Moved By Grace

Will it never end?

I'm talking about the endless struggle to be “conformed to the image of Christ.” I mean, we are told to be like Christ. This, I think, is a call for us to allow the teachings of the Savior to permeate every fiber of our being. That's a tall order but as believers we are supposed to be striving to achieve it. And yet, the longer I live the more I come to the realization that it is only through the grace of God that I’ll even come remotely close to it.

Undeniably, and I think some of you would agree, it is hard work.

Even so, it's not the trying that gets me,...it's the times that I fail that gets to me. Daily, I am faced with the reality that I fall terribly short of conforming to his image. It's because, whenever I try to do “Good,” there is that ever persistent “Bad” working against me. When the battle gets unbearable, I find myself crying out, like Paul did in Romans 7, "Oh wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" That's when the resounding answer comes, "Jesus! Jesus can deliver me!"

At this stage of my life, I have come to believe that it is good to periodically stop whatever it is I am doing, sit down for a moment and take a brief review of my life. What that does is allows for a moment to see where I’ve been. Because there just may be some truth to the old adage that, if we take the time to review where we’ve been, we can better get a bearing on where it is we want to go. You should try it sometime. However, be forewarned that looking back does not always yield all pleasant memories.

As I have reviewed my life I have found that, at times, I have failed miserably. I have found that, in spite of all the time that God has invested in me, at times, I take my eyes off of Jesus and still get caught up in the mundane cares of this world. I have found that I am still susceptible to temptations and that, if I’m not careful, sin can overtake me. In fact, if I’m not careful, the guilt and the shame of past failure will eat away at me like a cancer, leaving me weak and useless.

There have been times that I’ve thought that I was super strong. That’s when 1 Corinthians 10:12 came screaming at me, "Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall!" And, boy! Have I had some great falls in my life.

Remember how, in one of the earlier versions of the Superman series (with Christopher Reeves playing the “Man of Steel”), Lois Lane’s car is swallowed by a crack in the earth? Superman is busy saving the rest of the world. By the time he gets to Lois he has to pull her sunken, soil-filled, car out of the crevice. She is deceased. His heart is broken. He is beside himself with grief. He suddenly thrusts himself up into the atmosphere and begins to fly around the earth at lightning speed in an attempt to reverse its rotation. As he gradually succeeds, time itself begins to be reversed. Lois Lane’s car pops back out of the fissure; the crack in the earth recedes; Lois is alive again! Yay! Superman then returns the earth back to its natural rotation. Time resumes, and then he flies back down to earth and gets to Lois before the tragedy takes place. She’s saved! The end.

Have you ever wished you could do that? I have. Because if I could, I could reverse time back to every time I made a mistake, every time I failed miserably, every time I said something stupid or make a bad choice. I could reverse time and then make a different choice. Man! I would have it made. I would be perfect! Well,…not really. I would still be flawed. It’s just that you wouldn’t know it. My mistakes would be hidden behind an endless string of reversals that leave folks with the impression that I am perfect, only, it would be a false impression of perfection. The truth of the matter is, I have found that I am not perfect. I am still striving to be more Christ-like. I have found that I am still a disciple in training. Were it not for God’s grace, I don’t know where I’d be right now. One thing I do know, I’d most certainly be lost.

What about you? Have you had any struggles? Have you had any failures or weaknesses? If you have, you need to be reminded that God is really good at forgiving the past. If you have ever fallen down let me encourage you to now stand on His promises because God does not lie. If he says he will forgive, then, he really will forgive. Just ask Him. After this, if you ever fall again, may you fall on God’s Grace because it makes for a very soft landing.

It’s hard work but God wants us to be “conformed to the image of His Son,” (Romans 8:29). He wants us to be His disciples. He wants us to be Jesus followers. Nevertheless, God does not want us to be motivated by fear but moved by His grace...

...And, personally, God's Grace is a never ending and comforting refrain in the heart and mind of Victor.

A Word About the Election

Unfortunately, I have need to speak to the recent contest to elect a Commander-in-Chief for the United States of America.

My intent was to say nothing. However, it is coming to my attention that many are upset, bewildered, distraught, angry and depressed over the outcome of the recent election. Let me say at the outset that I do not understand this. I mean, I understand that many had hoped for a different outcome. What I don’t understand is why they can’t simply accept the fact that the contest did not go their way? Get over it and move on. I do not understand why they would doubt that God is still in control.

