I just received the following from Joycelyn:

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

The time has come to have to let you know that Bro. Darrell Rogers has taken his last Breath here in this world But his first with the Lord. We all knew that it would come and that we can be sad for our loss of a best true and loving friend. We must be so thankfull that he is now out of pain and has a new body with no more ills. The wordly part of us cries for the physical Darrell that we could talk to and turn to and for his comforting ways. Then our spiritual side is crying out in joy knowing he has reached the final destination we all stive for {to be with our Lord and Savior}. I could not end this without doing what he would want of me. That is to ask that if you don't know the Lord as your Savior now is the time because Bro. Darrell wants to see you again and Jesus is the only way.

Please say a prayer for his Family. They will need our comfort now and for some time to come.

He Passed around 1:00 am on Thursday March 4,2010.

God be with you now and always. Love to all. Joycelyn

I heard an odd story on the news last night. A couple robbed a jewerly store in Philedelphia of over $1000,000 but in their haste to get away they left their son! That proved to be their undoing--they were captured a little while later.

The more I thought about that story the more I began to realize that those parents aren't the only ones guilty of neglecting their children. Millions of parents are so caught up in trying to gain this worlds goods that they lose their children. It is sad that so many people do not understand what's important and what's not. The Bible tells us that children are a gift from God--we should think of them as such.

I read about a man who said, "Children make a rich man poor!". Another man responded by saying,"No, children make a poor man rich." He was right! To have children is a great privilege, but it is also an awesome responsibility. Be careful that you don't lose you children by trying to gain great riches. Your child is of greater value than any amount of money--treat them that way. Think about it!

After sending out an article, in Morning Manna, Sunday morning regarding being distracted by the devil, I preached a message that evening called "Battle Ready". Then a strange thing happened. Each morning I read a dozen or so daily devotions in search of something to use for Morning Manna. On this particular day almost every one centered on the same subject--spiritual warfare. I was shocked. I began to wonder if this was Defeat The Devil Day, or something along that order. It's highly unusal that 9 out of 10 articles would all deal with the same subject. I would expect that at Christmas or Easter, etc., but not today. I know, you can chalk it up to "just one of those things", but it impacted me more than that! It reminded me that we need to be reminded that we are indeed at war. I realize that this isn't the exciting fun-loving stuff that people enjoy reading, but they need to hear it.

The Christian lifestyle puts you at odds with the world and, as Paul said, "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."(2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus taught the same thing. He never invited people to follow Him under false pretense. He was always open and honest. He let it be known that His followers would be hated for His name's sake.(John 15:18-21). It's unnatural for God's people to be popular. Live for Christ and you will be hated.

I believe the most common cause of defeat is being ill-prepared for Satan's attacks. Don't let it happen to you. Whatever your plans are for today, just remember--Satan plans to attack! Be ready. It's not "Murphy's Law" that gets us into trouble, its Satan's devices. Be prepared and you will be victorious. Think about it!

NOTICE:

I have received several reports that people aren't receiving "Morning Manna" by email. I put a notice on the Pastor's Blog, but I realize that many folks never read it, so I have decided to post it here. Hopefully this will get more attention.

I have not missed a day in sending the Morning Manna to all those on in my address book, so if you haven't received it there is a problem somewhere. Knowing what to do is difficult because I have no way of knowing who is receiving it and who isn't. I hate to have everyone send an email, and being swamped with emails that I don't have time to answer, but that's all I know to do. So if you have or haven't been receiving it please contact be at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . If anyone is a computer whiz and knows what the problem might be please let me know. If I can't get the problem resolved soon I will simply discontinue the Morning Manna. Thanks!

As I checked the news this morning, on a Christian web-site, I noticed that another church building in east Texas was burned yesterday. This makes eleven churches in the state that have gone up in flames since New Year's Day. Most have been Baptist churches. Clearly, someone hates churches!

Then, on the same web page I noticed another article headline that said--"Two Street Preachers Gunned Down in Florida Two Weeks Ago---Media Still Silent". I took the time to read the entire sad story and was amazed that no national news organization has reported the vicious murder of these two young innocent preachers. I agree with what one man said,"If two Muslims, or two feminists, or two homosexuals were murdered, wouldn't the media be all over it? These were two fine young black Christian men shot by another black man for their Christian faith, yet the media does not seem to care."

Well, I decided that was enough bad news for one day, so I clicked to another site and, you guessed it, more bad news! Just yesterday a gunman opened fire in a California church, wounding two teenagers. The gunman and two other men, wearing hooded sweatshirts, walked up and down the aisles, when he starts shooting, wounding a 14-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man.

As a Christian I expect to be hated by the world--Jesus said it would happen, but it is amazing that so few people seem to care. It would be easy to get bitter, but that's exactly what satan would want. Instead, we need to pray for perpetrators of these crimes and the victims. Every student of the Bible knows that things are going to get much worse. We need to prepare ourselves for it. But it would sure be nice if the liberal media at least acted as though they were concerned. The truth is that the whole scam regarding the "Hate crimes" law is nothing more that an effort to silence Christians and promote evil.THINK ABOUT IT!

Attribute it to old age or whatever you want--I just can't get excited over professional sports anymore. I really don't care very much who wins the "Super Bowl". What difference does it make? Please don't misunderstand, I'm not being critical of those who do enjoy sports--as long as it doesn't hinder them from serving God. I understand that recreation can be a good thing, when done in moderation.

My concern lies in the area of "What is your greatest concern?". I'm afraid that we get too excited about things that are of no eternal value. We seem to have forgotten that even sinless things can become sinful (see 1 Cor. 8). In and of themself some things are fine, even helpful, unless taken to excess. Then we've got a problem. Sadly, some folks waste their time, money, and energy on the things of this world when they should be investing their lives in things that really matter.

As Christians we aren't left to wonder what our purpose and mission is. If I have to explain that you're not spending enough time in the Bible. Regardless of what I accomplish in life, if I fail to fulfill my purpose and complete my mission I'm a failure. The same is true of you.

Now, I'll be honest--although I didn't watch the game, I would have preferred that the Colts would have won--but they didn't, and that's fine. Again I say, "What difference does it make?". I'm not trying to come across like I'm some super spiritual saint who is better than someone else. I'm just saying what I feel. I am much more excited about that day when the saints truly go marching in at the return of our Wonderful Savior. Now that will make a big difference! That's why Paul wrote: "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."(Titus 2:13-14).THINK ABOUT IT!

Many pastors will tell you that they look forward to a "Business Meeting" about as much as a root canal. I know how they feel--I've been through some of those painful experiences. Some of the most unChristian behavior that I've ever seen took place during church business meetings. That's sad!

Our annual business meeting was Sunday night and it was pure delight. Lakeway Baptist Church isn't like every other church. Other than our annual business (which is required by law) we do not have regularly scheduled business meetings. We simply conduct business when the need for it arises.

Sunday evening we conducted our business as we normally do. You know--call to order, etc. We didn't worry about "Robert's Rules of Order" and we didn't get into any heated debates. Every member was given an opportunity to speak and to vote. All was done in a very Christ-like manner. As the pastor, I am thankful for such a wonderful cooperative congregation. It's a blessing to see people behave like "ladies" and "gentlemen". That's the way it should be.

As soon as we adjourned we spent a few minutes worshipping God in song. It just so happened that one of my dear friends from Lexington, Ky. was in town and he blessed our hearts in song. Hearing Bro. Okey Smith sing again brought back a lot of memories. He and Bro. Nolan Irvin provided just the music that we needed for what came next.

At the conclusion of our service and just before our "Sandwich Supper" we honored Bro. Dennis Hamlin who recently resigned as our Music Director, due to ill health, after twelve years of faithful service. It has been a wonderful experience having Bro. Dennis as our Music Director and we ask you to pray that God will restore his health.

Another special blessing that came out of our business meeting was the installation of Tim Stone as our new Music Director. It just so happens that Tim is my son. Until recently, I never dreamed that one of my sons would be a Music Director, but God has a way of surprising us. As any parent will tell you--it is a great blessing to see your children serving God.

I simply cannot imagine how any Christian would not enjoy a business meeting and evening like this. I am proud to be the pastor of a church such as this, and extremely thankful for all the many blessings God has bestowed upon us. We are looking forward to a great year and we ask that you pray for us as we seek to exalt our Wonderful Savior.

Again--last night I was reminded of the power of music. Bro. Shawn Drewett, from Alexandria, LA and some of our folks provided the music and it was simply an awesome evening. How anyone could intentionally miss something like this is beyond me--but, that's their problem not mine and I don't care to turn this blessing into a gripe session. I'll save that for another time. So, back to the blessing.

As the music flowed you could see the difference on the faces of the people. There were times of laughter and of tears. It was like a spigot to a fountain of joy had been opened and everyone drank deeply. We heard old songs and new songs, fast songs and slow songs, and all of them ministered to our hearts. It reminded me again of the powerful force of music.

Best of all ,the evening ended with a precious soul being saved. After many months of preaching, teaching, and praying she received Christ as her Lord and Savior. I was immediately reminded of the first time over a year ago that someone mentioned her in prayer. God answered and we rejoiced.

If you're having a bad day and feeling down and out, let me make a suggestion. I've done it myself and it works. Take a song book and start thumbing through the pages. When you come to a song you recognize stop and sing it to yourself. Doing this will bring you face to face with glorious truths that will cheer your heart. Nothing lifts your spirit like getting your focus on the goodness and greatness of God, and music is a wonderful vehicle for doing that. Setting the truth to music has a way of helping it stick in your mind. You know what I mean--you get a tune in your head and find yourself thinking about it all week long. You're going to think about something--if you don't fill your mind with good things Satan will fill it with bad stuff. Paul tells us that if we are to enjoy the peace of God we must think on things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Next to memorizing God's Word, singing is the best way to do that. And it will have a tremendous impact on your life. So grab the old hymn book, sit down a spell, and sing your blues away. Think about it!

I suspect I'm doing what a lot of folks are doing about now--reflecting on the past year. 2009 has been a remarkable year in our neck of the woods. Many things have happened over the last twelve months--some bad and some good, but all working for good. Isn't it great to serve a God who is able to make that possible!

Durning this last year we celebrated our 40th anniversary as a church, went through a merger, sold our building, relocated to a new facility, and changed our name. We ended the year by odserving the Lord's Supper last night and it was a very special service--as it should always be.

Now we face a new year and the many challenges that it brings. We have great blessings behind us, great opportunities before us, much hard work to do, and a great God who is for us! Although we have no way of knowing what the future holds, we are encouraged because we know who holds the future. We are confident that God will direct our steps, and supply our needs. Even as our beloved nation totters on the brink of destruction (I know that sounds like an over-statement to some, but I'm expressing my viewpoint) we believe God will do great things for us and through us. He who brought us thus far will not desert us now. While we hope for America, our hope isn't in America--we trust in God!

It's my prayer that each of you will enter this new year with that attitude and that you will be faithful to serve God day-by-day, with thanksgiving in your heart and a song on your lips. I have never been weaker in the flesh, stronger in the spirit, nor more excited about the future. I pray that God will richly bless you and your family. Happy New Year!

Well, now the un-scriptural practice of starting "satellite churches" has led to a new breed of multi-site churches. At first it was just a matter of location, now it is a matter of location and doctrine! Although they are in different locations and of different denominations they consider themselves to be "one church".

According to an article by Lillian Kwon (12/22/09) on christianpost.com, "New Hope South Bay and Newsong (churches in southern California) merged---under the umbrella of Newsong to become one of Newsong's multi-site campues----"New Hope lead pastor Charles Lee said," wanted New Hope to be a part of the formation of what multi-sites may look like in the future."

More than twenty-five years ago I wrote about why I believe "satellite churches" are unscriptural. My article was a response to what Landmark Baptist Temple in Cincinnati, Ohio was doing. That resulted in John Rawlings attacking me from the pulpit, as he shook the paper in the air, saying," That's the little dogs barking at us big dogs."

Since I heard no one else voicing any objection, I decided it was futile to say any more, so I kept quite and hoped it would be a passing fad that would soon go away. But it hasn't. According to Lillian Kwon, "The number of multi-sites-one church in multiple locations-has jumped from 300 to some 3,000 over the past decade." But the problem is getting worse in more ways than one. Now one church can have two campuses of two entirely different denominations! I guess the idea is-if you don't like what we believe at one location you can attend our service at another location. It just keeps getting crazier all the time. And, still I hear no objections being raised. That amazes me.

It seems strange to me that the same people who used to disagree with the Catholics regarding their form of church government, etc. are now following in their footsteps. I guess the next thing will be a Baptist Pope, etc. I feel sure they could find several candidates who would gladly accept the position, since it would increase their attendance and line their pockets. That seems to be the only thing that matters to people like that. We already have "churches" with locations in different states and now it seems that the new trend will be to include different denominations. Think about it-the news paper ad will say," Visit us at our Baptist-site in Calif. or our Pentecostal- site in Fla." That's crazy!

St. Peter informed them that in order to get into Heaven, they would each have to answer one question.

St. Peter addressed the teacher and asked, "What was the name of the ship that crashed into the iceberg? They just made a movie about it."

The teacher answered quickly, "That would be the Titanic." St.Peter let him through the gate.

St. Peter turned to the garbage man and, figuring Heaven didn't REALLY need all the odors that this guy would bring with him, decided to make the question a little harder: "How many people died on the ship?"

Fortunately for him, the trash man had just seen the movie, and answered, "1,228."

"That's right! You may enter."

St. Peter then turned to the lawyer. "Name them."

The manner in which God works is amazing. Just as I was thinking about the need to post another article on this blog, I received an email thanking me for today's "Morning Manna". It said,"This was EXACTLY what I needed today." Wow--I could have turned a cart-wheel (LOL, well I could if I could). That was exactly what I needed. The kindness of that person reminded me of Proverbs 25:11"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." That speaks of words that are pleasant, attractive or charming.

