Sulphur Springs Women Active for Christ

Are you available?

2012-02-01T22:46:00.008-06:00

Our God is all-powerful. He can do anything that He wants. And yet, He chooses to use us - unreliable, imperfect people - to carry out His will. He chooses to work in our lives; not because He needs us, but because He loves us.

I was listening to the Ty Show on WDJC tonight and heard Matt Pitt, the founder of The Basement (a huge youth rally in Birmingham). He was talking about how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. I love this quote from him:

"God doesn't need your ability. He needs your availability."

This is so true! Need proof? Check out the New Testament. When Jesus began His ministry, He didn't go to the Temple to find strong religious leaders to be His disciples. Instead, Jesus called on normal, common men that were a little (or in some cases, a lot) rough around the edges. He called Peter, a hot-headed fisherman. He called Matthew, a tax collector. He called James and John while they were in their fishing boat.

When Jesus met these men, He didn't ask them what abilities they had that would help His ministry. He didn't ask them about their strengths and weaknesses. He simply asked them to follow Him. He didn't need any ability that they had. He just needed for them to be available and for them to be willing to walk with Him.

That's all God is asking of us today. He doesn't need a list of your talents. He knows what they are already because He blessed you with them. He doesn't need a list of your weaknesses and excuses. He already knows about them, and He has the power to overcome them. All He wants is for us to follow Him.

When we choose to be available for God, He will take our ordinary lives and make them extraordinary.

Need some encouragement?

2012-01-19T16:52:00.002-06:00

In Deuteronomy 31:6, we are told, "Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee."

When we are facing hard times, we can count on God! Whether you need a cheerleader to lift you up or a coach to straighten you out, God offers you the encouragement that you need to get through anything.

Check out the Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study for January at www.wnac.org for some more encouragement this month!

Called to Wait

2012-01-08T21:05:00.000-06:00

I've never liked waiting for things. If there's something I want, I want it now. Patience is a virtue, and it is one that I am constantly working on and stuggling to practice.

I recently read an article about the Biblical roles of men and women in relationships. This is something I have noticed a lot of Christian writers and speakers focusing on lately, and I think it's because our culture tries to tell us that the sexes are equal. We are taught from society that women can do anything men can do and vice versa. We are taught that men and women were created equally, but when you look into the Scripture, you can see that is not the case.

God created men to be leaders. He gave them practical minds and leadership skills. He gave them dominion over all the other creatures of the world.

God created women to be helpers. He made them nurturing. He gave them the gifts of creativity and multi-tasking and the wonderful priveledge of bringing life into the world.

He created us very differently, because He had designed two very different roles for us to fill.

The article I read ("Designed To Be Different" by Candice Watters, The Brink Magazine, Fall 2010, Randall House Publishing) talked about these differences and how they affect our relationships. One part that especially stuck out to me was:

"My friend Carolyn McCulley illustrated one of these differences in a talk she gave about romance, 'Men trust God by risking rejection. Women trust God by waiting.' We're equally called to trust, but in different ways.

That's hard to hear. Why the difference? For women, it feels passive. For both, unfair. Yet from Genesis forward, God made male and female distinct. We are the same at the cross, equally in need of redemption, equally invited to receive it. But in our sexuality, we are not the same."

That's something I have never thought about before. Male and female are both called to trust God when it comes to relationships, but in different ways. And I have to admit, its a hard thing to do.

Because just like Mrs. Watters said in her article, waiting feels so passive. Finding a spouse is one of the most important things we will do on this earth. And it can be really hard to wait for God to send that person.

One of the hardest things for me to accept has been that I am not promised a spouse. I'm still not sure if I have accepted the fact that Mr. Right may never come. It's something that I have always assumed would happen. Getting married has always been in my plan. But I don't know if it is in God's plan or not. All I can do is trust and wait.

FWB National Youth Conference

2011-07-22T22:59:00.005-05:00

We had a great time at the Free Will Baptist National Convention and Youth Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina this week!

Fifty people from our church were able to attend this year and we had kids compete in Bible, music and art competitions.

The Junior Youth Group was awarded the "Youth Group of the Year" award. They received this honor because of their faithfulness and outstanding service in our church and community.

Jeremy Moore and Joseph Summerlin represented our church at the student leadership program, Truth & Peace. It was Jeremy's 4th year and Joseph's 2nd year to receive this honor.

Caleb Patton won 1st place in the Senior High Truth Quest competition. He was awarded scholarships to Gateway Christian College and Hillsdale FWB College.

Joseph Summerlin placed 2nd in the piano competition and was chosen to be a member of the 2012 Youth Evangelism Team.

Our Vocal Trio (Aiden Taylor, Tannah Lee, and Erika Allen) placed 1st in their competition.

Karson Camp placed 3rd in the vocal solo competition.

The Sulphur Springs Children's Choir placed 2nd in their competition. The choir was directed by Amanda Taylor. Joseph Summerlin played the accompaniment for the choir. Aiden Taylor, Erika Allen, Michaela Kimbrell, Dylan Stocks, Brady Sanford, Karson Camp, Jacob Summerlin, Landon Camp, Garrett Sanford, Santanna Marquis, Meagan Camp, Kristen Moore, Nicholas Tucker, Brady Gregory, Tannah Lee and Kaylee Camp were in the choir.

Landon Camp, Kaylee Camp, John Ellis Kuykendall, and Nicholas Tucker competed in the Bible Millionaire competition. They placed 3rd in their round. Meagan Camp was the team alternate.

Jacob Summerlin won 1st place in pitched percussion.

Dylan Stocks represented us in the photography competition.

The Girls Ensemble (Tannah Lee, Kristen Moore, Meagan Camp, Michaela Kimbrell and Karson Camp) placed 2nd.

The theme for this year's conference was Awaken! The theme verse was Romans 13:11, "And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed."

YWAC May Bible Study Now Online

2011-05-02T21:26:00.002-05:00

The May Bible Study for Young Women Active for Christ is now available online!

This month's study is about letting God's love shine through your life. Click on the link above to check it out!

Shine in Love

2011-05-01T22:25:00.002-05:00

Philippians 2:15 says, “That ye may be blameless and harmless the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world.” How can we “shine as lights” in such a dark and sinful world? We can share God’s love with one another.

I am sitting at my computer after almost three days without electricity. There are over 200 people in my city that are missing. Houses have been destroyed. The hospitals are so full that they have had to turn people away. People have been killed.

It is a fact that I live in a broken and hurting world. On Wednesday, April 27, several deadly tornadoes tore through the southern United States. They left miles of destruction behind them. Now that the storms are over, there are people all throughout my city and state that are left with nothing.

How can I shine in such a dark circumstance? By sharing God’s love with the hurting people around me.

What is love?

Paul described it like this in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never fails…”

This is not your typical hearts and flowers, romantic comedy kind of love. What Paul is talking about here is true, pure love. It is patient and kind. It does not envy, is not proud or boastful. It is not selfish and is not easily angered. It thinks no evil thoughts. It celebrates the truth. It withstands all trials. It is filled with hope and it doesn’t give up. This love never fails.

This kind of love is not something that comes naturally to us humans. It is a fruit of Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) – a kind of love that we can only get from God. It is the kind of love that God has for us. It is the kind of love that Jesus felt when He died on the cross for our sins.

I love that Paul used the word “charity” in his letter to the people at Corinth. When you think about giving to a charity, you usually don’t expect to get anything in return, right? We give charity to people that sometimes don’t deserve it. We sacrifice when we give to charity – with our time, money or both.

This love is charity. It is unconditional. It expects nothing in return. It is sometimes not deserved. And sometimes, we must make sacrifices to share it with others.

It is a kind of love that is hard to understand and hard to share. But Jesus commanded us to try.

In John 13:34-35, Jesus told His disciples, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you… By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

In the last few days, I have seen some of God’s people do an extraordinary job of demonstrating His love. Churches all around my town have come together to provide disaster relief, food, shelter, financial and emotional support and prayer for the people affected by the recent storms. One church in town was actually hit by the tornado, and most of the church building was destroyed, but their members have been working constantly out of a trailer in their parking lot to supply others with water, food and first aid. These people have experienced a huge loss of their own, but they are still serving others. The only way to explain their selfless acts is God’s love.

The outpouring of love in the communities around me has been inspiring. It is so good to see God’s people doing what Jesus would do! But sharing God’s love is not just something we should do when bad things happen. Sharing God’s love is something we should do every single day.

This is an excerpt from the May 2011 Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study. I will post a link to the study as soon as it is published online. Please continue to be in prayer for Tuscaloosa and all the areas affected by these storms. I know that better days are coming, and that we will get through this - because of God's love for us. It is my prayer that we will not miss any opportunities to share the love of Christ as we rebuild this city.

Be Prepared

2011-02-26T22:37:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago, I started teaching a Dare To Be A Daniel class to the 4th - 6th graders at church. Dare To Be A Daniel is an evangelistic study that teaches tweens how to effectively share the Gospel of Christ.

Each week, we learn one new principle about being a witness for Christ. This week, the lesson was on being prepared.

We studied how Daniel spent time with God by reading His Word and praying to Him and how that prepared Daniel to face hard things like the lion's den.

Daniel had a strong relationship with God, and because of the time he spent with God, he was prepared to be a bold witness for Him.

As Christians, we are all called to be witnesses for Christ (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8). In 1 Timothy 4:12-15, Paul told us to "be an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine... Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them that thy profiting may appear to all."

If we want to be effective witnesses for Christ, then we have to be prepared. That means we have to spend time with God - in prayer and in His Word.

We never know when God is going to give us the opportunity to speak to others about Him, so we have to constantly be ready.

God proved this lesson to me this morning at our Upward Basketball game at church. During halftime of each game there is a devotion time, led by volunteers. This morning, when it was time for the first devotion of the day, we couldn't find the person that was supposed to speak.

Since we didn't want to skip the devotion part of the game, and since I don't mind being the center of attention, I volunteered to speak. It was completely impromptu and I didn't even have my Bible with me to read from.

God used that devotion to show me and my class how important it is to commit Scripture to memory. I used the Gospel outline that I will teach the kids at the end of the Dare To Be A Daniel class and some other verses that I have memorized.

I don't want to sound like I am bragging, but it was because of the time I have spent committing Scripture to memory and studying God's Word that I was able to do that devotion on such short notice. Just a few years ago, I would have never volunteered to do that devotion at the last minute. Back then, I wouldn't have been prepared. It was only because of the time I have spent with God that I was able to step up this morning.

Even now, there are days when I am more prepared than others. It's a daily battle to stay in God's Word and dedicate time to prayer. It's a battle that I win sometimes and lose sometimes.

This morning, thanks to God, I won. This morning, I was prepared. And I am thankful for that.

The Little Things

2011-02-16T22:32:00.004-06:00

Lately, I have been noticing the little things in life more and more. A kind word from a friend, a note in the mail, or someone complementing my outfit...those kinds of little things can have big effects when it comes to my mood. I can be having an all around crummy day and someone can write a one sentence greeting on my Facebook page or send me a silly joke in a text and POOF! My day is better. All because of a little thing.

Little things can have big impacts. Thankfully, God sends us little things like I mentioned above to remind us that He loves and cares for us and that we have friends that love and care for us, too. But God isn't the only one that uses little things to impact our lives.

Satan is a master at taking something extremely small and using it to throw us into a tailspin. How many times have you gotten angry or upset over a little thing? Unfortunately, for me, it's far too many times.

Just like happy comments can lift my spirit, I have a tendancy to let little snide remarks ruin my day. I let other people's bad attitudes dictate the way I feel and act. I let the little things that shouldn't matter - like the fact that one person isn't happy with something I did - get in the way of me experiencing the joy God wants me to have.

Why do the little things have so much control over me? I think it's because they are so unexpected and unpredictable. You can't plan spilling coffee on your favorite shirt on the way to school. It just happens. You don't wake up in the morning hoping that someone will be mean to you. It just happens. You don't plan on losing your keys or having a bad hair day. Those things just happen. And there isn't a thing you can do about it.

What I struggle to remember is that life is not always about how I feel. When the little things get me down, I have to remember that God still loves me. When I feel unappreciated, I have to remember that God is trying to reach me humility and that He sees the work I am doing and that He is with me through my discouragement. When I don't feel pretty, I have to remember that God created me and that I am beautiful in His eyes because I am His. Life is not about the way I feel, it's about knowing God's truths.

But that can be hard to remember when the little things blow up in your face... I love the chorus from Francesca Battistelli's new song, "The Stuff":

"This is the stuff that drives me crazy
This is the stuff that's getting to me lately
In the middle of my little mess
I forget how big I'm blessed
This is the stuff that gets under my skin
But I've gotta trust that You know exactly what You're doing
It may not be what I would choose
But this is the stuff You use."

Right now, I choose not to let the little things overwhelm me. I choose to focus on the little things that bring me joy instead. And I choose to focus on God instead of on myself - on His purpose for the lost keys and the bad hair days and the little messes of life.

Walking by faith

2011-02-09T00:20:00.000-06:00

When I was little, one of my favorite cartoons was Winnie the Pooh. I must have watched my tape of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too thousands of times. In the movie, Rabbit gets angry with Tigger and decides to teach him a lesson.

Rabbit took Tigger deep into the woods, planning to get him lost and leave him to find his way out alone. In the process of trying to get Tigger lost, Rabbit ended up getting himself lost. Once he ditched Tigger, he wandered around in the woods for hours, until it finally got dark.

Alone in the mist, Rabbit started to see the woods as a really scary place. Every ribbit of a frog or snap of a twig made his skin crawl. His heart was beating fast. He was lost, alone and very afraid.

Have you ever felt that way? Too many times, we end up like Rabbit - wandering around in the dark. But that's not how God wants his people to live.

In John 8:12, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." The last thing God wants is for us to walk around lost in the darkness. After all, how can we point others toward the Light if was can't see it ourselves?

God knew that this world would try to get us lost and confused. He knew that the darkness would be overwhelming for us. That's why He sent the Light of the world (Jesus) to save us from our sin and ourselves.

So, what happens when we feel lost and alone? Paul told the people at Corinth to "walk by faith, not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7). If anyone knew what it was like to have to walk by faith, it was Paul.

Before he was a champion of the New Testament church, Paul was a big bully named Saul. He traveled around persecuting Christians. He had chosen to walk in the darkness of his sin. But on his way to Damascus (to pick on some more Christians, of course), he saw the Light of the world.

Have you ever walked out of a dark place into bright sunlight? It hurts your eyes, right? Well, after walking around in the dark for so long, when Saul saw the Light of Jesus, it hurt! He was literally blinded by the Light (Acts 9). Saul had to learn really quickly what it meant to walk by faith.

Eventually, Saul's sight was restored and he began to preach the Gospel. Everyone that heard him knew that he had been changed, and they all knew it had to be because of Christ. Nothing else could have taken Saul and turned him into Paul.

Paul didn't promise the people at Corinth that it would be easy to walk by faith. I'm sure it wasn't easy for him. In Acts 9:16, God said that Paul would have to suffer for Christ. We know that the Christian life is not perfect and that it's not always easy, but if we are faithful to God, He will be faithful to us.

Wondering what happened to Rabbit? Check out the video below:

You know, when we're wandering around in the mist, God knows where we are. He never gets lost. And He can show us the way home - if we walk by faith and follow Him.

What's in it for me?

2010-11-15T00:07:00.004-06:00

When I first started this blog, I wrote a post titled "Generation Lost" about the generation of twenty-somethings that seem so scarce in our churches. I have never understood how people that were raised in church can just quit going.

I used to blame it on the fact that a lot of churches spoon-feed their young people with cool videos, special services, rocking music and all sorts of special events all through their youth. My generation has definitely been pampered. We haven't had to spend much time at all worrying about ministering to others. Instead, we were always being ministered to. Not that youth ministry is bad - I work in youth ministry at my church and I think it is a great thing. But we have to be careful not to get our kids into a "What's in it for me?" mindset. I think that a lot of young adults are so used to going to church for the cool youth events and for fellowship with their friends that they miss what it's really all about - worshiping the Lord and encouraging other believers in their walk with Christ.

So when kids graduate out of the youth group and are no longer constantly entertained by cool classes and events, a lot of them leave. They seek out the church that will give them what they want - an awesome band, or a coffee bar, or whatever the newest trend is. They go church hopping asking, "What's in it for me?" until they just drop out all together.

I have recently watched the small group of twenty-somethings at the church I currently attend disappear. It's not that anyone completely stopped going to church or pulled away from God, but some found new churches, others moved for school and some only make it every now and then. It's discouraging to sit in a Sunday school class as the only student. And my teacher and I have no idea how to encourage people to come for our "College and Career" class on Sundays. People my age that are single and in school or working just don't seem interested in church unless it's convenient or it offers them something they want. They all want to know, "What's in it for me?"

Although I know that church is not all about me, I have to admit I have been asking myself "What's in it for me?" more often lately. And I can honestly say that I understand how so many young adults end up discouraged and just stop coming to church.

It's not that I feel unwelcome in my congregation. The people at my church are encouraging and fun to be around and always willing to lend a hand if they can. They have welcomed me with open arms and have allowed me to minister to the young people of our church through our Wednesday night program and programs like UPWARD Basketball and Cheerleading. There are plenty of things that I can be involved in, and I enjoy the opportunities that I have there.

My problem is not that there's not a place for me to minister. My problem is not that there's not a place for me to worship. My problem - and I think the problem for a lot of twenty-somethings that are not married yet and still a little uncertain about their futures - is that there's no one else like me at my church.

Now, I know that I shouldn't base my church attendance of the attendance of others. I can almost hear my mother saying, "If so-and-so jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?" But it can be hard to be faithful when you feel like you're doing it all alone.

It's like no one knows what to do with me. I'm not married, so I can't be in the Young Married class. I can go in the Adult Class, as long as I don't mind hanging out with my parents and their friends. I could probably crash the teen class, but I'd better be prepared to hear about all the high school drama that I was so glad to escape years ago. There's just no good solution for the one person that doesn't fit in anywhere. I can't and don't expect the church to build a class around me. Besides, I would be the only one in it, and that wouldn't solve anything.

So, as much as I hate to do it, I have to ask, "What's in it for me?" How can the church minister to people like me? How does the church handle people that don't fit in?

I wish that I knew. Because even though I know that my church family loves me and wants what's best for me, I can't help but feeling like the leper that's hanging out by the gate. I'm constantly the "sore thumb" of the group - the oldest, or the youngest, or the third wheel, or the only one without kids, or the last poor soul that can't seem to get married, or the one that doesn't have a house of her own yet... the list goes on and on.

So for now, I just have to trust God. Sometimes I get caught up in the things that I don't have (like a husband and family of my own, for example). During those times, I have to remember that God has blessed me in different ways and that He has a reason for keeping those things from me at this point in my life.

In her book, Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl, Lysa TerKeurst wrote, "Whenever I get an overly idyllic view of someone else's circumstances, I often remind myself out loud, 'I am not equipped to handle what they have - both good and bad.'" That's something I am working on. It's coming about slowly, but I'm working on it.

I am also working on taking my "What's in it for me?" and turning it into "What does God want to teach me through this?" That's coming about rather slowly, too. But when God allows us to go through struggles, rest assured that He has something in it for us.

So what is in it for me? What is God trying to teach me?

1. "...But we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Romans 5:3-5 - Patience is a virtue, and I don't possess it yet.

2. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Ephesians 4:29 - Um, ouch.

3. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28 - Something good will come out of this struggle someday. Maybe I'll be the one that figures out how to make this twenty-something ministry work in my church. Who knows? Oh, wait... God does.

4. "There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she my please her husband." 1 Corinthians 7:34 - He's still working on me, and without the distractions of marriage and family responsibilites I can better focus on His Word.

5. "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common unto man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 - When I am tempted to skip Sunday school and stay under the covers for an extra hour, I have to remember that God has provided me with so much through this church and that He has a purpose for me there. Even though things might not be perfect right now, God is faithful and He will make a place for me to learn, grow and worship.

6. "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way." 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 - I am a part of the body of Christ and it is my duty to do my part. God has called me to a purpose that is just for me, and if I am faithful He will bless my efforts.

7. "Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us..." 2 Corinthians 7:6 - Didn't I say earlier that it was hard to be faithful when you feel alone? Well, guess what? I'm not alone after all. God can and will comfort me in my time of need.

8. "But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." 2 Corinthians 10:17-18 - It's not about me.

9. "Grace be unto you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." Galatians 1:3-5 - It's not about me.

10. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20 - It's not about me.

11. "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:26-28 - I am a child of God. And it's not about me. (Am I the only one seeing a theme here?)

12. "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, it we faint not." Galatians 6:9 - My discouragement over my lack of peers in my church may get me down, but I must continue to be faithful.

13. "And the aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed." Titus 2:3-5 - I should take this time in classes with my elders to soak up their wisdom and learn how to be a godly woman.

14. "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 2 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Enough said, don't you think?

15. "Let no man despise thy youth: but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee...meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them, that thy profiting my appear to all." 1 Timothy 4:12-15 - It's hard to ask "What's in it for me?" after reading that verse. I have to be an example for others! If I quit, there's a generation behind me that might do the same.

16. "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." 2 Timothy 2:3 - I have to be loyal to Christ in all circumstances.

17. "I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8 - It's all about Him.

18. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 - So what's in it for me? Jesus. And He's enough.

