A Man Of God

God places special people in lives that are used to point us to Him. For Vicki and me, it was Reverend George Creel. Vicki and I had been away from God for a number of years. We had drifted from each other and the roles that husbands, fathers, wives and mothers are to occupy and what was worse, we knew of our rotten state in life.

Vicki's mother had been attending Central United Methodist and had kept insisting that we visit with her. She spoke about George and what an incredible Bible teacher he was. For me, all her words were falling on deaf ears. I knew we needed to turn back to God, I just didn't want to. To my mother-in-laws credit, she never stopped inviting us. I guess she figured she could wear us down. Finally I relented and told her that we would visit.

Come Sunday morning, I tried timing everything so we would arrive after the service started and would not have to endure the obligatory Sunday-morning-church-greeting  (You..."everyone stand up, turn around and shake hands with someone.") So we managed to sit in the balcony. Funny part was that it was just Vicki and I and the sound guy. No one else. I guess the sound guy thought we were terrorist or something along that line. Now that I look back, I think my mindset was "O.k....I'm here at church, God. But I'm going to sit as far away from this pastor as I can and still be inside the building." How sad was I.

I was not prepared for what came next. Brother George stood and began to speak and read from the Bible and for the next 30 - 45 minutes, I was totally consumed by what he said. He made the Scripture come alive for me. I had never heard such teaching in my life. After it was over, I looked at my wife and said, "We have got to come back just to see if maybe this was a quirk or blip in the way this guy teaches." I thought maybe we had just caught him on a really good day when he was on his "A" game. We went back that night and once again the same thing. BIBLE ALIVE!!!!!

We talked all week about Central Methodist and George, making plans to return the next Sunday. This time would be different. We would come down from Mount Olympus a.k.a the balcony, and sit among the folk. This time we took note pads and pencil along with our Bibles. We were hooked.

I can truthfully say that for 14 years, George Creel opened the Scripture for me in ways that no other man had. George's encouragement and support is what created a fire in me to study God's word. Vicki and I are blessed to be able to call George and Jackie our friends. George introduced us to the work of the Holy Spirit, as well as unlocking our minds to prophetic words and teachings. A gentle man, George had a side that would come out when confronted by the devil and the evil of this world. George is truly a defender of the faith. He lived a life of holiness before his congregration, but also the life of a broken vessel always ready to be used by God.

George is currently in the hospital suffering with a number of ailments and problems. If you would, say a prayer for this man and his family that God would bring healing to his body. A special man and a good friend. Thank you, Lord, for putting George in my life and for the way you speak through him.

God on you.....

mb