There is great power in the words we speak. Words can heal or hurt, bring pleasure or pain, tear down or build up. Notice that this verse speaks of a single word. Sometimes less is more. You don't have to give a speech or preach a sermon to encourage a person. A simple phrase with carefully chosen words focused on just one word can speak volumes. When we communicate love, kindness, understanding, forgiveness, sympathy, etc. to others they are encouraged. We ought to make it a habit. Someone, somewhere, needs to hear from you today. They might be living under the same roof. THINK ABOUT IT!

Some people don't understand that there is a difference between performance and worship. The former appeals to man, the latter to God. I just read an article entitled,"The Best Choir in America". It said, "Along with the title, the winning choir also snagged $30,000 in cash and prizes, adding to the three other awards it had picked up as it made its way through the 'How Sweet the Sound' competition, sponsored by Verizon Wireless".

I wonder who would have won had God been the Judge? What does it take to truly be the best choir? By "best" I mean the most pleasing in God's sight, not as judged by man. What God deems best and what man considers best are two different things. So what does it take for a choir to be considered best by God?

First of all, the choir would have to sing purely for the glory of God, not to please man. Motive matters to God. The only thing acceptable to Him is that which is done for His glory. Regardless of how talented a choir might be it doesn't impress God unless it brings Him glory. The purpose of a choir is to worship God, not to please self or others. When you think of worship you should think of an audience of One. God is both the object and the audience of worship.

Second, the choir would have to do its best. God is never pleased with anything less. You don't have to be better than someone else to please God, but you do have to give Him your best. Think about it. Are you giving God your your best when you've got a $500 suit at home (that you wear to weddings and funerals) and you wear a "Bass Pro Shop" tee shirt in the choir? Are you giving God your best when you yell like a commanche at ball games and then mumble through the words of a song, with a frown on your face, durning church? Are you giving God your best when you forget the words to a song and miss the notes all because you didn't practice? The "best choir" would always do its best to be at its best for the glory of God. They might not win any awards here on earth, but they would gain God's approval, and that's what is important.

Thirdly, the choir members would be willing to do what is best for the choir to be at its best. Everyone can't sing lead! You might be able to sing a certain part far better than someone else, but the choir might be best served by you singing a different part. If everyone sang the bass notes it would be a mess! Choir members who aren't willing to do what is best for the choir ought to resign. If you do what you do just because you enjoy it or to get attention you are selfish--that's the wrong motivation. You should have the best interest of the choir at heart.

Summed up--the best choir would be made up of members who are willing to do their best and to do what is best for the choir for the sole purpose of glorifying God. It might never win a competition, but it will please God and that's all that matters. God deserves our best and demands out best. Give Him your best and you will be at your best. Think about it!

I just read the story regarding Kimberly Munley. Who? Most people don't have a clue! But the folks at Fort Hood will never forget her. Kimberly is a "slightly built 34-year old civilian officer", who was the first on the scene after Nidal Malik Hasan killed 13 and wounded 31 others. Kimberly "succeeded in bringing him down by shooting him four times, even after being hit by a bullet that passed through both her legs"!

The story of that gutsy woman, who prevented many more deaths, is amazing--God give us all such courage, but the most amazing part of the story involves "our president". He actully urged Americans against "jumping to conclusions" about the killer's motives. Say what? You've got to be kidding! Considering all we know about this nut-case, his motives are clear. The FBI had been warned about this man six months earlier, surely the president has that information. Given Hasan's history and the earlier comments he made, we don't have to wonder why he did what he did, yet "our president" warns us about "jumping to conclusions". I find that amazing. Instead of recognizing this for what it is President Obama wants us to ignore the obvious--the killer is a hate-filled Muslim. I wonder why he would do that? Well. I think the answer is obvious, defending Muslims isn't anything new for the President.(I wonder if the president's new "Hate-crimes" law will be used against him--I bet you know the answer.) To see Hasan's actions for what it is, and saying so, isn't "jumping to conclusions", it's as clear as anything could be. It's called facing the facts--something a lot of folks don't want to do.

I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of listening to people who try to excuse the sinful actions of wicked, hate-filled people who blame America for everything under the sun. We don't need any warnings about "jumping to conclusions", we just need leaders with the guts to call it what it is. We need to face the facts! Think about it.

We all need reminders.  Right?  Most of us tend to forget and/or neglect things that are crucial.  Sometimes a simple, or even a silly, word can be used to remind us of important things.

I love to write and I'm never without a pen.  Sometimes I think I can't think without a pen and paper.  I probably jot down more notes than anyone you've ever seen.  Even after all these years, I still write out all my sermon notes in long hand.  I just can't seem to break the habit.

The other day I was thinking about the importance of starting the day out right, so that we might walk with God.  In a few minutes I came up with an acrostic based on the word W A L K.  It serves to remind me of what I should do when I get out of bed in the morning.  Hopefully it will be of a benefit to you as well.

Worship - This is the way we should start every day, and every prayer.  We can't expect anything to go right unless we put God first.  To walk with the Lord we must give God the first part of every day, the first day of the week, the first tenth of every dollar, and the first place in every decision.

The "Lord's Prayer" begins with these words - "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name" (Matthew 6:19).  Our prayer and our life is out of order unless God is first.

Ask - Since we are to "Pray without ceasing" (I Thess.5:17) we should wake up praying.  We should go to sleep praying and get up praying.  We should start the day with praise and then move on to petition.  You never know what a day might hold - you better be prepared.  We aren't ready to meet the demands of the day until we pause to pray.  Ask God for help!

Listen - It's one thing for you to speak to God, it's another thing for Him to speak to you.  I'm not talking about some eerie, unearthly voice, or a burning bush experience.  God speaks to us through His word and we aren't prepared for the day until we've heard from our Lord.  Absolutely nothing can take the place of reading and studying the Bible.  We should have the attitude of Job, who said, "---I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food."  (Job 23:12).

Keep - The Bible uses the word "Keep" many times and in many ways.  Each new day brings us duties we are to perform.  It's not enough to just hear from God, ask for help, and worship God.  We are to be "doers of the word."  The word "keep" reminds us of our duties for the day, our responsibilities.

We should keep the commandments of God, the commission from the Lord, the chores we've been given, the commitments we've made, the connection with our loved ones, the convictions we've embraced, the confidence that comes from trusting God.

WALK in this manner and you will have a good day.  Think about it!

I cried last night! It wasn't because of any problems or lack of needs on my part. It wasn't because a pipe broke and flooded our new church building. And it wasn't because someone disapproved of the way I handled things--I can stand the heat and I'm not going to get out of the kitchen!

I cried because of the suffering and difficulties faced by people I love, good and godly people who are doing their best to serve God. Don't get me wrong, I know God will use those bad things to create something good, but meanwhile people I love are hurting and that hurts me. Should not I weep with those who weep?

One of the amazing things is that one of those people actually spent more time expressing concern about me than talking about his problems. Me! Me--whose needs pale in comparison to theirs. I don't need anything, materially speaking, yet they were concerned about my welfare.

My crying spell reminded me of how blessed I am and how we need one another. Tough times are ahead and we can expect to see a lot of good people going through great difficulties. I know God's grace is sufficent, but it still hurts to see them hurt. More than ever Christians need to be involved in the lives of fellow believers. I'm talking about much more than financial assistance. People need contact, support, and sympathy. If they don't get it from the "Christian community" they won't get it.

Yes I cried last night and I'm glad I did. I also prayed that God would forgive me of the many times I didn't. I'm too selfish, too inconsiderate, etc. But every once in a while I come to my senses and think about the needs of others. I need more such seasons!

Yep I cried last night and I prayed for my loved ones. Now's the time for action. I can't do everything, but I can do something, and that's the plan for the day. I pray that God will richly bless you and your family and supply all your needs. I even hope that you might cry tonight. Think about it!

OK it's time for a quick note of explanation. For over two years we have been seeking to relocate our church and finally it has happened! Two weeks ago we sold our property and we are now in the process of moving in a beautiful new building in the exact location where we wanted to be. Last Sunday we voted to change the name of the church to Lakeway Baptist Church, an appropriate name for our new location near Lake Houston.

I can't even begin to tell you all the wonderful things God has the last two years. I can't understand it, and we don't deserve it, but I'm sure enjoying it! In spite of all our faults and failures God has blessed us in marvellous ways. Our people are excited and our future has never looked brighter. As I told someone, it makes me wish I was 20 years younger. I would love to see where all this is going. However, I am perfectly content in this because I know it is exactly as God has planned it. By His grace I plan to enjoy every minute of it. This whole situation has reminded me that regardless of how bad times are God is "able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think"(Eph. 3:20).

I am not able to write as much as I would like, so article might be few and far between for a while. We will be making changes to our website asap, so bear with us. I will keep you updated the best I can. Most of all, pray for us that many precious souls will be saved. HDS

We just celebrated our 40th anniversary as a church and the entire day was wonderful. We had a packed house, saw many old friends, and met some new folks. We also were blessed with three new additions to the church.

I love what one person said--"I have never before been in a church where so many people are willing to help." Isn't that great! As the pastor, I am so very proud of our folks!! They worked hard and did so with a sweet spirit. That's the way it ought to be. How could anyone not want to be a part of a church like that?

Now we have a major task ahead of us. We are preparing to relocate and there will be a lot of work to do. As it looks now, our first service in the new building will be Nov.1st. We are looking forward to this challenge and I ask that you pray for us that we will impact our new community for Christ.

I have said on many occasions, If we live long enough we will have more friends in heaven than we do on earth. Yesterday God added to the ever growing list of my friends who now wait for me in heaven. Amid all the earthly activities that I'm involved in I was forced to pause long enough to preach the funeral service of my friend. As I rejoiced over all the good things God is doing in my life, I had to pause to weep. As I struggled to deal with the unpleasant problems of life, my burden became greater as I watched the casket close for the last time.

As I left the cemetary and headed home I was reminded of several things. My friend and I did not agree on many issues, but we were friends. My friend, like me, wasn't perfect, but we were friends. Both of us understood that friendship doesn't depend on seeing eye-to-eye on every issue. Our common bond was a personal relationship with Christ. That compelled us to love one another. We made a choice to be friends, in spite of our differences, and we were the happier for it.

O how I wish that everyone understood the importance of friendship. Life is tough and we all need all the help we can get. Friends have a way of making life easier. We need to stop fussing about the imperfections of others and learn to love those that God brings into our life. God loves us unconditionally and that's the way we should love others. Because of Christ, God accepted you, faults and all, how then can you refuse to welcome others into your circle of friends? Learn to love others and someday, if you live long enough, you will have more friends in heaven than you do on earth. Think about it!

Who's Following in Your Footsteps?
by Dr. J. Vernon McGee

Wisdom is better than weapons of war: but one sinner destroyeth much good. (Ecclesiastes 9:18)

There is a tremendous influence exerted by the life of one individual. And the influence is more potent when it is in the wrong direction. History bears this out. Adam sinned and his sin has affected the entire race of mankind. Achan sinned, and because of him an entire nation went down in defeat. Rehoboam's sin split the kingdom of Israel. The sin of Ananias and Sapphira brought the first defect into the early church, and from that day on the church has not been as potent as it was in the beginning.

You and I have an influence, either for good or for bad. No matter who you are, you occupy a place of influence. "For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself" (Romans 14:7). My friend, all of us are preachers. You are preaching to those around you by the life that you live. I personally believe that the do-gooder, the man who boasts of his moral life apart from God is the greatest detriment. He actually stands in the way; he blocks the way to God because his message is, "Live like I do. I live without God. I just do good." There is nothing quite as deadening as that.

You are a preacher, whoever you are. It may be in a very small circle, but you are affecting someone. You are a preacher in your own home. This reminds me of a father who kept a jug of whiskey hidden in the corn crib. It was his habit to go out there every morning and get himself a drink. On a snowy morning he went out to the barn as was his habit, but this time he heard someone behind him. He turned around and found that it was his little son following him, stepping in the footsteps in the snow where his father had walked. The father asked, "What are you doing, son?" The boy answered, "I'm following in your footsteps." He sent the boy back into the house, and then he went out to the corn crib and smashed that jug of whiskey. He realized that he didn't want his boy to be following in his footsteps. Someone in your home is following in your footsteps. Where are you leading him?

You may be influencing a wide circle of human society. You may have influence in your neighborhood and in your community. You have influence in your Sunday school. Somebody is looking at you and watching to see whether or not you mean business with God. Does your going to church mean anything more to you than going to a drive-in to pick up a hamburger? Does your life suggest that there is a heaven to gain and a hell to shun? You have influence.

You remember that Peter preached a mighty sermon on the Day of Pentecost. Andrew just sat on the sidelines and could say, "That is my brother. I brought him to Christ." That was Andrew's influence. You, today, are pointing men to heaven or to hell. Now, if you want to go to hell, that's your business, but you have no right to lead a little boy there. You have no right to lead your family and those who surround you there. Even if you want to go, it's awful to lead others. Influence - "One sinner destroyeth much good." Think about it.

Although I was born and raised in the Ozarks of Missouri and live in the great state of Texas, I love Kentucky! Whether it is "Wildcat" basketball, Golden Pond, fishing on the many lakes and rivers,man I love Kentucky--it is beautiful. But the main thing about my memories of Kentucky has to do with the fact that I have preached all over the western half of the state. That' why the news headline caught my eye. I was even more interested when I saw the specific location--"Manchester, Ky." I have preached there on numerous occasions and we even started a church there. Now the story gets sad.

The article told about a US Census worker who was found hanged from a tree near a cementary. The man had the word "fed" scrawled on his chest. He was evidently a victim of anti-government sentiment. In Clay County, Ky. that's not unusal. It is a tough place to live.

Not long ago I wrote an article called,"Just Waiting for a Spark", describing the ever mounting tension that is building in our nation. I fear we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Our leaders are pushing us toward socialism, while totally ignoring the real problems in our country, and bitter resentment is building every day. Our nation is in serious trouble and the greatest threat is from within, not from without.

The solution to our problem, of course, is a spiritual awakening, but we see no signs of that. What we must remember is that revival happens one person at a time. A nation is no better than the people within it. Our best and only hope for turning our nation around is for Christians to get right with God and get busy preaching the gospel and establishing churches. We are not going to solve our problems by finding a political champion to defeat the opposing party. Our problem is of a spiritual nature and only a genuine revival in our churches can bring about the transformation that is needed. And, remember--that happens one person at a time. Has it happened in your life? Think about it!