YWAC Bible Study for November

2010-11-01T00:45:00.002-05:00

Check out the new Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study for November - available online now at http://www.wnac.org/.

This month's study, "The Wisdom of a Woman," is about the wisdom of Abigail.

2010-09-28T23:02:00.003-05:00

"But now thus saith the Lord that created thee...Fear not! For I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine! Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created [her] for my glory, I have formed [her]; yea, I have made [her]." Isaiah 43:1 and 7 (emphasis added)

Have you ever watched a marathon? The runners usually wear shirts with the name or logo of their sponsor on them. They often dedicate their performance in the race to a charity, or maybe a loved one or friend.

We are all like runners in a marathon. In 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, Paul wrote, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible."

The New Living Translation words that verse like this: "Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize."

If our lives are like a race, then God is our Creator, Sustainer, and Trainer. He calls us by His name (Isaiah 43:1). We run wearing His image (Genesis 1:26). We represent Him. The way we run reflects on Him.

What kind of a representative for Christ are you?

Are you a good representative for God in the way you honor your body as His temple?

"Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and the the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are." 1 Corinthians 3:16-17

Come check out our L.E.A.P.F.R.O.G. Class on Monday nights at 6:30!

Every Second Matters

2010-09-25T16:03:00.002-05:00

The video posted above is an AT&T commercial advertising their broadband network. At the end of the commercial, they use the tag line "every second matters."

I love the way the video is split - showing what could have happened in each instance, all depending on the timing of something small.

This video reminds me of two things: First, that every second matters and that we are responsible for the way we use our time. Second, that God works through the little things, every second of the day.

One of my favorite quotes is: "Choices, no matter how small, do matter. Your day-to-day decisions have a way of determining your destiny. The person you are becoming - situation by situation, choice by choice, decision by decision - is the person you will be forever." David Ausberger

Our lives are all hanging on one choice. One decision, one situation, one choice can change your life forever. Just like one second made a difference in the video, it can make a difference in your life.

Thankfully, we don't have to rely on AT&T to orchestrate every second of our lives. The Master of the Universe is in charge of our every second. He decides when to give us open doors. He decides when to give us those choices, decisions and situations that make such a difference in our lives.

That doesn't mean that God is just a puppeteer, sitting up in Heaven pulling our strings. He gave us minds that think and reason. He gave us each our own free will. He gives us the freedom to use our seconds as we please.

"God gave you the gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say 'thank you'?" - William Arthur

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Psalm 90:12

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad." 2 Corinthians 5:10

Every second matters.

How will you use yours?

YWAC Bible Study

2010-08-04T03:29:00.004-05:00

Check out the NEW Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study for August!

It's available online now at www.wnac.org.

A Woman's Place

2010-08-04T00:25:00.009-05:00

I love to read, so there are days when I log onto blogger and just press the "next blog" button to see what people are writing about. There are some blogs that I immediately pass by, and there are others that I like enough to actually add to my blogger reading list and visit again.

A blog that I recently found was written by a female preacher. As I read a few posts, looking for the place where she explained where it was okay to be a female preacher, I was amazed at how much this person seemed to whine and complain about her chosen profession. Many of her posts were complaints about being a woman in a man's world.

I have seen other posts like this before - from bloggers that claim to be Christian writers and teachers, but support gay rights, abortion, and tons of other issues that are blatantly against the teachings of Christ.

The thing that upsets me the most about this is that there are people out there in cyberspace that are unknowingly being taught false doctrine through these kind of blogs and websites. It's something that we all know will happen. Throughout the Bible, we are warned that people will try to twist the Gospel and teach false doctrine. In 2 Peter 2:1, Peter said, "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction."

I am especially upset by what I call "Christian feminism." Apparently, there are a lot of Christian people (women and men) that get hung up on this issue. There are people that cringe at the sound of the word "submission" when it comes to a wife submitting to her husband. Others believe that the only reason women were not included in church leadership in the Bible is because of the rules of society at the time.

First of all, let's examine the example that Jesus set for us. When it was time for Him to choose His disciples - the top twelve people that would carry on His ministry when He was gone - He chose twelve men. Jesus was not about conforming to the society He lived in. During His ministry, He upset all the religious leaders because He did things that were socially unacceptable. He ate with publicans and sinners. He healed people on the Sabbath Day. He talked to a promiscuous woman at a well in Samaria. None of those things were "politically correct," so I don't think that Jesus did anything to conform to the world. After all, He is the one that told us NOT to conform to the world in His sermon on the mount in Matthew 5:13-16.

There is a reason that He placed men in these leadership roles. From creation, God ordained men to have dominion over all things (Genesis 1:28). Then, when He created women, He created them to be a "help meet" for man (Genesis 2:18). Men were created to be leaders. Women were created to be helpers.

God has filled His Word with instructions to both men and women. Before we examine the roles of men and women in church positions, let's look at the roles God assigned to men and women in the family.

Ephesians 5:22-25 says, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it."

God created man to be the head of the household. Women, no matter how much it makes you cringe to hear it, we are supposed to submit to our husbands.

I think the reason that so many women have problems with these verses is because they misinterpret the word "submit." These verses do not mean that your husband can be a dictator. They don't mean that when he yells "jump" you have to ask "how high?". These verses actually give men a huge responsibility. They mean that men have to strong leaders. Men have to be able to make important decisions. Men should be rooted in the Word of God so they can spiritually lead a family. And men have to be willing to be the protectors and providers for their wives and children.

In reality, those verses should be encouraging for women. In those verses, I read that my husband should love me like Christ loved the church. Do you realize that God is commanding your husband to love you with a love that is so pure and deep and strong that it can't even be fathomed? Basically, these verses are telling us to trust in our husbands and look to them for leadership. In return, our husbands are supposed to romance us and cherish us and love us! I think that sounds like a pretty sweet deal.

So in our families, God expects the man to be the head of the household. Does that mean that He wants all women to stay home and be the picture perfect housewife like June Cleaver? Absolutely not. Read Proverbs 31:10-31. The Proverbs 31 woman worked outside her home and helped provide for her family. She purchased real estate, worked a vineyard, managed maidens, raised children, helped the poor... AND she honored her husband. She submitted to him and trusted him, and he could trust in her (vs. 11).

God created women to be creative. He gave us organizational skills and leadership skills that we can use in many different ways. Women can be doctors, lawyers, teachers, authors...ANYTHING they want to be. And He wants women to work in the church. He didn't give us talents so that we can hide them and let them go to waste (check out the Parable of Talents in Matthew 24). He wants us to use our talents for Him!

In 1 Timothy, Paul talks about the roles of men and women in the church. He makes it clear in Chapter 3 that men are to have the leadership roles within the church. In 1 Timothy 2:9-15, he talks about women being modest and godly and says, "I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence." This is especially a touchy verse. Some people like to think that Paul only said this because of the cultural rules of the time, but we've already learned that the customs of the world don't have any influence on the ways of God. Others like to take this verse to extremes and say that women have no place in the church, but that's not the case either.

Titus 2:2-5 says, "The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed."

God chose men to be leaders in the church (according to 1 Timothy 3:1-13), but He has a place for women there, too. He needs us to work teaching children and ministering to other women and supporting the men that He placed in leadership roles over us.

I like the fact that God created women to be the softer more gentle sex. I like that He created men to be our protectors and providers. I like the fact that He has a place for me, even though it's not in the spotlight. After all, working for God is not about gaining glory or recognition. It's about submitting to God's will, trusting His plan and respecting His authority.

In fact, that is exactly why I think God set men in dominion over women. There are many times in the Bible where our relationship with Christ is compared to marriage. We, as the church, are called the Bride of Christ. Christ is often compared to a groom, while God is our Heavenly Father.

Husbands are supposed to love their wives like Christ loved the church. We are to submit to our husbands' authority like we would submit to Christ. According to 2 Corinthians 3:17, "...where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." We find freedom when we commit our lives to Christ and submit to His will.

Think about how "free" you would feel if you stopped struggling against the role you were created to fulfill. When we surrender to the fact that we are the weaker sex and let the men in our lives fulfill the leadership roles they were created for, when we submit to our husbands, it takes stress off our shoulders. It makes our lives more harmonious and makes us free to find and fulfill our God-designed roles in our home, church, community and world.

Books of Summer

2010-07-31T15:43:00.005-05:00

I've always loved to read, but it seems like I haven't gotten to do much pleasure reading in the last few years. This summer, I had a lot of free time while I was babysitting and traveling, so I actually got to read a good bit. These are just a few of my summer reads. Check them out (all of these are available at any bookstore or at www.Christianbook.com).

Predator by Terri Blackstock

When I first started reading this one, I wasn't sure that I was going to like it. It's about an online predator that uses Internet communities like Facebook and MySpace to find and track his victims. Since it seems like everyone is on sites like this now (including me), the plot was really close to home. Once I got into the story, it was great. There's a killer on the loose, lots of suspects and mystery, and a budding romance for the main characters, Krista and Ryan. I would especially recommend this one for teen girls that are on sites like Facebook and MySpace. It gives lots Internet safety advice in a way that would keep their interest, and it just might make them think twice about Tweeting every move they make. It also deals with big issues like grief, doubt and trusting God through hard times.

Intervention by Terri Blackstock

This is one of the best Terri Blackstock books I have ever read! The story pulls you in from the very beginning and keeps you glued to the page until the end. The main character, Barbara, tries to send her addict daughter to rehab (again), but her daughter disappears on the way to the rehab center and the woman that was escorting her is found murdered. Barbara has to drop everything to find her daughter, who is wanted for her escort's murder, and clear her name. It's a story about God's protection, patience and healing. READ THIS ONE!

The second book in this series will be out in February 2011, and I can hardly wait!

The Me I Want To Be by John Ortberg

Okay, so this one isn't in the "just for fun" fiction stack, but so far, it has been a really great book. This is the first John Ortberg book I have read, and I was pleasantly surprised by how funny and easy to read it is. I'm about half-way through this one and I have already learned a lot. This book is great if you don't have a lot of time to read through an entire book at once. The chapters and short and are set up in sections so you can easily use this to help with your daily quiet time or Bible study, and you can pick it right back up pretty easily.

The idea is that we all have different versions of "me" - the person we pretend to be, the person we really are, the person we have the potential to be, the person God created us to be...and how to live in the freedom of being yourself - the person God created you to be. Great thoughts so far... I am hoping to do the Bible study that goes with this with some friends later this year as well.

"The Commitment We Must Make"

2010-07-24T02:01:00.003-05:00

Sermon by Bro. Stan Bunch
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention

Isaiah 6:8

1. Isaiah's commitment came after brokenness and cleansing

Before God can do a work through a person, He has to do a work in a person.
Isaiah's brokenness and cleansing led to a commitment to serve God.

2. Isaiah's commitment didn't come with conditions

Isaiah committed without conditions - he committed to God before he knew all the details. His response to God shows obedience and a desire to please God.
Isaiah understood the task would be hard, but he relied on God for guidance and understanding one day at a time.
How far can God trust you with a call? Are you faithful to carry through, even through hard times and trials?

3. Isaiah's commitment was based on the holiness of God and a desire to please Him

Our success is not determined by the world. It is determined by our willingness to serve God and please Him.
Isaiah committed fully to God. He continued in faith, even when things didn't go like he wanted.

Are you as committed as Isaiah?

"The Call We Must Consider"

2010-07-23T23:56:00.005-05:00

Sermon by Bro. Karl Sexton

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention

Isaiah 6:8

There is a specific call for every life, but no one escapes the general call to missions. We are all called to be witnesses for God.

1. The Question of the Sovereign

The Questioner - He is the Holy Lord God
Verse 8, "who will go for us?" - shows us the Trinity
We are called by the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost
The Questions - Who will go?
The question is still going out today, but are we listening for the call?
The question demands a decision from us - will we go?
The question denotes a duty to us - it is our job to go. We have to be witnesses for our generation (Judges 2:10).

2. The Qualifications of the Servant

God must qualify us before He can send us.
What motivates your service to God? Are you motivated by the call of God upon your life? Isaiah had been busy about religious activities in the temple, but his life was changed when he felt the call of God upon his life.
Isaiah was confronted by God's preeminence - Matthew 6:33-34.
Your witness comes from your worship. Is your worship about pleasing God, or is it about making yourself feel better?
Jesus doesn't want to be your #1, He wants to be your ONLY One.
Isaiah was convicted and cleansed - only a cleansed man can serve the Master faithfully. Once we are convicted and cleansed, we are ready to commit to the Lord's call.

3. The Quest of the Saints

We are to share our message - of redemption and grace.
We are to fulfill our mission - to go and make disciples.
"I do not fear that the church will not succeed, but that the church will succeed at things that don't matter." - Unknown
Our quest is personal - evangelism is not an option (Acts 1:8). We are all called to be witnesses for Christ.
Our quest is pertinent - we must go and make disciples.
Our quest is pressing - is the call of God burning in your heart?

"The Condition We Must Correct"

2010-07-23T22:53:00.003-05:00

Sermon by Bro. Charles Murphy

Monday, July 19, 2010

National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention

Isaiah 6:5-7

Do you desire to serve God? Our desire to serve God is evidence of our salvation. The strength of that desire is a measure of our spiritual maturity. But before we can be used by God, we have to be cleansed from our sins by God. We must correct the condition of sin...

1. Because of sin's hindering effect on our lives.

Our sin separates us from God. (Isaiah 59:1-2)
Without God, we can do nothing.
You can't serve God if you are separated from Him and His will.

2. Because of sin's hardening effect on our hearts.

Our sin hardens our hearts and makes us less sensitive to the calling of God. (Isaiah 6:9-10)
"But exhort one another daily, while it is called to day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Hebrews 3:13 - We should challenge and encourage one another to turn from sin daily.
Our sin is an urgent matter. If we don't turn from our sin, it will hinder our lives and harden our hearts so that we cannot be used by God.

HOW DO WE CORRECT THE CONDITION OF SIN IN OUR LIVES?

1. We must see God as He really is:

If we don't see the holiness of God, then we don't see our own sinfulness.
When we see how holy God is, we can then see how unholy and sinful we are.
Isaiah feared God (verse 5). The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom leads to repentance from sin.
To know God as He really is, we must spend time with Him - in prayer, in His word, and in service for Him.

2. We must be broken before God:

When Isaiah saw God, he saw his own spiritual bankruptcy. "Woe is me!" (verse 5)
He recognized that he was a man of unclean lips - do you take the sins of the mouth seriously? "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." (Matthew 12:35, Luke 6:35, James 3:6-10)
We must confess our conformity to the world (1 John 2:15-17, 1 Peter 1:14-16)

3. We must receive cleansing from God:

Isaiah 6:6-7 - The coal came from the altar, which points us to the ultimate sacrifice for our sins, Jesus.
Jesus's death on the cross and His blood cleanses us from our sins. (Isaiah 53:5-12)
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6
Romans 5:20-21

4. We must consecrate ourselves to God:

We must lay ourselves on the altar (Romans 12:1 - "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.")
We must consecrate ourselves to God in our daily lives by being holy. (Ephesians 5:26-27)
We must take personal responsibility for our actions. We live in grace, but that doesn't take away our free will or our responsibility for the choices we make.

Do we want the had of the Lord to be withdrawn from us because of our sin? Or do we want God to be with us and guide us? We must deal with the condition of sin in our lives if we are going to live in God's will.

"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:6-7

"The Concept We Must Grasp"

2010-07-23T22:38:00.003-05:00

Sermon by Bro. Jeff Blair

Sunday, July 18, 2010

National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention

"Caller ID"
Isaiah 6:1-4

When you read through the text, the main thing is not the mission or the missionary. The most important thing is the identity of the One who is calling...

1. THE REVELATION OF GOD'S CHARACTER

He is HOLY - With the song of the seraphim, we see that God is holy.
There are two types of holiness that God displays - majestic holiness and moral holiness.
God is so holy that even the seraphims cannot look at Him (verse 2 - with two wings he covered his face).
The earth is filled with God's GLORY.
If you can't open your eyes to His holiness, then you can't close your eyes to His glory.
"God is both farther from us and nearer to us than any other being." - C.S. Lewis

2. THE REALITY OF ISAIAH'S ENCOUNTER

Isaiah encountered the Holy One and it changed his life forever.
One glimpse of God fueled Isaiah's ministry for a lifetime.
God has to be the One that calls.
He calls WHO He wants, WHEN He wants, for WHAT He wants.
Isaiah's call is unique. We are each called in a unique way, but we all experience the presence of God with our call.

"The where, when and how are not important. What matters is the Identity of the Caller!"

"The Crisis We Must Face"

2010-07-23T20:33:00.006-05:00

Sermon by Bro. Bert Tippett

Sunday, July 18, 2010

National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention

Before we can look at who will go, we have to examine the crisis that Isaiah faced in his life. Isaiah was a prophet under king Uzziah. We will examine the life of king Uzziah and the crisis that Isaiah faced with the king's decline and death:

THE PIETY THAT GUIDED HIM - 2 Chronicles 26:1-5 King Uzziah was only 16 when he became king, but he followed the example of his father and did what was right in the sight of God. He also had a godly mentor - Zechariah.
THE POWER THAT BLESSED HIM - 2 Chronicles 26:5-15 Because king Uzziah was faithful to God and followed Him, God blessed him and his kingdom. God gave Uzziah and his kingdom success, growth and blessings.
THE PRIDE THAT DESTROYED HIM - 2 Chronicles 26:15-23 Everything was going great for king Uzziah. He was a successful leader of a great nation and was being blessed by God. But in verses 15 and 16, we see that he became prideful. His pride led to his destruction when he went into the temple to burn incense in offering to God. Only the priests were allowed to burn incense, but in his pride, Uzziah wanted to do it himself. He ignored the warnings of the priests and defied God's law and insulted God's plan - the position of Priest AND King was reserved for Jesus. No other man was to have both of those positions. When Uzziah crossed that boundary set by God, he was punished with leprosy.

Isaiah watched his once godly and successful king die of a horrible disease. As he did, he faced a crisis much like the one we now face in America - He was faced with uncertainty and leadership changes that he could not control.

When we are faced with crisis, we must follow Isaiah's example and turn to God.

When you are faced with crisis, remember that:

YOU ARE THERE BY GOD'S APPOINTMENT. God has a reason for letting us go through hard times. Whether it's to show us something that we need to purge from our lives or to prepare us to do the work God has for us, He has His reasons.
YOU ARE THERE BY GOD'S KEEPING. God never lets us go through hard times alone. He will never leave us or forsake us. He is there, holding your hand and is ready to carry you when you can't walk another step.
THERE IS A PURPOSE FOR YOU BEING THERE. God uses the storms of our lives to teach and mold us.
WHEN IT IS TIME, GOD WILL BRING YOU OUT OF THE STORM. He will probably not change our circumstances until we let our circumstances start to change us. When we surrender to Him and trust Him, He will bring us to the other side.

Free Will Baptist National Convention

2010-07-23T19:41:00.003-05:00

We just got back from a great week at the 74th Annual National Association of Free Will Baptists Convention in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Our theme for the week was "Who will go?", taken from Isaiah 6:1-8.

The week was filled with great preaching, all from these verses. On Sunday, Bro. Bert Tippett spoke about "The Crisis We Must Face" and Bro. Jeff Blair spoke about "The Concept We Must Grasp." Then, on Monday, Bro. Charles Murphy spoke about "The Condition We Must Correct". Tuesday, Bro. Karl Sexton preached about "The Call We Must Consider" and on Wednesday, Bro. Stan Bunch preached about "The Commitment We Must Make."

We also had many children and teenagers from our church, association and state competing in the National Youth Conference.

Competitors from our church were: Caleb Patton, Landon Camp, Joe Paul Hopper, Brandon Moore, Joseph Summerlin, Jacob Summerlin, and Katie Milligan.

Caleb Patton won the National Championship title in Truth Quest, a Bible competition based on the game show Jeopardy.

Landon Camp, Joe Paul Hopper and Brandon Moore represented our state in the Bible Millionaire competition (based on the game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire).

Joseph Summerlin competed in the 7th - 9th grade Keyboarding competition. He placed third.

Jacob Summerlin won the National title in the Pitched Percussion competition and placed second in Keyboarding.

Katie Milligan competed in the Senior High painting competition.

We also had two students from our church attend Truth & Peace, a leadership conference for 9th - 12th grade students. Our T&P attendees were Jeremy Moore and Joseph Summerlin. It was Jeremy's third year at T&P and Joseph's first year to attend.

Our youth all did a great job! We are so proud of them for dedicating their time to learning and competing for the glory of the Lord!

2010-06-18T22:59:00.003-05:00

It's that time again! With summer in full swing, it's time for Vacation Bible School at Sulphur Springs!

Bring your kids out for a fun-filled week at Hero Headquarters! Your kids will meet some cool super heroes and will learn how to be heroes for God as they study Bible stories, play games, make crafts and get to fellowship with other kids.

Kids 6th grade and under will meet Sulphur Springs Family Life Center from 6:30 until 8:30 each night. VBS begins on Monday, June 21 and will last until Friday, June 25.

Teens (entering 7th grade and up) -
Bring your friends and youth groups out for an awesome Youth Revival as we study the Heroes of the Bible and learn to be H.I.S. (Heroes in Service). The teen VBS/Youth Revival will take place at the Sanctuary from 6:30 until 8:30 on Monday, June 21 thru Friday, June 25. We will have awesome praise and worship music, games, group Bible study, and snacks. Come out for an awesome time!

