Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalms 1:1-2, ESV

A little over five years ago, I turned in my "5 year notice" to the church of Christ in Happy, Texas. This 5 year notice has been the subject of more than a little laughter whenever I told people what I was planning because, quite frankly, most preachers do not stay in one place for more than 3 or 4 years. In my particular situation, I had already been preaching in Happy for nearly 22 years. Why did I stay so long?

There were two big reasons: First, I love Happy and I love the church of Christ in this community. For me it has been a dream job and I have loved being here every since Carolyn and I arrived with our three children in October of 1995. The second reason is even more important, at least in my mind: The people at this small congregation in Happy (We average about 75 in attendance on Sunday mornings) were just too polite to ask me to leave. If you have ever had a house guest that just wouldn't go home because you were too hospitable to suggest their doing so, you will understand.

So, if I loved the job so much, why would I leave? The answer is quite simple: It was time! The church needed a fresh message from their preacher and I believe we have found a man capable of doing just that. He and his wife love the Lord and I believe they will be a great source of encouragement to the body of Christ here in our community for many years to come. I know that the church and the community will be a great source of encouragement to their family and I am excited for the good things that I am confident will result from this change.

And nearly as important to me, I wanted to have the time to write daily articles that would hopefully encourage people in a positive way to get more serious about their service to God and to Christ. I knew that if people could be motivated to read the Bible on a daily basis, that it would change their lives. And, if the individual's life became what God desired, this more serious devotion would have the potential to change the direction of their family. And, if enough families became more committed to Christ, this would change the direction of the church, something which I believe is desperately needed during our modern times. Finally, I was firmly convinced that if the church became more of a body of loving Christians that God has always intended for them to be that it would have the potential to change the direction of this nation.

And, this nation needs a change of direction before it becomes completely overwhelmed by the influence of Satan which it is engulfed in today.

So, I hope that you will join me in this endeavor. I love the encouraging message of the Bible and I am firmly convinced that it will change people's lives if they will only embrace it. I am committed to this task for as long as the Lord permits me to do so, and I hope that you will join me in this effort. You can help by liking and sharing any articles that help you and that you feel might be beneficial to others within your circle of influence. You can also help by commenting on these daily articles to give others the benefit of your experience.

One last thought: God wants us in Heaven, not in Hell. He has done His part through His grace and the giving of His holy Word. Jesus has done His part by shedding His blood on the cross that our sins might be forgiven. The only thing left that stands between us and the eternity that the Father and the Son desire to share with us is our part. Are you willing to do that part? If so, it will change the direction of your life, the lives of your family, the church and the world. Not a bad return for such a pleasant investment of our time and effort, wouldn't you agree?

Thus says the LORD:
“Stand by the roads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.

Jeremiah 6:16, ESV