I just ran across a website that sells sermon subscriptions. A years subscription is $60. I've got to tell you--I just don't understand that. If the preacher was selling a book (which he also does) I could understand why he might charge to cover his expenses. But I don't know how a preacher can charge for sermons posted on a wesite and still sleep at night. Maybe you're thinking,"Well he has to pay someone to do the typing" and you might be right, but are we suppose to be reimbursed for everything we do? Are we to never make any sacrifices to get the gospel out?

I can remember as a young preacher--I would have paid people to let me preach. It never occurred to me that I ought to get in the sermon selling business. I would hate to stand before the Lord and give an account of myself knowing that I had sold my sermons. That sure wouldn't show much heart-felt concern for making the truth known. The motivation seens to be purely for monetary gain. It should be the passion of our heart to proclaim God's Word, how can we say our motive is pure if we charge for the message.

Preachers, however, aren't the only ones guilty of having the wrong attitude.  Far too many folks are  motivated to do what they do because of the "What's in it for me?" attitude.  I'm sick and tired of people saying, "I left the church because I wasn't getting anything out of it."  I feel like saying, "You poor thing - how much did you put into it.?" Declaring God's Word and every form of Christian service should be viewed as a glorious privilege, not as means for personal gain and self-gratification. THINK ABOUT IT!

Have you noticed? Some people have the uncanny ability to see so far into tomorrow, you feel like you're operating in the shadows of yesterday. While you and I are evaluating where we've been, those forward-thinking people are forever exploring where we're going. Instead of reacting, they're on the offense . . . probing, innovating, analyzing, and warning---always warning. While we search for ways to settle in and find comfort on our sofa-like surroundings, they are confronting the consequences of reality, facing the music before we even realize the prelude has begun.

Prophets, I suppose we could call them . . . seers who frown while others yawn . . . restless, troubled, contemplative souls. They're not unlike the characters in a thought-jabbing cartoon published years ago. The whole message is contained in a single frame as the figures of a man and a woman are falling upside down through space.

"Gertrude," says the man, "we can't go on living like this!"

Those who slumber in the sleepy, warm twilight of sundown, finding a great deal of security in the mediocrity and predictability of sameness, cannot bring themselves to see either potential danger or possible tragedy. But those who see their world adrift, moving all too rapidly toward a bleak and disastrous dawn, shout across the chasm of complacency, "We can't go on living like this!"

Perhaps they are not upside down after all. They just seem that way. Thinking ahead keeps them topsy-turvy in their heads. While chatty, laughing tourists are taking snapshots of the lowlands with rose-colored filters, those lean, tough-minded climbers have scaled the rugged peaks. It gives them a stark view of what's ahead. Tomorrow's storm keeps them from enjoying today's lull. They're hard to live with, sometimes impossible to understand.

Robert Greenleaf, in his classic book Servant Leadership, recalls a story which grew out of Beethoven's composition, the C# Minor Quartet, Opus 131. When first played in the composer's lifetime, it appeared to be unlike anything the master had ever written before. "Ludwig," a friend asked, "what has happened? We don't understand you anymore." It is reported that Beethoven, with a sigh, replied, "I have said all that I have to say to my contemporaries; now I am speaking to the future."

If you are one of those seers, a tomorrow-thinker in a world of yesterday-dwellers, take heart. Realize that you must be true to yourself. While you may not be applauded for your warnings, you will be rewarded for your efforts. Just be patient with those who lack your zest and zeal. Say your piece, make your contribution, shout, if you must . . . but keep in mind that prophets were seldom heeded, rarely thanked, and never popular. THINK ABOUT IT!

Yesterday was a big day in the history of Northway Baptist Church. Yesterday afternoon we signed a contract to purchase the church building on Hwy. 1960 from Second Baptist Church. This came the next day after voting to accept an offer on our property. So, big changes are ahead!

It has been more than three years since we first started to work on relocating our church and now our dream is about to be realized. There have been times when it seemed that it would never happen, but God has brought it to fruition. Through all the rough spots our people have remained patient and prayerful--they are to be commended. This is just another example of what God can do if we trust Him and wait upon Him. While there is a lot of work to do, we face the future with a spirit of excitment. As I told someone yesterday, "I feel like a kid in a candy store." God has been blessing our church in an unbelievable way over the past year, but I believe the best is yet to come. If we don't get in His way, great things are ahead.

Let us be thankful for what God has done, obedient to His will, and ever vigilant, knowing that Satan wants to hinder God's work. If we remain faithful there is no limit to what God can do. Thank you for your prayers and support, keep it up!

Not all the "nuts" are in politics-some are in the ministry. A good example of this is Pastor Steven Anderson, of the "Faithful Word Baptist Church" in Tempe, AZ. Andersson recently preached a sermon titled, "Why I Hate Barack Obama", and he encouraged his parishioners to join him in praying for the president's death! He told "My Fox Phoenix", "I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy and I hope it happens today."

In his sermon he said, "I'm gonna pray that he dies and goes to hell when I go to bed tonight. That's what I'm gonna pray." His remarks stem, in part, from Obama's stance on abortion- rights.

The stupidity of this is such that I don't need to spend a second explaining why it is wrong. I would simply recommend to every person in that church that they get out, or get him out. I tried to contact this pastor by email, but his mail- box was full and my email was rejected. My only reason for writing this article is to warn you that we are just seeing the "tip of the iceberg". Our nation is filled with hate and we are headed for a showdown between opposing factions.

On one hand we have President Obama and his supporters, who are determined to turn out nation into a socialist state. On the other side we have those who want to preserve "the American way of life". The tension is building and I don't expect either side to back down. As Festus used to say, "There's trouble in Dodge".

While I certainly believe that we should do what we can to keep America great, we have no right to resort to violence or even use inflammatory remarks such as those used by Pastor Anderson. We are indeed involved in a spiritual warfare, but we need to remember, that, "the weapons of our warfare are not carnal"(2 Cor. 10:4). If you want to change America do it the right way. Make the truth known to others, vote and pray.

Don't allow some radical to push you over the top. Do what is right and trust God to do the rest. Unless something changes drastically before the next presidential election, like the little boy said, "You ain't seen nuttin yet." Things can get a whole lot worse than they are. As Christians we need to learn how to respond appropriately to those things that we disagree with. As Paul said, "be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" ( 1 Tim. 4:12).

Today is "Labor Day" and it would do us all good to think about it. I just read that there are "nearly 15 million unemployed Americans". That is a shocking figure. Although there are many reasons for this, one of the reasons is that a lot of folks looking for employment aren't looking for work. Instead of getting their hands dirty working, they are looking for a hand-out. That's why a politian can get elected by promising people a free ride. They want welfare rather than work.

If you think times are hard now just wait. Like the little boy said,"You ain't seen nuttin yet!". Unless there is a fundamental change in our work ethic things are going to get a lot worse. And, we've brought it on ourself. A Danish proverb says,"Give to a pig when it grunts and give to a child when it cries, and you will have a fine pig and a bad child." We've done that and now we have a generation of spoiled brats that do nothing but cry. We have raised the "Gimme Generation".

Most people simply don't want to work. They remind me of a man who joins all the labor unions he can so as to make sure he can always be on strike. Gone are the days when people took pride in a job well done. People today wish but they won't work.But that is no way to make your dreams come true.

Someone said,"There are two ways to get to the top of an oak tree--climb it or sit on an acorn." We've got too way folks sitting on acorns, too many couch-potatoes, more concerned about entertainment than they are about employment. All they think about are fun and games. They even design they wardrobe around the theme of sports and entertainment. Whatever happened to "work-clothes"? My mother wore exercise outfits when she was alive--they were called "housedresses". Guess I would have to explain that to some of the younger folks--LOL.

Every year Americans consume more and produce less. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that we can't keep going like that. Sooner or later we will end up with what we deserve--NOTHING! The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. Think about it!

The headlines read,"Megachurch Marries 32 Couples in Mass Wedding". That's unusual, but the most shocking part is that these people were church members who were "cohabiting". While it's good that these folks finally decided to "tie the know", why were they allowed to join the church while "cohabiting"? Here you have a "church" that is in the wrong telling people who are in the wrong that they need to do right. The church had no business receiving these people into the church to start with.

This is where our greatest problem lies today. Don't blame the Hollywood crowd, etc. for all the ills of our nation. The greater blame lies on the doorstep of churches that compromise what the Bible teaches. A bit later on in the article, I learned a lot more about this "megachurch" when I read this--" the church's female and male pastors------". Do I need to say more.

My question is--how can we expect people to obey God's Word when churches so blatantly disobey the Bible? Instead of giving this church a pat on the back, as this article seems to do, I suggest it deserves a swift kick in the seat of its pants. Think about it!

If you think there isn't a pride problem among Christians today, take the time to read some of the bios, web-pages, book covers, album covers, etc. It's sickening! I just can't imagine how some people gush all over themselves and still sleep at night. It's tempting to use some of them as examples, but it isn't my job to expose them or embarrass them. That's God's business. But I really do wish they would take the time to read ,and think about, what they've said. Some would discover that they've made a fool out of themselves. If they are as talented as they say they wouldn't have to say it---it would be obvious.

I'm sure some of these folks mean well and think they are doing you a favor by providing all this information, but do they really have to use words like "sensational", "brilliant", etc. to tell about themselves? Some of them sound like a spiritual version of Rush Limbaugh on speed--they just can't stop talking about themselves. Well, that's my rant for the day. I just hope there is a lesson in this for all of us. We are just sinners saved by grace and none of us have anything to boast about, except Christ. If you've got a little extra time it would be good to read 1Corinthians 4:1-7. Paul had it right when he said,"But by the grace of God I am what I am---"(1 Cor.15:10). Think about it!

Have you noticed? Some people have the uncanny ability to see so far into tomorrow, you feel like you're operating in the shadows of yesterday. While you and I are evaluating where we've been, those forward-thinking people are forever exploring where we're going. Instead of reacting, they're on the offense . . . probing, innovating, analyzing, and warning---always warning. While we search for ways to settle in and find comfort on our sofa-like surroundings, they are confronting the consequences of reality, facing the music before we even realize the prelude has begun.

Prophets, I suppose we could call them . . . seers who frown while others yawn . . . restless, troubled, contemplative souls. They're not unlike the characters in a thought-jabbing cartoon published years ago. The whole message is contained in a single frame as the figures of a man and a woman are falling upside down through space.

"Gertrude," says the man, "we can't go on living like this!"

Those who slumber in the sleepy, warm twilight of sundown, finding a great deal of security in the mediocrity and predictability of sameness, cannot bring themselves to see either potential danger or possible tragedy. But those who see their world adrift, moving all too rapidly toward a bleak and disastrous dawn, shout across the chasm of complacency, "We can't go on living like this!"

Perhaps they are not upside down after all. They just seem that way. Thinking ahead keeps them topsy-turvy in their heads. While chatty, laughing tourists are taking snapshots of the lowlands with rose-colored filters, those lean, tough-minded climbers have scaled the rugged peaks. It gives them a stark view of what's ahead. Tomorrow's storm keeps them from enjoying today's lull. They're hard to live with, sometimes impossible to understand.

Robert Greenleaf, in his classic book Servant Leadership, recalls a story which grew out of Beethoven's composition, the C# Minor Quartet, Opus 131. When first played in the composer's lifetime, it appeared to be unlike anything the master had ever written before. "Ludwig," a friend asked, "what has happened? We don't understand you anymore." It is reported that Beethoven, with a sigh, replied, "I have said all that I have to say to my contemporaries; now I am speaking to the future."

If you are one of those seers, a tomorrow-thinker in a world of yesterday-dwellers, take heart. Realize that you must be true to yourself. While you may not be applauded for your warnings, you will be rewarded for your efforts. Just be patient with those who lack your zest and zeal. Say your piece, make your contribution, shout, if you must . . . but keep in mind that prophets were seldom heeded, rarely thanked, and never popular

I just read an article entitled," Is Krakatoa Volcanco Preparing to Rock The World". A picture of the bright orange lava-spewing volcano really brought the article to life. Here's part of the article:

"Towering 1,200 ft. above the tropical stillness of the Sunda Strait in Indonesia, one of the most terrifying volcanoes the world has ever known has begun to stir once more----With the explosive force 13,000 times the power of the atomic bomb that annihilated Hiroshima, the 1883 eruption of Krakatoa killed more than 36,000 people and radically altered global weather and temperatures for years afterwards. The eruption was so violent and catastrophic that no active volcano in modern times has come close to rivaling it----are we about to experience the horrors of Krakatoa once again?"

As I read that article, I began thinking about an explosion of a different sort. The Bible warns us about it and the news media enables us to see it coming. Storm clouds are gathering. Tensions, fueled by hate and ignorance, are on the rise around the world. Nations are plotting the downfall of nations and there is little concern about collateral damage. For years we here in America have been shielded from the dangers others have had to face and, living in the lap of luxury, we've grown accustom to getting what we want. But that is about to change. It appears that the long period of peace we've enjoyed is about to be broken. We see evidence of this in many ways.

One of the ominous clouds hanging over us is the rapid rise of militia groups across the U.S. Bart McEntire, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said this is the most growth he has seen in more than a decade. In his report he said, "All it's lacking is a spark."

Dear friends, that "spark" could happen at any moment. Coach Dave Daubenmire recently wrote an article called, "I Fear For President Obama." In the article he speaks about the building up of pressure until it reaches the breaking point. By way of warning, he said, "can you rewind your memory to Rodney King and the chaos played out on the streets of LA?---what if the pressure builds so powerfully that the geyser must blow---."

I'm convinced that the average person doesn't realize that we are sitting on a powder keg and that one little spark could ignite a national conflict and problems the likes of which we have never imagined. People simply do not understand how bad things can get and how quickly it can happen.

