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Ed Wrather
Ed Wrather (N/A – N/A) is an American preacher, pastor, and author known for his long ministry career and the widely circulated Burning Bush Devotional. Born in Oklahoma, details about his early life, including his parents and upbringing, are not widely documented, though his roots in the Sooner State shaped his down-to-earth preaching style. Before entering full-time ministry, he served as a Senior Probation and Parole Officer for over 20 years, during which he was ordained as a deacon and held various church leadership roles, preparing him for his later pastoral calling. Wrather’s preaching career began in 1990 when he became a pastor, serving congregations in Oklahoma, including Sweetwater First Baptist Church and, since March 2018, Fairview Baptist Church in Elk City. His sermons emphasize practical faith, prayer, and kingdom-building, reflecting his belief that “everyone can do something” for God’s work, as seen in messages like “Do What You Can Do.” Since 1998, he has written the Burning Bush Devotional, an email ministry reaching thousands globally, and authored books such as The New Pastor’s Training Manual and Biblical Help for Overcoming Substance Abuse. Married with a son, Clark, who pastors First Baptist Church of Yukon, Oklahoma, Wrather continues to minister, leaving a legacy of steadfast service and encouragement through the spoken and written word.
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Ed Wrather emphasizes the importance of building our lives on a solid foundation by following the teachings of Jesus, as described in the Sermon on the Mount. He compares the consequences of building on rock versus sand to the choices we make in our lives, highlighting the need to heed Jesus' words to avoid potential destruction. Wrather uses the analogy of building a house with a telephone pole in the kitchen to illustrate the potential structural damage that can occur when we ignore or disobey God's instructions.
A Telephone Pole in the Kitchen
Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. (Matthew 7:24-27 NASB) Piotr Kardys had a problem when he built his house - a telephone pole where he wanted his kitchen. No problem to Piotr, he just built his house around the telephone pole. However, now he wants the pole removed which he says was placed on his property without permission in 2001. It now appears that the telephone company (TPSA) will have to somehow remove the pole. A Spokeswoman for the company said the company would appeal a court ruling ordering the pole removed saying, "We have to have a binding decision -- we could do it on our own, but you have to realize this is a big investment." You have to wonder about someone that would intentionally build their house around a telephone pole! You have to wonder even more about the structural damage that may be caused if the pole is actually removed from Piotr’s kitchen. We can laugh about someone building a house with a telephone pole in the kitchen. We can even laugh about someone building a house on sand. However, when we begin to compare the living of our lives to the building of a house it may not be quite as hilarious. Jesus says that we will build the house of our life on a solid foundation if we live as He says to live in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus touches upon a broad range of subjects beginning with the Beatitudes and continuing with His teachings on the Ten Commandments, anger, adultery, divorce, oaths, enemies, giving, prayer, fasting, proper perspective on material things, judging others, the golden rule, the strait gate, false prophets, and much more. The Two Foundations of rock and sand summarize all of the teaching. If we want to build a house (life) with a telephone in the kitchen that may someday have to be removed destroying the house (life) than ignore the Sermon on the Mount at your peril. If, however, we want to build a life that will withstand the worst the world can throw at us than we should seek to follow as closely as possible the teachings of Jesus. So what do you do if you’ve built a life with a telephone pole in the kitchen? Begin now to follow the Lord Jesus and you will find that the telephone pole will begin to shrink.
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Ed Wrather (N/A – N/A) is an American preacher, pastor, and author known for his long ministry career and the widely circulated Burning Bush Devotional. Born in Oklahoma, details about his early life, including his parents and upbringing, are not widely documented, though his roots in the Sooner State shaped his down-to-earth preaching style. Before entering full-time ministry, he served as a Senior Probation and Parole Officer for over 20 years, during which he was ordained as a deacon and held various church leadership roles, preparing him for his later pastoral calling. Wrather’s preaching career began in 1990 when he became a pastor, serving congregations in Oklahoma, including Sweetwater First Baptist Church and, since March 2018, Fairview Baptist Church in Elk City. His sermons emphasize practical faith, prayer, and kingdom-building, reflecting his belief that “everyone can do something” for God’s work, as seen in messages like “Do What You Can Do.” Since 1998, he has written the Burning Bush Devotional, an email ministry reaching thousands globally, and authored books such as The New Pastor’s Training Manual and Biblical Help for Overcoming Substance Abuse. Married with a son, Clark, who pastors First Baptist Church of Yukon, Oklahoma, Wrather continues to minister, leaving a legacy of steadfast service and encouragement through the spoken and written word.