Choosing the Old Paths

I have found the zone. It's the orange chair in the corner at starbucks with my carmel frap. on the little table. I have so enjoyed my time in Baytown, TX. God has been doing great things! Our hotel is right across the road from Starbucks and I have found myself slipping out to let the family sleep and coming over here to work on things, finish up sermon notes, actually write on my blog and dream a little. God has worked on me so much the past 2 weeks.

He has reminded me that his plans are so much bigger than what I can see. But, if I am not walking with him daily I may miss what he is wanting to show me. I've heard men quote the scripture in blogs and sermons on  Jeremiah 6:¹⁶Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. There is lot's to be said on this scripture but this morning for me a 1000 memories rush through my mind of my heritage. 

The paths that have been walked before me. I am asking for the old paths this morning. So, let me tell you what paths I've seen. I can remember as a child singing a song in church "I can't even walk without you holding my hand." I dont remember every word of that song and you don't want me to sing it. But, what I do remember is my great grandmother requesting for me to sing that song a lot. There was a mentality not only in her but her generation that they couldnt make it on their own they truly were depending on him. I ask this morning that God would give us the old paths. Our generation has found it easier to try to make it on our on at times and I fear we miss so much of what God wants to do.

God blessed me with awesome grandparents. They are just PaPa and Granny to me. They are both preachers and have been involved in ministry a long time. They are Christians and they give of themselves unselfishly. They have invested so much in our family. There is so much I could tell you about them. But, the one thing on my mind today is I've never seen them looking for an easier way to serve the Lord or let me rephrase that I've never seen how little they could get away with and serve the Lord. 

Deuteronomy 4: ²⁹But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

I am stirred this morning as faces run through my mind that are thinking less is more. My Granny Jackson has told me for years "I'd rather make Heaven by a mile, than miss it by an inch." Why would walk away from the old paths of Holiness and Righteousness just because culture's road is wider. I find that old path is a little more narrow and fewer will walk down it. I believe programs will change, our methods will change but principles don't change and morals don't change. You've got to decide what road you are walking down. I am living in seemingly a different world than my grandparents did when they were 27. I dress a little different, i have more gadgets than they did, my world is a little busier, but God don't let me walk down a different road just because it may be easier. I don't want to miss what God has done for them in my life because I found an easier road. I could go on here, but you get it.

My Parents. Wow. I love them to death. It's possible I turned out like I am because they are both PK's.  Ha. I am who I am because of them. They believed in me even when I failed. They loved me even in my mistakes. They have celebrated with me when I succeeded. They loved me the same day in and day out. I am thankful for great parents. My Dad and Mom have blessed me so much and invested in me and my family SOOOOO much. My parents have shown me the power of faithfulness. I was raised in a loving home, they were faithful. I was raised in church, because they were faithful. I was shown an example of a great marriage, because they were faithful. I could go on, but I am pondering the old paths in my life today. We can't settle for less or we will experience less.

What a great example of ministry I have had in my life. John Vanderford, Horace Jackson, Stan Gleason, Tim Sanders, Terry Black, Jimmy Droke, Jack Yonts Jr., Dan Sharp, Tim Greene and Rick Craft. Those are just a few of the men that have invested in my ministry. I have seen them over the years the road they've walked down. I've seen the anointing of God working in their lives, the power of God in their ministry and the revival God has given each of them. I certainly don't have time to tell you of things in each of their life. But, I will tell you of some common threads that these differnt men have in common. Prayer isn't an extra. Prayer isn't something done for show or for others to hear you. Their greatest prayers were not prayed with the multitude. Prayer wasn't just a scheduled event in their day. But, it was their life. I don't want a new way about prayer I want it to be my life. 

Vision, without people perish. The men of influence in my ministry have had vision. Vision for the lost, their church, youth groups and me. They see beyond the natural and God opened their eyes to more. Churches dry up and die without vision, ministries have no vision without their vision, and revival is not possible without vision.

Sacrifice, is continual. If one thing is coming back to me time and time again from these men is the word sacrifice. I can't go in to details. But, it takes sacrifice to see anything greater in God. It requires something on our behalf. I can't name my own sacrifice but God takes me to a place of sacrifice.

I need to wrap it up, laptop battery is coming to an end. So, let me sum up all my ramblings with this. "Less is NOT MORE." If we as a generation want to see GREAT things in God, it will require walking down the old paths. We will not see it by letting our lives be influenced by men of talent or ability alone, we will not get there with just some new modern concept or idea. We will not see greater things by walking down a wider road.