I had been saved only four days when my pastor gave me a verse of scripture to guide my life. He said, “Let this be your life verse.” I took his advice and found it was good advice. “Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Brother Gass, an old Baptist preacher who played the accordion, was coming to the church every night for a week to teach an old fashioned singing school using the shape notes – do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do. Since I was a new convert I was invited to attend the school and perhaps become a member of the choir. That proved not to be a good idea. But I did do something helpful. I used my car to transport some people who could sing to the singing school.
Everything went well until Wednesday night when I informed my pastor that I could not attend on Thursday night and he would need to find someone else to transport the ones I had been bringing. I thought I had a very legitimate reason for my absence on Thursday night. That was the night the Boy Scouts met. The Scout Master needed help and had asked me to be his assistant. The Pastor did something that impacted my life forever. He said, “I thought you got saved last Sunday.” “I did”, was my quick reply. Pastor Morton Matheny asked “Who saved you, Jesus or the Boy Scouts?” My emphatic answer was, “Jesus!” he then asked, “Then who comes first in your life” who is your Lord?” I said, “I will be here tomorrow night and call the Scout Master and tell him I cannot be there.”
Boy Scouts is a wonderful organization but they are not my Savior and Lord. Jesus is! Make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life and so many other decisions will be made for you. Jesus Christ is Lord! Whatever you do, do it all for His glory!
J.T. Parish is the Founding Pastor of Christian Fellowship Church. He further serves on the Church Leadership Council, as Chairman of the Board of World Missions and Evangelism, and as President of the School of Ministry.