Steven Emerson recently wrote an article called "The Creeping Homegrown Threat." In it he mentions several major cases involving "the problem of homegrown Islamic terrorism" during the last year. He then refers to the large number of radical organizations "that teach and imbue their followers with a hatred of the United States and Israel." He says, "These groups front as civil-rights groups, but in fact are radical Islamic groups whose constant message disseminated to the millions of Muslim followers is that the U.S. is an evil country engaged in a war against Islam." He then adds, "The U.S. is becoming more like Europe --- We have a major problem on our hands that no one is addressing." He is exactly right. The truth is that most people do not even know who the real enemy is.

Now, maybe you're wondering, "Why all the negativity? Why spend so much time talking about things that are so depressing?" The answer is simple - because nothing ever changes for the better until we recognize the problem. Warnings aren't pleasant, but they are necessary. Just sitting back singing "Happy Days are here again" won't solve our problems and prevent disaster. Our nation, our churches, and our families are in peril and folks need to know that. A faithful dog will bark when his master's home is invaded, shall we do any less when the things we hold dear are in jeopardy? Whether people listen or not every Christian has an obligation to warn others of impending danger.

So you've decided to quit? Let me guess:

"No one appreciates what I do."

"I was sick and nobody came to see me."

"I didn't get the position I wanted."

"I'm much better qualified than they are."

"They ignored me."

"They hurt me."

"I'm tired."

The list goes on and on. I've heard them all before. I get the picture-you feel hurt and you want people to know it. I've been there done that. We all have. But not everybody quits. So why are you? "I just need to be encouraged", you say. No, it's more likely that you need a swift kick in the backside!

"But I deserve better", you say. You really don't want to go there. If you got what you deserved it would be much worse than it is. What makes you think you deserve a problem free life? Were it not for God's mercies we would all be consumed.

Listen, it's time you stopped acting like a baby. You didn't get your way so you're going to take your toys and go home. That's pathetic! Grow up. This is the real world. Stop and take a good look at your own life. The chances are good that you will discover that you're not so good. You are just as bad or worse than the people you criticize. You complain because they didn't show you any special attention and you haven't made a hospital visit in the last ten years. Gimme a break, you quit a long time ago. You just want people to know that you are mad.

"But", you say, "I don't have any friends." Whose fault is that? You won't like the answer, but you are the one to blame. "A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly---"(Proverbs 18:24). If you drag around with a sour look on your face, never ministering to others, don't expect the world to beat a path to your door!

Suppose everything you say is true-you have been horribly mistreated. The fact is that we live in a fallen world and some people are as mean as a junkyard dog. Life isn't always fair, fun , and easy. People will mistreat you, there's no doubt about it, but what does that have to do with you quitting? Absolutely nothing. Our duty doesn't end just because conditions are unfavorable. By the way stop laying the blame on God by saying, "The Lord is leading me to do it." In most cases He has nothing to do with it.

Have you ever thought about who else might quit because you do? Your foolish actions could cause your spouse, your children, or your grandchildren to do the same. You will have to answer for that. Your fit of anger, dereliction of duty, and childish behavior can do untold damage. And, that's not something God is going to wink at.

You got mad and quit-now you're probably mad at me. You're mad because I told you the truth, not because I mistreated you. So where will this end? If you quit the church, what else will you quit when things don't go your way-your marriage? Your job? Where does it end?

I'm not trying to minimize your problems, nor be cruel. My hope is to shock you into reality. Your choice to quit has nothing to do with others. It has everything to do with you. It's a reflection of your character. You can determine the greatness of a person by what it takes to stop him. If he has a Christ-like character nothing will stop him.

If you want to quit something, quit complaining, quit feeling sorry for yourself, quit blaming others, quit expecting people to treat you like royalty, quit thinking you deserve an easier life than that of Christ. No one has beaten you beyond recognition and nailed you to a cross. You've never had to suffer the horror of being banished from the presence of God. There are no nail prints in your hands, nor wound from a spear in your side. Until you've suffered like that, never speak again of quitting.

Someone sent me an email telling me how much they appreciated "MORNING MANIA". Are you paying attention? They weren't. Had they been paying attention they would have noticed that it is "Manna", not "Mania". I don't mention this to rebuke them, I deeply appreciate their kindness and I needed a good laugh. I'm simply using this to point out the need to pay attention. In a case like this it is no big deal, but in some cases it can be serious.

Thousands die in car wrecks every year because someone wasn't paying attention. The latest craze among teens is to "text" while they are driving. There has already been several fatalities as a result of this. Using a cell phone while you are driving is bad enough, I can't even imagine how anyone could think they can drive safe while sending a text message!

We could probably think of a 1001 applications that could be made in regards to the importance of paying attention, but I want to mention just one---we need to pay attention to God. When He speaks, and He does everytime the Bible is read, we need to pay attention, to listen carefully. Not paying attention to God leads to a lot of confusion and it can be deadly. We cannot afford to miss what God says. Whether it is a warning, a promise, a command, or counsel we need to know what God is saying.

Sadly our bad habit of not paying attention often carries over into our spiritual life. Some people sit through a church service looking straight ahead, as though they are listening, but their mind is in a place far far away. That reminds me of my childhood days ,as I stared out the window, day dreaming while the teacher was trying to teach. That might cause you to fail a class, but not listening to God can cause you to fail in life. When we stand before the Lord to give an account of ourselves, saying, "I wasn't paying attention" will not be an acceptable excuse for our failure. THINK ABOUT IT!

I believe in testifying about what God has done. We have an obligation to make His mighty works known, but as strange as it might seem, I believe we must be careful about it. Among the many things I cannot explain there is this--I've noticed, after many years of observation, that often times when we start talking about what God is doing He stops. At first I thought it was just a coincidence, but after it happened over and over again I started believing there is something more to it.

Over the last couple years God has been blessing our church in unusual ways. I am so excited that I want to talk about it, but I'm fearful of doing so. All I will say is that God is amazing! I've always understood that God blesses us inspite of us, not because of us--none of us are earning our way with God, but now this is more real to me than ever. We don't deserve anything, yet God continues to shower His blessings upon us. I don't know why it's happening, I just don't want to get in the way and hinder His working. I don't want to "limit the Holy One of Israel". He is causing dreams to come true before my very eyes and I can't wait to see what He might do next.

It seems to me that there are some things that are better left unsaid. When seasons of great blessings come, be thankful and rejoice, but always beware that you never leave the impression that you deserve them or some how made them happen. The only explanation I can give is that our blessings come by His grace and for His glory. Beyond that I cannot explain them.

There is no end to the foolishness of man. That's what I thought when I read an article yesterday about a "church" in Vasteras, Sweden. Forty volunteers spent about eighteen months building a 6-foot-tall statute of "Jesus", made out of 30,000 Lego blocks. The statyte now stands behind the altar and people from across Sweden are fascinated by it. And you thought politicians were the dumbest people on earth!

This is about as dumb as it gets. Why in the world would anyone waste their time and money making a "Lego Jesus"? In the first place, nobody knows what Jesus looks like. Any statute of "Jesus" would be worthless, even if constructed out of gold. Second, would it not be better to use that time and energy preaching the gospel or feeding the poor? The folly of religious people never ceases to amaze me.

Instead of trying to capture the likeness of Jesus in a statute we should be seeking to emulate His example. It's better that people see something of Jesus in you than wasting your time trying to picture Him with Lego blocks. While some applaud their efforts, in my opinion it is sheer nonsense!

Note: Although I would not agree with the author of this book on several doctrinal issues, I'm glad that he addresses a subject that for far too long has been neglected. It's about time someone stood up against the critics and pointed out the error of their ways. I just wish a Baptist had been concerned enough to do it!

Church-Loving Christians Make Case for Organized Religion

We've all heard the countless reasons Americans don't like the church. Bookstores are full of writings that critique the church and talk about why people have left the pews.

Mon, Jul. 20, 2009 Posted: 12:38 PM EDT

We've all heard the countless reasons Americans don't like the church. Bookstores are full of writings that critique the church and talk about why people have left the pews.

Basically the church has been taking a beating, as one Christian author says.

"There's really nothing out there that we could see that really affirmed the local church," Ted Kluck, a lay member of University Reformed Church in East Lansing, Mich., told The Christian Post.

His pastor, Kevin DeYoung, has read the books and seen the reports and laments the growing movement of having God without the church.

"I see the church derided with mockery and scorn. I see critics exaggerating her weaknesses and incapable of affirming any of her strengths," DeYoung says. "I see many leaving the church instead of loving her for better or for worse. I see lots of my peers who have 20/20 vision for the church's failings, but are nearsighted to their own pride, self-importance, and mutual self-congratulation."

In a rare move, Kluck and DeYoung have put out a book that offers reasons why they love the church - church not as plural for Christian, as most people seem to define it, but as the institution.

As DeYoung writes in Why We Love the Church: In Praise of Institutions and Organized Religion, "Increasingly, we hear glowing talk of a churchless Christianity. ...These days, spirituality is hot; religion is not. Community is hip, but the church is lame."

But while non-Christians are liking Jesus and not the church and Christians are being told they can do fine with God apart from the church, the authors are urging them to give church another chance.

"We don't want Christians to give up on the church," DeYoung says.

Considering most are familiar with why so many people are disillusioned with the church (i.e. they're tired of the church's failings; it's filled with hypocritical and judgmental people), we'll go straight into why the church is worth it and why it's even essential in a believer's life.

Firstly, Christ loves the church, DeYoung says in the beginning of the book. The church is the bride and also the body of Christ, as the Bible describes it.

"The church we love is as flawed and messed up as we are, but she's Christ's bride nonetheless," the Reformed pastor writes. "And I might as well have a basement without a house or a head without a body as despise the wife my Savior loves."

Another thing Christians must remember is that there will always be aspects of the church that are unpopular, including an objective moral order and a Gospel that is not only about love and grace but also judgment and repentance.

And too many times, churches have been too eager to be liked, DeYoung notes, whether it's lusting after academic recognition or cultural validation.

"Being disliked by teenagers and twentysomethings is not our biggest problem," he points out.

Kluck, who offers a lay person's perspective in the book, also notes that rejection is going to be a part of the lives of believers.

"Not everybody is going to like us, or our message," he says.

Still, Kluck wants people to go and experience church despite its unpalatable and sometimes imperfect packaging.

"There are some core things about churches that on the surface may not seem terribly entertaining, it may not have amazing coffee, the praise team might not be drop dead gorgeous and talented but as long as the preacher's preaching passionate expositional sermons from the text, as long as the praise and worship is God-centered and authentic and real, as long as your church body is praying together, meeting one another's needs, reaching out to the community, as long as those things are in place, those are signs of a great church," he commented to The Christian Post.

DeYoung describes the church as both organism and organization. It's a growing and living thing and at the same time, it is comprised of a certain order, with institutional norms, doctrinal standards and defined rituals. And Sunday morning worship, he notes, isn't about coming together for a few songs and an oration. It's an "exercise in covenant renewal, a weekly celebration of the resurrection, and a foretaste of the heavenly banquet to come."

Stating it bluntly, DeYoung stresses, "Christianity is not whatever we want it to be. It is, whether we like it or not, organized religion. And the church is what gives it its organization shape and definition."

And that's the main reason why many people don't like it.

"People don't like the church ... because the church has walls. It defines truth, shows us the way to live, and tells us the news we must believe if we are to be saved," the East Lansing pastor writes.

But it's those walls that Kluck seems to love and finds beauty in. Offering some practical reasons why he loves his church, Kluck lists: propositions (what his church believes and affirms), sincerity, small group, Regner (a filmmaker buddy), mentoring, structure, elders and deacons, lack of happy endings (believers don't always have the nice, utopian story where God makes everything better), community, and preaching.

"There are many people leaving the church, and supposedly finding God," Kluck writes. "But I found Him here, and by His grace, I'll keep finding Him here. I love my church."

Lillian Kwon
Christian Post Reporter

I just read about an Israeli woman who threw out a mattress with 1 million stuffed inside! That set off a frantic search through tons of garbage at three dump sites. As of yet it has not been found.

The woman said she bought her elderly mother a new mattress as a surprise and threw out the old one. She later discovered that her mother had hidden her life savings inside the mattress. So now, somewhere in a dump there is a lumpy old mattress stuffed with cash. I'm sure the daughter meant well, thinking mom would be more comfortable on a new mattress, but I gotta tell ya---sleeping on a lumpy old mattress stuffed with a million bucks sounds pretty comfortable to me!

I suppose you could make a lot of applications with this story, but this is what comes to my mind--Sometimes the younger generation discounts and discards things of great value from the older generation simply because something new seems more desireable. In some cases this is no big deal. However, in other instances it is a very costly mistake.

It seems now days just about everyone wants everything new. Personally, I get sick and tired of hearing things like,"This ain't your grandma's church",etc. Newer isn't better just because it's newer. In most cases today it is worse. The craze for something new, something different, change for the sake of change has a way of getting us into trouble.

I'm not interested in newer unless it's better. Call me old-fashion if you want, but until someone comes up with something better than "Amazing Grace", " Rock of Ages", etc. I'l keep singing the old hymns. If you dislike songs like that it's an indictment against you, not the hymns.My list of things could go on and on--I simply want to warn you of the danger involved in exchanging the new for the old. You better figure out what is of the greatest value before you toss it aside. Think about it!

As far back as I can remember I've loved the outdoors. In my childhood days boys explored every inch of woods, meadows, swamps, and caves within walking distance of their house and I was no exception. We didn't need to be entertained--every day was a new adventure! I grew up hunting and fishing, nearly every week of the year. My first career choice was to be a conservation agent---they didn't have professional bass fishing back then. My idea of a perfect place to live was an old log cabin way out in the woods, near a river, with a pack of hounds laying on the front porch. Although puberty changed my views about living alone, I never lost my love for the outdoors. After I got married I still spent as much time as possible chasing the dream. But all that changed the second I surrendered to preach. Now I had a new focus. As I busied myself in the Lord's work I seldom had time to hunt and fish, but I never lost my love for it. Today I spend more time watching birds and squirrels than I do on outdoor sports, but I still thrill at the thought of simply walking through the woods.

