The Great Commission

His Name Was Alan

/ Pavement Ends Ministry / Leave a comment

His name was Alan and his most outstanding attribute was that he loved his Savior. His number one vocation was sharing the gospel and his favorite conversation topic was Jesus. The best teachers are the ones who have an intimate knowledge of the subject they teach. Alan was the greatest Bible teacher I have ever known. The life he lived taught us that the Lord is our Shepherd and we need not want any more than that.

There was a man named Barnabas, he loved Jesus. His vocation was to be an encourager to his brothers in the Lord. His conversation was, “You can do this with Jesus’ help, so get up let’s go.” Barnabas never wrote any great books, but when John Mark and the Apostle Paul were discouraged, he was there to encourage them. Today we can read Mark’s Gospel and Paul’s Epistles because of the encouragement of Barnabas They learned to walk through the valley of the shadow of death with no fear. Because Jesus was there with His rod of protection and comforting staff.

Jesus commanded us to go into the world and make disciples. Alan and Barnabas probably never consider themselves disciple-makers, but they were. Neither of them ever led a weekly discipleship group. But they both taught many to walk in paths of righteousness for the sake of the good name of Jesus.

I don’t think that Barnabas or Alan ever sought to be great in the Kingdom of Heaven. They were servants. They loved God with all their hearts and they loved their neighbors as they loved themselves. Jack McVeigh called Alan a gentle fruit tree. We can read in the Bible about the fruit that Barnabas bore for God, but we will never know how many people Alan reached for Christ. But I do know this, my heart was blessed by this man who was a gentle fruit tree. His name was Alan, now he has walked by the still waters, found rest in the green pastures and will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Douglas Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

Will God Save America ?

/ Pavement Ends Ministry / Leave a comment

Except for a few years when David was King of Israel, there has never been a more perfect government than we have here in the United States. America has the best Constitution and the best judicial system. However from the beginning, this nation has had corruption in its leadership. Many political and judicial decisions have been made without regard for the Constitution. Which way is the political wind is blowing and which way is the money is flowing? That seems to be the determining factor for all decisions coming out of Washington DC.

For several years now our nation has headed down a road that will end in its destruction. Freedom will be stripped from the citizens, financial ruin will come and lives will be forfeited. In many ways we have already seen our country descend into third world nation status.

Many people are praying for America. Most are praying that God will fix our fractured country, that He will save our nation. I don’t like being the bearer of bad news but God is not going to save America. The truth is God is not in the nation saving business. Jesus died on the cross not to save nations but to save people.

Don’t misunderstand me. We must pray for our country. Christians have to be involved in politics. Christians must be outspoken and stand firm for what they believe. And we are to be a light in this dark world. Therefore it is most important that Christians walk, talk and share the Love of Christ.

The bottom line is this. At best this nation, this world is temporary, but the souls of our neighbors are eternal. In order to make a difference in our neighborhood, our state and our nation, Christians have to be the salt that preserves righteousness and light that shines the Way. Wise is the one who wins souls for the Savior. Leading our neighbors to Christ is the only way to save America.

Douglas & Deborah Huff

Email- pavementendsministry@gmail.com

Thanks for Nothing

/ Pavement Ends Ministry / Leave a comment

It occurs to me that “nothing”, is a very important factor in the Christian life. That may sound strange, but it is true. You see the essence of “nothing” plays an important part in our worship of Jesus. We even sing about it in church when we sing; “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

There is a lot of nothing in the Bible that reveals the Amazing Grace of God’s love. Starting with the fact that in eternity there are only two destinations. One is Heaven the other is Hell. You’ve done nothing to deserve a home in heaven and nothing you can do will rescue you from hell. The only hope you have is based on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and His righteousness. If you have eternal life it is because of nothing you have done and everything that Jesus is.

A question is asked in Romans 8, “What can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, hardship, persecution, hunger, poverty, danger, or death? No, in all these things we have complete victory! For I am certain that nothing can separate us from His love: not death nor life, nor angels nor other heavenly powers, nothing in the present nor the future, nothing in the world above nor the world below — there is absolutely nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.”

The greatest nothing of all was found that Sunday morning when the ladies went to the tomb to anoint the dead body of Jesus. The stone was rolled away and when they looked inside, they saw Nothing! He was not there. He is alive! He has defeated death, hell, and the grave. Nothing could hold Him down. Nothing can rise against Him and prosper. Nothing is more powerful than God and nothing is more beautiful than His Majesty. On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand. Nothing is as solid as my Jesus.

Douglas & Deborah Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends

Email-pavementendsministry@gmail.com

Where’s My Hat

/ Pavement Ends Ministry / Leave a comment

I can’t find my hat. It’s been missing for a couple of weeks now. I have looked in all the usual places but can’t find it. It is not my only hat. I have other hats to wear, but it is my favorite hat. This hat is showing its age, it is ramshackle and out of shape, but so am I. Where is my hat?