I would not even bring this up but I am hearing that there are people whose displeasure with the outcome of the election is causing them to expect me to respond in a way that affirms their attitude towards the whole thing. Some are sending me correspondence, wanting me to speak to it on Sunday morning. Frankly, I think that a lot of the attitudes are not godly attitudes at all. These types of attitudes lack faith in God’s sovereignty. They lack the ability to decipher the things of God from the things of man. They lack the spiritual discernment to consider that God raises up kings and kingdoms for his use. They fail to consider that God can turn the hearts of kings (and presidents) and use them for his purposes. They lack the common Christian sense to know or accept that God is not now, nor has he ever been, affiliated with any political party.

Here is my stance: I will not use the pulpit/platform to influence, urge, persuade or sway people to vote for one political party or the other. God has not called me to preach politics. He has called me to preach the gospel. He called me to encourage us to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, to give a warm coat to a child and to go and make disciples. A person is free to vote in any way their convictions lead them to vote. And, let me be clear, I will not make Republicanism synonymous with Christianity, nor will I be narrow minded enough to think that there is no such thing as a Christian Democrat. Additionally, I will not doubt a person’s patriotism because of their party affiliation. I will not be sucked into the vortex of political debate by disgruntled voters who want me to condemn all things non-Republican. If someone wants to vote moral issues, go ahead. If someone else wants to vote social issues, fine. If another person wants to vote ethical issues, be my guest. Just remember, Jesus was concerned about all three.

I am telling you this because you need to know what my response will be to folks who are so passionate and upset about the issue that they are expecting me to speak negatively about the perceived “tragedy that has befallen America.” You need to know that I will not publicly endorse an attitude of negativism and berating of our next president. The man has been elected. Whether we like it or not, he will be the president of the most powerful nation on the face the planet. My job is to pray for him, long, hard and continuously,… just like I did for the last president.

Let me be frank, I realize that, because I am an African American, people here are very curious as to where I stand. Some are even a bit nervous about it. I can let you know this: they may find themselves very frustrated to find that where I stand is with Jesus; what I will preach is Christ crucified and risen; and what I am interested in doing is everything within my ability to win lost souls to Christ. I will do this regardless of who is in the White House.

In closing, and at the risk of making some of you nervous, I must say to you: my grandparents and my parents knew what it was to experience hatred and discrimination beyond human comprehension. Due to my age, I am old enough to look back and am able to tell you vivid stories of discrimination, name calling, and hatred due to the color of my skin. This led me to come to the conclusion that it would be light years before America would elect a Black man into the highest office of the most powerful country on the face of the earth. My grandfather thought this day was a dream that would never be realized, before the return of Christ. The last time I was home, my father suggested, if a black man was elected, he will have seen everything and can’t imagine what else there would be to top that.

It is so sad to see that so many allow their blinding passion for party affiliation and some of it under the insincere guise of moral convictions (not all of it but some of it), that they missed the image of all those people in Grant Park, in Chicago. All those people, Black, White, Asian, Latino, with their arms around one another, some of them weeping, united in one place. Sure, I know that they were rooting for a Liberal. Nevertheless, and say what you will, it was a defining moment in American History.

There is no other nation on the face of this planet that is so culturally, racially and ethnically diverse, and yet, we are able to work and live together (at the very least) with a significant measure of civility towards one another. That is amazing. Absolutely amazing. We witnessed history in the making unfold right before our eyes. I am so glad to have had the opportunity to witness it.

Now, having done so, I return to my work, to my studying, to my preaching, to my praying, to my counseling and dealing with people’s problems and to my making ministry plans. I do so with the passion that my citizenship in heaven will supersede my citizenship as an American. I do so with the conviction that my ethnicity as a Saint of the Savior supplants my ethnicity as an African American. I do so knowing that, as great as this history making moment was, it cannot hold a candle to that moment when I will witness our Lord—when he cracks open the sky and comes for His Saints. He will not come only for Black men. He will not come only for White men. He will not come only for Latino men. He will not come only for Democrats and he will certainly not come only for Republicans. He will come for all men. And when he comes, I want Him to find me busy working the works of Him who has called me, while it is day.