*We will have a van running if you need a ride to VBS. Please email Christina at cmhopper.warrior@gmail.com with VBS in the subject line if you need a ride.

Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study for June

2010-06-16T01:36:00.003-05:00

The new YWAC Bible Study for June 2010 is now available online at http://www.wnac.org/. This study can be used as an individual or a group study. It is written specifically for teen girls ages 11-18. Check it out and share it with your friends and the young women at your church! Click on the image above to go directly to the study.

Finding Happiness

2010-06-15T23:55:00.005-05:00

Sermon/Outline by Bro. Rick Taylor 6/13/10

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Psalm 1:1-3

Happiness: a state of well-being and contentment; a pleasurable or satisfying experience (Merriam Webster's Dictionary)

What makes you happy?

We all have different things that make us smile or lift our moods. For some people, it's shopping. Some people listen to music. Others play a sport or go for a run. Then there are people that get a rush of happiness when they see a plan come together or reach a goal.

While these things can make us feel happy for a moment, do any of them bring us lasting happiness or joy? No.

We can't get happiness from someone or something - at least not lasting happiness. People will fail us. Things can be destroyed. True happiness starts on the inside and only comes from Jesus Christ.

Re-read the verses above. In Psalm 1:1, "blessed" can be translated into "how happy". Now, put that into the verse:

How happy is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful...

This first verse tells us three things that a happy person does not do:

1. A happy person does not take the advice of unbelievers - When you are going through a hard time, where do you go for advice? Do you ask fellow believers, or do you go to worldly friends? Do you read the Bible, or do you pick up a magazine or secular advice column?

In Proverbs 3:13, Solomon said, "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding."

Our wisdom should come from God. We should go to His word and His people for advice and guidance.

2. A happy person does not follow the same path as an unbeliever - Who do you follow?

We all have heard that we're supposed to be separate from the world and that we're supposed to follow the "road less traveled," but how exactly are we supposed to do that?

In 2 Corinthians 6:14, Paul warned, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"

This doesn't mean that you can't have unsaved friends. I think it's good for us to have some unsaved friends in our lives (because how can you be salt and light [Matthew 5:13-16] in the world if you hide away from the people of the world?). But we need to make sure that we are a bigger influence on our unsaved friends than they are on us.

When I was in high school, my youth pastor had one student from our group stand on a chair. He picked another student and had him stand on the floor next to the chair. The student in the chair represented a believer and the student on the floor represented an unbeliever. My youth pastor told the student in the chair to try to pull the other student up. At the same time, the student on the floor was trying to pull the other student down. Every time, the student on the floor succeeded in pulling the other student off the chair.

Because we are not perfect and because we all struggle with sins, it is easier for unbelievers to pull us down than it is for us to pull them up. Our unsaved friends need us. We need to be good witnesses to them. We need to show them the love of Christ. But we can't spend so much time with them that we are pulled back down into a sinful life.

Solomon warned us about this very thing in Proverbs 1:10 - 16, "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us...my son, walk not in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood."

So who should we fellowship with? Our brothers and sisters in Christ. Matthew 18:20 says, "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." God blesses us when we gather with other believers to praise and worship Him. He wants us to have fellowship with each other so we can encourage one another and lift one another up.

3. A happy person does not dwell on the negative - Do you see your glass as half-empty or half-full? I have to admit, I often see mine as half-empty. There are many times that I catch myself being negative, sarcastic and cynical.

But does putting down others make me happier? No. Does it help the Kingdom of God? Absolutely not.

So why is it so hard to be positive?

My Sunday school teacher, Mike, reminds us to be positive every week. He often talks about the 80/20 rule (made popular by T.D. Jakes and in Tyler Perry's movie "Why Did I Get Married?"). The theory of the 80/20 rule is that most of the time, 80% of things are good. But we tend to focus on the 20% that's going wrong. We all tend to dwell on the negative, even when the good outweighs it.

The best way to focus on the positive? Look at the promises in God's word:
In Romans 8:28, we are promised that "...all things work together for good to them that love God..."

Proverbs 16:3 says, "Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established."

1 Corinthians 15:58 says, "Therefore, my beloved brethern, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

When you look at all the promises and blessings that God gives to us, you have to be positive. Battle negativity with thankfulness - because you always have more to be thankful for than you have to be negative about.

So, now that we know what a happy person doesn't do, what does a happy person do that makes him or her so... happy?

"But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Psalm 1:2-3

1. A happy person desires the things of the Lord - What are the desires of your heart?

Do you want to be successful in your job? Do you want to be a better wife or mother? Do you want to be a writer, singer, or actor?

Psalm 37:4-5 says, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass."

Those verses don't give us a free pass with God's signature on it that says we can be successful at whatever we want, whenever we want, however we want. They say to "commit thy way unto the Lord."

When we are in God's presence and in His will, we will desire godly things. As we get closer to Him, He will place desires in our hearts, and as we continue to commit to His timing and His plan, He will bring those desires and dreams to pass.

So happy people dream big and trust in God's perfect timing. Happy people desire godly things.

2. A happy person thinks on the things of God - When you hear the word "meditate" what do you think about? Do you picture a little guy in a robe sitting on the floor with his legs crossed and humming "ummmmm"?

Psalm 1:2 says, "...in his law doth he meditate day and night." A happy person studies God's word. When was the last time you "meditated" on the Word of God? Do you just read it like it's empty words on the page? Or do you really let it speak to you?

Remember Proverbs 3:13? "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding."

3. A happy person will bear Spiritual fruit - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance..." Galatians 5:22-23

Take a moment to think about one of your heroes of the faith - a pastor, parent, Sunday school teacher, mentor, or friend that has had a great impact on your faith. What spiritual fruit was evident in his or her life? What first made you realize that he or she was different? That he or she had something that you didn't have? That he or she had something you wanted?

What made you realize that he or she had Jesus?

Do people see spiritual fruit in your life? When we can share spiritual fruits (love, joy, peace, etc.) with other people, it makes us happy.

So where does your happiness come from? Do you try to borrow happiness from people, things, and success? Or do you get your happiness from Jesus?

May's YWAC Bible Study Available Online Now!

2010-05-04T18:56:00.005-05:00

Be sure to check out this month's Young Women Active for Christ study online!

Book of the Month

2010-04-05T14:26:00.006-05:00

One of my friends and I are reading Fit for My King by Sheri Rose Shepherd this month. The book is a 30-day Devotion and Diet Plan that teaches Biblical principles about health and fitness. So far, it has been great!

The diet is extreme - no white flour, no sugar, no potatoes, no "fake food", no fast food, no artificial sweetners. It's been hard (we started the book about two weeks ago), but we both can tell a difference in our energy levels and we both feel better.

We bought the book thinking about the diet, but the devotions are awesome and they really make you think about WHY we should take care of our bodies. Sheri Rose Shepherd reminds us that we need to treasure God's temple (our bodies) and that we are all God's Princesses.

If you're up for the challenge, you can find more information about the book at http://www.fitformyking.com/.

April's YWAC Study Available Online Now!

2010-04-05T14:15:00.003-05:00

The new Bible study for Young Women Active for Christ is now available on the WNAC website. April is Missions Emphasis Month, so the study this month is about missions. Check it out!

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8

Compassion is the Key

2010-03-05T10:29:00.005-06:00

Last night, I visited the church I grew up in for their District WAC Meeting. The ladies there have had a huge role in shaping my view of what it means to be a godly woman.

Mrs. Ginger Peoples, the Field Worker for the Vernon District WAC, spoke about compassion. She read from the book of Jude.

The society Jude lived in was much like the one we live in today. People were evil. They didn't even try to hide their sins. They mocked the things of God. They were hard people to live with, but in verse 22, Jude tells us: "And of some, have compassion, making a difference."

Isn't that something you want to do? Don't we all want to make a difference?

If we're going to do that, we have to show compassion to others.

Look at Matthew 25:35-40. In these verses, Jesus tells us to feed the hungry, bring water to the thirsty, take in strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick and minister to those in prison. We should do those things with compassion in our hearts. We have to minister to people right where they are, even when they are in places where we don't want to be.

I've never understood why some churches talk about reaching the lost, but turn away people that try to come in because they're not dressed right, or don't live right, or don't come from the right side of town. We can't make people "clean up" before they come to church. Even if they do clean up their acts, it will only be an outward cleansing until they know Jesus. It's important for us to portray cleanliness. We should treat our bodies as temples; we should respect the places that God has given us to live and to worship in. But until we're cleaned on the inside, by the blood of Jesus, all the other things are just a show. We have to show people that they can come just as they are. That's how Jesus wants them. Just as they are, but willing to change from the inside out. That's how we should want them, too. And we should love them, right where they are.

We also have to have faith and believe in people. It can be hard to believe in someone after they've disappointed or hurt you, but we cannot expect them to fail. We are called to have compassion on them, and to encourage and motivate them to succeed. When we expect failure, we may think that we're shielding ourselves from the pain of disappointment, but in reality we're setting ourselves and the people we love up to fall. Remember that Jesus believed in you enough to die for you. He doesn't ask us to die for the people in our lives - He just wants us to love and encourage them.

So never give up. There's no such thing as a lost cause. Jesus didn't give up on us, and He is unwilling for people to give up on sharing His love with others. He wants us to "sing until the whole world hears" (Casting Crowns). He wants us to proclaim His goodness and mercy and power to everyone we meet. He wants us to go into a sinful and dying world and show them the same compassion that He showed to us.

If you want to make a difference, compassion is your key.

Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study

2010-02-28T13:57:00.004-06:00

Visit http://www.wnac.org/ to download your copy of the Teen Bible Study for March.

Using examples from the life of David, this month's study looks at fear and doubt and how to defeat them so we can live lives full of God's power!

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

2 Timothy 1:7

Family February

2010-02-28T11:08:00.003-06:00

For the month of February, Bro. Rick preached about families.

Our families are the cornerstone of all our other relationships - at church, school, and work. Our families have the power to make us confident and strong in our faith, or they have the power to make us feel fear, doubt and failure.

Satan knows that the family is important to God. God has set up an order for the family, and Satan does all he can to disrupt this order. Satan wants to see our families fall apart. He wants to see us struggle, fight and disagree.

While God celebrates at marriage, Satan celebrates at divorce. God celebrates at the birth of a baby; Satan celebrates at an abortion. God celebrates when families pray together; Satan celebrates when families curse at one another.

Satan is the enemy of strong, happy families. Look at how he works in the world. You've probably heard, "Happy families don't sell" when reality TV families fall apart. It's sad and true. We, as a nation, don't embrace the true meaning of family. We want to see the drama and tension and fights. How sad that some families are willing to sacrifice their relationships with each other for fame, greed or pride.

Pride is a big problem in the family, especially for women in today's society. We're told by people in magazines and on TV that we need to be "Super Woman." Career, fame, recognition, money, family...we can have it all!

That may be true by society's standards, but when you look at God's standards, where is a woman's place in the family?

We can have careers, but our families should come first. Money is nice, but it's not a substitute for spending time with your children. Recognition and fame are slippery slopes, and it's hard to keep a godly perspective on your life when you're living in that.

Does that mean that we're limited to the kitchen? Absolutely not. God has given us gifts and talents and He expects us to use them for His glory. Women can be doctors, lawyers, writers, teachers, dancers, actresses, singers...

But no matter what we are in the corporate world, when we come home, we are expected to submit ourselves to our husbands. We should be chaste, modest, and trustworthy. We should help provide for the needs of our families and other's families. We are not to be lazy or idle. We should work with our hands and be good stewards of our family's resources. We should speak with kindness and speak of the things of the Lord. (Proverbs 31:10-31)

While the man is the head of the household, we serve as the backbone of the family. It's a huge responsibility. We shouldn't feel burdened by this, because it's a gift from God. He gave us, the weaker sex, the ability to bring forth life. He gave us the gifts and talents we would need to fill the role that He designed for us.

Satan loves to see us struggle to break out of God's design for our families. He likes to see us fight amongst ourselves about who is in charge. He likes to see husbands and wives that can't agree, children that are disrespectful, and families that never slow down enough to really know each other.

Here are few things to remember about God's design for the family...

1. The Parents' Obligation to the Family

Christ must be the cornerston of the family (Ephesians 5:22, 25)
Our devotion to God should leave no question to our devotion to our spouse and family.
Loving God means loving people.
Communication is crutial (1 Peter 3:5-7 and 1 Corinthians 7:1-5)
Our committments must be kept (Genesis 2:24)
Other than your committment to God, your committment to your spouse is the most important (Mark 10:9)
We need to be committed to our family's spiritual well-being (Joshua 24:15)

2. The Children's Role in the Family

Children should honor and obey their parents (Exodus 20:12)
Children should fear the Lord (Proverbs 1:7-9 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge...")
We must educate our children in the things of the Lord (Deuteronomy 6:5-8)
We should teach by example, showing our children how to be dedicated to God, His Word, His Church, and His People (Proverbs 6:6-8)

3. The Church's Obligation to the Family

Our obligation, as a church, is not to the building we worship in, but to the people we worship with.
We as a church, are a family, held together by the love of Christ.
We should provide families with positive communication (Philippians 4:8)
We should provide families with help in physical, financial, and SPIRITUAL matters
We should pray for families in our church and community (James 5:14-16)
We should desire to see families be saved and become part of our church family

"...Choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Joshua 24:15

2010-02-01T16:03:00.005-06:00

My second teen Bible study for WNAC is now available online. Go to http://www.wnac.org/ and click on the Young Women Active for Christ Bible Study link to download this month's study about dealing with disappointments.

Thanks for your prayers and support as I continue to write these studies each month.

The Words I Would Say

2010-01-28T00:29:00.006-06:00

Sorry that I haven't updated the blog in the last few days. I just haven't felt very inspired to write anything lately.

I just wanted to share the lyrics to the song "The Words I Would Say" by Sidewalk Prophets. This song is really great, and it has an awesome message.

Three in the morning

And I'm still awake

So I picked up a pen and a page

And I started writing

Just what I'd say

If we were face to face

I'd tell you just what you mean to me

I'd tell you these simple truths

Be strong in the Lord

Never give up hope

You're gonna do great things

I already know

God's got His hand on you, so

Don't live life in fear

Forgive and forget

But don't forget why you're here

Take your time and pray

These are the words I would say

Last time we spoke

You said you were hurting

And I felt your pain in my heart

I want to tell you

That I keep praying

Love will find you where you are

I know, 'cause I've already been there

So please hear these simple truths

Be strong in the Lord

Never give up hope

You're gonna do great things

I already know

God's got His hand on you, so

Don't live life in fear

Forgive and forget

But don't forget why you're here

Take your time and pray

These are the words I would say

From one simple life to another

I will say

Come find peace in the Father

Be strong in the Lord

Never give up hope

You're gonna do great things

I already know

God's got His hand on you, so

Don't live life in fear

Forgive and forget

But don't forget why you're here

Take your time and pray

Thank God for each day

His love will find a way

These are the words I would say

What an awesome song of encouragement! I want to encourage all of you to write notes of encouragement to your friends and family that are going through difficult times. You never know how much it can mean just to get a little note saying that someone cares!

Also, please be in prayer for the family of Mrs. Geraldine Strickland. She passed away Wednesday morning. Visitation will be held at Magnolia Funeral Home on Thursday from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. and the funeral will be at the church on Friday at 2:00 p.m.

No Questions Asked

2010-01-18T01:09:00.006-06:00

I'm sure most of you saw the National Championship football game between Alabama and Texas (Roll Tide!). If you did, then I'm sure you saw Colt McCoy's statement at the end of the game.

What he said has really stuck out in my mind for the last few weeks.

"I always give God the glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life. And I know that if nothing else, I'm
standing on the Rock."

Colt McCoy, University of Texas Quarterback

That is an awesome statement of faith.

How many times do we question God? We pray for something to happen and when it doesn't come about as fast as we wanted or it doesn't happen like we planned, we start asking God why.

What if we had a "no questions asked" kind of faith? What if we spent less time asking questions and more time listening for direction? How much more could we accomplish for God that way?

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." Hebrews 11:6

Which Group Are You In?

2010-01-18T00:38:00.003-06:00

Sermon by Bro. Roger Lucas

Read Matthew 26:36-75. In these verses, Jesus goes to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. He is later betrayed, arrested, tried and crucified. In this story, we see three groups of people:

1. The Group of Eight - These eight disciples were left at the garden gate. They represent the people in the church today that don't get involved. They attend, maybe even every Sunday, but they just want to sit in a pew for an hour or so and go home. They don't take on responsibility for the work of the church.

2. The Group of Three - These three disciples (Peter, James and John) went into the garden with Jesus. Jesus asked them to watch and pray with Him while He was in the garden, but they fell asleep. They represent the people of the church that take on the bulk of the load. They get involved - they teach Sunday school, they knock on doors, they sing in the choir, they organize pot lucks, they visit the sick... they work for Christ! And they get tired and weary, just like Peter, James and John did.

3. The Group of One - Judas, the one that betrayed Jesus, was missing from these activities. He gave up. He quit on Jesus. He represents the people that have just quit the church. They don't want anything to do with Jesus or His people. Maybe they got tired (like the people in the Group of Three), maybe they were discouraged... whatever happened, it caused them to give up.

Which group do you find yourself in?

Now look at Peter. He was in the Group of Three. He was member of the inner circle. If Jesus was the pastor, Peter was the head deacon.

But when Jesus was captured and tried, Peter followed from "afar off" (verse 58).

Because of fear, Peter denied Jesus three times. At that moment, what group was Peter in?

The greatest thing about God is that He gives us second (and third, and fourth, and fifth...) chances. Peter denied Christ, and it looked like he had given up, but he repented!

When Jesus rose from the dead, He told the women at His grave to "go tell Peter." He gave Peter a second chance - because Peter repented! He even chose Peter to be the one that preached on the Day of the Pentecost.

So....

If you're in the Group of Eight... get involved! God has blessed you with a talent (weather it's singing, cooking, or just being friendly) that you can use for Him!

If you're in the Group of Three... take heart! God provides rest for the weary (Matthew 11:28). Remember, "you can't out give God!"

If you're in the Group on One... don't give up. Jesus will never give up on you. He loves you and wants you to come back to Him!

My brain is sore!

2010-01-17T19:21:00.005-06:00

When I logged on to my blog a few days ago, my blog list showed that one of my friends had updated her blog. The title of her post was "My toes are SORE!" which peaked my interest, so I clicked on the link to check it out.

Her post was great - she talked about the Missions Conference we had at church and told about a sermon that one of the missionaries had given. He had talked about our duty as Christians and about being a missionary right where you are.

Well, I read the entire post and there was no mention about toes being sore. So I'm thinking this is an inside joke or something, and it's really bothering me. My mom walked into the kitchen and I said, "You know, it really aggravates me when I don't know what people are talking about."

She looks over my shoulder at the blog post. "What do you mean?"

"The title doesn't go with the post," I said. "And I can't figure it out."

"Well, what's the post about?" Mom asked.

"A sermon that one of the missionaries gave this week."

My mom laughed. "Did she say that she felt convicted during the sermon?" she asked.

"Well, yeah," I say. "So?"

"So... haven't you ever heard people say the preacher is stepping on their toes? She means that the preacher stepped on her toes all night, so now they're sore."

DUH!

Since I refuse to believe that I'm that stupid, I'm chalking this one up to being young. That's what it is, right? Right?

Missions Conference 2010

2010-01-12T23:40:00.005-06:00

Our Missions Conference at Sulphur Springs has been great so far!

We had Bro. Davis, missionary to China, in our morning service on Sunday. He shared with us about the work he and his wife are doing in China and read from 1 Kings 17:7-16. Bro. Davis encouraged us to just believe in God and to focus on God.

If you just believe God, He will do things beyond what you imagine!
Sometimes we feel like we don't have anything to give, but we have to see God instead of focusing on what we don't have.
If you trust God and walk by faith, He will provide your needs.
We more often find God in the bad times than we do in the good times.
Ministry not only changes the people you minister to. It changes you, too.

Check out his blog at http://davis-adventures.blogspot.com/ for more information about the ministry in China.

On Monday night, I wasn't able to attend, but I heard that the service was great! The missionaries that attended were Bro. Jeff Goodman and Bro. Josh Bennett. They are going as a team to plant a church in Marana, AZ. Check out more about their ministry at www.themaranaproject.com/pastors-blogs.

Bro. Josh and Ashley Bennett

Bro. Jeff Goodman Family

Tonight, Bro. Dexter Guin was in our evening service. He is a missionary to Colorado Springs, CO. He shared with us about the growth in Colorado Springs and about the new building project that has just begun there.

Bro. Dexter Guin Family

For more information about Bro. Dexter and his ministry in Colorado, visit http://www.homemissions.net/ and click on the Missionaries tab or go to http://www.woodmenroadfwb.com/.

Please keep all of these missionaries and their families in your prayers as they "go...and teach all nations..." (Matthew 28:19).

NEW WNAC Bible Study for Teen Girls

2010-01-10T18:21:00.004-06:00

A few months ago, I was contacted and asked to take the Women Nationally Active for Christ Bible Studies that we use in our meetings each month and adapt them for teen girls. This was a very exciting offer for me, and I was happy to accept.

