The Restoration

Brownwood is described by many as the buckle of the Bible belt. At one time, the city had more churches per capita than any other town in Texas. It is home to Howard Payne University, a school affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas, which trains ministerial students before they head to seminary.

Despite the many good things about Brownwood in terms of churches, outreach, civic and benevolent organizations, many people still struggle in their personal lives. One doesn't have to look far to find people who are hurting.

People need the Lord. However, if we are going to lead people to the Lord, we must turn to the Lord ourselves. Series starts Jan. 1. Scripture references will be from Nehemiah.

The Journey: Genesis 4:1-12

In Genesis 4, Cain brought God an offering of the fruits of the ground, but Abel brought the firstlings of his flock. The Bible says that God had respect unto Abel and his offering, but unto Cain and his offering God had no respect.

Many people have theorized why God respected Abel's offering, but not Cain's. Popular reasons include that Cain's vegetables weren't of the highest quality. Others theorize that Abel's sacrifice of lambs was a blood sacrifice, which God preferred over Cain's vegetable offering. The truth is that the Bible doesn't really support either of those positions.

However, Hebrews 11:4 says "By Faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice." What separated Abel's offering from Cain's is that Abel's sacrifice was made by faith. Abel had faith in God. Cain did not.

What, then, is faith? Faith is defined in Hebrews 11:6, which says "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."

Faith means that you believe God exists. It doesn't just mean that you believe that there is a higher power or divinity, but that you believe in the God of the Bible. Given the fact that both Cain and Abel interacted with God, I think it is safe to say both men believed in God's existence.

Faith also means trusting God. In Hebrews 11:6, it says you must believe God rewards those who seek Him. You may believe God exists, but do you trust Him? Do you trust Him to save you? To protect you? To provide for you? Do you trust Him? Or like Cain, do you harbor resentment for God?

Resentment toward God hinders faith, and leads to conflict with God and His people... and that's a conflict no one will win. Cain went on to kill Abel, and God took vengeance on Cain. If you harbor resentment toward God, you will sin against Him... in fact you are already in sin.

On the other hand, if others are persecuting you for your faith, know that they are not fighting you... they are fighting God. That is a fight they cannot win.

The Joe Paterno Tragedy

During junior high, my reading teacher led the class in reading Something for Joey, the story of Penn State running back John Cappelletti, and his younger brother, Joey, who had leukemia. John would go on to win the Heisman Trophy. Joey eventually succumbed to his disease. The book was later made into a TV-movie.

The book highlighted how the Penn State football team rallied around Joey, and how Head Coach Joe Paterno was an influence and a comfort to Joey and the Cappelletti family. From that point on, I had a certain affinity for Penn State, and Joe Paterno in particular.

Paterno enjoyed a reputation of being a father figure for many over decades. He played by the rules, always did the right thing, and was the picture of integrity... that is, until the world learned that when he was faced with a gruesome situation involving one of his assistants and young boys, he put the program first and did the bare minimum.

The man who had become synonymous with all that was good in college football has been fired in disgrace. It will take years for Penn State to recover its image. Paterno may never see his reputation restored.

One bad decision has erased decades of good service to his university, community, state and even his country. Nothing he can do will undo the decision he made.

Tragically, many people make the same mistake in their own lives. They live, doing good deeds, public service, and giving to charity thinking that their good deeds will somehow outweigh the sin in their life. However, no amount of good that we do can outweigh the sin in our lives.

Our sin separates us from God, and nothing we can do will overcome that separation. The Bible says even our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. How, then, will anybody be saved and go to Heaven?

Romans 5:8 says that God commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Our sin carries the consequence of dying and going to Hell. But the death of Jesus Christ on the cross paid that penalty on our behalf. The Bible says if you turn from your sins and trust that Christ died on the cross for your sins, you will be saved. In Bible language, it's called repentance and faith.

Do not go through life hoping that your good deeds will outweigh your sin. It won't. The only way you will get into Heaven is by the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Do you believe on Him? Do you trust 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. (John 3:16)

The Journey: Genesis 3

Genesis 3 is one of the most important passages in the Bible because that is where we find the fall of man, and the first reference to the plan of salvation. In Genesis 3:6, man sins by eating of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Often we blame Eve for this sin, but the Bible says she gave to her husband "with her," and he did eat. The fact Adam was with Eve when she gave him the fruit indicates that Adam was with her through the conversation between her and the serpent.

