"Living With A Giant: The Life of a Great Man of Faith"

I write this blog with a heart of gratitude to God in appreciation for the life and ministry of Dr. Robert H. Wilson, Sr., affectionately known by those who know him as "Dr. Bob!" He has just celebrated 76 years of the ministry in preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. On November 22, 2009, The Baptist Ministers' Conference of Dallas, Texas along with many other accross the nation convened at Cornerstone Baptist Church of Christ (founded by Dr. Wilson in 1981) where Dr. Craig E. White is currently serving as pastor.

Dr. Wilson is currently Pastor Emeritus of Cornerstone Baptist Church of Christ. He began preaching at the age of 9, and pastored his first congregation in Columbia, South Carolina at 16. He has pastored congregations until he founded Cornerstone in 1981 and after 25 years of serving as Senior Pastor retired in 2006 at the age of 82. He has served in a myriad of areas including, the National Baptist Convention of America, Inc. in which he provided illustrious leadership as Executive Director of the Foreign Mission Board and then the Congress of Christian Education. He is the proud husband of his wife of 64 years, Elise Wider Wilson, and father of Roberta Wilson Nicholson and Robert H. Wilson, Jr. He most enjoys time spent with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

I am grateful to God for the life and ministry of Dr. Robert H. Wilson, Sr. For me like so many others across this nation he has been a mentor and friend. In the many years I have known him, which began by way of my local church association’s (Eastern 7th District Baptist Association) past moderator, Dr. M. L. Thomas. I must say that he has always been a giant among preachers of the 20th and 21st centuries.



My mind goes to the book by Warren Weirsbe entitled, "Living With the Giants: Lives of Great Men of the Faith", in which Weirsbe chose men of God/great preachers of the 17th -20th centuries as examples of faith to be emulated.


Well, I must dare to say the same is true of Dr. Robert H. Wilson, Sr. He is a man of God to be emulated as an example of genuine faith, anointed Biblical preaching, and godly shepherding as a pastor-teacher. I take a pun from Weirsbe with relation to the kind of giant we have in Dr. Wilson. Weirsbe says, "We are prone to be so fascinated with the latest religious fads and Christian celebrities that we forget that 'there were giants in the earth in those days...' Well, I would say we still have giants of a godly variety in the earth in our days, in the person of Dr. Robert H. Wilson!!!!!

Long may he live! And may all of his years be blessed!!!!

Prayer -- A Grace and A Lifestyle: To Be Ever Before Him

The reality of prayer for the believer and its long term effects is what many never consider. They would prefer the short term thrill, and miss the eternal rewards. What a travesty of Christian discipleship and practice!!!!

In Scripture prayer is totally a lifestyle (Philippians 4:6; Ephesians 6:18) and a grace (Psalm 145:18; Hebrews 4:16) given us by God to keep us ever before Him (I Kings 8:28-30).

May that grace dominate our lives. To be ever before Him!!!

May that lifestyle be the practice of our lives. To be ever before Him!!!

These two have a long term and eternal affect!

Living Life for the Expression of God’s Glory: Lessons from the Icon and Idol of Michael Jackson

It is so much too the liking of where we stand to where we aught to be standing, that shines in the face of life lived and ended.

Death for all is not as realistic as when it occurs. It is all too often that life is lived by so many except for the expressed recognition of God's glory. I pray that many who have opportunity would do so in taking and making the most of it to express it to the glory of God.

The iconic reality of Michael Jackson is and was. The idolatry of the nation and world with relation to Michael Jackson was and is. The lessons learned are still for many obvious but not so attentive.

Living a life to the glory of God is still without vain (Ecclesiastes 3:14-15; 5:7). But as Solomon teaches us living a life without God is and always will be with vanity, and vanity of vanities (Ecclesiastes 2:1-11; 5:7; 6:1-12). Thank God for a life lived!

To God be the Glory for lives lived for the expression of His Glory!

Turnabout isn't always fair play: Responding to Warren's sudden change on the issue of "same sex" marriage

Some things are just too obvious to deny!