The first of these monthly studies is now available on the WNAC website. Visit www.wnac.org/2010/01/new-bible-study-for-young-women-active-for-christ/ and check it out!

Thanks so much for your prayers and support as I continue this ministry.

Missions Banquet and Missions Conference

2010-01-09T23:02:00.003-06:00

Tonight I was blessed to be able to attend the 18th Annual Free Will Baptist Area Wide Missions Banquet in Northport. The Missions Banquet is a time when pastors and members of our area churches can get together and fellowship with the missionaries that we support.

After a great meal and music by the Fields Family Trio, Bro. Dexter Guin (Missionary to Colorado Springs, CO) spoke.

He read from Ezekiel 22:30: "And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none."

1. God has a place

God has a specific place of service for each believer.
"Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few: Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." Matthew 9:37-38
God is still calling people into the ministry!
When God opens a door for a ministry opportunity, no man can shut it. (Colossians 4:3 and Revelation 3:7-8)
You have to take the opportunity when God gives it to you - don't miss it!
Are you doing all that you can do where God has placed you?

2. Jesus has the plan and the program

The plan is to GO, the program is to PREACH!
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." Mark 16:15
"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Luke 24:47
"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." 2 Timothy 4:2

3. The Holy Spirit has the power

"But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." Acts 1:8
"Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts." Zechariah 4:6
"And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." Luke 24:49
It doesn't matter where or in what capacity you serve God - you are powerless without Him!

Don't forget that our Missions Conference begins tomorrow during the morning service! We will have a guest speaker tomorrow in the 8:00 a.m. and the 10:30 a.m. services. Also join us Monday - Thursday at 7:00 p.m. each night as we host missionaries in our services.

Using Your Talents for God - Great Sports Role Models

2010-01-08T20:56:00.014-06:00

On Wednesday night, I talked to the Junior Youth Group about using their talents for God. We read from Matthew 25:14-29 (the parable of the talents). During the lesson, we talked about famous people that have used their talents for God. Of course, since it was the night before the big game, we ended up talking about college football.

The group of kids that I teach is mostly boys, but all of them (girls included) love sports, so we end up talking about football, basketball and baseball a lot. You might think that talking about sports takes away from our lesson time, but I've actually been able to use some of their favorite players as examples in our lessons.

I am so thankful for all the great players that are not ashamed to share their faith!

Mark Ingram - University of Alabama - Running Back #22

Mark Ingram is one of the kids' favorite players. (With a room full of Bama fans, the conversation is bound to tun to Alabama Football and Mark Ingram at some point.) I usually begin their lesson each week by asking for prayer requests and praise items. Great games, another Bama win, and a Heisman Trophy were all part of that process (both prayer requests and praises).

I am so thankful that Mark Ingram is a good role model for these kids, because they watch his every move. They wear his jersey, they know his stats, and they join his fan groups on Facebook.

They love him because he's an Alabama player, because he's a winner and because they know he's a good guy.

One of my kids told me after he won the Heisman that before the program, Ingram went into a back room with Tim Tebow for prayer.

Colt McCoy - University of Texas - Quarterback #12

Another sports figure that my class loves is Colt McCoy. He was also a Heisman contender (and for the last month has been our biggest rival).

I felt sorry for him after the game last night when he was interviewed on the field after getting knocked out of the game with an injury. But what he said was a great lesson for my class (and for all of us). He said, "I always give God the glory. I never question why things happen the way they do. God is in control of my life. And I know that if nothing else, I'm standing on the Rock."

After a crushing loss, which I am sure frustrated and disappointed McCoy, he still gave God the glory. It would have been easy to say that after a win, but in the midst of defeat and disappointment... that's a great testimony of trusting in God.

Tim Tebow - University of Florida - Quarterback #15

Of course, I can't talk about great Christian role models in college football without talking about Tim Tebow. No matter how much I dislike Gator fooball (We stomped the Chomp! Roll Tide!), I can't help but to like Tim Tebow.

He has used his position as quarterback of the Florida Gators team to reach millions. He always gives God the glory for his accomplishments in interviews, and during each game he wears Bible verses on his eye-blacks.

One of the questions in our lesson on Wednesday night was, "Is there any talent that CAN NOT be used to glorify God?"

As the kids struggled to think of a talent that you couldn't use, I pointed out to them that most people wouldn't think of sports as a normal place for ministry. We talked about Tebow, and how after his games, whatever verse he had written on his eye-blacks that day instantly became one of the most searched phrases on Google. He has truly taken ministry through sports to a new level.

I am so glad that these great athletes remember that "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father..." (James 1:17). And I am thankful that they use their gifts to bring glory to God.

What is your gift? What ability has God blessed you with? If He gave you a talent, He means for you to use it. How will you use your talents for God?

Playing Catch Up...

2010-01-03T21:48:00.008-06:00

So much has happened over the last few months that I don't really know where to begin. I guess I'll just start in order and try to hit the high points...

In November, a group of ladies from our WAC group went to the Southern Ladies Retreat at Red Bay Free Will Baptist Church. The theme for the weekend retreat was "Vessels for the Master's Use." Our speakers were Mrs. Becky Derby and Mrs. Sandy Atwood.

Mrs. Becky shared with us about her battle with breast cancer. She shared from Psalm 103:1-5:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

Who satisfieth they mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's."

She urged us to focus on the blessings of life and to live in joy.

Mrs. Sandy shared from 2 Timothy 2:20-21:

"But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared for every good work."

There are three things that God gives us to help us become vessels of honor:

1. His Holy Spirit - God starts working on us from the inside out. Holiness is a lifelong process. The Holy Spirit shapes and refines us daily.

2. The Bible - God's Word helps teach us how to live and how to honor God with our lives.

3. Problems - Our problems, big and small, make us better so we can be used as vessels in the future. The hard times and trials we go through give us a testimony that helps us witness to others about trusting in God.

"A vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." 2 Timothy 2:21

On the first Saturday of December, we got to attend the Eldridge Toy Run at the Free Will Baptist Children's Home in Eldridge, AL.

Our Junior Youth Group (with the help of our church members) sponsored a little boy named Luke for Christmas. We were able to attend the Toy Run and see Luke get his Christmas presents. We had a great time of fellowship. I have included some pictures below...

Our Christmas play, "It All Happened in the Country," went wonderfully. We had a full kids choir and an adult choir, as well as actors from the youth group.

(Photo taken by Mrs. Renae Summerlin)

Well... maybe we're caught up for now.

Happy New Year!

I'm Back!

2009-12-30T13:27:00.002-06:00

I'm sure you've noticed that the blog has been sad and lonely for the last couple of months. My computer decided to stop working during the holidays, so I wasn't able to post anything.

But I am currently typing on my brand new laptop (okay...my parents' brand new laptop), so posts will be coming soon! There is so much to catch up on...

I don't have time right now to do all the updating, but check back soon to see what's been going on with our church, WAC group and Upward Basketball and Cheerleading.

I am looking forward to blogging again! :) Check back soon!

UPWARD Cheer Camp

2009-10-23T17:41:00.010-05:00

Tomorrow morning, we will have 15 little cheerleaders at the FLC for our 2nd annual UPWARD Cheer Camp!

Please pray that we have a good attendance! The girls at camp will learn a cheer, a dance, some jumps, and will also have devotion time. Please pray for coaches and volunteers as we kick off our UPWARD season tomorrow!

For more information about the UPWARD program, click on the image above or visit http://www.upward.org/

Wisdom from a Candy Wrapper

2009-10-20T01:33:00.003-05:00

"Be a role model to someone."

That's what my Dove chocolate wrapper said today. "Be a role model..." Wow. That's a big responsibility.

It's something that I have tried to be in the past. I've had "little sisters" at school and/or church that I have tried to take under my wing. It's something that I am now as I'm watching my little brother grow up and teaching kids at church. I love the idea of being a mentor, because my mentors have made such a big impact on my life.

But that responsibility is not something that you can take lightly. I once had a younger friend's mother tell me that she was glad I was around as a positive influence on her daughter. Just having her mom tell me that really made me think about every decision I made. And, honestly, I think that if everyone had that kind of responsibility it would really do our community, state, country and world a lot of good.

Think about it - if you had someone holding you accountable for every move you made, wouldn't you think twice about all the things you do? If you had to consider the impact that you were making on your younger siblings, friends, peers, etc., wouldn't you be more careful about the way you act and the things you say?

The biggest problem is that we all DO have someone holding us accountable. You may not know it, but someone, somewhere IS watching you. There's a little kid out there that thinks you are the coolest person they know. There's a younger friend, a younger brother or a cousin that wants to be just like you.

Do you realize how big of a responsibility you have? Do you realize that every move you make is making a difference in someones life and that it's up to you to decide if you are going to be a good influence or a bad one? Do you understand the weight of your decisions on the lives of people you care about?

I wish that we all knew how much the little things mattered. If we were able to see past ourselves and see the long term affects of our daily actions, we would all be so much more responsible and so much more respectable. Think about what a better place the world would be...

"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." Matthew 5:14

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Ephesians 4:29

"...be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12b

Notes from Revival

2009-10-14T12:12:00.005-05:00

Bro. Jeremy Overstreet from Macedonia FWB Church visited Sulphur Springs the last week of September for our Fall Revival. We had a great week of fellowship and heard some great messages. Here are some of my favorite quotes and notes from Bro. Overstreet's sermons that week:

We get further by praying than we do by condemning. If you don't like the way someone is living, don't condemn them...pray for them!

You should be more concerned with what God thinks of you than you are about what other people think of you.

Our character affects our conduct. Who we are will always show up in what we do.

Satan is our accuser, but Jesus is our advocate! If God is for us, who can be against us?

Don't ever let Satan drag you down with your past sins. God has forgiven you and has moved your sins as far as the east is from the west. Only Satan remembers the sins of the past, and he will try to use them to drag you away from God.

The week was full of some great preaching and wisdom. I may post full sermon notes later, but these were just some of the high points.

Martha, Martha, Martha

2009-10-13T12:28:00.004-05:00

"She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all." Proverbs 31:13-29

Ruby and I had a lunch date planned, but I have to admit that I really didn't want to go see her today. I especially didn't want to meet with her after I read her list of domestic accomplishments...

It was like having lunch with Martha Stewart. And the question that was on the forefront of my mind the entire time was "how does she do it all?"

How does she do it all?

She works with her hands, brings food to her family, makes sure her family is well fed and clothed, makes her own clothes (and they're really nice clothes), makes linen and sells it, is never idle, and is called blessed by her husband and children.

How do you measure up to that? I don't even come close.

But are Ruby's domestic accomplishments the most important things for us to strive towards? I don't think so. And neither does popular Christian author, Vicki Courtney. In her book The Virtuous Woman: Shattering the Superwoman Myth, she said this about the virtuous woman:

"Unfortunately, many Christian women shy away from this passage as they measure themselves up against her domestic resume. I recently plugged the term Proverbs 31 into an Internet search engine and was amazed at the number of references it identified. Many were home pages containing such things as recipes, gardening tips, sewing patterns, and parenting advice. Some were very enjoyable to read, while others were disturbing. One Internet site actually claimed that to be a virtuous woman you must cook, clean, sew, garden, and be a stay-at-home mother. Another made the point that you are out of God's will if you wear pants, short hair, or choose a method other than homeschooling to educate your children. If that were true, one, two, three strikes - I'm out! If the passage is to be taken literally, we're all in trouble. The Proverbs 31 woman didn't just sew; she made her own thread! ("She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands" [Prov. 31:13]). It is easy to come away assuming that the ideal woman in God's eyes is a Bible-toting Martha Stewart.

Does your definition of the ideal woman closely align with the outward actions of the Proverbs 31 woman? ...Don't be fooled into thinking virtue simply means a return to the kitchen. If you're like me, you come up woefully short when it comes to cooking, cleaning, gardening, and sewing. But the good news is that virtue runs much deeper than domestic abilities. Virtue must first begin in the heart. We desperately need to fill our hearts and minds with God's real standard to be a virtuous woman. I believe God intended the virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 for far more than to depress us. He wants us to explore who is woman was on the inside. What made her tick? What would she be like today?" The Virtuous Woman by Vicki Courtney, pages 17-18

Does that mean we have a free pass that says we don't have to cook, clean or help provide for our families? No. But it does mean that we don't have to be perfect.

God is more concerned with what's going on in our hearts than He is with how many dirty socks are on the bedroom floor. He created us with specific responsibilities when it comes to our families, and He expects us to try our best to fulfill His plan, but He knows that we can't do everything and be everywhere.

Even Ruby understood that all her domestic accomplishments were just an outward showing of a pure heart full of God's love.

Verse 15 says "She riseth also while it is yet night..." Ruby knew that her days were going to be packed. I have friends that have young children, and they all say that they have to either get up early or stay up late to get time alone with God. Ruby did, too. She had to get up early, while the rest of the house was quiet, and get that time alone with God to start her day.

Once her heart was in the right place, God guided her through her day and blessed the works of her hands.

So, what does Ruby have to say about being compared to Martha Stewart? She shakes her head and grins. "You have to remember that all of those things weren't done in one day. It took me a lifetime to get all those things done. And the verses didn't mention all the times I was ready to pull my hair out and call it quits." She sips her coffee and sighs. "You just have to take it one day at a time, and know that on the days when you burn the biscuits and the kids are screaming and the floor is
sticky...that God is still in control."

What's in a name?

2009-10-11T21:26:00.006-05:00

She walked into the cafe where we had planned to meet and smiled warmly at the waitress that greeted her. I watched her scan the crowd and waved when her eyes settled on me. She smiled and slid into the booth across from me.

I have to admit, I was a little nervous. When the waitress walked over to take our order, I breathed a sigh of relief and tried to gather my thoughts. I felt like I was about to interview a movie star or something.

Once we had our coffee and cake (yes, even Ruby has a weakness for chocolate, it seems...), we got down to business. I had so many questions for her. How did she become so wise? What was it that she had done to be so successful? Was being the "ideal woman" a goal of hers, or did it just kind of happen? And how did she get the name Ruby?

We had a lot to talk about, and she was gracious enough to give me a little insight into her world. Guess what? She's not that different from you and me...

"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." Proverbs 31:10

I read a story in a magazine once about a woman that got a very unique engagement ring. Instead of a diamond, which is expected, her fiance gave her a ruby. She was confused at first, but didn't want to ask him why he didn't get her a diamond because she wasn't sure how he would take the question. She loved her ring, diamond or not, and happily said "yes" and agreed to become his bride.

Later, when she got home, she was looking at the ring and realized that there was an inscription on the band. It said "Proverbs 31:10." Of course, she found her Bible and flipped to the passage. There she read "Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies." After reading the verse, she called her fiance and thanked him again for her extra special ring - a reminder of how much he loved and valued her.

I can't remember what magazine I was reading, but I have never forgotten the story. I love that this woman and her husband have such a special, godly connection. That's something I hope to find someday.

And it made her question why a diamond is the accepted gem chosen for engagement rings instead of rubies...

What's so special about a ruby anyway? Why would the writer of this proverb compare a virtuous woman to that particular gem? Well, I did a little research (www.middletownchurch.org/homefam/prov31.htm) and found out that in Bible times, a ruby may have actually been a rare pink pearl. Pink pearls were only found in clams in the Red Sea and they were extremely rare. Anyone that had one valued it greatly.

Proverbs 31 was written as a guide for young men to help them know how to find a good wife. The writer wanted to stress to them that a good wife is hard to find, and that once you find one, you should value her as you would a precious jewel.

So what does that mean for women like us today? Well, think about the way you live. Are you living a virtuous life? Are you walking in a way that makes your Heavenly Father proud? Can He look at your life and smile and say that you are as precious as a ruby?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell
as sweet." Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare (Act 2, Scene 2, Lines 1-2)
Ruby stirred some sugar into her coffee and smiled. "I love my name," she said. "It reminds me how special and unique God made me. And I wouldn't want to be called anything else."

Coffee with Ruby

2009-10-10T23:16:00.006-05:00

She's very intimidating. She has it all together and she makes a normal gal like me look like a slacker. She's the kind of woman that you would love to hate, but she's just so sweet and kind that you can't make yourself dislike her.

She's the ideal wife and mother, a good business woman, a good boss, and even a kind and thoughtful friend. Her talents are endless - she's a great cook (she even grows some of her own food - talk about organic), she has a knack for crafts and even makes some money off her sewing hobby, and she can help you solve almost any problem. If she can't help you, her husband can, because he is one of the most influential men in town.

And did I mention that her husband loves her dearly? That's right. He treats her like a queen. And her kids think she's the coolest and even tell their little friends how much they love their awesome mother.

She's got some life, doesn't she?

But you know all about that, right? You do know her, don't you?

No, she's not from Stepford or Wisteria Lane. She's not from a fairy tale, but you might say that she's as rare as Cinderella's glass slipper.

So, "Who is she?" you ask.

King Lemuel's mother introduced her to me, but she never told me her name. I think I've heard someone call her "Ruby" a time or two, but I'm not really sure why...

But I'm sure that we'll find out soon. After all, we're going to be spending a lot of time with her over the next few days. I can't wait to hear all her tips and secrets for what makes her so successful. I know that you're probably wondering what they are just as much as I am.

So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for a chat with Ruby and me. We're going to see how she does it all, and Who helps her along the way. After all, she wasn't born a virtuous woman...

Join me during the rest of this month as I get to know the Proverbs 31 woman. Check back tomorrow for our first chat with Ruby and we'll find out how she got her nickname and what it means... See you then!

2009-10-08T23:38:00.006-05:00

"Be merciful unto me, O God; for man would swallow me up, O thou most High. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me." Psalm 56:1-4

Do you remember the story about David and Goliath? David was a young shepherd boy and his father sent him to the army camp to take his brothers some food. When David got to the camp, he found tents full of soldiers that were scared. They were hiding. Why? Because a giant was parading in the battlefield, calling for someone to come fight him. He was big. He was bad. He was a bully. And not one soldier wanted to fight him.

But David did.

Are you as brave as David?

You may not be in an army camp, but if you're a Christian, each day is a battle. And Satan has his giant warriors parading in and out of your home, school, office and even your church. His warriors are big. His warriors are bad. His warriors are bullies. And they're calling you into battle.

What warriors? They're more familiar to you than you would think. They have names like Stress, Worry, Fear, Failure, Jealousy, and Bitterness. They roam all over your life. They stake their claim to every part of you that they can get. They get in between you and God. They stand up, tall and looming, in front of you and try to distract you from how big and mighty your God is.

See, the problem with the soldiers that were hiding in their tents is that they knew all about Goliath. They knew how big he was. They knew what size sandal he wore, what size sword he carried and how big around his biceps were. They had looked at him for so long that they couldn't see anything else but him. They had become consumed with thoughts about how big Goliath was.

David, on the other hand, was more focused on how big God was. David never saw Goliath before he decided to fight him. But he knew that his God was bigger than any giant that was roaming around looking for a fight.

So how do we defeat our giants? We have to do what David did. We have to focus on God.

I just finished reading Max Lucado's book Facing Your Giants (I read the teen edition because I am teaching parts of the book to my Wednesday night youth class, but he also has an adult edition available).

One of my favorite quotes from the book is:

"Focus on giants - you stumble. Focus on God - your giants tumble."

Do you feel like giants are trampling all over your life? Are they so big and so scary that you can't see around them? Try looking at God for a change. He's bigger than any giant that you'll ever face, and He's waiting to show you what He can do - if you'll let Him.

Church Reminders

2009-09-21T22:52:00.007-05:00

This week (September 21-24th) is our Fall Revival. Join us each night at 7:00 to hear Bro. Jeremy Overstreet from Macedonia FWB Church.
Youth Fundraiser - Hot Dog Supper - Wednesday, September 23rd at 5:30
Saturday, September 26th - Mt. Moriah Association WAC fall meeting at Ruby Tuesday in Northport at 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, September 30th - FUN in the SON Celebration Night! (See your child's Wednesday night teacher about helping with refreshments. Teachers are: Toddlers/Preschool - Mrs. Janet, Kindergarten/1st Grade - Mrs. April, 2nd Grade/3rd Grade - Mrs. Amanda, 4th/5th/6th Grade - Christina.)
Early Upward Registration (Church members only) - October 5th
SamanthaFest (Walker Elementary School) - October 8th
Upward Evaluations - October 12th and October 15th
Upward Cheerleader Camp - October 24th from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. ($10.00 per child - includes lunch and a t-shirt)
Fall Festival for 6th grade and under - Wednesday, October 28th at 7:00 p.m.

Fall Meeting 2009

2009-09-12T23:38:00.005-05:00

Wow! It's hard to believe that it's been almost a month since my last update. Time just seems to be flying faster and faster than ever!

I just wanted to remind all of you ladies about our upcoming Mt. Moriah Association WAC Meeting on Saturday, September 26th at 10:30 a.m. at Ruby Tuesday in Northport. We will have a speaker, special music, and will hear a devotion from one of our members.

I know that we will have a great time as we fellowship together. I hope to see you there! :)

Upcoming Events

2009-08-19T23:26:00.005-05:00

Saturday, August 22nd - Junior Youth Group Kick-off Party @ Family Life Center 6:30 p.m. (This is for all kids in 4th, 5th or 6th grade and their families.)

Sunday, August 23rd - Youth Night! We will have the drama group BLESSED from Berry, AL as our special guests.