1 Timothy 2:14 and Romans 5:14 are two of many passages that lay the responsibility of the sin on Adam's shoulders. I believe this is because God had specifically instructed Adam concerning the forbidden fruit, yet he allowed Eve to be deceived by not interfering in Satan's temptation.

Man's sin brought on the curse of thorns and hard work (Genesis 3:18-19) and death (Genesis 3:19).

However, Genesis 3 is also where God introduces His plan of redemption. Genesis 3:15 says "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

This is a picture of what Christ would accomplish on the cross. Jesus, the Seed of the woman, would crush Satan's power, but in the process would suffer a death blow (bruise His heel.) What Jesus did when He died on the cross was He paid the penalty for man's sin, but He also conquered Satan to where Satan is no longer relevant when it comes to man's eternal destiny. Man's eternal destiny, whether he goes to Heaven or Hell, is between him and God. Either He will respond to God's grace with faith, or he will reject God's grace and go to Hell. Satan can tempt him and distract him, but Satan has no say over whether a man goes to Hell or not.

In the above video, we discuss those concepts, as well as how God covers our sin (Genesis 3:21), assures our salvation (Genesis 3:20), and what the pitfalls to sin are.

180 The Movie: The Full Alicia Interview

Stay tuned until the end...

The Authority in Mission Work

The Apostle Paul, preaching in Athens

During the Pre-Association meeting of the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas, a question was raised about whether mission works which were not under the authority of a sponsoring church should be funded. The discussion was cut short, which sort of disappointed me because this is an issue that I think should be discussed, especially at a meeting where the objective is to share information and not to record votes.

If you poll 100 different ABA pastors, you will likely find 100 different philosophies and understandings about the proper way to carry out mission work. So, in the spirit of the diversity of opinions, here's mine:

In Acts 13, you have the church in Antioch that is ministering to the Lord. In verse 2, the Holy Spirit tells the church to "Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them."

Two things stand out for me in this verse. (1) The Holy Spirit spoke to the church and (2) The Spirit called Barnabas and Saul.

The Holy Spirit called Barnabas and Saul to go out as missionaries. Scripture records how the Lord had placed this call on Saul (Paul) during his conversion on the Damascus road.

After the Spirit had called Barnabas and Paul to the mission work, He moved within the church to send them out.

In my opinion, this is the scriptural way mission work should be done. The Spirit calls men to a mission field, and the Spirit leads the church to send those men out. Those men are sent out with the full authority to do the work the Spirit has called them to do. If all those factors are present, I believe that we have a legitimate, and scriptural mission work.

So whether the missionary goes out and establishes a "mission," or whether he plants a "church" is really of no consequence to me. What I look at is whether He is called by the Holy Spirit, and whether His sponsoring church sent Him out.

For this reason, I have never been comfortable with "ministries" that seek to direct the overall direction of our associational missions (and by associational missions, I mean missionaries sent out by churches in our association). For this same reason, I have been leery of associational rules that establish rigid boundaries for missionary qualifications and rigid guidelines for how they do their work. And I have never been comfortable with a board calling, sending, and overseeing missionaries.

So, if you are looking for the authority in mission work, you need to look no further than the Holy Spirit. He calls missionaries, He leads missionaries, and He holds missionaries accountable, and you can find instances of all three of those in scripture.

As for the sending churches, they sent the men out, they sent them out with authority, and they support them. I believe that, just as Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch and gave an account for themselves, so ought missionaries today give an account of themselves to their sponsoring churches.

And that, my friend, is the authority in mission work.

Marriage Pictures Our Relationship to Christ

Ephesians 5:22-27  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23  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. 24  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Despite the fact that this is one of the most famous Bible passages regarding marriage, it is often the most disregarded. It gives clear instructions on how to have a successful marriage, and highlights the importance of a good marriage by pointing out the similarities between a husband-wife relationship and the relationship between Christ and the church. Yet, most American couples would rather flush this passage down the toilet than apply it to their lives. Why? Because following this passage requires selflessness and sacrifice, something no one wants to do. Is there any wonder that more than half of American marriages end in divorce, and many more non-marital relationships (read: living together without marriage) break up?

Since the scriptures begin with the wife, I'll begin with the wife... but ladies, hang in there, I'll get to the husband's responsibilities too. A good marriage is a two-way street.

