the church plant that we have nurtured for over four years. The only analogy I can offer for the planting process is that this is the closest a man comes to birthing a child. NorthStar is my baby . . . I nurtured it, loved it and have watched it grow.

As I stood to preach yesterday, I recognized the need to focus our faith family on their relationship to Christ. I was led to Psalm 23. Regardless of who serves the office of pastor (undershepherd) of the church, Jesus is the Good Shepherd! I shared benefits of belonging to the shepherd. Over the next several days, I want to share those benefits here.

~~~~
Savior, like a shepherd lead us,
much we need thy tender care;
in thy pleasant pastures feed us,
for our use thy folds prepare.
Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, thine we
are. Blessed Jesus, blessed Jesus!
Thou hast bought us, thine we are.
~~~~

Benefit # 1

The Shepherd KNOWS me!

The text says, "The Lord is my shepherd..."

The Lord (Yahweh), the God of the universe, the creator, sustainer of all things...
He is MY shepherd. There is an intimacy, a personal relationship. I know Him and He knows me. Lots of people ask, “Do you know Jesus?” A better question is “Does Jesus know you?” Matthew 7:23 describes a time when Christ will say to many, Depart from me, I never KNEW you. It is important to be known by the Good Shepherd.

The Good Shepherd knows His sheep and cares for them. More about His care later. For now, soak up this thought that you can say, "The Lord is MY shepherd". Not just "A" shepherd, but "MY" shepherd.

David spoke of God's knowledge of his life in Psalm 139:1-4.

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my
going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.