Sunday, August 30th - Associational Youth Rally at Carolwood Free Will Baptist Church at 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, August 30th - Kevin Derryberry will be performing at New Hope Baptist Church at 6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 2nd - New Wednesday Night Classes and Junior Youth Group Classes begin at Family Life Center

Sunday, September 6th - New Sunday School Classes Begin

Never Too Busy

2009-08-19T22:46:00.007-05:00

These past few months of summer have been packed with special events and gatherings, and the church calendar for this fall is already filling up as well. We've been blessed and have experienced a lot of growth over the last year. With that growth comes great responsibility to be a shining light in our community.

We all seem to be busier than ever with school, work and extra-curricular activities. But I would like to challenge everyone (including myself) not to get so busy that we overlook ministry opportunities that God places in our paths.

On Sunday night (8-16-09), Bro. Rick preached about not missing ministry opportunities. He read from 1 Kings 17:1-16 (about Elijah and the widow woman). We can learn a lot from Elijah's actions in this passage:

If God is leading you to do something, He will provide for your needs. In 1 Kings 17, we read about Elijah delivering an unpopular message from God to His people. After Elijah told the people that there would be a drought, God told him to go hide because the people wanted to kill him. Elijah obeyed, and God provided for his needs by sending ravens to bring him food.
God brings people into our lives to help us and for us to help them. In this story, God sent Elijah to a widow woman so that she could help Elijah. But God also sent Elijah there because the widow needed help as well.
God places inside of us what we need to help others. Because Elijah had seen God provide his needs in the past, he was able to assure this widow woman that God's word is true and that she could believe in God's promises. Everything that we go through gives us each a unique testimony that can help us witness to our peers and bring others to Christ. Remember, you're not the only one to go through struggles, and God uses our experiences to reach others for Him.
We should never be too busy to see the brokenness around us to be there for someone that has a need. Even when we're trying to minister, we can get too wrapped up in the to-do lists, numbers, statistics, etc. We always have to be aware of the hurting that's going on around us and be willing to help others. Elijah saw the widow's need and gave her a promise from God. We also have a promise from God to share - the promise of SALVATION! It's a promise that's for everyone we meet, and we need to share it!

We have to be obedient to God's calling on our lives and we can not miss the ministry opportunities that He places in our paths.

What is God teaching you?

2009-08-07T21:44:00.003-05:00

I am so thankful that we serve such a gracious and loving God!

Have you ever noticed that God will put the same messages in front of you over and over until you finally get what He's trying to tell you? And did you know that my God is big enough that He can use ANYTHING to speak to me (and to you)?

Here's an example:

Apparently, God wants me to be more faithful, because lately that's the message I've been getting over and over. It all started when I was watching the movie Facing the Giants. I love the part where the old man comes into Coach Taylor's office and reads Revelation 3:7-8. Coach Taylor follows him out into the hall and the old man tells him a story about two farmers that prayed for rain. Both farmers prayed, but only one went out and prepared his fields to receive the rain. So, the man asks, which farmer had the most faith? Of course, Coach Taylor answers that the farmer that prepared his fields had the most faith. The old man nods and asks Coach Taylor, "Which one are you?"

In the past two weeks, I have watched that movie about three times (because TV has been really crappy the last few weeks, and because I love it and I'm ready for football season). Anyway, I have also heard my pastor use that movie and that illustration in a sermon. I have heard my pastor's wife and friend use that illustration in a Children's Ministry Group Meeting. I have even seen an episode of Law and Order where a character on the show talked about the same thing (See what I mean about God being able to use anything? How many times does Law and Order speak to you about your faith?)

So I'm thinking, God must want me to have more faith. I need to prepare my fields for the rain.

And then I realize that I have no idea what my field is.

I have also been running into messages and studies about God's vision for our lives. I have been trying for an entire year to find what God's vision for my life is. And here I am, praying to God and saying - Why won't you give me a vision? I'm ready. I'm willing. Just show me what to do! Show me where to serve! Show me and I will go!

Well, guess what? I have been talking to God an awful lot, but I haven't been listening very well. (Does that ever happen to you, or is it just me?)

I realized when I watched Facing the Giants for the 100th time last night, that before God started really working in Grant Taylor's life, Grant Taylor totally surrendered EVERYTHING to God. He gave God his hopes and his dreams. He gave God his fears and his failures. He gave God EVERYTHING!

I haven't done that yet. (I know - shocker. Who would have ever thought that I would want to be in control? That's totally unlike me, right? Right?) You are allowed to laugh at the previous statement, by the way. But I'm not just being funny. I'm being serious. I have yet to give God my hopes and my dreams. I'm still limiting God and His vision for my life because I'm trying to put God into my life. I want it all in a neat little package where God's plans go perfectly with mine and we're all just hunky-dorey and kumbya.

But that's not how this works.

You can't say "God, give me a vision for my life, as long as the vision is this..."

You can't say, "God, I surrender my life to you. Except for my personal life. I think I'll just find a husband on my own, and you can have the rest."

You can't say, "God, I'm totally willing to do whatever you want, but I'm really wanting to do this specific thing..."

And, you can't say, "God, I'm waiting on you to show me what you want me to do and I'm not budging or moving or doing anything until you show me and I've decided that I'm happy with what you want me to do."

Have you ever heard the song "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller? It was in the movie Fireproof. If you've never heard it, buy it on i-tunes. It's worth it. It talks about what it feels like to wait on God. Because God sends us the "rain" on His time, not ours. And it can be hard to wait. But what I love about the song the most is the message about HOW to wait. It says:

I'm waiting
I'm waiting on You, Lord
And I am hopeful
I'm waiting on You, Lord
Though it is painful
But patiently, I will wait

I will move ahead,
bold and confident
Taking every step
in obedience
While I'm waiting
I will serve You
While I'm waiting
I will worship
While I'm waiting
I will not faint
I'll be running the race
Even while I wait

Did you catch that? While we're waiting on God to show us His grand vision and plan (which we may never know, because some things are just not for us to know), we're supposed to worship. We're supposed to serve. We're supposed to obey God. We're supposed to run the race.

We're to (I know you were waiting for me to put this quote in here since I put it in everything...here you go!) BLOOM WHERE GOD HAS PLANTED US!

So maybe I don't know yet what God wants me to do with my life. Yes, it's hard not to know. It's annoying sometimes. It's confusing and painful and sometimes it's just downright awful. But guess what? I know that God is in control. And if I'm walking with Him "taking every step in obedience", like the song says, then I know that I will end up in the right place.

God didn't place us on earth to just wander around aimlessly. He placed us here with a purpose. And even if I don't know what my specific purpose is yet, I know that He has called us all into the ministry - He wants us all to worship Him and to obey Him and to have a relationship with Him and to TELL OTHERS ABOUT HIM!

God is always teaching us something. And if we would just wake up and take notice, we'd see Him at work everywhere.

So, I guess that I've been learning to be faithful, to SURRENDER my ENTIRE life to God, to serve God while I'm waiting, and to LISTEN to God instead of just talking at Him all the time. What is God teaching you?

Wisdom from Facing the Giants

2009-08-05T00:19:00.009-05:00

I am a huge sports fan and I especially love to watch football, so it's no surprise that I love the movie Facing the Giants. In the movie, football coach Grant Taylor is at the end of his rope. He is coaching a loosing team and is worried about keeping his job, his car breaks down constantly because he can't afford to get a new one, and he feels like he can't provide for his wife. Grant is facing the giants of failure and fear. When he finally decides to give his struggles to God, he never could have imagined what God would do with his life. Because of the obedience of one man, an entire football team, school and community is changed. Below, I've listed some of my favorite quotes and lessons from the movie:

"Stay humble but confident." - Grant Taylor

"Bloom where God has planted you." - Mr. B

"You can't judge your father by his actions and yourself by your intentions. It just doesn't work that way." - Grant Taylor

"What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name" Revelation 3:7-8

Desire the Vision

2009-08-03T02:02:00.007-05:00

Sermon by Bro. Rick Taylor
8/2/09

Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

Vision is direction from God - it is God telling His people what He wants them to do.

1. How can I be a part of God's vision?

You've got to be saved - If you want to be used in God's kingdom, you have to be a part of God's kingdom! Are you ready to do what God wants you to do?

You've got to be sure - Are you sure that you're saved? What are the visible signs of your salvation? What kind of fruit are you producing in your life? You have to DO AWAY WITH DOUBT! (Matthew 13:5-6) When trials come, trust in the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

2. How does God's vision affect me?

Seek God - God calls us for a reason, but we often miss what He has in store for us because we have a "just looking" mentality. For example - how many times do you tell a salesperson that you're "just looking" to avoid having to work with them? That salesperson is there to help and serve you, but you just want to wander by yourself. That's how we sometimes treat God. He has the map and wants to tell us where to go. He wants to give us a vision for the future, but we tell Him that we're "just looking" and continue to wander.
Submit to God - God's ways are not always our ways. His plans for us don't always coincide with our plans for ourselves. But God has a role for us and He wants us to obey Him. Think about John the Baptist. He was the forerunner for Christ. He had to humble himself and tell people that Christ was coming after him. He was even beheaded for teaching about Christ. I doubt that was his plan for his life when he was growing up, but that's what God called him to. We have to humble ourselves and submit to God's will for our lives because it's not about us - it's about GOD!

3. How can I know God's vision?

PRAYER - We have a direct line to God. We can pray to Him 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Pray for your church and your fellow believers. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal your role to you.
Remember this - if you are here, you have a purpose. God's vision is SO MUCH BIGGER than us! Do you desire to know God's vision for your life?

What's Your Focus?

2009-08-02T23:14:00.007-05:00

Our church has been blessed to be able to participate in Upward Basketball and Cheerleading for the past two years. Upward is a sports ministry program designed to help the church reach out into the community and introduce Jesus to children and their families through sports. This weekend, I was able to go to an Upward Leadership Conference with a group of people from my church.

It was such an incredible weekend! On Friday night, we heard a message from Upward's founder, Caz McCaslin. He has an incredible testimony and is a wonderful speaker. He told us about Upward's history and about how God has worked through this wonderful organization. One of the main points in his message on Friday night was that we are the tools that God uses to reach a lost world.

We all have a role to fill and we all have a circle of people that we influence. What is your role in the eternal influence of the people you come in contact with?

In today's society, we love excuses. We don't like to take the blame for anything, and we like to point at circumstances or other people as excuses for why we don't step up and fulfill the roles God has planned for us. Caz listed five main reasons that people don't step up and don't fill those roles:

1. They say, "I'm not worthy." This one is easy to understand and identify with. We've all felt unworthy at times. And we ARE unworthy - because we're sinners. But by the grace of God, we are saved from our sin and adopted into God's family. And when God asks us to do something, He really just wants us to be obedient. If we obey, He will work through us and His power will make us worthy.

2. They say, "I'm scared." We've all felt that way. I can't even tell you how many butterflies land in my stomach right before I speak to a group of ladies or sing at church - and yet, at the same time, I feel so close to God when I obey Him and share my testimony or song. Sometimes what God asks us to do is scary, but remember this verse: "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 God can erase your fears, if you let Him.

3. They say, "If I do this, I'll be criticized." We all know what it's like to have someone oppose what we're doing. Even if you've never been persecuted for your faith, you've probably been persecuted for something. That's a hard thing to deal with. But think about what Jesus went through for you. He was criticized, ridiculed, arrested, beaten and crucified. He knows what it means to suffer, and He will never leave you to suffer alone. He thought that you were worth His suffering - do you think the same of Him that He thought of you?

4. They say, "I don't have time for this." I know that we all try to squeeze 30 hours of stuff into a 24 hour day. We're busy. That's just a fact. But it's still one of my Aunt Wanda's pet peeves for someone to say "I don't have time" or "You have more time than I do." She always says that we all have the same amount of time - it just comes down to what we DO with our time. She is so right! How do you use your time? Could you sacrifice an hour a week to be a prayer warrior for your church? What about ten minutes to make a phone call to that friend that God has placed on your heart? Or five minutes for an email to your pastor to tell him that you appreciate his hard work and dedication to your church? A lot of us have packed schedules, but there is always something that you can do if you just take advantage of the free time you do have.

5. They say, "I can't do this by myself." A lot of us are just afraid of volunteering because we don't think we can handle the obligation of the position. Some people are just afraid of commitment. Some people just prefer to be a follower instead of a leader. But volunteering your time doesn't always mean that you have to the the person in charge. God calls some of us to be leaders and some of us to work behind the scenes. But no matter where you're called, you're NOT by yourself. Jesus said, "and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20b) He is ALWAYS with you, and your church family is there for support too. You're not expected to do it alone. God designed the church to be like a machine. All the parts have little jobs that they have to do in order for the machine to run properly and they have to work together in order to accomplish their goals.

Notice the excuses people make. What word do you see in common?

"I"

Every excuse is about me, me, me. We have a ME MENTALITY. But guess what? It's not about you.

Galatians 2:20 says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." (KJV, emphasis added)

It's all about CHRIST!

So here's the question Caz asked us: Are you looking into mirrors or windows?

When we look in the mirror, all we see is ourselves. We see what WE want, and what WE like, and what WE need. But when we look out the window, we can see the lost and dying world that's all around us. Look at your neighbors, your friends, your co-workers, your family - how many of those people don't know Christ? Do you realize that it is your responsibility as a Christian and a follower of Christ to try your BEST to introduce those around you to Him?

Today at church, Brother Rick preached about God's Vision for us individually and as a church. We tend to get so focused on ourselves and the things that we need to get done that we lose our vision.

We get so wrapped up in our daily lives and the things that we have to do and want to do that we forget to look at the big picture. We lose focus on what's really important. We forget WHY Jesus came to the world in the first place. He didn't come so we could just profess to believe in Him and live mediocre lives where we just barely scrape the surface of His plans for us. He came that we could have life, and that we could live ABUNDANTLY! (John 10:10) And He came so that WE could learn how to teach others how to have abundant lives as well!

If you feel God calling you into a position or a ministry, don't look in the mirror for your answer. Look out the windows and see the fields that are ripe and ready for harvest.

What's your focus? Mirrors or windows?

*For more information about the Upward organization, visit http://www.upward.org/.

Missionary Family of the Month

2009-08-02T00:28:00.007-05:00

The Long family is currently trying to raise enough support to go to the mission field in the Denver, Colorado area. They are originally from Alabama and currently live in Georgia.

Barry and Jessica and their children are excited about traveling to raise support and getting to meet so many wonderful believers. They have currently raised almost 50% of their necessary support.

Last month at our VBS, we supported the Long family with our nightly offering. The kids raised over $700 for the Long family that week.

During this month, please keep the Long family in your prayers. They have the following requests:

Pray that they will be able to sell their house in Georgia. This will be a huge burden lifted off their shoulders. It has been on the market since January without an offer, but they are trusting God will provide.
Pray for Barry to recover from his recent sinus surgery. He is doing well, but will be out of commission for a few weeks while he recovers and will not be able to travel during that time to raise support.
Pray for the Long children as they adjust to home school. They are beginning a home school program in order to be able to travel with their parents to raise support so they can get onto the mission field.
Pray for the mission field that the Longs will be going to. The Denver area is growing and ripe for harvest. Pray that the Lord will begin to prepare the hearts of the people that the Longs will come in contact with in their ministry.

Thank you so much for your prayer support for our missionaries and our missions programs! Please continue in prayer for these wonderful people and their willingness to follow God's call.

School Supplies Needed for Eldridge Children's Home

2009-07-31T00:33:00.004-05:00

The Free Will Baptist Children's Home in Eldridge, AL is in need of the following supplies for the upcoming school year:

1 1/2" binders
nylon pencil pouches(fit 3 ring binder)
clear plastic backpacks
dividers w/ tabs
colored pencils
basic function calculators
3x5 index cards
plastic folders w/ bottom pockets (red, green,yellow,blue,purple)

If you would like to help, you can bring your donations to our meeting on Sunday or you can contact the Children's Home directly by calling (205) 924-9751 or by visiting their website at http://www.fwbhome.org/.

Some thoughts on prayer

2009-07-28T13:45:00.006-05:00

Do you ever feel like you're just praying to your ceiling? Like your prayers aren't going anywhere? I've felt that way at times. I think a lot of us have.

And I wonder why - why is it that we think God isn't there? We know that He is. He's promised us that. I know that He hears my prayers, so why do I sometimes feel like I'm just talking to thin air?

I think it's because we don't expect God to show up anymore. We get so caught up in the ritual of prayer that we forget Who we're praying to. Our prayer life should never become a ritual. It should never be habit.

I think another reason we don't feel like God is there is because we don't invite Him to come to us. We say our prayers, but they're just empty words - just comfortable, normal bedtime rituals. We talk at God instead of talking to Him. And we don't listen for His reply.

God wants a relationship with us and relationships require communication. We can't know God if we don't talk to Him, and we can't learn from Him if we don't listen to Him.

So the next time you feel like you're just praying to your ceiling, pray harder. Say what you mean and mean what you say. God just might show up and blow your socks off.

SSFWB in Cincinnati

2009-07-28T00:34:00.014-05:00

I want to thank everyone that prayed for us while we were gone to the Free Will Baptist National Convention in Cincinnati, Ohio last week. It was a week of revival for most of us - a chance to meet people from around the nation that share our faith and our passion for doing God's will and seeing His word carried to all nations.

Our group - ready to leave Tuscaloosa early Saturday morning

The Duke Energy Center in downtown Cincinnati where most of the conference was held

Joe, Shelby, Aiden, Allee, Dylan and Jacob waiting for us to unload the bus and check into the hotel on Saturday afternoon

On our way to the Cincinnati Reds game on Sunday afternoon

The Great American Ballpark - Reds vs. Brewers

Jacob waiting for a home run ball

They let the kids run the bases after the game

Hunter and Caleb at the Great American Ballpark

Bible Tic-Tac-Toe Team: Caleb, Tiffany, Joseph, Hunter and Coach Tina

Bro. Tim and Bro. Adam helped the Tic-Tac-Toe Team study between matches

Hunter, Tiffany and Joseph between Tic-Tac-Toe games

Marissa during her competition

Jacob playing the bells during his competition

Dinner on Wednesday night before the service

Dylan and Tannah at dinner

Ice Cream!

Our kids did a great job in their competitions. Joseph tied for first place in the keyboard competition for grades 7-9. Jacob won first place in the pitched percussion competition for grades 1-3. Marissa competed in the vocal solo competition for grades 10-12.

Our Bible Tic-Tac-Toe team made it through four rounds before they were eliminated from the competition. They did a great job and are looking forward to competing again next year.

Camp E.D.G.E. 2009

2009-07-24T18:15:00.006-05:00

Camp E.D.G.E. ~ Our decorations were awesome this year!

Thanks to Misty, April and Katie for all their hard work!

Thanks so much to all of you that made our Vacation Bible School such a success this year! We had a great week where we learned about living on the E.D.G.E. (Experience and Discover God Everywhere)!

During the week, we averaged about 90 kids per night. This year, we supported the Long family (home missionaries to Colorado) with our offering. We always have a competition between the boys and the girls to see which group can bring the most money for the offering, and this year the boys were victorious, so Mrs. Amanda got a pie in the face on Friday night (sorry that I don't have a picture of that! I forgot my camera that night, although I'm sure Mrs. Amanda doesn't mind...). Together, the boys and girls raised over $700 for the Long family! Way to go, kids!

We were also blessed to have one little boy pray for Jesus to come into his heart at VBS this week. That's truly what it's all about - the studying, decorating, cooking... We can get so wrapped up in how busy we are and our to do lists for the week and forget why we're really here - to introduce Jesus to these kids and their families.

Once again, thanks to all of you that worked with us and prayed for us during the week. We are so excited about what God is doing at Sulphur Springs!

Crazy Hair Night

The Long Family - Missionaries to Colorado

Our kids supported the Long family with their offering during VBS. For more information about the Long family or Free Will Baptist Home Missions, visit www.homemissions.net

July Revival - Part Two

2009-07-13T00:18:00.004-05:00

"Revive Us"
Sermon by Bro. Rick Taylor 7/12/09

Psalm 119:37 "Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way."

"A half-hearted approach to living for God will NEVER satisfy our souls." - Bro. Rick

Revival is a continual state of seeking God and His will. Revival begins when we INDIVIDUALLY seek God. We must all recognize our need for revival individually before we will see a revival in our churches and communities.

Revival will come when we SEEK it!

1. Revival comes when we prepare.

a. Concern "turn away mine eyes from vanity" (Psalm 119:37 a)
- Do we care enough about our spiritual condition to be concerned about revival?
- Do we recognize our own need for revival and our own sin?
- Jesus wants us to live in knowledge and spirit. He wants us to be able to recognize our sin and our need for revival and for us to seek Him.

b. Cry Out
- We need to pray for revival!
- You can't serve God without knowing God.
- Do we care enough to pray? Do we continue in prayer? (Acts 1:14)

c. Cost
- Revival comes with a cost: We need to let God purge our lives of the things that are hindering our relationship with Him.
- When God asks for a SACRIFICE, that is exactly what He wants from us! If we don't have to pay a cost of some sort, where is the sacrifice? (see 2 Samuel 24:24)
- What kind of price are you willing to pay for revival? Are you willing to give your time? Are you willing to pray? Are you willing to change?