With an attitude of grace, and in Sincere Awe of my Savior,

Blogging To Be Known

This Blogging thing is new to me but it's not really new. Frankly, blogging is simply journaling, online. At least that's the way I look at it. I've been journaling for a long time now and, actually, it can be therapeutic. The difference is, with blogging, you're putting your thoughts out there for the world to see. That can be very risky, yet hundreds of thousands of people do it every day. But why?

How are we to understand this desire people have to reveal their innermost thoughts? Perhaps it's because we want to be known, yet accepted. Acceptance is a big deal. It's such a big deal, in fact, that people pretend to be something they are not just so they'll be accepted. Let's park on this idea for a minute.

Nobody knows us better than we know ourselves. The scary thing is, even though we know ourselves we still sometimes become confused about who we are—why we make some of the decisions we make; why we say some of the things we say. Learning how to get a handle on who we are is a daily challenge. God knew it would be a challenge and warned us in his word. Think about it. This is why we're told we need to control our tongue; we're told to crucify the flesh; we're told to put to death the old man and put on the new man, daily. Why? I think it's because it is in our nature to not be totally honest with ourselves. We like to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to. More than this, we want others to think more highly of us than perhaps they ought to. Even the most humble person, known for being a real sweet person, if they are honest with themselves, would have to admit that it feels real good to hear others say how sweet and humble they are. Everybody likes a little praise. We have to attribute this to our sinful nature. None of us are immune to it.

Anyway, as I started to say at the beginning of this train of thought, I am struck by the idea that we want to be known, yet accepted. This is to say, we long to have someone who will accept us, in spite of knowing us (our personality flaws, our struggles, our imperfections, our short comings, our hidden sins) and love us anyway. Think about it. Isn't this one of the true acts of love, for someone to know us but accept and love us anyway? We experience this on a micro scale through loving relationships with our best friends, our spouse, our parents, our children. Admit it. It feels good to be accepted. The direct opposite of this is rejection. And I'm sure you'd agree that rejection doesn't feel so good. In fact, rejection has driven a number of people away from other human beings, home, and family. They retreat into seclusion, depression or even self destruction and this is a bad thing.

So the bottom line is, we all desire acceptance. Even the folks who say they can care less about it, if they confront themselves honestly, will have to admit that being accepted is, at the very least, a real good feeling.

This brings me to the crux of the matter. No one knows us better than God. And, in spite of knowing us, he accepts us. More than this, in spite of knowing our messed up, mixed up ways, he loves us. The desire to be known, I think, is innate and longs to be satisfied. Ultimately, God is the only one who can satisfy this longing. The climax of being known (to the extent the longing to be known will be completely satisfied) will occur when we are one with him, in heaven.

Perhaps this idea of being known can be, in some measure, related to 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." Won't it be wonderful when your honest, raw, innermost secrets are revealed and laid bare and yet still be accepted? I mean, I know that God knows all that stuff about us now and that down here we still wrestle with the guilt of it. However, in heaven, it won't even cross our minds.

In the meantime, I guess people, in their effort to be known, will continue to put their thoughts out there on a blog. How much will they reveal? I guess it depends upon what kind of blogging they do. I'm still fleshing out exactly what type of blog I want to do. I think I've decided I want to put my honest, raw thoughts out there. The reason for this is because I believe that there are other Jesus Followers who can identify with the honest and raw. There are too many believers who hide behind masks and make themselves look a whole lot better than they really are. As a healthy alternative, it can be refreshing to experience the honest, transparent and raw.

I just thought of something. Sometimes one way we can come to know ourselves better, is through someone else revealing themselves. It certainly is true: just like iron sharpens iron, one human being interacting with (or coming to know) another human being results in a sharpening of one another. As believers in Jesus and members of the family of God, that sharpening is for the better.

At least this is how the whole thing is being processed in the heart and mind of Victor.

Finding God In Wal-Mart

I wonder if people really think about their purpose in life.