I've said all this (it's hard to stop writing about childhood experiences) to introduce you to a great article I just read. It was written August 25, 2005, but was just reposted on Dr. Albert Mohler's blog. This would be a great article for every parent to read. I hope you'll take the time to check it out. Even if you aren't a parent it will be worth your time. Who knows, it just might bring back a lot of pleasant memories. Here's the link---------http://www.albertmohler.com/blog.php

My wife and I just recently returned home from Savannah, GA, where we had gone to welcome our son Jason home from Iraq. On the way home we began to notice the many white crosses that marked the places where people had died as a result of car wrecks. I would guess that we saw at least two dozen on the west-bound side alone. suddenly I relized that every cross has a story.

Every casualty was caused by something. In some cases people were killed through no fault of their own-- someone hit them. In other instances people died as a result of their own wreckless driving. But, in other cases the driver simply went to sleep while driving and it cost them their lives. When you go to sleep at the wheel you are headed for trouble! As I struggled to stay awake near the end of our 17 hour trip I kept that in mind.

This experience caused me to start thinking about causalties of another sort--spiritual causalties. During my 43 years of preaching I've seen untold numbers of people who made a wreck of their lives. Most of these people simply went to sleep and it resulted in their ruin. These tragedies could have been avoided if they had remained alert. Numerous scriptures remind us of the need to be vigilent. If we are wise we will heed them. When we doze off we put ourselves in grave danger. We need to give heed to the words of Paul,"---it is high time to awake out of sleep---"(Romans 13:11). Sleeping saints end up getting hurt and hurting others. Don't let it happen to you. Wake up! Arouse yourself to action. Get busy serving the Lord. Stay alert. Keep your focus on Christ. Don't become another casualty along the roadside of life. THINK ABOUT IT!

" A Great Civil War"?

"Nothing short of a great civil war of values rages today throughout North America. Two sides with vastly differing and incompatible worldviews are locked in a bitter conflict that permeates every level of society. It is a struggle for the hearts and minds of the people. It is a war over ideas." So wrote Dr. James Dobson and Gary Bauer. Many folks, however, aren't convinced that the battle is real, or at least not all that serious.

The fact of the matter is that there is plenty of evidence to prove that assertion. In a recent article in the Christian Post, Dr. Tony Beam said," There are at least six key indicators from the culture itself that suggest the battle is certainly real. Those indicators are:

1. Open hostility toward biblical Christianity in the marketplace.

2. The majority of people no longer believe absolute truth exists.

3. The rise and acceptance of immorality.

4. The loss of civility and the rise of harsh rhetoric in public debates.

5. The trashing of traditional agents of stability in the culture such as marriage, the family, and sexual abstinence until marriage.

6. The elevation of science to god-like status and the emphasis on genetics as the cause of sinful behavior."

In the light of these obvious facts I don't see how any sensible person could deny that there is in deed a war raging. It is real and it is dangerous! So, what should we Christians do in the face of such problems? Merely ranting and raving about the rottenness of our society doesn't help, nor does debating with those who have no spiritual discernment. Trying to reform an unregenerate population is futile. What then should we do? The answer is simple and scriptural. We are to do as our Lord commanded in Matthew 28:19-20. We are to win the lost by proclaiming the gospel. It's not our job to change the world, except as it is changed one person at a time as a result of us carrying out the great commission. Doing things God's way is the only way that works! Think about it!

-----David Stone

I preached this morning on the subject--"Hating Hyprocrisy". It's late in the day and I still can't get it off my mind. Untold damage has been done to the cause of Christ by professing Christians who live contrary to what the Bible teaches. John Piper said,"When I read about prosperity-preaching churches, my response is:'If I were not on the inside of Christianity, I wouldn't want in.' In other words, if this is the message of Jesus, no thank you."

I agree, but the picture could be enlarged to cover a number of other things. Not only am I sickened by the religious huskesters, who deceive people to line their own pockets, but by hyprocrisy in general. I've often said, I'm glad I got saved when I did, because seeing what I see today I'm not sure I would ever want to be a Christian. That might be a poor way to make the point, but I'm guilty. I understand that salvation is of the Lord and He can save people regardless of how sinful those around us are, but the fact remains that many have made Christianity repulsive by their rotten behavior.

Remember the old saying,"You are the only Bible some people will ever read." Well, it's true. Many judge Christ by what they see in His followers. May God help us to not give them the wrong impression. As Paul said,"--Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."(2 Timothy 2:19). Think about it!

Sorry that I haven't written anything on the blog lately--been "under the weather" with knee surgery. Here is an article posted on "Crosswalk" that every American ought to read. It is written by Lee Wishing of the "Cener for Vision & Values":

"Based upon our observations of American soldiers and their officers captured in this war, the following facts are evidenced," a foreign intelligence officer wrote. "There is little knowledge or understanding, even among United States university graduates, of American political history and philosophy ... of safeguards to freedom; and of how these things supposedly operate within their own system."

Believe it or not those words weren't written by an Al Qaeda operative. They were written during the Korean War (1950-1953) by the chief intelligence officer of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army in North Korea. In a 1957 response to these remarks, Russell Kirk wrote, "Many Americans are badly prepared for their task of defending their own convictions ... against the grim threat of armed ideology.... And in our age, good-natured ignorance is a luxury none of us can afford."

As we pause this Memorial Day to honor those who died to preserve our freedom, it's a good time to take stock of the threats to our nation. I believe that the greatest threat is internal decay that results from a lack of knowledge of those things that make America great.

The Chinese officer's gloating inspired Kirk to write a primer on American political, economic and civil principles titled "The American Cause." Kirk defined the American cause as "the defense of the principles of a true civilization. This defense is conducted by renewing people's consciousness of true moral and political and economic principle ..." He continued, "The American cause is not to stamp out of existence all rivals, but simply to keep alive the principles and institutions which have made the American nation great."

America's modern enemies might have rejoiced in data released last fall by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute demonstrating that 71 percent of Americans in its survey failed a basic civic literacy test with an average score of 49 percent. Incredibly, the average elected official in the sample scored just 44 percent.

Last Saturday, I heard a stirring commencement address by Judge Alice Batchelder of the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals advocating the form of education that Kirk supported-education that will turn back the wave of national civic ignorance and strengthen our country. Following that address, an attorney and I discussed the deplorable treatment of the U.S. Constitution by the executive and congressional branches of the federal government that led to the approval of a 2009 budget deficit of $1.84 trillion. "Grotesque," lamented the attorney. We talked about how many of the world's countries have had multiple constitutions while America has had just one. We concluded that America operates from a new unwritten or "parallel constitution" that allows the government to spend whatever amount it desires without restraint by constitutional, moral or economic principle. This new constitution, birthed by civic illiteracy, is fostering the decay of a great nation-$60 trillion in deficits and unfunded liabilities, a failing educational system, breathtaking federal government interference in business, an out of control Federal Reserve that is putting the American dollar and the world's economic system at great risk, and social programs that promote family breakdown and dependence on government. And we have governments in Washington, D.C. and in many of our state capitals that want even more.

Kirk's book was written as an intellectual bulwark against the foreign threat of Soviet communism. He was concerned that we could not defend ourselves from foreign enemies unless we understood what we were defending. "Our danger at home is that a great part of the American people may forget that enduring principles exist," he said, foreshadowing today's striking civic illiteracy. "Our danger abroad is that the false principles of revolutionary fanaticism may gain such an influence as to wound us terribly."

I wonder where Kirk would think the greatest immediate threat to America lies today. Is it Al Qaeda or is it a domestic menace in the form of elected officials and bureaucrats whose actions demonstrate they know or care very little about the American cause? I think it is the latter. A country that has lost touch with its core principles is threatened more by Constitutional decay than by foreign radicals flying airplanes into skyscrapers. And, unfortunately, the domestic threat of civic illiteracy makes foreign threats more potent.

There is hope, of course. But it will require work. The task that Kirk assigns us is "to keep alive the principles and institutions which have made the American nation great." Principles like religious, political and economic liberty. And institutions like limited constitutional government and strong churches and families. The educational institutions that give me the most hope today are the private Christian schools, classical Christian schools, the home schooling movement, and private colleges that have a hefty Western civilization curriculum viewed through the lens of Scripture. There is hope in America because a vigorous remnant of institutions is working to preserve our core principles. We should enlist in their work.

As we prepare to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country this Memorial Day weekend, let us fulfill our duty to the American cause. Kirk says, "We do not need to invent some new theory of human nature and politics; but we do need, urgently, to recall to our minds the sound convictions that have sustained our civilization and our nation. Our enemies, no matter what resources they may have, cannot defeat us if we are strong in our own principles." THINK ABOUT IT!

We hear a lot of talk about "best" and "greatest". No doubt, we often use those words when they aren't actually appropriate. I suppose if we had a contest trying to find the "Best Mother" most people would vote for their own mother. That's natural. But it's not always true.

I loved my mother with all of my heart. Were she alive today I would honor her. But I can't honestly say that she was the best mother who ever lived. None of us know who the "best mother" is. Only God can figure that out. What I can tell you is this. The "Best Mother" that I know is my wife. I didn't say she was perfect (she married me), but I said she is the best mother that "I know". I can say that because I know her---better than anyone else on earth. I know her better than her parents did or better than any of our children. I know what she has been through. I know what she has overcome. I know what she has done. Others think they know her-I really do.

Isn't it amazing how little things can mean so much, especially as we get older. I just picked up a pen from the vast assortment of pens on my desk (You really wouldn't believe how many), and it brought back a flood of memories. The pen I hold in my hand belonged to my mother. It's likely that she used this very pen to write some of the letters she sent me before she died. Naturally it is something I treasure. I can't write with it without thinking about her.

There are many other pens on and around my desk that bring back memories---the Mont Blanc that belonged to Bro. Ray DeMasters, the hand-crafted wood pen from one of my deacons, several from my wife, and many more, each holding a memory. But this one reminds me of mother.

Now, before you get too bored, I'll get to the point. I'm not writing about pens or parents. I simply want you to think about the fact that your loved ones won't be here forever. Take advantage of every opportunity to show your love. Think about it!

I got off to a lousy start this morning. You know what I mean--you've been there done that! I didn't sleep well because of some meds my doctor put me on, I got up, made coffee, and then proceeded to dump the whole cup on my desk. Now you would have to see my desk to realize how bad this was--coffee all over my papers. To make matters much worse, my open brief case was sitting right next to my desk. Yeah, you guessed it--coffee on more important papers.What a day!

But then for the next hour or so I talked with my son who is Iraq, going through a nightmare. Suddenly my day didn't look so bad. After a while I decided to go get a hair cut. When I got to the barber shop I listened to a man describe just witnessing a man get struck by a car and killed. I had just listened to the story on the radio, but the actual description was horrible. My day was looking better all the time. Next my barber told me that a long time preacher friend of mine had died. I knew that man over 30 years and had no idea he had died. Now my petty problems seemed really small. Hey, I'm having a great day. Although I grieve over the people I've just mentioned, I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I have it much better than I deserve. When you are tempted to get all bent out of shape because of your problems you might want to remember that someone has it worse. Can't think of anyone?--look to Calvary! Think about it and have a great day!

Bush 'Day of Prayer' Tradition to End with Obama

With the annual National Day of Prayer just days away, signs indicate that the White House will not hold a formal event to mark the day.

Mon, May. 04, 2009 Posted: 04:53 PM EDT

With the annual National Day of Prayer just days away, signs indicate that the White House will not hold a formal event to mark the day.

According to Dan Gilgoff of U.S. News & World Report, the White House said it will issue a proclamation to observe the National Day of Prayer on May 7, but will stop short of holding an official White House event.

An official schedule released by The White House for this week shows that President Obama is only scheduled to sign a proclamation on Thursday and then attend meetings.

This marks a departure from the Bush administration, which annually invited National Day of Prayer Task Force chairman Shirley Dobson and her husband, Dr. James Dobson, founder of the conservative ministry Focus on the Family, to the White House to observe the day of prayer.

Notably, however, Obama is returning to the conventional practice of past administrations besides that of George W. Bush's. Former presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush had only signed a proclamation to mark the National Day of Prayer without holding an event in the White House.

The annual event was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. In 1983, the National Day of Prayer Task Force was founded to express the Judeo-Christian view. Shirley Dobson became chairman of the NDP Task Force in 1991 and has held the position ever since. Vonette Bright, co-founder of Campus Crusade for Christ with her husband Bill Bright, was the NDP Task Force's first chairman, and remains the co-chairman.

In recent years, the Task Force has come under attack by atheist groups who argue that the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional because it violates the Establishment Clause's separation of church and state.

Last year, a Wisconsin-based atheist and agnostic group filed a lawsuit against President Bush, the governor of Wisconsin, Shirley and James Dobson, and other officials over the federal law designating a National Day of Prayer.

The Alliance Defense Fund has said it will defend the National Day of Prayer Task Force should the case be accepted by the District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin. The legal group argues that public prayer is part of the history and tradition of the country and Americans should be allowed to freely pray without people threatening to silence them.

Millions of Americans are expected to participate in prayer events nationwide for the National Day of Prayer on Thursday. Along with local events, a live webcast of the National Observance in Washington D.C. is scheduled for Thursday morning.

Michelle A. Vu
Christian Post Reporter

In a democratic society the majority decides who will rule over them. That works great for a righteous nation, but it is a disaster for the nation that is unrighteous. Ungodly people elect ungodly people to positions of leadership. I mention this because it is gut wrenching and heart- breaking to see what has happened to our nation.

Here is one recent example. "Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told CNS News.com----if it were up to him, Americans would be completely free to smoke marijuana and gamble on the internet---but they shouldn't be allowed ‘ total freedom' in their financial decisions because those risky decisions might adversely affect others." I guess he forgot that he played a major role in getting us in this present mess-but that's another story.

Now, if you know anything about Rep. Frank, you know there are some other serious issues that I could mention. At one time I was shocked when such people were elected to office, but now I expect it. The spiritual condition of our nation is such that this is what you get. And, from all indications things are going to get worse. Hang on America,---it's going to be a bumpy ride!