2. Revival comes when we make it personal

a. Conviction
- Revival comes when we get ready for our personal walk with the Lord to improve and when we are ready to change. (Psalm 85:6)
- How do we measure up to God's standards...in holiness? in faithfulness? in devotion?
- We need to pray for God to show us HIS ways "quicken thou me in thy way." (Psalm 119:37)

b. Confession
- We must confess that Jesus is the ONLY way and that there is NONE OTHER by which we can be saved.
- So we seek ONLY GOD to fulfill the empty places of our hearts?
- We cannot fix our problems on our own, but GOD CAN!
- We must recognize and admit that God is the only one that can revive us - and that we cannot do this without Him!

c. Conversion
- "quicken thou me in THY way" God's way is always better than ours. We must change from going our way to following His way.
- If there is no change, then there is no salvation. If there is no change, then there is no re-dedication. If there is no change, then there is no conversion. If there is no change, then there is no revival.
- Jesus didn't come here to make us better people. He came to make us more like HIM!
- Jeremiah 29:12-13 "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart." You must seek revival with ALL of your HEART!

July Revival - Part One

2009-07-12T23:46:00.004-05:00

This month, we have been enjoying a great revival during our Sunday morning services. We would love for you to come join us during our services at 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. and for Sunday School at 9:30 a.m. every Sunday morning!

Our first Revival speaker was Bro. Danny Williams (7/5/09). He serves as director of the Free Will Baptist Children's Home (check it out at http://www.fwbhome.org/).

2 Timothy 4:6-8
"For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing."

What gives Paul his confidence?

1. The Present - In verse 6, Paul says, "I am ready..."

a. Ready to be offered
Paul understood sacrifice (Philippians 2:7)
He knew what it meant to live for Christ (Romans 12:1-2)

b. Ready for his departure
Paul knew that he was ready for death because he had confidence in his relationship with Christ. Are you ready?

2. The Past - in verse 7, Paul says, "I have..."

a. I have fought a good fight
Paul was confident that he had fought for a worthwhile cause and that he had done his best.
Check out Ephesians 6:13-18 for the Armor of God that we all need to fight that good fight.

b. I have finished my course
Each of us has a course that God has planned for our lives. Every course is different, and we all have to learn to run the race with patience.
*There is no more noble way to die than to be running the course God has set for us.

c. I have kept the faith
We should always stay faithful ( 1Timothy 4:12 "...be thou an example unto the believers in faith...")

3. The Future - In verse 8, Paul awaited his rewards

a. There is laid up for me a crown of righteousness
Our crown is set aside just for us! Matthew 6:19-21 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
We get to wear the VICTOR'S crown, not the ruler's crown, because only God is worthy of the ruler's crown.

b. The reward shall be given "at that day"
We will be rewarded at the day of the Lord's return

c. The reward will be given to "ALL of them also that love his appearing"
We all can earn a crown in heaven - but when we receive our crowns, it will not be for the things that WE did...it will be about the things that we allowed Jesus to do THROUGH us.

Vacation Bible School

2009-07-08T12:33:00.003-05:00

You're invited to join us for

Camp E.D.G.E.

Vacation Bible School!

Monday, July 13 - Friday, July 17

from 6:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.

Each night the kids will take a "truth treck" to Bible days for their lesson, have craft and game time, enjoy snacks and music time.

We hope to see you there!

2009-07-07T08:49:00.006-05:00

"Lead Me To The Cross" by Hillsong United

Savior I come

Quiet my soul, remember

Redemption's hill

Where Your blood was spilled

For my ransom

Everything I once held dear

I count it all as loss

Lead me to the cross

Where your love poured out

Bring me to my knees

Lord, I lay me down

Rid me of myself

I belong to You

Lead me, Lead me to the cross

You were as I

Tempted and tried, Human

The Word became flesh

Bore my pain and death

Now You're risen

Everything I once held dear

I count it all as loss

Lead me to the cross

Where Your love poured out

Bring me to my knees

Lord, I lay me down

Rid me of myself

I belong to You

Lead me, Lead me to the cross...

"And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." Acts 5:41 (KJV, emphasis added)

The disciples understood what it meant to be persecuted for their beliefs. They truly understood the sacrifice that Jesus had made for them. They knew what it meant to take up their crosses and follow Christ - and they were thankful to be able to do so.

My Sunday school lesson this week is about persecution. Last night's devotion was "We must trust God more than we fear men." (Acts 5:17-42)

The above verse (Acts 5:41), really spoke to me. The disciples had been arrested, thrown in jail, had to stand before the council and were badly beaten. And what did they do?

They REJOICED!

They didn't cry out to God with complaints. They didn't whine and pout. They didn't give up and give in to the demands of the council. They were THANKFUL that they had even been considered worthy to suffer for Christ!

Do we understand what it means to suffer today? Do we really know what it means to take up our crosses and stand out and be different in the name of the Lord?

I'm afraid that we have become controlled by fear. We don't want to look like one of those "Jesus Freaks." We're afraid that if anything seems out of place, people will judge us. We're afraid that if things aren't perfect, people will wonder what we did to deserve punishment. We're afraid that if we freely worship God and raise our hands to Him in praise that people will think we're weird. We definitely don't consider it an honor to suffer for Christ.

But that's exactly how the disciples felt. See, they had witnessed the Savior be beaten and die on the cross. They had seen Him die, they had seen Him after He rose from the dead, and they believed in Him.

They didn't care what men thought about them. They didn't care what traditions and rituals they broke ("...We ought to obey God rather than men." - Acts 5:29) They had life-changing news to share and if they had to share it while they were being beaten and stoned, so be it.

They suffered joyfully. (See 1 Peter 4:12-19)

But what does that mean for us today? We don't have to fear being stoned to death for our beliefs, but our fears are just as real. We fear being ostracized by friends, having to miss out on certain activities, or not getting that promotion if we stand up for what's right. But take heart!

We were promised that we would suffer in this world. "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Timothy 3:12

But Jesus also promised us that we would be rewarded for our faithfulness and perseverance. "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets that were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

So if you're struggling, rejoice in the Lord.

Remember how Jesus suffered for you, and remember that He is still with you always. Consider it an honor to suffer for Christ. He considered it an honor to die for you.

30 Days with Jesus - Days 21-30

2009-06-27T22:43:00.004-05:00

These last ten days of our month of devotions are beginning to repeat a lot of the same teachings that we have already covered.

Have you ever wondered why there are four books of the Bible that are dedicated to the life and teachings of Jesus? Now days, most of us are more familiar with the New Testament than we are with the Old Testament. We teach more lessons from the New Testament and find more ways to apply the New Testament to our lives, but the New Testament is very short. And the first four books of the New Testament are basically the same (they tell many of the same stories, each from a different point of view).

Why did God think it was necessary to repeat the stories about Jesus and His teachings four times? I think it was because we are so stubborn.

Think about how many times in these 30 days that we have read the Gospel message of salvation. Jesus gave out His wisdom in little stories so that people could understand things that are not of this world. And He repeated Himself a lot because we needed to hear it over and over for it to make a dent in our thick heads.

For the last ten of these devotions, I would love for you to leave a comment about what you have learned in the past 30 days with Jesus.

Thanks for reading!

Mission Kids Summer Schedule

2009-06-24T13:25:00.003-05:00

Mission Kids is our Wednesday Night Class for Pre-school through 5th Grade. We meet in the Family Life Center from 6:45 - 8:00 on Wednesday nights. We would love to have your kids in our classes!

Hello Mission Kids Parents!

We've been doing great with our Treasures of the Nile theme on Wednesday nights these past few weeks. Thank you so much to all of you that have volunteered and helped with the kids. The help is greatly appreciated!

We will wrap up Treasures of the Nile a few weeks early (tonight will be our last lesson in the series), and will be spending the month of July celebrating summer! We have lined up a ton of fun and exciting events for our kids. Check out this summer's schedule below:

Wednesday, July 1st - 4th of July Fun Night

We will learn about the armor of God and will celebrate our country. We will have hot dogs strawberry and grape slush drinks for snack. Donations of food/drinks will be appreciated.

Wednesday, July 8th - Open Gym Night

We will host the Mission Kids Games! Each class will learn about teamwork as they work together to complete an obstacle course and other fun games. Please make sure that your child wears appropriate shoes for the night's events. We will also have slush drinks (orange and grape), and you are welcome to send your child Gatorade. We will be in the gym, and it will be hot, but we will have water breaks and will have the fans on.

Wednesday, July 15th - Vacation Bible School! Camp Edge

Wednesday, July 22nd - Movie Night

We will try to beat the heat and get out of the gym tonight. We've been studying Moses in Treasures of the Nile, so we will be watching a cartoon movie about Moses. We will have popcorn and slush drinks. Again, donations will be appreciated.

Wednesday, July 29th - Puppet Show

We will have special guests, Puppets on the Rock, here to teach and entertain the kids.

We're really excited about all the fun activities we have planned for this summer. I will be posting photos of our events, so please get those photo release forms to me if you have not already. Thanks!

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T22:37:00.005-05:00

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

"The Influence of a Father"
Sermon by Bro. Rick Taylor

Fathers have a profound influence on the family, therefore they have a profound influence on the church. And because they have a profound influence on the church, they have a profound influence on God's kingdom - as designed by God.

"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Joshua 24:14-24

Joshua's Instruction -

Fear the Lord (verse 14) "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Proverbs 1:7
Serve the Lord - Joshua instructed the people to serve God in sincerity and truth. In this verse, sincerity means entirely and wholly. Truth means faithful and stable. In other words, we should give God our all, ALL the time!
Put away false gods - Here, Joshua was instructing the children of Israel to put away the Egyptian influence and to beware of the influences of the world. He knew that the people of the world were going to try to influence the children of Israel to stray from serving God, and he wanted to make sure that they didn't allow themselves to be easily influenced.

Joshua's Intentions -

"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Joshua 24:15 (KJV, emphasis added)

Joshua was the leader of his household and he made sure that his home and family were in the right spiritual condition, just as a father should. He knew that he had taught his family how they should live. He was confident that his family knew God and would serve Him. Joshua understood the influence he had on his family as the spiritual leader of their home, and he did not take his position lightly.

The People's Intentions -

They intended to serve God - "And the people answered and said, God forbid that we should forsake the LORD, to serve other gods; For the LORD our God, he it is that brought us up and our fathers out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, and which did those great signs in our sight, and preserved us in all the way wherein we went, and among all the people through whom we passed: And the LORD drave out from before us all the people, even the Amorites which dwelt in the land: therefore will we also serve the LORD; for he is our God... And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey." Joshua 24:16-18, 24
They forgot their good intentions - "And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel." Judges 2:10

Why did they turn from God? Because of the influence of their fathers:

Their fathers were disobedient

Check out Judges 1:21-36. God had instructed the children of Israel to go into the promised land and destroy all that lived there and take the land for their own. He did not want them to cohabitate with Canaanites because He did not want them to be influenced to sin against Him. But the Israelites did not obey God. They didn't drive the Canaanites out of the land and lived among them. In Judges 2:1-4, God sends the angel of the Lord to rebuke and warn the children of Israel -

"And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept."

As a father (or mother, or big sister, or mentor), the decisions you make effect the future generations. How are you influencing the future?

"Increase our faith" - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 20

2009-06-20T18:43:00.006-05:00

Luke 17:1-37

"And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith." Luke 17:5

Has anyone ever told you to be careful what you pray for? I've heard all my life that you shouldn't pray for patience, because God will send you trials that will teach you to be more patient. But what if you really need patience?

The apostles knew that they needed faith, and they asked Jesus to increase their faith. To me, that sounds a little like praying for patience. If your faith is going to increase, it's going to have to be tested and proven. So that's a hard prayer to pray.

But the prayers we usually need to pray the most are the ones that are hard to pray - for example, if you are having a hard time in a relationship with a dear friend, do you pray for God to change her or do you pray for God to change you? We should pray, "Change ME, Lord." We should pray, "Increase MY faith, Lord." We should pray, "Fill ME, Lord."

Why don't we pray this way? Is it because we are afraid to change? Is it because we don't want to admit that we need to change? I think its both.

So I challenge you today - pray for God to increase your faith. He tells us in Luke 17:6 (and Matthew 17:20) that if we have faith the size of a mustard seed that nothing will be impossible to us. Do you know how big a mustard seed is? It's about the size of a pen point. Imagine what we could do if we really had faith! Imagine what we could do with a big faith!

Sure, prayers like that are hard because they usually require us to do some work, but I think the reward is worth the effort, don't you?

Casting Stones - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 19

2009-06-19T23:48:00.005-05:00

John 8:1-59

"Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." John 8:1-12 (KJV, emphasis added)

I'm sure that I've already told you that John is my favorite book of the Bible. I think Jesus' love for people shines through John's account more than the others. And I especially love the stories that John wrote about women that met Jesus. We've already studied the woman at the well (and if you want to study her story more in-depth, you really need to buy Paperdoll by Natalie Lloyd. It was a great book!), and today we're going to meet the woman caught in adultery.

We all have secrets. I'm sure you have some things that you would not want to have splashed across the front page of your hometown newspaper. We all have things that are private. And, unfortunately, some of those private things are sins.

This woman had a big secret. She was having an affair. I'm sure she didn't try to publicize it. After all, it was a totally different culture and age than the one we live in now. Instead of gossipping and bragging about her affair like women do on tv shows and Lifetime movies, she had to hide it from everyone. She was breaking the Law, and the sin she was committing was punishable by death.

Despite her efforts to keep her affair secret, word somehow got around and she was caught red-handed. Imagine how embarrassed and ashamed she must have felt! Then, to make matters worse, the men that caught her drug her to the Temple, yelling her sins out for all to hear. And of all people to take her to, they drug her up to Jesus, the teacher and miracle worker she'd been hearing about.

I'm sure she felt completely unworthy to look Him in the eye, especially after the men told Him what she was guilty of. He knew the Law, and she was sure that He would be the first to cast a stone at her as punishment for her sins.

But instead of picking up a stone, He just knelt and started writing on the ground. He looked at the men that had brought her there. "Which of you is without sin?" He asked. "Let him cast the first stone at her."

Slowly, all the men left. Not one could say he had never sinned. Her life was spared! I'm sure she breathed a sigh of relief.

But then, He looked at her. I bet she held her breath, afraid of what He was going to say. But all He did was ask her where all the men that had accused her had gone. "Hath no man condemned thee?" He asked.

She humbly looked into His compassionate face and shook her head. "No man, Lord," she said.

"Neither do I condemn thee," Jesus said. "Go, and sin no more."

Do you think that woman skipped home? I do. The Messiah had just spared her life, and He had forgiven her of her sins. He gave her a second chance!

Those men in the village had been quick to point fingers at her and judge her, but Jesus was just as quick to forgive her.

And He is just as quick to forgive us today.

After the woman left, Jesus turned to the people He had been teaching and told them that He was the light of the world. I know that woman felt His light shine in the dark places of her heart that day. She no longer had to be afraid. She was no longer bound by her sin and fear. She was forgiven and free, and He had told her to sin no more.

Whenever a person met Jesus, he or she went away changed. The greatest thing about that is that Jesus is still the same. He is still the light of the world. He still offers forgiveness and redemption. He still tells us that we are not condemned if we just believe in Him.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." John 3:16-17, emphasis added

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1, emphasis added

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. " John 5:24, emphasis added

Who are you serving? - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 18

2009-06-18T23:36:00.004-05:00

Luke 16:1-31

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own? No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." Luke 16:10-13 (NIV)

Have you ever heard the expression "little white lie"? We try to classify our sins into big and small. When I was in high school, my youth pastor asked our group to list the worst sins we could think of. Our list contained murder, adultery, alcoholism, gambling and blasphemy.

After that, he asked us to list some little sins. We couldn't think of anything. After all, a sin is a sin, right?

But our youth pastor asked us where we would classify things like telling a little white lie, taking a pen from school, or choosing to go to a concert instead of a church event.

When he started asking us those questions, we realized that we all try to justify the sins we commit by comparing them to sins that we think are worse sins. But to God, all sin is the same.

In today's passage, Jesus tells a story about an estate manager that got fired from his position. In order to get back at his current boss and to make some contacts for future business.

The manager makes some deals with the people that owe his boss money or goods, thinking that they will respect him for getting them a good deal and give him a job when he leaves his current position. Because the men he was dealing with were worldly, they commended him for acting shrewdly.

However, in the next verses, Jesus tells us that what is gained unjustly will be returned to the rightful owners. If we have not been faithful in the little things, then we will not be trusted with more important things.

Every move we make shows God and people who we really serve. Little white lies (even if we think they're okay) are self serving and unrighteous. Choosing a concert or ballgame instead of a church service is selfish. Taking something that doesn't belong to us (no matter how small - like a piece of candy or a pen) is wrong.

Everything - little and big - matters because people are watching us. They look to us to see what Christ looks like. And every action is a testimony.

If we can't serve God in the small things (like paying tithes, choosing church events over going out with friends for a wild party night, etc.), then we probably won't serve Him when it comes to the big things (telling others about Him, standing up for what we know is right even if we're persecuted, etc.).

My pastor says that a good way to see who you serve is to look at your calendar and your checkbook. Where do you spend your time and money?

What about you? What are you serving?

Almost Caught Up! - 30 Days with Jesus - Days 16-17

2009-06-17T00:11:00.004-05:00

Day 16 - Luke 14:1-35 and Day 17 - Luke 15:1-32

In this 30 day study, we are reading all the teachings of Jesus. Have you noticed that His teachings often don't make sense according to the conventional wisdom of the world?

His teachings tell that we are strong when we are weak (2 Corinthians 12:10), that the meek shall inherit the earth (Psalm 37:11), and that we should love our enemies (Matthew 5:43-44).

This passage is full of teachings that seem to contradict what the world tells us.

In Luke 14:11, Jesus tells us that if we humble ourselves, we will be exalted. In Luke 14:26, He says that if we want to be His disciples we must hate our families and ourselves. **This does not mean that we should literally hate our families, but that we should love Jesus so much more than we love anything or anyone else that our love for them looks like hate when compared to our love for Christ.**

Then, in Luke 15, we read about the lost sheep and the prodigal son. The Pharisees were still trying to trick Jesus into breaking their laws and they called Him out for eating with sinners. He explained to them that all of Heaven rejoices when one sinner repents (see Luke 15:1-10).

Jesus drives home His point with the parable of the Prodigal Son. The son is drawn in by the lies of the world. He believes that his inheritance and independence will be all he needs to be happy. And he is happy, for a short while. But when the money runs out, he realizes that he is lost. The Bible says, "when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, i have sinned against heaven and before thee." (Luke 15:17-18)

The son thought that the things of the world would fulfill his longings, but they didn't. He ended up coming home, and His father rejoiced at his return - just like our Father rejoices when just one sinner repents.

The Sermon on the Mount - 30 Days with Jesus - Days 13-15

2009-06-17T00:06:00.010-05:00

Day 13 - The Sermon on the Mount, part 1 - Matthew 5:1-48

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." Matt 5:14

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt 5:16

There's a reason we are called witnesses when we share the Good News with others: as Christians, we represent Jesus Christ. We bear His name to a lost and dying world.

In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus teaches us HOW to represent Him and His message to the world:

We should be the salt and light of the world (verses 13-16).

We should know and understand the importance of the law (verses 17-20).

We should control our anger (verses 21-26).

We should flee from sexual sins (verses 27-30).

We should honor the sanctity of marriage (verses 31-32).

We should not swear or make empty promises (verses 33-37).

We should turn the other cheek (verses 38-42).

And, we should love all people (verses 43-48).

Day 14 - The Sermon, part 2 - Matthew 6:1-34

In Matthew 6, Jesus continues the Sermon on the Mount and continues to teach us how we should represent Him to the world:

Jesus teaches about giving (verses 1-4).
Jesus teaches about prayer (verses 5-15).
Jesus teaches about worship (verses 16-18).
Jesus teaches that God is more important than money (verses 19-24).
Jesus teaches us to trust in Him (verses 25-34).

One of my favorite Bible passages comes from Matthew 6:33-34a, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."

I have a friend that put down "Hakuna Matata" for her favorite quote in the yearbook when we were seniors. It means "no worries" (for those of you that are not familiar with the Disney movie the Lion King).

If we are seeking God and trying to do His will, then we can say "hakuna matata!" He will take care of everything we need!

Day 15 - The Sermon, part 3 - Matthew 7:1-29

The Sermon on the Mount continues! Can you imagine how awesome it would be to hear Jesus preach? I've been blessed to have a lot of really great preachers, and I enjoy listening to the sermon on Sunday morning. But can you imagine what an incredible Teacher Jesus was? The words He said were so important that they were written down and carefully guarded and kept intact by God for us to use them today. His sermons were the kind that changed lives. Let's check out the end of His most famous sermon...

We should not judge others (verses 1-6).

We should ask God for the things that we need (verses 7-11).

We should treat others like we want to be treated (verse 12).

We should take the road less traveled (verses 13-14).

We should beware of false teachings (verses 15-23).

We should make Jesus our firm foundation (verses 24-28).

"Loving God Means Loving People" - Revolve Devotional Bible (Matthew 5, 6, and 7)

"Matthew 5-7, known as the Sermon on the Mount, is packed with important teaching about how we, as followers of Christ, should live. Some of what Jesus said was about how we relate to God, but He also said plenty about how we communicate with each other.