Now it is just a hat and its value is mostly sentimental. If I don’t find it, I will be disappointed but I will get over it. At times, we have lost things of much more value than my hat. Sometimes the loss is devastating and other times the loss puts us in danger.

Some would say that our nation has lost its moral compass. Now concerning a compass, we know that the needle always points north. This knowledge is what gives us direction when we use a compass. If you are depending on a compass for direction, it can be dangerous if you lose it. However, it is even more dangerous to have a compass and disregard it because you don’t like the way it is pointing.

I’m not sure that our nation has lost its Moral Compass. After all the Bible is our Guide. The Word of God is Truth and Truth is the needle that always points to Jesus. The Word of God will never be lost. However, many people don’t like the Bible’s direction. So they disregard it. And they go the way that seems right to them. The way that seems right to them is deadly.

I am not talking about lost people. I am talking about church people. Pleasing people seems more important to some Christians than following God’s direction. So they go the way that seems right to them and that way is leading to the death of a nation.

Yes, the Bible is our Moral Compass. The truth that it contains is the needle that always points to Jesus. He is the Way and we must follow Him. I have lost my hat, but I have not lost the Helmet of Salvation. So, I must share the Gospel, because souls are too important to be lost!

Where is my hat? I don’t know. But I do know the Way, the Truth, and the Life. I will always follow Him.

Douglas & Deborah Huff

From Down Where the Pavement Ends

email-pavementendsministry@gmail.com

Only Three Years

/ Pavement Ends Ministry / 3 Comments

Three years, that is how long the earthly ministry of Jesus lasted. From the time John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God” to the time when a Roman soldier said, “Surely this Man was the Son of God” was only three years. There was only thirty six months between the day He left the carpenter shop to the day when He ascended to heaven. He had one thousand and sixty five days to train twelve men to turn the world upside down.

He knew His time was limited so He did not waste it. He prayed a lot, slept when He needed to and was always about His Father’s business. Satan tried to distract Him, family members did not believe in Him and religious leaders were afraid of Him. But He would not be hindered. Only three years to bring salvation to the world. Nevertheless with His last breath, He could say, “It is finished” as He commended His Spirit into His Father’s hands.

As Jesus ascended into Heaven, He spoke a Great Commission to all who would trust and follow Him. He told us to “Go into the whole world making disciples of all nations and baptize them in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.” This is the business that God’s children are to be invested in.

Jesus knew exactly how much time He had and did not waste it. You and I however do not know how much time we have. The Bible teaches us, it is impossible to know what will happen tomorrow and that our life is like a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Like Jesus we must realize that our time is limited and determine not to waste it.

The salvation of many souls may depend on your obedience to The Great Commission. We must follow the example of Jesus. Satan will try to distract you, put him behind you. Family members may not understand you. Religious leaders may feel threatened by you. Do not let this hinder you. Pray a lot, sleep when you need to, always be about the Father’s business and never stop until God says “It is finished.”

Douglas & Deborah Huff

From Down Where the Pavement Ends

Email- pavementendsministry@gmail.com

God Has a Plan

/ Pavement Ends Ministry / Leave a comment

A character from an eighties television show was known for this catch phrase, “ I love it when a plan comes together.” I believe he may have stolen that saying from the Apostle Paul. You see, Paul had a plan to preach the Gospel in Rome. However it was not really his plan, it was God’s plan. Paul made this trip to Rome, as a prisoner of Rome. On the way he was shipwrecked, he was snake bit and he was almost killed by Roman soldiers. However Paul never faltered because God had assured him that he would stand before Caesar. Paul was sure that his plans would come together, because he trusted in God’s plans.

Today this great country I love, is in turmoil. It is in turmoil because powerful people profit from this turmoil. It is also in turmoil because God’s people have become comfortable in their sins. In our comfort, Satan has lulled many to sleep. While God’s people are sleeping, the foundations of our nation are being destroyed. It almost seems hopeless. But God is in control. He has a plan. However, as we travel to the fulfillment of God’s plan, like Paul we may find that the journey is not pleasant. But pleasant or not we know that we can trust God, because His plans always come together.

It happens all the time. You have your life planned out. But then life happens. All of a sudden there are words in your vocabulary that you never wanted to speak. Words like miscarriage, bankruptcy, cancer, ALS, and Alzheimer’s. Words that destroy your plans. There are no words to counteract the heartache of those words. There is only the comfort of knowing that we have a God whose ways and thoughts are better than our ways and thoughts. He has a perfect plan for our lives. God says to us in Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand.” Put your trust in God and you will find that His plan always comes together.

Douglas & Deborah Huff

From Down Where The Pavement Ends