If you're like me you keep telling yourself, "There's just not enough hours in the day." We just can't seem to get everything done-can we? I was struck with this thought when I just happened to notice the ever- growing stack of unread books on and around my desk. I couldn't read all these books in a month, even if I read several hours a day. Wow---I hate that. These are really good books, not junk publications. I want to read them and there is much I could learn from them, but I don't have the time.

Now this same argument could be made in reference to a lot of things in life. We can all think of tons of things that would be both enjoyable and profitable to do-then there are those things that really do need our attention, but they're not so fun! So, what do we do? I feel like saying, "Figure it out for yourself!" But, that sounds rude. And, you're probably thinking, "What in the world am I doing wasting my time reading this junk?" Fair enough. The fact is, you could be doing things that are more important. And I could say, "Figure it out for yourself."

The fact is, dear friend, you really do have to figure it out for yourself. We're all different and we all have different circumstances. While there are some general rules we should follow in deciding what we should do---keeping our priorities in their proper place, we cannot allow our actions to be decided by others. Some of you are worn out and some of you are burned out, and you need a little R &R. Don't let anyone put you on a guilt trip by insisting that you should do as they say. Do what you need to do and don't worry about the critics. On the other hand some of you are up to your eyeballs in work and, as much as you would like to rest, you need to get in over your head and finish the job. No one else can tell you what you should do. You have time to do only so much, but that's plenty of time if you are at peace with God about it.

I just read the lastest Barna survey which said,"The majority of American Christians do not believe that Satan is a real being or that the Holy Spirit is a living entity." Nearly 60% of professing Christians took this stance. Only 35% disagreed about the part related to Satan and only one-third disagreed with the part about the Holy Spirit.

This goes to show what a mess we're in today! By their own admission the majority of professing Christians do not really believe the Bible. The bottom line is--we have a huge mission field right on our door step. Churches all across America are filled with unsaved people--it is reflected by the way they live. Other surveys show that there is virtually no difference in the behavior of those who profess to be Christians and those who don't. It is no wonder that "Christianity" is repulsive to so many people. The hypocrisy is evident.

While all this is troubling, it should not surprise us. The Bible clearly tells us that, as this age wears on,"evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived."(2 Tim. 3:13). So, don't expect things to get better until Jesus comes.

Dear friends don't let this discourage you. Keep your focus on Jesus and the commission He has given us. Our mission is not to change the world, but to win others to Christ. You don't have to travel half way around the world to be used of God. As I said earlier--"we have a huge mission field right on our door step." Tell someone about Christ today. He alone can save their soul and transform their life. It is our job and our joy to tell them about Jesus! Think about it!

We say we will never do it, but we do. Every young person has heard old people go on and on about "the good old days", and they resolve, "I'll never do that"---but they will!

It's early Easter morning and I just happened to pick up a magazine that my sister sent to me. I wasn't looking for something to read, I was making a half-hearted attempt to clean off my desk. I failed to complete the project because of the strong attraction of that little magazine. The pictures from the 40's and 50's drew me like a magnet. One page in particular got my attention. Actually there were two, but I won't talk about the 57 chevy---my dream car! The page I'm talking about was filled with pictures of little children all dressed up for Easter. It's for good reason the magazine is called "Reminisce". Wow--those pics opened up a floodgate of memories.

Before the three boys came along, we had three girls---like stairsteps, in rapid succession. I will never forget watching Bev get those girls ready for church every Sunday morning, especially on Easter Sunday. It was quite a show. All their clothes were washed, ironed, and laid out on Saturday night. Then, bright and early, Sunday morning the show began. Bev made sure each one was spotless and decked out to the hilt. What a beautiful picture! I was so proud watching my beautiful wife and those girls walk into church.

Now, back to the story. There was one other picture on that page that sort of summed it all up. It was a picture of a family, still dressed in their Sunday best, sitting around the dinner table enjoying their meal together. All this served to remind me of the importance of the family. We should cherish every moment we have together. The family institution is under attack today as never before and, sadly, many don't seem to care. Dear friends, we are making tomorrow's memories today. Let us make them good ones. Think about it!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a famous athlete or to live the lifestyle of the rich and famous? Just about every child has entertained such dreams, but it's not as wonderful as you might think.

Commenting on the influence an elderly minister left on his life, legendary baseball player Babe Ruth said:

"Most of the people who have really counted in my life were not famous. Few ever heard of them, except those who knew and loved them.

"I knew an old minister once whose hair was white and whose face shone. I have written my name on thousands and thousands of baseballs in my life; he wrote his name on just a few simple hearts. How I envy him! He was not trying to please himself and win the plaudits of the world. So fame never came to him.

"I am listed as a famous homerun hitter. Yet, beside that humble, obscure minister, who was so good and wise, I never got to first base!"

Dear friend, serving God in any capacity is far more important and rewarding than achieving fortune and fame. If you really want to "hit a homerun" in life spend your life serving Christ. That's something you will never regret! Think about it!

"And now, the rest of the story." Those are the words made famous by Paul Harvey. Today I want to borrow that phrase to continue my thoughts from yesterday. As Jason related the circumstances regarding his salvation, he explained that it happened while he and his buddy were driving home from the army base in Savannah, GA. His buddy was an atheist, and from a family that hated the very mention of God. After describing his experience, Jason then added these words, "Also, that person driving the car---was saved today." In other words, this young man was saved about six months after Jason received Christ---six months of observing the change that took place in Jason's life.

Here's my point--a changed life and a clear testimony of salvation preaches a powerful sermon to others. When we practice what we profess it gets people's attention. It gives us an opportunity to tell them about God's saving grace.

Whether you are an unsaved church member or an avowed atheist, you must trust Christ as your Savior if you hope to go to heaven. One is no better than the other--both will spend eternity in hell unless they are saved. Thankfully, for Jason and his buddy all ended well. But, what about you? Have you truly trusted Christ as your Lord and Savior? Think about it!

You never know what a day may hold. We hear a lot of bad news and it gets depressing at time. But every once in a while we hear something that is absolutely wonderful.Yesterday was one of those days for me.

Our youngest son, Jason, is in Iraq, on his second deployment. Thankfully I am able to talk to him almost everyday by way of the internet. Yesterday he shared with me the wonderful news that he had received Christ as his Savior about one month before he was deployed. I was shocked--but thrilled! Jason had been raised in church and had made a profession of faith many years ago. I had no reason to believe that he wasn't saved. I could go on and on talking about what a great kid Jason was, but the bottom line is that there was nothing about his attitude or actions that ever caused me to doubt his salvation.

I won't go into the details, I'm waiting for him to return home and tell the story himself. I'll just tell you that he was saved shortly before he left for Iraq and that, in his words,"Pride--kept me from spreading the word---." My first thought was,"What if he had been killed during his first deployment?" We would have thought he was in heaven, but he would have been in hell. It makes me tremble just to write those words. It also makes me wonder how many others are in exactly the same condition. They were raised in church and have a head knowledge of Christ, but they are lost. I suspect the number is far larger than we think. It's a scary thought!

There just might be someone reading this article, at this very moment, who is in that position---a long standing church member, with a head full of knowledge about Christ, decent and kind, but lost. I hope Jason's story will cause you to stop and think about your situation. It's my prayer that you will truly repent and receive Christ as your Lord and Savior. The Bible says,"Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves--."( 2 Cor.13:5). If everyone would do that many would be forced to admit that they are not saved. If that describes you, please don't wait until it is too late. Trust Christ today. If you do let me know---I'm ready for some more good news. Think about it!

"As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing" (2 Cor. 6:10).

When Sorrow sang, her notes were like the low sweet call of the nightingale, and in her eyes was the unexpectant gaze of one who has ceased to look for coming gladness. She could weep in tender sympathy with those who weep, but to rejoice with those who rejoice was unknown to her.

"But we can never be united," said Sorrow wistfully.

"My path," said Sorrow, turning slowly away, "leads through the darkening woods, with moon-flowers only shall my hands be filled. Yet the sweetest of all earth-songs--the love song of the night--shall be mine; farewell, Joy, farewell."

"I see Him as the King of Joy," whispered Sorrow, "for on His Head are many crowns, and the nailprints in His hands and feet are the scars of a great victory. Before Him all my sorrow is melting away into deathless love and gladness, and I give myself to Him forever."

"Then we are one in Him," they cried in gladness, "for none but He could unite Joy and Sorrow."

"Should Sorrow lay her hand upon thy shoulder,
And walk with thee in silence on life's way,
While Joy, thy bright companion once, grown colder,
Becomes to thee more distant day by day?
Shrink not from the companionship of Sorrow,
She is the messenger of God to thee;
And thou wilt thank Him in His great tomorrow
For what thou knowest not now, thou then shalt see;
She is God's angel, clad in weeds of night,
With 'whom we walk by faith and not by sight.'"

There are special moments in life that you never forget. We experienced one of those yesterday. It was our annual "FRIEND DAY" at the church and it was great. I'm certain we had a record attendance---although I haven't received the offical count, I'm confident it was over 300.But that wasn't the best thing. The food, fellowship, and singing was great, but there was something even better. The greatest thing was a powerful sense of God's presence!

As I said at the close of the service, I don't have the words to describe it. Everyone was moved deeply. Tears flowed freely and people spoke with broken voices as they talked about it. I can't remember when I've seen young people so stirred and involved in worship. I will never forget the look on their faces, especially as our young men's quartet sang. It was a sight to behold!

Remember the song "Heaven Came Down and Glory Filled My Soul"? Well, that pretty well describes what we experienced. I went home tired in body, but so stirred that I couldn't even take a Sunday afternoon nap. That's a minor miracle---lol! What happened yesterday was something that could not be duplicated even if you tried. All I can say is, God did it! I am praying---Lord, do it again! Think about it!

I knew a lot of folks are lazy, but this takes the cake----

Too Busy To Pray? For a Fee, a Computer Will Do It For You
Bruce Tomaso at Dallas Morning News blogs about a new 'service' for busy Christians. If you dont have time to pray, Information Age Prayer service will do it for you, for a mere $3.95 per month. They offer prayers for Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, and Unaffiliated believers. Here is part of their message: Information Age Prayer is a subscription service utilizing a compu- ter with text-to-speech capability to incant your prayers each day. It gives you the satisfaction of knowing that your prayers will always be said even if you wake up late, or forget.

It gets crazier all the time! THINK ABOUT IT!

"Are you ready to rumble?" I recall hearing those words booming from the TV as the announcer introduced the contestants in a wrestling match. No-I don't watch wrestling, but when you have as many kids and grandkids as I do you will hear a lot of things that you aren't really interested in. I have no idea why those words came to my mind this morning, but I will tell you what I was thinking.

Yesterday I made this statement-" All this makes me wish I was 20 years younger." The context for that statement had to do with the way God is blessing. I don't have time to tell you all about it, but our church family knows what I mean. Let me sum it up like this. For no earthly reason, and certainly not because of any exceptional qualities to be found in us, God has richly blessed our church family in an unusual way this past year. The only explanation I have is grace!

But I have been preaching long enough to know that, when God is blessing , Satan will be fighting-that is for certain. So, "Are you ready to rumble?" I don't mean to discourage you. I'm not looking for a fight and I'm not saying things are going to get worse. I'm simply saying that anytime there is progress there will be resistance. Opportunities bring opposition and obstacles. We must be prepared. Satan doesn't give ground, we must take it. He doesn't give up without a fight. Neither should we.

What God has in store for us is well worth whatever price we must pay to get it. God set the Promised Land before the Israelites and assured them of victory, but they had to enter the fray to gain the blessing. So it is with us. In light of all this I want to give you these words of advice:

Where have I been? I didn't know until now. I just read an article entitled,"Dictionary Redefines 'Marriage' to Include Same-Sex Couples". What really shocked me is that this happened in 2003. Here's part of the article:

Dictionary Redefines 'Marriage' to Include Same-Sex Couples

One major dictionary company has defined marriage in broader terms than the U.S. government. Merriam-Webster tacked on a secondary definition that counts unions between same-sex couples as "marriage."

Thu, Mar. 19, 2009 Posted: 07:27 PM EDT

One major dictionary company has defined marriage in broader terms than the U.S. government.

Similar to the definition of marriage under federal law, Merriam-Webster states marriage as "the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law." Every state in the nation recognizes marriage on similar terms except for Connecticut and Massachusetts.

But the dictionary runs askew from legal recognition of marriage by the federal government and almost all the states by tacking on a secondary definition that counts unions between same-sex couples as "marriage."

Merriam-Webster added the secondary meaning for marriage in 2003, even before gay marriage was legalized anywhere in the country. Whereas the company's dictionary editions prior to 2003 stated no mention of same-sex marriage, the latest version now defines marriage also as "the state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage."

The change went unnoticed until WorldNetDaily recently reported on a YouTube video calling attention to the marriage "redefinition."

Isn't that amazing! For years people, some preachers included, have been re-naming sin, to soften the impact, but this is a new low. Now you can't even trust the dictionary to give you a proper definition of a word. That's why we must examine everything in the light of God's Word. It alone is an infallible guide. This new definition might make some folks feel more comfortable in their sin, but they are still condemned in the sight of God. If that is your case, you better think about it! The solution for your sin is not defining it away, but the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, which cleanses us from all sin. THINK ABOUT IT!

I don't know why I read the article, but I did. It had to do with learning to ski, and that's the last thing on my mind. Any activity that involves snow is on my "Never to do" list. But something about this article caught my attention, and it made a good point. Here it is, in part:

"One of the hardest lessons any novice skier has to learn is that he must lean away from the hill and not into it. His natural inclination is to stay as close to the slope as possible, because it feels safer and more secure. But only when he leans out can he begin to move and to control his own movements, rather than being controlled by the slope."

As I read that article I couldn't help but think of one of the first Christian songs I learned-"Leaning On The Everlasting Arms". The writer of that grand old song tells us that leaning on Jesus will keep us "Safe and secure from all alarms". He is exactly right!

As we go through this troubled world, we often find ourselves on slippery slopes that frighten us. Our tendency is to lean the wrong direction. What we need to do is to lean upon the Lord-lean upon Christ and away from the world. That's the only way we can traverse the slippery slopes and reach our spiritual goals. That's the only way we can avoid a fall.

