An Appreciative Heart My Testimony of God's Faithfulness

When people ask me how I am doing, I usually smile and say, "The Lord has been good to me. I am blessed."

Some may wonder how I can say that after all the health problems I have faced. The answer is simple. I learned many years ago that if I spend my time counting my problems, I will become discouraged. But if I spend my time counting my blessings, my heart fills with gratitude.

For more than fifteen years, I have made it a daily habit to begin my day with an appreciative heart. Before I think about the doctor's appointments, the medications, or the aches and pains, I stop and thank the Lord.

I thank Him for another sunrise.

I thank Him for another opportunity to serve Him.

I thank Him for another day with my wife and family.

I thank Him for fifty-eight years of ministry that He has entrusted to me.

I thank Him because He has never failed me.

Looking back over my life, I can see the hand of God in every chapter.

In August of 1967, as a young man, I surrendered my life to the call of God. I had no idea where that journey would lead. I knew that if the Lord wanted me, I was willing to go.

Since that day, He has allowed me to serve as a missionary, evangelist, Bible teacher, pastor, songwriter, educator, and writer. He gave me the privilege of spending thirty-eight years in education, helping young people prepare not only for careers but for life itself. He opened doors for me to preach His Word to countless congregations.

For more than four decades, He has allowed me to pastor Sugar Plain Friends Church. Every sermon preached, every hospital visit, every funeral, every wedding, every revival meeting, and every soul who came to Christ has been another reminder that God uses ordinary people who make themselves available.

I deserve none of the credit.

God deserves all of the glory.

Along the way, He blessed me with a wonderful wife, children, grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren. They have become one of the greatest pieces of evidence of God's goodness in my life.

Has life been easy?

Not at all.

Like everyone else, I have walked through valleys.

There have been disappointments, burdens, and unanswered questions. There have been nights when I prayed for direction and days when I wondered what tomorrow would bring.

Then came the health problems.

Diabetes slowly took its toll. Eventually, I lost two toes and much of the feeling in my feet. There were times when walking became difficult.

Then my kidneys began to fail.

When I was told my kidney function had declined to Stage 5, I knew what that could mean. Dialysis was becoming a real possibility. Yet through careful treatment and God's mercy, my kidneys improved enough to return to Stage 4. I still have kidney disease, but I also have hope because every day I continue without dialysis is another gift from God.

More recently, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. The tremors remind me every day that my body is changing. There are things I once did without thinking that now require patience.

I have congestive heart failure.

I have arthritis.

I have undergone hip replacement surgery.

There are mornings when my body reminds me that I am no longer a young man.

Yet my heart reminds me that my God has not changed.

The older I become, the more precious the promises of Scripture become.

Isaiah wrote:

"Even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you." (Isaiah 46:4, KJV)

That verse is no longer just something I preach.

It has become something I live.

People sometimes ask if I am afraid.

The truth is, I am not.

I do not spend my days worrying about how much longer I have to live.

I spend my days thanking God that I have lived.

I thank Him that I can still preach.

I thank Him that I can still write.

I thank Him that I can still sing.

I thank Him that I can still encourage someone who may be carrying a burden much heavier than my own.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18, KJV)

Notice he did not say, "Give thanks when life is easy."

He said, "In every thing."

That has become one of the guiding principles of my life.

The Lord has taught me something over these years.

An appreciative heart does not deny reality.

It simply chooses to see God's faithfulness amid reality.

It does not ignore pain.

It simply refuses to let pain exceed God's grace.

I have also discovered something else.

When I preach on Sunday morning, the people in the pews are watching far more than they are listening.

They want to know whether the faith I have preached for nearly six decades is strong enough to carry me through my own trials.

By God's grace, I can honestly tell them that it is.

The same Lord who saved me as a young man has never left me.

The same Lord who called me into the ministry has never abandoned me.

The same Lord who carried me through every burden has never once failed to keep His promises.

As I look toward retirement from the pastorate, I do not see the end of my ministry.

I see another chapter that God is writing.

There are still sermons to preach.

There are still books to write.

There are still songs to sing.

There are still souls to point toward Jesus Christ.

One day, my body will finally wear out.

That does not trouble me.

This old body has served me well for seventy-eight years, but it was never intended to last forever.