I suppose that people list all kinds of reasons for their purpose in life. I was sitting in Wal-Mart on the bench near the pharmacy. Cynthia was pushing the cart around being sure to get all those essentials we must have been lacking or had depleted (like toothpaste). I was feeling a bit melancholy…quite a bit melancholy. Don’t know why I was feeling that way. I just was. I suppose we all get that way at times (melancholy, I mean). As I sat there, a kid rolled by on those sneakers with the wheels built into the soles. A woman happened by with an expression that revealed she was on a desperate quest for some essential item that would bring completeness to her life (probably toothpaste). A handsome guy who looked like he was from a magazine add strolled past, followed by a woman who was a shoe-in for the add on the next page. A mother walks by with a look of disgust on her face. Not far behind is her little boy whirling and twirling, making sound effects (Bang! Pow! Whap! Bap!). He was obviously playing out his fantasy of being a super hero or crime fighter. Heck! Who knows? In this day and age he could have been pretending to be the villain.

As I scanned the scene passing before my eyes it was if the camera of my mind suddenly panned back to reveal that there were literally dozens upon dozens of folks in the store. I know that they were there for a purpose. They had come to purchase some need or want. However, the thought crossed my mind, how many people here ever think about their purpose in life. Do they think about the fact that life is more than food or drink (or toothpaste)? How many of them have given thought concerning the condition of their soul? How many had come to the realization that, apart from Christ, life is meaningless. Suddenly, I was also reminded of just how meaningless my life would be without Christ.

I thought back about how passionate I became to live for Him; to the extent that I felt I had to leave the path I was pursuing (literally, leave my job and put my family on a tight budget) and go to bible college in order to be trained for ministry. I would be lying if I said there were not times that I second guessed that decision over the years. Thankfully, now, those moments are little more than passing thoughts. Still, when one becomes melancholy and entrenched in deep contemplation, even moments of passing thoughts can seem like hours.

My mother has told me for years that God had a purpose for my life. When I was young He revealed that purpose. I was to serve in the church as a volunteer. When I was dating Cynthia, he revealed that purpose was to take this godly woman to be my wife and for us serve him as one. When we had our first child, I realized that God was telling me my purpose was to be a godly father. When I got older and was on the road to success he revealed that purpose was to change my focus to full-time ministry. In these middle years of my life it seems God’s purpose is for me to pastor a church. The real truth of the matter is, I have come to realize that all the events of my life have been stepping stones to take me to the next level, the next phase, to one step closer to fulfilling God’s purpose for my life.

Honestly, do we ever really know? Can we ever really get our arms around God’s plan and how we fit into it? I think not. It is too lofty for us to comprehend. We must satisfy ourselves with the knowledge that we are, indeed, a part of it. By "it" I mean to say His plan. If, by the grace of God, I finish well and find myself sitting looking out of a window, full of years and eyes growing dim, I will be acknowledging that God’s purpose for my life, at that moment, is to be a wise old man, imparting words of wisdom to some young lad who is wrestling with finding his purpose in life.

There are a lot of Wal-Marts and an awfully lot of people in them. There are a lot of people wandering the isles looking for needs and wants. I pray that the overwhelming majority of them find that they desperately need Jesus and will then allow him to move their lives through the steps that will transform them, ever transform them. Just like he is ever transforming you and me. Until, one day, we shall all be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John. 3:3).

As I sat in Wal-Mart, these were the thoughts that were in my heart and on my mind.

God is like Jazz

I've never thought of comparing God to jazz music before. It took a clever writer like Donald Miller to do that. Writes Miller:
"I never liked Jazz music because Jazz music doesn't resolve. But I
I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, and he never opened his eyes. After that I liked jazz music. Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way. I used to not like God because God didn't resolve. But that was before any of this happened."

What happened? you ask. "Life," Miller would probably say. At least that's what I think he'd say. Miller has a quirky, unpredictable style of writing. To me life is equally as unpredictable and quirky. Maybe that's why I like his style. I mean, it is amazing the views and opinions we hold, that is, until life happens to us. Once life starts happening to us it has a way of forcing us to rethink our opinions. It reshapes our views and molds our personalities. Perhaps this is why Jesus says that he is the "Way and the Truth and the Life." If we allow him to become the biggest influence in our life, then we will allow him to reshape our opinions and our views. God's desire is for us to be reshaped and molded into the image of his dear son, Jesus.