Matthew 5:22-24 deals with both relationships. And apparently, one affects the other. When there's anger in your heart toward a friend, you can't totally focus on God. In fact, God says to stop what you're doing - even if you're in the middle of worship - and go make things right with your friend.

First John 4:20 brings this message home: 'If people say, "I love God," but hate their brothers or sisters, they are liars. Those who do not love their brothers and sisters, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have never seen.'

Does this mean that we have to be friends with everyone? Not exactly. Obviously, we aren't going to click with everyone. But Colossians 3:13 tells us to get along with and forgive each other. And Romans 12:18 says, 'Do your best to live in peace with everyone.'

It all comes down to your heart. It's not capable of loving when it's focuses on self and bursting with anger. Anger turns to bitterness. Bitterness becomes a full-blown grudge. Eventually, we become unpleasant people. God wants us to love each other and live peacefully. Then, with a heart free of anger, we can love Him completely!" - Revolve Devotional Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishing)

Playing Catch Up - 30 Days with Jesus - Days 10-12

2009-06-15T14:31:00.008-05:00

Whew! I am so behind on this month's devotions! Sorry about that, but I have been out of town for a family reunion this past week and just didn't get time to get online much. (Besides, sharing a hotel room with my parents and my little brother is not very conducive to creative writing...)

So, I'm just going to pick up where I left off.

Day 10 - Listen and Learn - Luke 8:1-56

Check out the parable of the seeds in Luke 8:5-15. "The seed is the word of God." (vs. 11) How do you receive the word of God? There are four kinds of ground:

The way side: this ground is trodden down and the seed is eaten by birds. Do you feel trodden down? Are you letting your circumstances get the best of you? Don't let your circumstances overwhelm you. God is bigger than any problem you are going through!

The rock: this ground was hard. The seeds were not able to grow because the ground had no moisture and nourishment. Have you let your heart become hard? Do you no longer feel the Word of God speak to your heart?

The thorns: on this ground, when the seeds began to grow, the thorns choked them and they died. This kind of ground makes me think of someone that surrounds themselves with the wrong type of friends. You can be good ground, with good intentions, but your friends can influence you. They can choke out all of the good things you try to do.

The good ground: this ground received the seeds and bore fruit. This is the kind of ground we should try to be...

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." James 1:22

Day 11 - A Touch of Something More - Mark 8:1-38

This devotion is from the Revolve Devotional Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishing).

"A Touch of Something More" (Focus on Mark 8:22-26)

"And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.
And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.
And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.
And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town." Mark 8:22-26

"The touch of Jesus' hand, even a touch on His cloak, brought instant healing to countless people. When Jesus said the word, diseases fled, lives were made whole and faith was born.

Then why did Jesus take more time healing this blind man? Was it a more difficult case? Stumped Him a bit, maybe? Not by a long shot. There's no such thing as a more difficult case for Jesus - or even a semi-difficult one, for that matter.

Jesus may have had several reasons for working gradually instead of instantly in this man. Because of Jesus' personal touch, the man saw his own healing happen. He experienced his own gradual change, his "rebirth" to new sight. And how incredible that his very first vision of the world was his Savior's face!

Just like that blind man, your spiritual eyes need more of Jesus' personal touch. He isn't your "halfway Savior." He isn't satisfied with giving you a minimal experience of himself. And that's an amazing thought - you have the chance to spend time up close with the all-powerful Lord of the universe, worthy of worship and praise. You get to belong to His loving, heavenly Father who works personally in your life.

When you stay close to God, He'll show you greater depths of Himself. He'll open the eyes of your heart more and more, and He'll give you the ability to understand His truth more clearly. Draw near to God, and let His touch transform you." - Revolve Devotional Bible

Listen to the song "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord" by Michael W. Smith and pray for God to open your eyes to the wondrous things He has in store for you!

Day 12 - Martha, Martha - Luke 10:1-42

What's your typical day like? I'm still single and living at home, so I know that mine is nowhere near as busy as yours. My mom's typical day consists of getting up, fixing breakfast for my little brother, ironing my dad's work shirt and pants, getting ready for work, working from 8-3, running errands, grocery shopping, balancing the bank statement, washing 2 loads of towels and three loads of clothes, cooking supper (usually two different meals since my family is made up of picky eaters), cleaning the kitchen, washing more towels, loading the dishwasher, ironing, picking up the living room, forcing my brother to wash his hair and brush his teeth...the list goes on and on. I know that your life is probably just as crazy.

It seems like we all are trying to squeeze 25 hours of stuff into a 24 hour day. We run from the time we get up until we fall into bed (usually much later than we should). We juggle families, responsibilities, jobs, hobbies, friends and money - and we're supposed to do it all while looking and smelling good.

Crazy schedules are not new to women. Remember, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9) And in Luke 10:38, we meet Martha. I love that she's named Martha, because she reminds me of Martha Stewart. She loves to have Jesus over to her house. She loves to entertain. I'm sure that she had stressed for days about Jesus' visit. She had probably washed her best table linens and made sure that she had her best pottery clean and polished. Her menu had to be just right. Nothing but the best would be served at her house...especially when she was serving the Savior! She had probably gathered spices and fragrant flowers for the centerpieces and slaved for hours making sure every little detail was perfect.

And what was her sister doing? Just when Martha needed the most help getting the meat served and the wine poured, she looked around and found her little sister sitting at Jesus' feet. It just wasn't fair! Martha had done all this work, and Mary couldn't even help her get the food on the table once the guests arrived!

Martha had finally had enough. She was sure that Jesus was going to agree with her that Mary should be busy working, so she went and tattled on her sister's laziness. But instead of agreeing with Martha, Jesus rebuked her.

Martha, just like us, was juggling too many things at once. She was so busy that she couldn't even see the wonderful Gift that was sitting at her dinner table. Check out what Jesus told her:

"And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." Luke 10:41-42

Martha was troubled. She was so busy and so worried about every little detail. She was so focused on service that she forgot who she was serving and why she wanted to serve Him in the first place.

Mary, on the other hand, had made a good decision to take time to listen to Jesus teach.

I will never be a Mary. Hospitality is one of my spiritual gifts, and business is woven into my DNA. I like to be busy. I like to do things. I'm not one to just sit and watch and listen. But if I work and work without ever stopping to listen to Jesus and let Him teach me, I'm missing out on a "good part." I want to choose the "good part," don't you?

What To Do With Doubt - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 9

2009-06-09T15:00:00.005-05:00

Luke 7:1-50

Today's devotion is from the Revolve Devotional Bible (Thomas Nelson Publishling).

Check out the Scripture: Luke 6-7 (focus on Luke 7:18-20)

Check out the Context:

A dozen special disciples are selected to be apostles.
Jesus sparks major controversy with His healing and teaching.
John the Baptist has his people do a little "investigative reporting" to see if Jesus is the Messiah.
A woman's extravagant gift becomes an object lesson in forgiveness.

"John the Baptist sent his followers to ask Jesus if He really was the long-awaited Messiah. Not that crazy of a question, really. People all over were wondering the same thing. But John? Did he really have to ask? After all, he was the one who jumped for joy in his mother's womb when Mary came to visit (Luke 1:41). And he had experienced a personal encounter with the Savior. He had heard God loudly proclaiim Jesus as His Son when John baptized Him! (Luke 3:21-22)

But now John was in prison. He was dependent on what other people had told him about Jesus, and he'd heard some confusing reports. Jesus' response to John's doubts wasn't an angry or frustrated one. He just expressed a clear report in terms John could understand. Jesus described the works that the prophesied Messiah would do, and said He was doing them.

It's okay for you to ask hard questions, too. It's perfectly fine for you to take any doubts straight to Jesus like John did. He didn't beat himself up for doubting. He just openly and honestly asked Jesus about it. And again, Jesus didn't go off on him for asking either. Instead, He lovingly and patiently reminded John of the truth and all the evidence of who He was.

You can talk to Jesus about anything. He already knows your heart inside and out. He loves you and can answer any question you have. He welcomes the conversation!"

Stand Out - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 8

2009-06-08T22:55:00.002-05:00

Luke 6:1-49

There are so many lessons in today's Scripture! In Luke 6, Jesus teaches that He is the Lord of the Sabbath (verses 1-5), heals a man's hand on the Sabbath (verses 6-11), chooses His apostles (verses 12-16), teaches us to love our enemies (verses 27-36), not to judge others (verses 37-42), and that we should be fruitful believers (verses 42-49).

I think the main point of the lessons in this chapter is that we should not be so bound by religious tradition that we forget to follow the will of God and feel His Spirit move on us. This lesson begins in Luke 5 with the parable of the old and new garment (and the old and new wine and bottles).

In Biblical days, clothes were made from wool. When wool is washed, it shrinks. That's why you could not patch an old coat with a new piece of wool - because the old coat had already shrunk and was not going to shrink anymore, but the new piece of fabric was going the shrink when it was washed, and it would tear away from the old fabric when it shrunk.

Jesus was teaching something totally new. His message of salvation and grace was something totally unheard of. It didn't fit in with the old traditional ways of the Jews. The Pharisees were always on Jesus' case about breaking tradition. He ate with tax collectors and sinners (check out the story in Luke 5:27-32). He healed a man on the Sabbath (Luke 6:6-11). In order to serve people and show them the love and grace that He had come to earth to bring, He broke traditions and stormed through racial and social barriers.

He was the new piece that didn't fit in with the old traditional religious ways.

And I think that Jesus wants us to be like Him. We are not called to fit in - we are called to stand out and stand up for Christ!

In order to do this, we have to learn the lessons that Jesus taught in Luke 6:

Love Your Enemies - I think this is one of the hardest lessons to learn. It's easy to love someone that loves you back, but when you have to love someone that doesn't love you, it's tough. But we are called to be like Christ, who not only loved His enemies, but gave His life for them (a.k.a - US). "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8 If we can achieve the selfless, unconditional love, then we are truly getting more like Christ.
Judge Not - I tend to be very critical. It's a daily battle for me to keep from being judgmental, even over the smallest things. But when I'm feeling self-righteous and critical, these verses always put me in my place: "Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood in your own eye? How can you say to your friend, 'Friend, let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye' when you cannot see that big piece of wood in your own eye! You hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend's eye." Luke 6:41-42 (New Century Version)
Produce Spiritual Fruit - Good works are not required for our salvation. There is no way to work your way into Heaven. However, good works (a.k.a - fruit) should be a natural occurrence from a life lived in faith for the glory of God. When we are walking with Christ, we will produce good fruit. (Look up Galatians 5:22-23 to read more about Spiritual fruits.)
Check Your Foundation - We've all heard the story (and probably sang the song) about the wise man that built his house upon a rock. Jesus is the rock on which we should stand. Everything we do should be founded on Him and His teachings. In order for us to build our lives around Him, we have to KNOW Him!

A Father's Faith - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 7

2009-06-07T20:34:00.004-05:00

John 4:1-54

You all know that the story about the woman at the well (John 4:1-42) is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I recently read Paperdoll by Natalie Lloyd. In the book, Lloyd looks at the story of the woman at the well and breaks it down so that you can really apply it to your life. I highly recommend it!

But today, I want to look at the rest of John 4.

"Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
When he heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Galilee, he went unto him, and besought him that he would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.
Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.
The nobleman saith unto him, Sir, come down ere my child die.
Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth. And the man believed the word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.
And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.
Then enquired he of them the hour when he began to amend. And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.
So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.
This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judaea into Galilee." John 4:43-54

In these verses, we are introduced to another nameless character - a father whose son was dying. This father came to Jesus to ask Him to heal his son. In this story we see that:

The father was drawn to Jesus' power: He traveled to Cana in Galilee from his home in Capernaum to ask Jesus to come heal his son.

The father obeyed Jesus' command: Jesus did not agree to go home with the man and see his son. Instead, He told the man to go home and assured him that his son would live. The father could have further insisted that Jesus come with him. He could have caused a scene. This man was an officer of the king (verse 46), and he could have ordered that Jesus come with him. But he didn't do any of those things. He believed what Jesus said and he obeyed Jesus' command to return home to his son.

The father and his house believed in Jesus: When the man returned home, his servants ran to meet him and told him that his son was well. The man asked when his son began to get well, and when the servants told him, he realized that his son began to get well at the exact moment that Jesus had spoken to him. So he and his house believed in Jesus.

The Faithful Friends - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 6

2009-06-06T22:58:00.005-05:00

Luke 5:1-39

The Faithful Friends

In the story of the man sick of palsy in Luke 5:17-26, we see a great story of Jesus' healing. My favorite characters in this story are the sick man's friends. We don't know their names or anything about them except that there were four of them (see Mark 2:3) and that they had faith (Luke 5:20, Mark 2:5, and Matthew 9:2), but we can see that they were great friends.

1. They saw their friend's need: These men saw that their friend was sick. He was paralyzed and could not get out of bed. He could not stand and could not walk. He needed to be healed.

2. They believed Jesus could heal their friend: When they heard the Savior was in town and that He was healing people, they did not hesitate to bring their sick friend to Him.

3. They didn't give up on their friend: The crowd was huge and there were people everywhere. It couldn't have been easy to push through that crowd carrying a man on a mat. I imagine that they were shoved around, bumped into, and probably knocked down quite a few times while they were trying to get to Jesus, but they never gave up.

4. They didn't lose faith in their Savior: Those men believed that if their friend could just meet Jesus, he would be healed. They were determined for their friend to meet the Savior. In fact, they were so determined that they took their friend to the roof and tore out a place in the rooftop so they could lower him in to see Jesus ("...they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of palsy lay." Mark 2:4).

How determined are we to introduce our unsaved friends to the Savior?

5. They witnessed a miracle because of their faith: This story is written in Matthew 9, Mark 2, and Luke 5. They all highlight different parts of the story, but all three accounts say that Jesus forgave the man of his sins and healed him when he saw the faith these four friends had -

Matthew 9:2 "...and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee."

Mark 2:5 "When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee."

Luke 5:20 "And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee."

These men were faithful friends. They were there in the worst of times, and I have no doubt that they were there with their friend celebrating the best of times after Jesus healed him. It was because of their faith that their friend was healed!

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

What kind of friend are you?

Less is More - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 5

2009-06-05T16:45:00.009-05:00

John 3:1-36

There are a ton of lessons to learn from today's text. John is my favorite book of the Bible (I actually memorized John 3 when I was in elementary school), so of course I couldn't pick just one to highlight. I'm just going to go through it from the beginning. This might be a little long, but hang with me... :)

I was flipping through my old sermon notebooks and found notes from a sermon that Bro. Rick preached in May 2008 titled "When Good Is Not Good Enough" about Nicodemus.

1. Nicodemus was a good man: He was a Pharisee and a leader among the Jews.

2. Nicodemus believed that Jesus was a good man: He had heard Jesus preach and had seen the miracles that Jesus had done. And, he was moved to find out more, which is why he came to see Jesus.

3. Nicodemus was not good enough: Even though he was a good man, he still had to be born of the Spirit. The great thing is that we don't have to understand all the ways of God, we just have to believe!

"For God so loved the world that he gace his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

* * * * *

Less Is More

"He must increase, but I must decrease." John 3:30

I think one of the hardest things about being a Christian is that daily battle between your flesh and Spirit. We will never be perfect or sinless like Jesus was. Each day is a battle between our sinful human nature and the Holy Spirit that lives within us. And it is up to us who wins that battle.

"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24

We are supposed to deny our fleshly desires and pursue Jesus. We are to chase after Him and seek Him. We are to be more like Him.

I think John the Baptist said it best: "He must increase, but I must decrease."

Less of me and more of Him is always best.

Using Your Sword - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 4

2009-06-04T20:43:00.006-05:00

Luke 4:1-44

Do you know the Word of God?

I mean really know it.

Do you memorize scriptures? Do you study them and apply them to your life?

In Luke 4, we see Jesus being tempted by the devil. He was tempted for 40 days, and during those 40 days He did not eat. The devil tempted Jesus the same way he tempts us today. He knows our weaknesses, and he uses them to try to drag us into sin and pull us away from God.

In this passage, we see Satan use Jesus's human weaknesses against Him. Satan tempted Jesus in three ways in this passage: he exploited Jesus's hunger (verses 2-4), he tried to to conquer Jesus with greed (verses 5-8), and he tried to make Jesus sin using pride (verses 9-12).

Now, unlike us, Jesus was fully God and fully man. He was perfect and without sin. He was able to withstand the temptations of Satan.

What I find really interesting is that Jesus used scripture to drive Satan away. Each time that He was tempted, Jesus quoted scripture.

Scripture is powerful. In Ephesians 6:17, Paul refers to the Word of God as the "Sword of the Spirit". Hebrews 4:12 says "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

The Word of God is our sword that we can use to defend ourselves against temptation and sin. But it does us no good if we don't use it.

Every week, I give my Wednesday night kids a memory verse to memorize. My older class (4th-6th grade) said last week that they were too old to have to learn memory verses. I lectured them about the value of knowing God's Word for so long that I didn't even get to teach them their Bible story about Joseph before it was time for them to rotate to their next class.

You're never too old, or too young, to learn and apply the Word of God to your life. God gave us His Word as a guide book and a weapon against false teachings, temptation and sin.

Do you know God's Word? Do you use your Sword?

Jesus did, and I think we should too.

Pleasing God - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 3

2009-06-03T21:45:00.007-05:00

Mark 1:1-11

Today's scripture talks about Jesus being baptized. After He was baptized, "...there came a voice from heaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (verse 11)

That got me thinking...how often is God "well pleased" with me? It seems like I'm always messing up and having to be forgiven over and over again. I'm afraid that I spend a lot more time disappointing God instead of pleasing Him.

So how do we please God?

The answer is actually pretty simple. All we have to do to please Him is love Him and His Son. Jesus tells us this in Matthew 22:37-39, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all they mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."

Don't you want to hear God say that He is pleased with you? I know that I do.

What WAC Means to Me

2009-06-03T20:47:00.003-05:00

Last month, I asked the ladies in my WAC group to write down what WAC meant to them. Crystal Traweek, our District Secretary/Treasurer and Local Bible Study Chairperson was excited to share what WAC has meant to her:

"What does WAC mean to me?

Women Active for Christ would typically be classified as a noun. But to me, we are not just a group of women who meet once a month for fellowship and Bible study. We are ACTION VERBS! WE DO!

Now, any of you who are a part of our group know that fellowship and Bible study are both important parts, but each month we gather together to pray for people in our church, community, and missionaries around the world and try to see what we can do to help. And on December 15, 2008, those prayers were for me.

As many of you know, a simple trip to K-mart to buy a new Christmas tree to replace our old Charlie Brown tree quickly turned into much more. Before leaving, I laid out my cream cheese to make a chicken cheese ball for the WAC Christmas party that night. Shelby and I returned home with a new "disco ball" Christmas tree, but minus the presents, computer, cameras, guns, jewelry box, and much more! I wanted to run away for Christmas. I didn't want to celebrate, but Adam insisted that the tree had cost us much more than the sale price and he wanted us to put it up that night after all the chaos settled down some. I know while we were putting up the tree, my WAC group was praying for me. I felt it! Who in their right mind could have sat there, laughing and assembling a tree, if there were not prayer warriors praying for her?

Not long after the tree was complete, Amanda called and said she had us a plate of food and wanted to drop it off. She walked in the door with a gift bag as well. When I opened it, I instantly felt tears coming back. It was a makeup bag! Now, someone that had just been robbed usually wouldn't cry or be as excited over a makeup bag as I was. To me, it was so much more. It was God smiling down on me and telling me that He was there, and that He was going to use the people around us to bless us in our time of trouble. You see, during the Christmas party, I had gone into my bathroom, looked around and noticed that the counter was much cleaner than I remembered when I was getting ready that morning. Then I realized they had stolen my makeup!

I can't remember how many WAC meetings I have been a part of where we hear of a need of a woman in our church or community and spring into action! The next Wednesday night at church, I had a huge gift basket FILLED with makeup, jewelry, and a ton of other spirit lifting gifts! I just stood there and cried! Through the bad choices of other people, God was showing us how blessed we are! Our WAC group has always had a special place in my heart. I am so blessed to have a group of women who are willing to literally stop everything else and pray for my needs! I am so thankful for our ladies in WAC and for their commitment to serving others. Stay strong in your faithfulness, ladies, because one day you may be on the receiving end just as I was, and what a blessing it was!"

Thanks to Crystal for sharing her story!

If you would like to share what WAC has meant to you, email me your story at cmhopper.warrior@gmail.com.

The Holy of Holies - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 2

2009-06-02T18:20:00.003-05:00

Luke 2:1-52

These verses are pretty familiar to us. We read the Christmas story every year, and most of us have heard of the time when Mary and Joseph left Jesus at the temple when He was 12. But have you met Anna?

She is only mentioned in a few verses, and I've never paid much attention to her story before. But she is a woman of faithfulness. She is the definition of a Woman Active for Christ, and her story needs to be shared.

Anna was married once, for seven years. After her husband died, she spent her time at the temple, fasting and praying. She was never allowed inside the temple. Because she was a woman, she had to stay in the outer courts.

Anna didn't let her husband's death or the Jewish rules and traditions keep her from worshipping God. No matter her circumstance, status or location, she remained faithful.

And eighty four years after her husband died, Anna finally got to stand in the Holy of Holies...Anna, a widow from the tribe of Asher, was one of the first people to see the Messiah. She saw the Promised One that she had so faithfully prayed for. Because of her faithfulness, God rewarded her. He showed her His glory - not in the inner courts of the temple, but right where she stood in the outer courts.