Yesterday I commented on the sermon about digging ditches. Today I want to mention something that happened during the course of that story, which is found in 2 Kings 3:1-20. When the three kings requested help from Elisha, the prophet said, " But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played that the hand of the Lord came upon him."(2 Kings 3:15). That seemed a bit strange to me until I considered the context. Elisha was so perturbed by Jehoram that he needed the calming power of music to attain the right attitude. I find that interesting. A great man like Elisha in need of music before he could function in his office as a prophet? Evidently so.

The more I thought about this the more I realized that attitude matters to God. I can't help but wonder how many times we have prayed, preached, taught, etc. with the wrong attitude, and deprived ourself of the blessing we desired. Probably more than we would like to admit. Many fathers have stormed out of the house, angry with their spouse, going off to work with a bad attitude. Many mothers have left the house in a rage, gone to church and sang in the choir with a chip on her shoulder. And then they wonder why God doesn't bless their efforts.

Here's the point---we all need a quiet time where we can compose ourselves, think clearly, and commune with God. Reading God's word and even listening to good music can help us do that. We would all do well to settle down, rid ourselves of any annoyances, forgive any offenses, and get our focus on God before we embark on the activities of the day. Jesus knew the value of this and He taught His followers to do the same (Mark 6:31). Even so, we need to learn the lesson. As the late Vance Havner said, "If we don't come apart once in a while we will come apart." That's still good advice. THINK ABOUT IT!

Last night I preached about "Digging Ditches", from 2 Kings 3:1-16. I emphasized the fact that God's plan involved hard work, faith, and obedience---it still does today. As I reflected on the message this morning I was reminded of something I had read, but not included in the message. As you start this day maybe this will give you some food for thought:

Work is man's great function. He is nothing, he can do nothing, he can achieve nothing, fulfill nothing, without working. If you are poor-work. If you are rich-continue working. If you are burdened with seemingly unfair responsibilities-work. If you are happy, keep right on working. Idleness gives room for doubt and fears. If disappointments come-work. If your health is threatened-work. When faith falters-work. When dreams are shattered and hope seems dead-work. Work as if your life were in peril. It really is. No matter what ails you-work. Work faithfully-work with faith. Work is the greatest remedy available for mental and physical afflictions. THINK ABOUT IT!

Yesterday Bev and I celebrated our 49th anniversary. Our plans were hampered somewhat by rain, but it was great being able to spend the day together without distractions. My mind was flooded with memories as I thought back over the years. When I got up this morning my mind was on the word "Time".Let's talk about it:

TIME CHANGES PEOPLE: I thought about this on several occasions yesterday. It was on my mind as I limped through the mall because of a bum knee. I even had my trusty old cane in the car in case it got worse. I thought about it as I looked at a rock-climbing wall and commented--"I used to be able to do that!" I thought about it as I tried to run through the rain to get the car--I moved at a snail's pace! I especially thought about it when I forgot where I was parked! Yeah, I really did, and to make matters worse Bev was watching (and laughing) from the restaurant as I made repeated circles searching for the car. Well, that's enough about that. The bottom line is "I ain't the man I used to be".An old song says,"Time has made a change in me." Boy, is that ever true!Bev, on the other hand, is still as beautiful as ever. Something about that just isn't fair.

TIMES HAVE CHANGED: Not only have I changed, the world has changed. It has changed a lot, and not for the better, since we got married. In all fairness I must admit that we were not perfect little angels as teenagers.  There's never been such a generation.  But any equally fair-minded person would have to agree that things have gone from bad to worse.  It grieves my heart to see what has happened to the nation I love over the last half-century.  It's not the same and it's not better.  We raised eight kids and never gave a second thought about it, but I've got to be honest - thinking about bringing children into this present situation is a scary thought (and "no," I'm not promoting birth- control).  I'm just saying, our nation is in a mess.

TIME WILL CEASE.   Reflecting on the years gone by reminds me that I have less time to live than at any point in my life.  Every day brings me closer to that time when time shall be no more. The door of opportunity is closing fast.  As I look back I can think of a lot of things I wish I had done differently, but I can't change that.  All I can do now is to try to live in such a way so as to not produce anymore regrets.  I have no regrets about marrying my wife, but I have plenty regarding the way I treated her during those early years.  Hopefully I will do much better in the closing years.

TIME TO QUIT.  Hopefully, my rambling will serve to remind someone that life is short and time is passing fast.  Do what you can while you can to express your love for others.  Don't wait until it is too late.  You just never know when you will celebrate your last anniversary.  Tell that special someone how much you love them today.  THINK ABOUT IT!

The last month has been like a whirlwind. It seems like there is not a moment to catch your breath---busy, busy, busy! There is a lot going on and more to come. But, that is ok. Hey---aren't we supposed to do more than just sit back, watching sunrises and sunsets? God has us here for a reason. He has given each a work to do and we will never find satisfaction in life until we get busy doing it.

The word "bored" should not be in the Christian's vocabulary. Tired? Yes! Bored? Never! It is no wonder that so many people are miserable. They spend all their time thinking about ways to make themselves happy. But, when all is said and done, they never do. It's impossible for a Christian to be truly at peace until they are pursuing God's purpose for their life. It's sad that most people never see that.

Listen, there is no reason why your life can't be fun, exciting, and fulfilled. The desire for those things is God given. And, if He put the desire in us, He also provides the means to fulfill them. You just have to do it God's way. That's the only way that works. As I've said many times---Success is discovering the will of God and doing it. So, what are you doing? Yes, God wants you to be happy, but He wants you to find your happiness in Him. Think about it!

I am impatient by nature. That doesn't make it right--I'm just stating a fact. I hate long lines, railroad crossings, stop lights, haircuts, etc. Most of you know what I mean--it is a common problem. People just don't like to wait.

However, there is an area where we have a right to be duly concerned about having to wait. I'm talking about waiting because of procrastination. Why does take so long to get things done? I can understand it if it is a  government project--the word "government" says it all. We expect red tape when we deal with something so inept as the government. But we ought to expect more out of those who labor in the vineyard of the Lord.

Sadly "foot-dragging" is a common problem in church ministry. It seems to take forever to get the simplest things done. And don't give me that balony about "that's all you can expect out of volunteers". That's no excuse. Those same volunteers have no problem getting to work on time and finishing their secular assignments. They do what they want to do without any delay. It's the ministry that always gets put on the back-burner. Why should God's work always be last on the list?

This is one reason why churches limp along at a snail's pace. People just keep dragging their feet. Simple projects seem to take forever. It can take weeks to change a burned out light bulb! After it is finally noticed someone makes mention of it, but nobody does anything. Next week somebody enquires if there are any bulbs, but nobody takes action. Finally after another week has passed someone decides to take action and the bulb is replaced. By now there is another bulb burned out and the process starts all over again.

The sad fact is that most people are selfish, undisciplined, and unorganized. We simply do not have a sense of urgency when it comes to Christian ministry. We need to correct that. We've all heard the saying,"Little things mean a lot", there is even a song to that effect. Well it is true. If we would start doing the little things that need to be done it would make a big difference in the effectiveness of the church. We should have the attitude that there are no little things when it comes to serving God.

My mother used to say,"If a job is worth doing it is worth doing right." You've probably heard that. Well if we're going to do it right we need to do it without delay. We need to break the habit of procrastinating. It is like a ball and chain on the church. If there is a job to do don't put it off. Do it without delay and you will be amazed at how much more is accomplished. Think about it!

I recently received an email that said," Forgive me, I just needed to vent." That got me thinking---we all need to "vent" at times. Life is tough and our burdens can get hard to bear. It helps when we can talk about it with someone who cares.

After spending five years teaching the book of Psalms, I was amazed at how patient God is with His people. It startled me to learn that God is not offended when we open up and pour our heart out to Him. In case you didn't know it, some of the writers said some shocking things about their relationship with God. Some even expressed their feeling that God was treating them as an enemy. That study encouraged me by reminding me that God cares about all our troubles. He knows what is in our heart and He encourages us to express it to Him, appropriately of course.

Friends should feel the same way about each other. One of the advantages of having friends is being able to share our mutual woes, as well as our blessings. While we don't want to get in the habit of constantly bombarding others with our troubles, it is good to have a friend with whom we can share our feelings. Friends like that are of great value.

Over and over I remind people that we must depend on God's Word rather than our feelings. That is a fact---one that I have to remind myself of repeatedly.

Years ago one of the deacons in the church I pastored insisted that he had seen an angel. I heard him tell the story on several occasions and each time it was very convinicing. Now, I can't say I've seen an angel (I may have seen some devils though--lol), but many people insist they have. That's not a point I'm going to debate. I don't know. How could I know?

However, I have no difficulty believing that angels exist and are in some way associated with me. I know this is true because the Bible declares it is so, not because I've seen them. If I went solely on my feelings I would conclude that angels do not exist, or at least there is no connection between them and me. God's Word alone gives me the assurance that my feelings are wrong, and that is a great encouragment.

God is at work in our lives even when it does not seem to be so. He is present with me even when it seems that I am all alone. He hears my prayer, even when the heavens seem as brass. He is helping me, even when it seems that everything depends on me. He has the answer, even when there seems to be none. Since all this is true I have good reason not to despair.

Maybe this is one of those days when you "feel" that everything is wrong, but you are wrong! Everything is not wrong. God is good all the time and , contrary to your feelings, He has some good planned for you if you will but trust Him. So, go with the facts, not your feelings! THINK ABOUT IT!

Isn't technology great! I just finished sending hundreds of emails in a matter of a few minutes. It's amazing what we can do today. With IM we can have instant communication with folks on the other side of the world. We can also store tons of information on our computer and have access to vast amounts of info right at our finger tips. We can even track down people we've lost touch with.

Just last week I received an email from the daughter of a dear preacher friend of mine that I haven't seen in over twenty years. That served to remind me how easily we lose touch with others. Instead of cursing all this "confounded" new stuff, I believe we ought to embrace it and be thankful for it. True, it's not as personal as a handshake or a hug, but that kind of contact isn't always possible. Thank God we are now able to maintain contact with our loved ones through the means of modern technology.

But there is another important factor regarding this matter. We can also use this this technology to spread the gospel and edify fellow Christians. Sadly most of us, individuals and churches, aren't doing a very good job of this. I realize that many of us are just learning, and that slows things down a bit, but most people don't even make an effort. That's unfortunate.

Even if you are not a preacher or teacher, you can have a ministry to others. You don't even have to be a good writer. There's lots of great material available that you could send to folks. Why not start a mailing list of your friends and relatives and send them an article related to salvation on a regular basis? Or you might want to make it really personal by sharing with them what God is doing in your life. Sometimes a personal testimony can be a great way to help others. Give it a try.

Here is an avenue of ministry that is open to everyone who owns a computer, regardless of age or physical condition. You don't even have to leave your home to do it. Think about it---from your own home you can reach people around the world. If you just use your computer for recreational purposes you are missing a great opportunity. Reach out to someone today--God has put it in your power to do it. Do it!

Everyone from preachers to politicans have challenged us to "Change the world", usually giving us examples of how past heroes have made a difference. Now I'm sure these folks mean well and the world certainly needs to be changed, but I've got a problem with these appeals.

In the first place, we can't change the world. True--we can change our little corner of the world to an extent, but "the world"?, no way. This wicked world won't be changed until King Jesus sits on His throne and rules over it. That will be a blessed day!

But I've got another problem with these appeals to change the world. Besides the fact that we can't do it and have not been commanded to do it, these appeals put people under un-do pressure. They leave the impression that unless you become famous and highly influencial you are, at least somewhat, a failure. To be labelled a success you have to get your name in the headlines and control something. The average oridinary "Joe" is looked upon as being inferior to these "superstars". That's sad!

We need to re-define the word "success", it's not what most people think. Success is simply this---discovering the will of God and doing it. It's the housewife who faithfully labors to take care of her family, as the Bible commands. It is the the farmer who works hard to provide food for the table. You get the picture--the list could go on and on. Success is simply and seriously doing the will of God from the heart. That's something we can all do--regardless of our circumstances. You can be a success. You don't need to feel inferior to anyone.

Get out from under the pressure. Don't let these people put you on a guilt trip. If God is pleased with your life that is all that matters. To please Him, all you have to do is live a consistent godly life, faithfully discharging your God given duties with the right attitude. And God will give you the power to do it!

So, get up and get going. Forget about trying to "change the world" and focus on being the person God wants you to be. No one is better or more important than you are. Stop beating yourself up and start doing exactly what God wants you to do. That will make you a success. Think about it!

As some of you know---my wife left me! Don't faint. It's not what you might think. She is on vacation--an all expense paid, two week cruise. Having never been on a cruise or out of the country, this is a once in a life-time treat for her. I thank God that He has given her this wonderful opportunity. God sure is good!

So, here I sit--home alone. Well, I'm not actually alone. I'm sharing the house with Narco, my son's dog (a three pound Pomp-Chi, that loves to sleep). I gotta tell ya--it ain't the same without my bride. I miss her like crazy! When you've been married almost 49 years it's not easy being seperated for any great length of time.

Sitting here day after day has caused me to think about those who have, through divorce or death, suffered the loss of a spouse. It's hard to imagine how difficult it would be to live the rest of my life without the one I love so dearly. Yet that is exactly what a lot of folks are forced to do. God forbid that we ignore them.

As Christians we need to remember those who are going through such hardships. We need to pray for them and minister to them. There are hurting people all around us. The Bible tells us that,"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction--"(James 1:27). So, instead of sitting around feeling sorry for yourself, get busy being a blessing to someone who needs you. That's the best cure for depression. Seek to be a blessing to someone else and you will be blessed. Remember--when you're good to others you are best to yourself. Do yourself a favor and help someone today. Think about it!

One of the blogs I enjoy reading is "Whirled Views with Dan Burrell". I enjoy it because it makes me think--not because I always agree with him. In the case of the following article, I do agree with him and I hope it makes you think:

Here's a Way for the Government to Save Money

February 5, 2009 at 1:57 pm · Filed under Links, Misc. Musings, Politics

This one is going to surprise some of my friends, but here goes....

