May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.  Psalm 19:14

Words are powerful! With them we build or destroy, praise or curse, succeed or fail!  All of us are guilty of allowing the wrong words to come out of our mouths.  This is why the above prayer is so important!

James 3:4-6 says:   4 Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires.  5 So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!  6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

The tongue is powerful. Even though it is small, it has the power to direct and guide our big ole lives.  This is why the prayer in Psalms is so important.  We need God’s help in controlling and guiding the words of our mouths.  And God offers His help, through the surrendered and yielded meditations of our hearts.

Our goal is simple – let our words and heart be pleasing to God and everything else will fall into place.  We are responsible for our words and our heart, so we need to stop worrying about and judging everybody else!  If we listen to our words and look into our hearts, then we will find more than enough to keep us busy.

I’ve never been one to get stuck on titles.  I’ve held a lot of titles in my life time!  I’ve been president, vice president and secretary of a lot of different things.  I’ve been chairman and vice chairman of many different groups.  I’ve been called Doctor, Reverend, Mister, Sir, Master, Pastor, Preacher and some things that I can’t repeat!

My name is Michael Joe, which gets turned into Michael, Mike, Mikey, Joe, MJ and a couple of times I was even called Billy Jack!  My parents named me to go by both names Michael and Joe, which I have always said is an indicator of my true southern and country heritage!

I am sometimes known as Joy’s husband or Mrs. Harvell’s husband.  A lot of kids at school know me as Gracie’s Dad or Hope’s Dad.  A few for some strange reason think I am “Mr. Gravely!”  When I first started doing safety patrol, a lot of folks thought that I was the principal – Mr. Langston, but I am much better looking, just don’t tell him, it might hurt his feelings!  (HaHa!)

Three of my favorite titles are from my wife, girls and congregation and community! My wife Joy refers to me as her “Hunka Chunka Burning Love”, My girls call me “Daddy”, and my congregation and community when showing respect call me “Pastor”.

I want to talk for a moment about the last one = “Pastor”.  I am at the very core of my heart a pastor.  I used to shy away from any type of religious titles, but recently God has shown me that this was a position and title that He called me to.  I don’t need to shy away from it, I need to run into and embrace it, because it is near and dear to my heart!

Yes!  I am “Pastor” of Northwood Baptist Church and “Pastor” of people in and out of the church.  I walk with them, talk with them, study with them, pray with them, laugh with them and even cry with them.  As “Pastor”, I rejoice when new physical life comes into this world or new spiritual life enters into the Kingdom!

As “Pastor”, I mourn when physical life here on earth has ended and walk slowly with the remaining family to help them find the healing and peace that can only come from God.  As “Pastor”, I hold the hands of the sick, wipe the brow of the tired and serve whoever in whatever way that I can.

As “Pastor”, I teach and preach the Word that I know and trust can make life better.  I share the vision that God has shared with me and I give leadership to those that God has placed under my authority.

It is not an easy task, but one that I have been doing for over twenty years.  I am Pastor and I am thankful for God’s calling, gifting and blessing.  I am Pastor and I am thankful for the men, women, boys and girls that have and do make it possible.  I am Pastor and I appreciate you taking the time to notice and I really do appreciate your respect for this title that God has given!