The day is coming when faith will become sight.

The tremors will cease.

The heart will never fail again.

The kidneys will no longer struggle.

There will be no more pain, no more tears, and no more death.

Until that glorious day arrives, I have made my decision.

I will not spend my remaining years complaining about what I have lost.

I will spend them thanking God for what He has given me.

If you are reading this while carrying your own burden of sickness, loneliness, grief, or disappointment, let me encourage you to begin where I begin each morning.

Take a few moments to thank the Lord.

Count your blessings before you count your burdens.

You may discover what I have learned over the past fifteen years.

An appreciative heart will not remove every trial, but it will remind you that God's faithfulness is greater than every trial you will ever face.

The Lord has been faithful to me for fifty-eight years of ministry.

I have every confidence He will remain faithful until He calls me home.

"And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long." (Psalm 35:28, KJV)

When the Earth Trembles, Let Our Hearts Be Moved

 Over the past several days, I have read about earthquakes that have brought death, destruction, and heartbreak to families across the world. Every headline tells of another home reduced to rubble, another child searching for a parent, another husband or wife grieving the loss of someone they dearly loved.

As I read these reports, my heart is moved with compassion.

Like many of you, I am not in a position to travel across the ocean to help clear away the debris. I cannot personally rebuild a home or restore what has been lost. I may not be able to donate much to relief organizations.

But there is something every child of God can do.

We can pray.

The Bible tells us,

"Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ."

Galatians 6:2 (KJV)

Sometimes bearing another person's burden means rolling up our sleeves and going to work. At other times, it means falling on our knees before Almighty God and crying out for His mercy and comfort.

Today, there are thousands of hurting souls who need our prayers.

Some have lost husbands and wives.

Some have buried children.

Others have no home to return to.

Many are sitting in shelters, wondering how they will face tomorrow.

While we may never know their names, God knows every one of them.

David wrote,

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit."

Psalm 34:18 (KJV)

What a comfort those words are.

When the earth beneath your feet begins to shake, it can seem as though everything you depended upon has disappeared. Buildings fall. Roads crack. Possessions vanish in a matter of seconds.

But there is one Rock that never moves.

The Lord Jesus Christ remains the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The psalmist declared,

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed..."

Psalm 46:1-2 (KJV)

Notice those words: "a very present help."

Not a distant help.

Not a forgotten help.

A present help.

God is present in the hospital room.

He is present beside the pile of broken stones that was once a family home.

He is present beside those who weep over fresh graves.

He is present when the long night seems too dark to endure.

To those who have suffered because of these earthquakes, please know that many believers around the world are praying for you. We may never meet you on this side of eternity, but our hearts are joined with yours in your sorrow.

We pray that God will give you strength when your own strength has failed.

We pray He will surround you with people who will help carry your burdens.

We pray He will provide food for the hungry, shelter for the homeless, healing for the injured, and peace for the brokenhearted.

Most of all, we pray that in this hour of suffering you will discover the comfort that only Christ can give.

Paul reminds us,

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation..."

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (KJV)

The God who comforts His children has not changed.

He still hears every prayer.

He still sees every tear.

He still knows every broken heart.

A Country Preacher's Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Today I lift before You every family affected by these earthquakes. Comfort those who mourn. Strengthen those who are weary. Protect the rescue workers searching for survivors. Provide for those who have lost everything they owned.

Wrap Your everlasting arms around those whose hearts have been shattered by grief. May they know that even in the darkest valley, You have not abandoned them.

Raise compassionate people to help meet their needs, and remind all of us that we are called to bear one another's burdens. Give us hearts that are quick to pray, quick to love, and quick to show mercy.

May many find hope in Jesus Christ, the only sure foundation that cannot be shaken.

For it is in His precious name we pray.

Amen.

May we never become so busy with our own lives that we fail to notice the suffering of others. We may not be able to remove every burden, but we can help carry it through our prayers, our compassion, and our love.

When the earth trembles, let the people of God stand firm—not only in faith, but in compassion.

Why I Believe Turkey Cannot Be Ignored in Bible Prophecy

Over the years I have listened to many prophecy conferences, read numerous books, and heard many sermons concerning the last days. Most modern evangelical prophecy teachers have focused their attention on Russia, a revived Roman Empire, or Western Europe as the major players in the events surrounding the return of Christ.