Verses 22-23 tell wives to submit themselves to their husbands, as unto the Lord, reminding them that as Christ is head of the church, the husband is the head of the wife. Notice in verse 23, Paul adds that Christ is the savior of the body.

Most churches want to follow God's will. They want to follow the leadership of Christ, and they want to know what the will of Christ is.

The churches I have been a part of wanted to serve the Lord, wanted to submit to His leadership, longed for the Spirit to move and give direction... why? Because we love the Lord and want to be close to Him, to please Him, to see His will done, and to see Him victorious.

In the same way, wives should submit to their husbands. As a church sets aside its own vision to follow the Lord, so should a wife set aside her own dreams to follow her husband. I know this is not politically correct, but follow me here.

Just as a church is all about Jesus, a wife should be all about her husband. Her goal in life should be to honor her husband, to do his will, and to help him succeed. They say, behind every successful man is a good (and sometimes surprised) woman. Proverbs 31 says her husband sits in the city gates and is known by the elders of the land, all because of what she does for him. Read Proverbs 31. That woman did a lot. She wasn't just barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.

You never see a church sit around and complain about Christ, and you never hear a bunch of preachers at an association, fellowship or convention meeting sit around and list the ways Christ could be better. They may complain about each other, but not Christ.

In the same way, when wives berate their husbands in front of others, they are falling short of what God wants them to be. The same way a church loves and submits to the Lord, a wife should love and submit to her husband.

In verse 25, scripture turns the attention to the husband. The husband is to love his wife the same way Christ loved the church... and gave Himself for it.

How much did Christ love the church? Enough to die for it. He died for the church, He puts up with the faults of the church, is patient, caring, and guides the church. Not only that, but He is all about the church, and believers in general.

Jesus died on the cross to save sinners. He died on the cross so that sinners could be saved and grow closer to Him in a church. Since His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus has been all about the church. The church was the joy that was set before Him in Hebrews 12:2. He makes intercession for the church. He leads the church. He empowers the church. He blesses the church.

Sometimes churches drift away from Christ. They quit doing what He called them to do, or they drift away from Him doctrinally. Nevertheless, He stays with them, patiently guiding them back into His will.

In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives. A husband should love his wife enough to die for her... moreover, he should love her enough to live for her. The Bible says Christ gave Himself for the church. The same way, the husband should give himself for his wife... meaning that her needs come before his dreams.

The husband has the responsibility to sacrifice for the well being of his wife. He has the responsibility to come home after work and spend time with her instead of his buddies. (Oh, there's time for buddies, but not at the expense of his wife). He has the responsibility to place her and her needs above his.

Moreover, he has the responsibility to be patient with her. Women are emotional, at least the ones I have known are. Sometimes, they act out on those emotions. We are responsible as men to not become frustrated at those emotions, to continue to show our wives love and kindness despite the emotional state they are in.

We are also responsible to not go off the deep end every time we come home to a dirty house. We are responsible to allow our wives to have lives... I could go on.

I'm really having trouble expressing my view here... but basically, if wives submitted to their husbands unconditionally like the church submits to Christ, and men loved their wives unconditionally like Christ loved the church, and if both put themselves aside and loved each other like Christ and the church, then marriage would be a happy thing... not a dreaded thing that is the joke of sitcoms and break-rooms.

Wives, be all about your husbands. Let your hopes and dreams revolve around them, and help them to be the men God has called them to be. Husbands, love your wives. Put your desires aside and take care of her first. If we all do that, we can reduce stress, blood pressure, and the demand for marriage counselors and divorce lawyers... but more importantly, we will honor and glorify our Savior.

Night Time Photography

Seeing some of the wonderful photography by one of my church member's grandchildren, I was inspired to get my Nikon out and revisit some of the photography skills I learned in college. Below are my attempts at night time photography...

New Sermon Series at Grace Pointe...

Bursting at the Seams: Occupy Wall Street vs. TEA Party

Occupy Wall Street Protesters
Photo by: David Shankbone

Maybe I'm just waking up, but it seems that we have seen an increase in public protest rallies since the 2008 election. From the TEA Party rallies that hit mainstream on April 15, 2009, to the rallies at the Wisconsin State Capitol regarding collective bargaining rights for public employees, to the "Save Our Schools" rallies in Texas during the 2011 legislative session.

Granted, anytime in American history that a particular group has faced a situation that would hinder their well-being, they turned out to protest against it. However, it seems that now-days, everyone is ticked off.