And after she saw the Messiah, she began to share her joy with everyone that passed by.

Anna desperately wanted to feel God's presence. She didn't let circumstance or location hinder her worship.

The Holy of Holies is wherever you feel God's presence. It can be a church, it can be your car, it can be your bedroom, or it can be your favorite chair where you read your Bible. It can be anywhere, as long as you allow Him to meet you there.

Take me past the outer courts

Into the Holy Place

Past the brazen altar

Lord, I want to see Your face

Pass me by the crowds of people

And the Priests who sing Your praise

I hunger and thirst for Your righteousness

But it's only found in one place

Take me into the Holy of Holies

Take me in by the blood of the Lamb

Take me into the Holy of Holies

Take the coal, touch my lips, here I am.

"Take Me In" by Kutless

*"Take Me In" is on the album Strong Tower by Kutless

Come and See - 30 Days with Jesus - Day 1

2009-06-01T22:32:00.005-05:00

"Come and See"
John 1:1-51

When Philip met Jesus, the first thing he did was go find his friend Nathanael and tell him that he'd found the Messiah. Nathanael wasn't sure if anything good could come out of Nazareth, but Philip insisted "Come and see." Nathanael did come, and he saw that Philip was right. He had found the Messiah.

The Messiah is still the same today. Come and see...

The Life

He gave us earthly life - "All things were made by him..." John 1:3 We learn in Genesis that God created the Heaven and the earth. He is the Master Painter that colored the sky blue. He created the seas, the moon and the stars (which He calls by name). And we are His masterpieces. He created each of us and breathed life into our bodies. (See Psalm 139:13-14) He gave us life.
He gives us eternal life - "In him was life..." John 1:4a "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16 "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die..." John 11:25-26a "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:51 Through His death, Jesus gave us life eternal, IF we accept Him.

The Light

See the Light - "...and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not...That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." John 1:5-9 Jesus is the Light of the world, sent to condemn our sins and destroy the darkness in our lives. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, for their deeds were evil." John 3:17-19 "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." John 3:21
Be the Light - We are to be witnesses for God. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid." Matthew 5:14 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16 "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the earth. Amen." Matthew 28:19-20

The Lamb of God

Worship the Messiah - Jesus is the promised Messiah and is worthy of our worship. "Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel." John 1:49 "Exalt ye the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy." Psalm 99:5
Witness the Miracles - "Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these. And he saith unto him, Verily, Verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." John 1:50-51 "This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory, and his disciples believed on him." John 2:11

The Messiah is "the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). He is our Life, He is our Light, and He is the Lamb of God.

Come and see the Man from Nazareth called Christ. He is waiting for you...

30 Days with Jesus - A Reading Plan for June

2009-06-01T00:14:00.004-05:00

It's summertime! I love the summer - it's so laid back and carefree, but at the same time, I can let a couple of months go by without much to show for it.

This summer, I have one main goal - to spend my extra time getting closer to God.

I just bought a new Bible and it has a 30 day reading plan called "30 Days with Jesus." This plan is designed to focus on the teachings of Jesus so that we can get to know Him!

Here's the plan - I would love for you to post your comments or email me and let me know how God speaks to you through these scriptures this month! (cmhopper.warrior@gmail.com)

Day 1 - John 1:1-51

Day 2 - Luke 2:1-51

Day 3 - Mark 1:1-11

Day 4 - Luke 4:1-44

Day 5 - John 3:1-36

Day 6 - Luke 5:1-39

Day 7 - John 4:1-54

Day 8 - Luke 6:1-49

Day 9 - Luke 7:1-50

Day 10 - Luke 8:1-56

Day 11 - Mark 8:1-38

Day 12 - Luke 10:1-42

Day 13 - Matthew 5:1-48

Day 14 - Matthew 6:1-34

Day 15 - Matthew 7:1-29

Day 16 - Luke 14:1-35

Day 17 - Luke 15:1-32

Day 18 - Luke 16:1-31

Day 19 - John 8:1-59

Day 20 - Luke 17:1-37

Day 21 - Luke 18:1-43

Day 22 - John 9:1-41

Day 23 - Luke 19:1-48

Day 24 - Luke 20:1-47

Day 25 - John 10:1-42

Day 26 - John 11:1-57

Day 27 - Mark 13:1-37

Day 28 - Luke 22:1-71

Day 29 - Matthew 27:1-66

Day 30 - Luke 24:1-53

The Sheep and the Goats

2009-05-31T23:20:00.007-05:00

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal." Matthew 25:31-46

A couple of days ago, I was reading a note that one of my friends wrote on his facebook page about investing. He quoted the story of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30. He made some good points. However, he said that investing in people was not wise (this was not the main point of his note, but it was the one part that spoke to me the most).

But if we read the rest of Matthew 25, we see that investing in people is not only a wise investment that is worth the risk, but it is also a commandment.

God has invested a lot in us. He lovingly created each of us, investing His time and creativity into each of our lives. He sent us His only Son to die for us so that we could be saved. He has definitely made a hefty investment in us.

My friend's main point was that we should work to give God a good return on His investment. I agree. After we accept Jesus into our hearts, every day of our lives should be lived for Him. We should chase after His Spirit and use the talents and abilities that He has blessed us with to work for Him and further His kingdom. (Just like the parable in Matthew 25:14-30.) We will never be able to repay Jesus for what He has done for us, but when we live a Spirit-filled life that honors and glorifies Him, that pleases Him.

And part of living a Spirit-filled life for Christ is investing in people.

Matthew 25:31-46 talks mainly about supplying the physical needs of people out of love and compassion. We are commanded in 1 John 4:7-8 and John 13:34-35 to "love one another." You can't love someone without investing your time and heart into them.

I understand that people are a risky investment. They mess up. They hurt our feelings. They don't always return our love. But the risk is worth the reward.

In Matthew 25:31-46, we see 4 things:

The Judge Will Come: (Matt 25:31) Jesus is coming back. He never said "if the Son of man returns," but always said "when the Son of man shall come." He is coming back. Are you ready for His return?
All Will Be Judged: (Matt 25:32-33) No one escapes judgment. Hebrews 9:27 says "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." Matthew 12:36 says " But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." We will all be judged. And how we treat people will be part of that judgment.
The Righteous Will Be Blessed: (Matt 25:34-40) Those that invest in people and sharing the love of Christ will be blessed. Matthew 5:12a "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven!"
The Wicked Will Be Cursed: (Matt 25:41-46) It is so sad to me that people miss out on all the blessings of this lifetime because of fear. We fear the unknown, we fear rejection, and we are so often too afraid to do what God is leading us to do. We cannot let fear - or the risks of investing in an imperfect people - keep us from doing God's work. We will be judged for what we do - and those that don't show love and compassion will be cursed.

The Savior will come again. He will separate us into two groups: the sheep on His right hand and the goats on His left.

Do you know why a shepherd separated sheep and goats? It was because sheep could stand the cold weather better, and the goats had to be kept near the fire.

If we are sheep, and weather the cold, hard times of this life (like sacrificing to serve others, investing in people and risking getting hurt or rejected, for the glory of the Lord), the Shepherd will bless us.

If we are like the goats, we will get burned.

What about you? Are you one of the sheep or one of the goats?

*This outline was taken from Fusion Devotional Magazine, March - May 2009, Randall House Publishing.

"A May that Matters" Part Five

2009-05-31T20:27:00.005-05:00

Freedom Matters (Based on a sermon by Bro. Rick Taylor 5/31/09)

Romans 8:1-3 "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak thorough the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh."

What do you think of when you hear the word freedom? Do you think of an American flag flying proudly? Do you think of cute little houses with white picket fences and kids playing in the yard? Do you think of yellow ribbons tied around trees and the soldiers that sacrifice for us daily?

In America, we have so much to be thankful for. We are free to worship. We are free to share our faith. We are free to pursue happiness.

But we have an enemy that is attacking our freedom everyday. Satan tells us that we can find freedom in sin. He wants us to believe that when we follow our sinful desires and do whatever we please, that we will be free. And too many Christians have chosen to live their lives in bondage to sin.

But take heart - because we can be FREE:

Who is free?

"Them which are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1) We are free when we accept Jesus and become a part of Him. How do you know if you're living in Christ? Think about how much you let Him be a part of your decisions. Do you go to Him with ever question and every care? Do you seek Him daily?
"Who walk not after the flesh" (Romans 8:1) There is a daily battle waging within us between our flesh and the Spirit. (Imagine those old cartoons where the angel and the devil would pop up on the character's shoulder and argue out what he or she should do.) Galatians 5:16-17 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would."
Who walk "after the Spirit" (Romans 8:1) Walking in the Spirit begins with PRAYER. We cannot get closer to God or be more like Him without prayer. Prayer is followed by PURGING. As we get closer to God and follow the Spirit, He will purge things from our lives that are holding us back. This is a constant process of sanctification. Purging is followed by PROGRESS!

What are we free from?

The law of sin (Romans 8:2) We are all bound by our sins. We try to manage our sin, but our sins always end up controlling us. Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The law of death (Romans 8:2) Hebrews 9:27 "And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment." We will all face death and judgment, but if we accept Jesus we can be saved from the punishment and eternity of death and have eternal life!

How are we set free? (Romans 8:3)

We were condemned by sin, but Jesus came and condemned sin to set us free.
We have a choice to live a life of sin, or to accept Jesus and live a Spirit-filled life for Him.

Romans 8:30-32 "Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"

Romans 8:37 "Nay, in all these things WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS through him that loved us."

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

Let Us Love One Another

2009-05-27T09:07:00.007-05:00

Have you ever noticed that God will send you the same message over and over again until you finally get it? For example, you might do your devotion for the day and read a scripture that really speaks to you. Then, later in the week, you run across the same scripture in your Sunday school class, then again in your Bible Study group, then again in your favorite online devotional blog, then you hear it on your favorite radio program...it just goes on and on.

Some people call it a coincidence, but I don't believe that it happens by chance. I know that it's God's perfect plan and that He puts these scriptures and messages in our lives and makes them unavoidable. He is so patient that He continues to feed us the same message over and over again until we finally say, "Okay, God, I get it. What do You want me to learn from this?" and let Him show us His perfect truth.

That's been happening to me lately. Last Wednesday night, the lesson that I taught was a familiar one - we studied about Pharaoh forcing the Israelites into slavery and learned that even when bad things happen we can still trust God because He sees what we go through and He has a plan. The lesson also pointed out that we should love one another and always treat people with kindness and love instead of being mean like Pharaoh. (I know this is kind of elementary, but I teach toddlers through fifth grade, so hang with me for a few minutes.)

Our memory verse (which I hope all the kids learned, because it's a really important one) was 1 John 4:7-8 - "Beloved, let us love one another: For love is of God and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love."

I typed that verse up to give out to my classes on Wednesday night, put it on our Mission Kids blog (check it out at http://www.ssfwbmissionkids.blogspot.com/) and even taught the kids a little song to help them remember the verse. Every week, when I give the kids a memory verse, I try my best to learn it and memorize it as well, but I had learned this verse when I was younger, so I just put it on the fridge for my brother to learn and didn't really look at it anymore.

Well, apparently, I hadn't learned my lesson to God's satisfaction, because He kept putting that verse in front of me all week. It popped up on my friends' facebook profiles, in the online devotions that I read, in my personal devotion, in a book that I was reading and on the radio show that I listen to every day.

But what lesson did I need to learn? Loving people is hard, but I already knew that I was supposed to treat people with love (and I try - I really do! My sarcastic streak makes it really hard sometimes, but I try nonetheless), so what was God trying to teach me?

When I finally said, "Okay, God. I get it. What do You want me to learn from this?", He started showing me.

I've been studying the Samaritan woman at the well (check out her story in John 4) and have been reading Paperdoll by Natalie Lloyd. One of the lessons in the book is about love. The Samaritan woman knew about love. She had been married five times and was living with a man that was not her husband. She had plenty of experience in love. She knew exactly what it was. Right?

Wrong. She thought she knew what love was. To her, it was just an emotion. Something that she used to fill the void in her life. She was so desperate for real love that she filled her longing with an artificial, pop-culture, made up version of love. She looked for love in all the wrong places, and all the wrong faces (sounds like a country song, right?). But that day at the well, she learned what LOVE really was.

She learned that she was worthy of love -

How many of you know a Samaritan woman? I'm not talking about a person that was born in Samaria, I'm talking about an outcast. An outsider. Someone that is living on the edge and desperately longing to be on the inside. Someone that has no self-esteem. Someone that had been beat up and defeated by the cruelties of this world. She avoids your gaze, she walks down the hallway alone, she carries around her broken heart and searches every face for any semblance of acceptance and love.

Guess what? She is worthy of love. So are you. So am I. God lovingly created each of us. He placed a longing in our hearts to love and be loved. The Samaritan woman had been passing out her heart to every person that would take it, hoping that someone would finally take care of her and her heart and love her the way she so desperately wanted and needed to be loved.

That modern day Samaritan woman that you know? She's the same way. She needs to be loved. And since Jesus isn't walking around on the earth in human form anymore to meet her at her modern day well and show her what love is, it's up to us to do it. He told us in John 15:15-17, "Henceforth, I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, that ye love one another."

Jesus came to earth and suffered and died to save us. Now, He wants us to go tell the world what He did. It's up to us to show them what His love looks like. The Samaritan woman was worthy of love. Jesus showed her love. We should do the same for those modern-day Samaritans.

She learned that she should love herself -

Do you have a healthy self-esteem? As women, we all struggle with body image. We all struggle with loving ourselves. The Samaritan woman was no different. She definitely struggled with her own self-worth. This is evident from her past. She had been married five times and when she met Jesus at the well, she was living with a man that was not her husband. She used men and their empty promises of love and affection to feel like she was special and worthy of being loved.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 says, "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and you are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

The Samaritan woman was trapped in sin because she didn't understand how special she was. She didn't love herself, and she allowed people to use her and mistreat her. When she met Jesus and He told her all the things she had ever done and showed her what love really was, she finally got it. She was not only worthy of love, she was allowed to love herself. She was Created by God and was loved by Him, and she was His temple.

Do you love yourself? Do you treat yourself like a temple of the Lord, or do you allow your body to be used and abused by yourself and others?

She learned that she should love others -

After the Samaritan woman spoke with Jesus at the well, the first thing she did was run throughout the streets and tell others about Him and all the wonderful things He had done for her. She was so excited about sharing His love and His message with others that she left her water pot at the well and ran through the streets. The men in the village thought she was crazy!

How excited do we get about sharing God's love today? I'm afraid we've lost that excitement that the Samaritan woman had. After she learned that she was worthy of love and that she could love herself, she couldn't wait to share that love with others.

She wasn't instantly a Bible scholar. She didn't instantly gain all knowledge and understanding of what had just happened to her at the well, but she did know this: she had finally filled that void in her life and there was a fountain of living water springing up in her soul and it was overflowing and she HAD to share it!

"As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Proverbs 25:25 She had good news - she had been thirsty and now she was filled. And she knew the Man that could fill others that were thirsting.

So, "Beloved, let us love one another." We are all worthy of love, we are all loved by the Father, and we all have love to share.

Prayer Request Update

2009-05-26T13:36:00.003-05:00

Hey, everyone! Thanks so much for praying for Mrs. Geraldine. She came through her surgery well and is at home. Please continue to keep her in your prayers as she heals from this surgery and considers treatment options. Your prayers matter so much! Thank you! :)

Prayer Request

2009-05-26T01:04:00.002-05:00

Please be in prayer for Mrs. Geraldine Strickland today. She will be having surgery in Birmingham today to treat her cancer. Please pray for her and her family, as well as the doctors and nurses that will be working with her today.

"Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." James 5:16

Upcoming Fundraisers for Nationals

2009-05-25T21:07:00.004-05:00

As most of you know, we have been so blessed to have so many students participate in this year's National Youth Conference at the Free Will Baptist Convention! Because we have so many students participating this year, we are taking a very large group to the National Convention in Cincinnatti, Ohio in July. In the next two months, we will be hosting many fundraisers to help cover the costs of travel and our hotel rooms during the convention.

On Sunday, May 30, we will have a Spaghetti Lunch after church. Plates will be available for dine-in and carry out at the Family Life Center. Each plate is $6.00 and includes spaghetti, a side salad, a roll and tea.

During the month of June, we will be selling PartyLite Candles. You can purchase a set of 12 votives for $20, a set of 2 jar candles for $20, or a tin candle for $15. Contact me at cmhopper.warrior@gmail.com for more information or to find out how to order.

On Friday, June 19th we will have BBQ plates for sale at the Family Life Center. Each plate is $7.00 and includes BBQ, baked beans, cole slaw and bread. All plates will be carry-out and we will be serving from 5:30 until 7:30 p.m.

Thanks for all your support as we prepare to go to Nationals. We are so proud of our kids and all the hard work they have put into preparing for their Bible and music competitions this year. Please be in prayer for all of our kids that are competing this summer.

"A May that Matters" Part Four

2009-05-25T19:47:00.003-05:00

Looking Forward to the Future - Remembering the Past (Sermon by Bro. Rick Taylor 5/24/09)

Our future depends on the faith we have had in the past and the things that we have gone through.

"Choices, no matter how small, do matter. Your day-to-day decisions have a way of determining your destiny. The person you are becoming - situation by situation, decision by decision, choice by choice - is ther person you will be forever." David Ausburger

2 Timothy 1:3-7 "I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembreance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

Remembrance in Prayer

Paul had been taught how to pray. As parents, it is our responsibility to teach our children how to pray. Do they see and hear you pray to God on a regualr basis? Is prayer something that you do together? Do they know that you pray for them? Do they know how to pray?
Paul prayed without ceasing. "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2

Remembrance of Faith

Timothy had been shown what it meant to have faith by his mother and grandmother. *Women that have to be the spiritual leaders in your homes - do not give up! Keep the faith, and God will bless your homes for your faithfulness!
Timothy had a pure and uninhibited faith. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

Remembrance of the Gift of God

The Gift of God is our salvation and the Holy Spirit that dwells within us. "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." 2 Corinthians 9:15
The Gift of God is personal. You can't receive His gift unless you know Him. "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matthew 7:21
The Gift of God should stir us up! Don't be afraid to get stirred up! "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of POWER, and of love, and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7

God wants us to always remember what He saved us from and what He saved us to do. We can't move on to the future without remembering the past.

"A May that Matters" Part Three

2009-05-25T19:11:00.002-05:00

Forgiveness Matters (Sermon by Bro. Rick Taylor on 5/17/09)

Check out the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15:11-32. There are many lessons that we can learn from the prodigal son, but today we're going to look at forgiveness.

WHY DO WE NEED FORGIVENESS?

Because an offense has taken place:

The son's demand - "And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me, And he divided unto them his living." Luke 15:12
The son's devouring of his inheritance - "And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living." Luke 15:13 *The far country represents any place that we are or that we want to be that is out of God's will.
The son's devotion to another - "And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine." Luke 15:15 *The citizen of the far country represents our sin (and the devil).

The responses to sin - The younger son:

He recognized his sin. He knew that he was living in sin because of the way he had been raised. When he "came to himself" (Luke 15:17) he realized that he was living in sin. *Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go" and when he is old, he will not depart from it." As parents, it is our responsibility to train our children in God's ways and educate them with God's word so they will recognize sin.
He repented of his sin. We cannot be forgiven of our sins until we ask for forgiveness. The son admitted his sins to his father and asked to be forgiven.
He was restored to his previous position. After the son asked for forgiveness, his father received him back into his home. This represents the way that God takes us in as His children when we repent. He not only restores us, but He promotes us - we are taken from being beggars and are made into children of the King!

The responses to sin - the father:

He was waiting for his son to return. This represents the way that God waits for us when we turn from Him and to sin. He patiently waits for us to come home, and he rejoices when we do.
He was wanting his son to return and he welcomed him with open arms. Just like the prodigal son's father welcomed him home, God is waiting to welcome us into His kingdom.
He was willing to forgive his son. God is willing to forgive us, too. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." Ephesians 1:7

God is that Father that is waiting for us to come back to Him. He wants to restore us and promote us to the place that we need to be.

Something to Say

2009-05-22T23:30:00.003-05:00

I just started reading a new book called Paperdoll: When an Ordinary Girl Meets an Extraordinary God by Natalie Lloyd. It's about image and how the media and the world tell women what we need to be successful and happy, but that all we really need is God. So far, it's been great.

One of the things that really caught my eye last night was this quote: "When God speaks, He always has a purpose to accomplish."

Matthew 12:36-37 says, "But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shall be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned."

That's a pretty scary scripture to a girl like me. My mouth is moving every minute that I'm awake. I'm one of those people that talks just to hear my own voice. And I'll have to account for every idle word that I say? Ouch...

What if we never spoke without having a purpose to accomplish? Think about all the great work we could do if we used our mouths to build each other up instead of tearing others down. Imagine all the great and wonderful things we could talk about and tell people if we truly surrendered and gave our words to God...

What if we REALLY had something worthwhile to say? Guess what...we do! All of us have a story, and your story can save a life. When we open up and say what God leads us to say, and share our stories of triumph over tragedy, or loss and redemption, or defeat and victory, then we are shining for Christ. He gives us the words we need, IF we're willing to speak them.

What about you? Do you have something to say?