While I understand their reasoning, I have come to a different conclusion.

This is simply my opinion after many years of studying the Scriptures.

I believe modern-day Turkey cannot be excluded from end-time prophecy.

I am not saying every prophecy teacher is wrong. Nor am I claiming to have all the answers. Bible prophecy should always be studied with humility because there are passages sincere believers understand differently.

However, I believe there are biblical reasons why Turkey deserves much more attention than it often receives.

The Seven Churches Were All Located in Modern Turkey

When Jesus Christ gave His final message to the churches before revealing the prophetic events of Revelation, He did not address churches in Rome.

He did not write to churches in Russia.

He addressed seven churches located in what is today modern Turkey.

Ephesus.

Smyrna.

Pergamos.

Thyatira.

Sardis.

Philadelphia.

Laodicea.

That fact alone should cause us to pause.

The Lord could have chosen churches anywhere in the Roman Empire, yet every one of them was located in Asia Minor.

Some view these churches simply as first-century congregations. Others see them as also representing successive periods of church history. Whatever interpretation one adopts, the geographical setting remains significant.

The Seat of Satan

One statement in Revelation has always captured my attention.

Jesus said to the church at Pergamos,

"I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is..."
(Revelation 2:13 KJV)

There are different explanations for what "Satan's seat" refers to. Many scholars understand it as a reference to emperor worship or the great altar of Zeus that stood in Pergamos.

Those historical explanations deserve consideration.

Yet I cannot help but wonder whether there is also a broader prophetic significance to the region where these churches stood.

While Scripture does not explicitly state that Satan's throne remains there throughout history, I believe the passage reminds us that this region has long been a center of intense spiritual conflict.

Ezekiel 38 Deserves Careful Study

Another reason I believe Turkey should not be overlooked is Ezekiel 38.

The prophet identifies several ancient peoples who join the coalition against Israel, including Meshech, Tubal, Gomer, and the house of Togarmah.

"Gomer, and all his bands; the house of Togarmah of the north quarters, and all his bands: and many people with thee."
(Ezekiel 38:6 KJV)

Many historians and biblical geographers place these ancient peoples in regions corresponding largely to modern-day Turkey or Anatolia. Other interpreters identify some of these names differently, and there is ongoing discussion among evangelical scholars.

Because of those differing views, I believe it is wise not to dismiss Turkey's possible role too quickly.

A Nation at the Crossroads

Modern Turkey occupies one of the most strategic locations on earth.

It stands between Europe and Asia.

It borders the Middle East.

It has historical ties to both East and West.

It is a member of NATO, yet it also maintains relationships throughout the Muslim world.

Could such a nation play a significant role in future prophetic events?

I believe it is certainly possible.

Israel's Deliverance Will Come from God

Whatever nation eventually leads the final opposition against Israel, one truth is absolutely certain.

Israel's ultimate deliverance will not come from America.

It will not come from NATO.

It will not come from the United Nations.

It will come from the Lord Himself.

The prophet Zechariah declared,

"Then shall the LORD go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle."
(Zechariah 14:3 KJV)

That is the great hope of prophecy.

When every earthly ally fails...

When every military solution has been exhausted...

God Himself will intervene.

My Prayer

I realize many readers will disagree with my conclusions.

That is perfectly acceptable.

Faithful students of Scripture have differed on prophetic details for centuries.

My purpose is not to argue but to encourage believers to search the Scriptures carefully.

The Bereans were commended because,

"They received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
(Acts 17:11 KJV)

We should do the same.

A Country Preacher's Final Thought

Whether Turkey proves to be a central player in the last days or whether another interpretation is correct, the most important truth remains unchanged.

Bible prophecy was not given merely to satisfy our curiosity about future nations.

It was given to prepare our hearts for the return of Jesus Christ.

The signs remind us that this world is not our home.

Our citizenship is in heaven.

Our hope is not in any earthly government.

Our confidence is not in military alliances.

Our trust is in the King of kings and Lord of lords.

So while I continue to watch the nations, I am watching for Someone far greater than any nation.

I am watching for the return of my Savior.

"Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
(Revelation 22:20 KJV)