In a recent April 9, 2009 OneNewsNow.com article by Jim Brown, entitled, “Warren’s ‘backsliding’ on marriage damages the church” Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr. of Washington, D. C.’s High Impact Leadership Coalition was outraged that Rick Warren of Saddleback Church of Lake Forest, California would offer his apology Monday, April 6, 2009 on CNN’s Larry King Live(1) concerning his support during the fall of 2008 of California’s marriage proposition 8 amendment.(2) Jackson said, Warren has done “tremendous damage” by his apology. Warren stated that he “has never been and never will be an anti-gay marriage activist.”(3)

It's apparent to me that the Bible, which many like Warren purports to believe in, truly disagrees with them. So it is obvious to me that they just don't believe or agree with the Bible or what it says. But the desire is to fit into both camps to gain from each what is most influential rather than to "from the start", just please God or what God has said in the Bible regarding this and other matters, that He regards as sin and unrighteousness, as well as those that are holy and righteousness.

Also, I don’t want to be judgmental in the since of knowing for certain; but I seem to want to think and sense that men like Warren, Osteen, Ted Haggard and the like are hiding indiscretions. Maybe even the likelihood of just such sins in their own lives. After all, if you notice in Paul's statement to the Romans in chapter one verse 32 he states, "Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

I believe these two phrases show the two reasons for the sudden turn-about by many in agreement to support homosexuality and other sexual perversions.

Notice the phrases "not only do the same" and "but have pleasure in them that do them".

First, the phrase "not only do the same" is quite suggestive from Paul that these, to whom it is apparent, knowing of God's judgment of death to all who practice these lifestyles of sin, also themselves "do the same". This is why I stated that there seems to be a 'hiding of indiscretions'. Why else would anyone knowing the judgment of God against this, not condemn these lifestyles?

Finally, the phrase "but have pleasure in them that do them". This is also obvious that Paul is showing that there is the carrying out of these sins in the lives of these persons (who know the death judgment of God against these sins and upon those who practice it), but also, the pleasure they have with the persons who practice these sins. There is also a since of pleasure with these persons if you think about it in our day, in which they (homosexuals and the like) are large supporters to "ministries" that support their causes rather than condemn those causes. So in that since, there is a pleasure by many who "have pleasure in them that do them". That is why I said at the start that the desire by men such as these is to fit into both camps to gain from each what is most influential rather than please God. God will take care of any ministry and minister He has called if they would just do the work of ministry to which He has called them.

This is why I believe there is this sudden turnabout by Warren and others to support these lifestyles and the persons who practice them.
___________________________________________________________
1. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=481280
2. http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=483576
3. Ibid., http://www.onenewsnow.com/Church/Default.aspx?id=483516

Our Prayers for God's Glory and Grace in the Winter's and First Baptist Church of Marryville, IL Families

Dr. Fred Winters of First Baptist Church of Marryville, Illinois was killed on yesterday while preaching during moring church services. A 27 year old gunman opened fired on him while he was preaching from the pulpit. He attempted to shield himself with his Bible as the gunman opened fire. He recieved gunshot wounds to his chest. The pistol then jammed. He then pull a knife out and lashed out at church members, who tried to subdue him. Some were injured in the attempt. The gunman then, stabbed himself. Dr. Winters however, is the only reported death at this time.

May the Lord keep, strengthen, and comfort the Winter's family and the First Baptist Church of Maryville, Illinois' church family. Our prayers go out to them in the tragic loss of their husband, father, and pastor on yesterday. May He display His glory in the midst of this moment of tragedy!

May he use this time to alert all of us to the reality of the uncertainty of the next moment. But the glorious certainty of a definite destiny with Him to those who know Him, and a tragic damnation of a definite destiny without Him, to those who know Him not. This is without doubt, a time for these and others, when they are in need, of our showing forth godly love and support.

Always remember, "Except for the grace of God, there we would be!"

God knows how do display His glory and grace even in the midst of this tragic situation. His grace is upon all who believe even in death. The Apostle Paul said to the Corinthian Christians, "....absent from the body, and present with the Lord" (II Corinthians 5:8b-c --KJV).

That same grace is available even to those who remain, "For we walk by faith, not by sight:)" (II Corinthians 5:7). Remember David says, "(15) The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry; (17) The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. (18) The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (19) A righteous man may have troubles, but the Lord delivers him from them all;" (Psalm 34:15, 17-19 --NIV).

We pray for God's justice to be done in this murder of this pastor. As David says in Psalm 34:16, "the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth." But we are tempered with an attitude of prayer for the salvation of the soul of those to whom justice will be, and should be done upon (Genesis 5:5-6). For God would rather see the wicked turn from the sin and error of their ways, and turn to Him rather than die in their sin (Ezekiel 18:23, 32; 33:11).

Let us not forget that the young man that commited this act has family who are also affected by the tragic repercussions of the actions he carried out.