Today's headlines are reporting that President Obama is going to "strengthen" the Faith-Based Office and programs that funnel government funds to religious organizations for social and humanitarian projects.  Story HERE.

I have a suggestion...Close the whole program down.  Defund it.  Shutter the doors.  End it.

What?  "But you are in the ministry!"  How could this be?

There are two big lies in the world.  (Well, not just two, but these are big ones.) "The check is in the mail" and "I'm from the government and I'm here to help you."

The government has no business being involved in faith-based initiatives or in partnerships with churches and religious organizations.  I opposed this when Bush was in office and I feel no less strongly about it with Obama.  It's a bad, BAD idea.

With the power to tax comes the power to control.  That's why I'm against taxing religious charities and churches.

Conversely, when religious charities and churches take government money, they become entangled with the government.  Not smart.  They will become dependent upon it.  Strings will come.  Independence will be ceded in exchange for resources.  It's just not a good idea.

You know the ol' cliche' about the "Golden Rule"?  "He who has the gold gets to make the rules."  Well, (and I don't blame them for trying) when the government give money away, they almost always try to get some control with it.  (Wouldn't you?) Already, there are those who want to require certain hiring practices among those who are faith-based and take federal money.  In California, that means not being able to discriminate in hiring Gay/Lesbian/Bi-sexual/Transgender folks even if your faith considers that wrong.  The policy is now under review at the federal level.  (See the article above.)

Churches and the government can work in tandem.  On some things like humanitarian crises, they can even work in partnership.  But if we don't want government intrusion on our religious faith, we need to stay out of the money.  I don't want my tax dollars supporting Islamic charities or Mormon building projects.  My liberal non-religious friends don't want their tax dollars building evangelical day schools and supporting Baptist rescue missions either.  That's fine.

What about my article from yesterday decrying the effort to stop funding for schools that have religious organizations using their facilities?  Different issue.  There is rent involved.  If the Muslims want to rent a school auditorium, I don't have a problem with that as long as they have to pay the same rate as the Athiests, the Baptists and the Cub Scouts.  You shouldn't be excluded or given a different rate simply because you are religious.

But we need to be consistent.  The government needs to keep their money and smart faith-based organizations should refuse it.  Our Father owns it all anyway - or so we say.  If we really believe that, then He'll meet our needs.  We don't need a Sugar Daddy in Washington helping us out.  Maybe we need to be a lot more like George Mueller and simply pray it in.  Better yet, when the offering plate comes by, put something in it.  What was it James told us about "True Religion"?  We should put our money where our mouth is and where we say our heart is.

I've been tempted to start a new column called "Shocking News" or something to that affect. Had I done so, here's something that would have made the headlines. A recent Gallup poll revealed that 34 percent of Americans "didn't know who Darwin was or what scientific theory he was known for." Another 10 percent said they did, but they gave incorrect answers. Only 55 percent correctly associated Darwin with the theory of evolution!

To me, that is mind boggling! Nearly half of the people in America don't know what Charles Darwin is known for. Although the public schools bear part of the blame the problem goes deeper than that. Most people today have no desire to be well informed, unless it has to do with the lastest flick, video game, or gadget,etc. We are seeing the "Dumbing down" of America.

Not only are most people ignorant of the Bible (our biggest problem), they are ignorant of many other important issues as well, such as our American heritage, etc. It's no wonder that we are in such a mess! And if you think a bunch of unregenerate politicans are going to solve our problems you are wrong. The only hope for America lies in the two institutions that God founded--the family and the church. Considering the present condition of these, the future doesn't look very bright.

The good news is that we can still do the most important things. We can tell the world about our wonderful Savior and through our witness others can come to know Him as Lord and Savior. You can be ignorant regarding who Charles Darwin is and still go to heaven, but if you don't know Jesus you don't have a chance.

Today is my wife's birthday. I've finished writing a "mushy" note, which was placed inside her card, and I plan to spend the day with her, celebrating this special day. Birthdays ought to be celebrated.

Life is a precious gift from God. We each owe our very existence to Him. Every breath we breathe is because of His grace. Without Him we could do nothing---we wouldn't even be here were it not for Him.

Life is precious because it is filled with opportunities. At the very top of the list is the opportunity to know and commune with God. Were there nothing else, that is enough to make life worth living. It is a shame that so many people do not avail themselves of this wonderful opportunity. They miss the best thing in life!

But, there are other things that make life worth living. In addition to the gift of life there are the gifts of life for which we should be thankful. The best of these gifts are people, not things; relationships, not riches. Thank God for those people who are a part of our life. There is no way to measure the worth of our family and friends.

Heard any good news lately? Well, it happened to me last night. When I arrived at church I received the news that a boy had received Christ as his Savior in Children's church. That's great news, but it won't make the headlines of any newspaper. Sadly, it doesn't even get as much attention as it deserves from us Christians. O sure, we say "Amen" and maybe even clap our hands, but you know that we don't get as excited as we should.

What if someone just inherited a million dollars? That would sure get our attention! What if the Astros won the World Series? Well, thats a miracle we Houstonians would never stop talking about. But a child gets saved and we take a "That's nice" approach, as though it is no big deal. You know that's true.

Please don't misunderstand me---I'm not placing all the blame on you. I have been just as guilty as anyone . For some reason I can't stop thinking about this. It just goes to show how distorted our perception of what's important can be. The greatest thing that could happen to a person is to be born again---we all agree on that, but why aren't we more excited about it?

We could spend a lot of time talking about the reason for this problem, but for now I simply want you to think about the reality of it. If we could only see things from heaven's point of view we would see how we fail. The truth is we can, in a small measure, see heavens view on this matter---"there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."( Luke 15:10). Why then are we not more excited? Why should we not rejoice?

Think about this---maybe our lack of excitement over a person being saved is tied together with our failure to witness to others as we should. We simply lose sight of what is most important. It happens to all of us at times. That's why we need to be reminded over and over again. Hopefully the next time we hear about a soul being saved we will think about this and be motivated to win others to Christ. If we're not doing that why are we here on earth? Think about it!

I was sitting in McDonalds the other day when I noticed a sign on the adjoining gas station that said, " Start with the inside".Now, I'm not sure what all that meant, but it reminded me of Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

Man has it all backwards. He keeps trying to fix his problems from the outside and it never works. He deals with the fruit of the problem rather than the root. If you're going to get to the heart of the problem you have to get to the heart---"out of it are the issues of life."

Even believers are often guilty of making this mistake. They try to solve their problems without ever dealing with the main issue. They try to mend their relationships without getting their heart right with God. Naturally they keep failing. We are not going to be right with others or at peace with ourselves until we are right with God.

There's an old song that says, "Is thy heart right with God?" That's a good question. Whether it is solving problems or preventing them, we must "start with the inside". Until we do that we are majoring on minors.

More bad news—yeah I know you’re tired of it, so am I. But sometimes it does us good to think about what is happening around us. I just read that the Boy Scouts in Dundee, Scotland will now “be able to pledge allegiance to ‘Allah’ and drop the traditional oath to God and Queen.”

A spokesman for the Scout association said, “ The Scouts may have been a Christian organization originally but we have long been non-denominational and inclusive.”

I can’t help but wonder why “Christians” keep thinking they have to cater to everyone. Everywhere you turn you see examples of this. Now, I’m not really concerned about the Boy Scouts or the Girl Scouts, etc. My concern has to do with the ease in which professing Christians compromise. It’s crazy! It’s like the generic “prayers” at a political event, etc.—worthless! It’s like the “seeker friendly” churches that remove the name Baptist so as to accommodate those who despise it. Why don’t we just scotch our feet and take a stand for the truth. I would rather be hated than to compromise the truth.

This is where we get to the root of the problem. Most people today do not believe there is any such thing as absolute truth. When you adopt that view anything goes. That’s the attitude we are dealing with today.

Sadly, most people don’t understand the dangers of this. When you depart from the truth there is no stopping place, one compromise leads to another. Without the foundation of truth everything eventually falls. That’s why abortion, homosexuality, etc. have become acceptable in our society today. You just have to wonder how far it will go before the judgment of God falls.

The older I get the more “Out-Dated” I feel. This, however, has nothing to do with age. This feeling comes from being out of sync with others. I’m not talking about the world in general—I haven’t been in sync with the world since I trusted Christ as my Savor. No it isn’t that. I’m talking about the way professing Christians have changed over the last forty years.

You would have to be blind not to see that there has been a drastic shift in the views and actions of professing Christians over this period of time. It’s hard to believe what has happened. Don’t misunderstand me---I’m not one of those who say, “ I’ve never changed any of my beliefs since the day I was saved.” I got some doubts about how much they have been studying God’s Word if they say that. Although I haven’t changed my beliefs in regards to the major doctrines of the Bible, I’ve changed my views in regards to other matters of lesser importance. I believe we ought to change when compelled to do so by the truth. That’s the real issue---what is right and what is wrong? We live in a day when it seems nothing is wrong, except maybe taking a firm stand for the truth. It seems that people today will tolerate anything except those who refuse to tolerate sin. Seems amazing that you can’t convince people that truth never changes.

I don’t mind telling you---I feel out of touch with most folks today. I know what some of you are thinking—“He is old fashioned”, “He isn’t up to date”. ”He is living in the past”, etc. That’s alright. My grief isn’t grounded in what they think about me. I grieve because they have forsaken the truth. That’s what hurts. The fact that they don’t agree with me doesn’t matter. Their being blinded to the truth matters very much. If someone saying, “You are behind the times” means that I have not departed from the truth, then I take that as a compliment.

Did you ever feel like you were “just being used”? I’ll bet you have. It happens to everyone. On behalf of all the pastors, let me tell you it is a common problem. Most have felt like they were considered as nothing more than a piece of furniture or church owned equipment—useful only until a new model comes along or until they are out of style. They often feel they are just tolerated until they can no longer meet the expectations of the church. Then it’s off to the dump!

But pastors aren’t the only ones who feel that way. The same thing happens in all walks of life. No need to illustrate—anyone who strives to fulfill their duties know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s an awful feeling and sometimes it is difficult to keep going. Everyone gets tired of people taking advantage of them and feeling unappreciated. So how do you keep going when you feel like throwing in the towel?

Whether we are able to keep going or not is a matter of motive. Why do we do what we do? That’s the key issue. Here’s the answer---“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”(Colossians 3:23). When our main motive is to please God we will endure the slights and injustices of others. It still hurts, unrequited love always does, but we will be empowered to do what we should regardless of how people treat us.

The only way to really please yourself is to please Christ. Knowing  He is pleased with us will keep us going under the most trying circumstances. He turns drudgery into delight. Life is tough for everyone and it is made even tougher by those who just want to use you to get what they want. But we can get the job done by keeping our focus on Christ. So, if you are frustrated because others are unkind, consider your motive. THINK ABOUT IT!

“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you.”

1 Peter 4:12

Sometimes it seems that when God is about to make preeminent use of a man, He puts him through the fire.

Everyone faces times of adversity. Most of the Psalms were born in difficulty. Most of the Epistles were written in prisons. Most of the greatest thinkers of all time had to pass through the fire. Bunyan wrote Pilgrim's Progress from jail. Florence Nightingale, too ill to move from her bed, reorganized the hospitals of England. Semi-paralyzed and under the constant menace of apoplexy, Pasteur was tireless in his attack on disease. During the greater part of his life, American historian Francis Parkman suffered so acutely that he could not work for more than five minutes at a time. His eyesight was so wretched that he could scrawl only a few gigantic words on a manuscript, yet he contrived to write twenty magnificent volumes of history.

Even the most famous of people who seemed to have an easy life, secretly struggled with adversity and suffering. Suffering is not reserved for a certain type of people. We all face adversity at some point in our lives. 

Peter writes, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (1 Peter 4:12). Peter tells us that adversity is to be expected in the life of a Christian. Peter was teaching the early Christians that if they intended to live for God and follow the commands of the Bible, they could expect adversity to come their way.

We live in a society that thrives on vacations, trips to amusement parks, and times of fun. We want things to go smoothly and get all the fun we can out of life. But the reality is that sometimes adversity will come and it is to be expected.

Notice the phrase “think it not strange” in verse twelve. The word strange means “to surprise or astonish by the strangeness or novelty of a thing.” It is as if Peter is saying, “Don’t get caught off-guard by the trials that will come your way. Know that you will face ridicule, challenges, and difficulties as a Christian.”

Notice also the phrase “concerning the fiery trial.” The fiery trial reminds us of the refiner’s fire. The refiner is God, and He brings into our lives the fire that will not burn us, but that will bring out the impurities in our lives. Just as the refiner puts the gold ore in the fire to separate the pure gold from the ore, so God brings adversity to teach us to trust Him and to mature us as His children.

Some Christians fail to see God’s purpose in the fire of adversity and stray from God during this time. They have tried to live for God in their own strength and have desired to follow Him, but the minute a trial came, they turned from God. They didn’t expect hardships, so they stray from God’s work in their lives.

Are you in the refiner’s fire? Is God seeking to refine you through adversity? Friend, don’t let trials separate you from God. God has a purpose for that trial in your life! Even when you don’t understand why or when you can’t see God’s plan, trust that He, as your Heavenly Father, knows what’s best for you and only wants to help you. Spend time with Him now and let Him have His way. Endure the fire, for in the end you will come forth as gold.---THINK ABOUT IT!

I just happened to run across an article on the internet that was written by a friend of mine many years ago, a friend who has been with the Lord for more than a quarter of a century. Even after all these years he is still ministering to people by way of what he left. That got me to thinking--as I've often said, "You are going to die and they will bury your body, but your influence will live on and on." We need to think about that more often and we need to act on the reality of it. Many years after you are dead and gone others will be affected by the life you lived.

"Thar ain't nuttin like home cookin!". Bet I've heard those words a thousand times as a boy growing up in the Ozarks. And if it's my wife's cooking it is true. I was reminded of this again just a few minutes ago as I consumed (devoured might be a better word) some of her cranberry-nut bread. It was awesome, but my favorite is still the date nut bread I ate yesterday---just no words to describe it. I won't even mention the rum cake and assortment of cookies and candy.