The most difficult part to accept about God is that he does not resolve. He does not answer every question with an answer. He tends to answer questions with a question. He does not solve every problem with a sum total, rather, he takes the total and divides it into parts. In this, God has a way of teaching us patience. Because, most likely, we won't see how those divided parts fit together to form a complete picture until our today’s become tomorrow’s and eternity becomes now.

Maybe that's why everybody should like jazz. It's a bunch of musicians who all seem to be playing their own tune. They free-style and solo, seemingly, at will. I think it's cool because, by the end of the song, it all comes together in a strange sort of way that does not seem to resolve but to the jazz lover it sounds sweet and makes perfectly good harmonic sense. The musicians simply close their eyes and only occasionally look at their instruments. They simply play without looking. It's as if they are in love with the music; as if the music is the love of their life.
Sometimes you have to watch somebody love something before you can love it. Watching the Father love the Son, and, in turn, watching the Son love me has caused me to fall in love with the Son. Why does he love me? I haven’t resolved that yet but like jazz, his love sure is sweet.

Just some thoughts from my heart and mind.

Welcome

I begin this blog with the word "welcome" I guess because it just seems to be the most appropriate thing to say. The word is defined as: "A word of kindly greeting, as to one whose arrival gives pleasure: as in 'Welcome, stranger!'" And it certainly is a pleasure to welcome you to my blog.

I was thinking that this word would be an appropriate one for more than one reason. I welcome you for choosing to log into this blog. I appreciate your stopping by. I also welcome some of you because you've welcomed me by choosing to allow me to serve as the pastor of Calvary...for a season. Furthermore, I welcome you because, over the years, many of you have welcomed me into your hearts and homes. Finally, I welcome you because I consider it a real privilege to share my thoughts and musings with you.

You may be wondering what to expect from this site. I wish that I could boast that you will read something really profound that will impact your life and give you the keys to happiness. Alas, I cannot. The reason? Well, because apart from the amazing grace of God that saves and keeps me there is nothing really profound about me.

Nevertheless, as you log in to read some of my thoughts and observations about everything from listening to music to something as simple as shopping at Wal-mart, perhaps something will resonate with you.

Over time, may my words reveal the heart and mind of a man who is profoundly overwhelmed by God's unmerited favor towards him (me). I am simply blown away by the fact that, in spite of my failures and utter deficiencies, he continues to put up with me. Wow! What a love!

Not that I have an awful lot to say but please log in from time to time to see what's on my heart and what's on my mind. I look forward to seeing you in church.

PS: when you get time I thought that you might enjoy reading what I wrote several months ago, right after the church voted to call me to be the 8th pastor of Calvary. It's in an earlier blog. You can find it below or through our web site.

In Christ Alone,

Victor

Post CBC Vote for Sr. Pastor

It’s done. After what seemed like an eternity, the congregational votes were cast to answer the elders recommendation to call Victor Stanley as the 8th Sr. Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church. They were cast on last Sunday, Feb. 24. Not only did I get voted in as SP, but I also received a standing ovation as I stepped up on the platform to express my thanks . I fully did not expect that. Wow! Some folks even wept with joy…or with terror? Not sure which. Ha!

What a roller coaster the last several weeks have been. Both Cynthia and I feel exhausted. I am now heading up a search committee to begin searching for a pastor of worship to replace me.

Our current/former Sr. Pastor, Alfy, is busily sending out resumes to find another church to pastor. The guy has served faithfully for 14 plus years. He is my friend and brother and Cynthia and I are praying he soon finds God's perfect place for him and Karen.

So I am planning my preaching schedule and meeting with elders and my colleague and ministry partner, Randy Scott, in order to cast the vision, lay out a plan for the future of Calvary and explain my strategy for achieving our goals. I am also praying for God's guidance as I contemplate our multimillion dollar capital fund raising campaign. I don’t fear the fund raiser though. I just believe that if our people catch the vision and serve faithfully, God will honor that and give an increase. We are already contracted to purchase land in a new development near the Potomac River harbor and I'm excited when I think about seeing how God will bring that to fruition.

Needless to say, I could use your prayers. I intend to use this Blog to keep you updated on what is happening at CBC, as well as just letting you know what's on my mind. I'm confident that God can use me (and you. "We") to take Calvary to the next level of life and ministry.

"Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings."
Samuel Johnson

God Bless!

From The Heart and Mind of Victor