The TEA Party feels it is overtaxed to pay for welfare programs to supplement those who will not work to earn a living for themselves. The Occupy Wall Street protesters feel that they can't get a fair chance in a world where the top 1 percent keep getting richer while the rest of the country struggles. Public employees feel they are being thrown under the bus. Teachers face more rigid standards and lower pay.

Environmentalists feel that corporations are ramping up pollution. Peace activists feel betrayed by an administration that has failed to close Guantanamo or end the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. (For the record, I have been very critical of the Obama Administration regarding domestic policy, but I feel that they have handled the war on terror well.)

Pro-military groups feel that the Obama administration is floundering on national defense and military issues. And the summer drought has left many Texans burnt out, on a number of issues. (It doesn't help that the Cowboys and Longhorns are struggling.)

I am not trying to agree, disagree, affirm or refute the viewpoints of any of these groups right now. My only objective is to point out that everyone is ticked off at the moment. The country is divided, and there is no easy fix. Can America overcome this time of national discontent? Or will the divide and conquer strategies of our two political parties tear our nation apart?

Our standard of living is tied up in the future of the United States (regardless of where you are when you read this. If the American economy tanks, or the country falls apart, it will have ripple effects throughout the world.)

Whatever happens in the future, I will be just fine. Psalm 23:4 says Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

The Bible teaches that perilous times will come, but it also teaches that God is with His people through whatever trials they endure. If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you can know that He is talking to God on your behalf as you go through dark times.

I don't fear an economic apocalypse, nuclear disaster, terrorism or war. These things might happen, but I also know that God is in control and He will have the final victory. I trust Him to care for me in the process.

So turn off Fox News and CNN, open the Bible, and grow closer to the Lord. Life will become more peaceful, your blood pressure will drop, and your doctor will be happy.

God bless you. Keep the faith.

The Journey: Genesis 2:7 - God Made Man Different

Genesis 2:7 says "The LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."

Genesis 2:4-6 recount various aspects of the creation and how things functioned before man was created. Verse 7 then explains how man was created differently from the rest of creation. Instead of speaking man into existence, God formed man from the dust of the ground... meaning He actually molded man... hand-crafted him to be what God wanted him to be.

Ephesians 2:10 speaks to this when it says "For we are His workmanship...." Workmanship means craftsmanship. If you want to see the craftsmanship of God, look in the mirror. There are parts of the human body that science cannot replicate. Despite the advances in computer technology, man cannot create a brain like God gave him.

To put it another way, God made us specially.

Not only did God handcraft us, He gave us a living soul. When Genesis 2:7 says that God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life... it is not saying that God gave man mouth to mouth, it is saying that God gave man a living soul.

The Bible teaches that man is both flesh and spirit. The flesh is temporary, but the spirit (or the soul) lives forever. When it comes to salvation, we are not trying to save the life of the soul as much as we are trying to secure the eternal destination of the soul.

If a sinner dies without knowing Jesus Christ as his personal savior, his soul doesn't die. His soul spends eternity in Hell suffering the wrath of God.

However, if a sinner repents and trusts Jesus Christ as His savior, He looks forward to spending an eternity in Heaven with the Lord.

God handcrafted man, gave him life, and also gave him purpose. Genesis 2:15 says "God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."

God gave Adam a purpose... to keep and dress the garden. God always intended for man to work... He didn't design work to be so hard and debilitating in the beginning. That came as part of the sin curse which we will discuss in Genesis 3.

God gave Adam a purpose, and He gave us a purpose.

Ephesians 2:10 says "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

God handcrafted us for a purpose, and He wants us to fulfill that purpose. He wants us to follow His plan for our life. But before you can do that, you must know Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Do you know Him? Do you know God's will for your life? Are you doing what God has called you to do? May God bless you and keep you.

The Oracles of God (I preached this at the Annual Southwest Association Meeting)

SUBJECT: The Oracles of God

TEXT: Romans 3:1-2

INTRO:

A. Paul has just written that the Jews are no different than the Gentiles when it comes to sin.

1. All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God.

2. All who are saved are saved by grace through faith.

B. So, what is the advantage of being a Jew?

1. Unto them were committed the oracles of God.
2. In other words, God committed His word to them.

I. Just as the Oracles of God were committed to the Jews, so have they been committed unto us.

A. God has committed His word to us.

1. The Gospel we preach is straight from the scriptures. (I Corinthians 15:3-4)

2. The scriptures that we have were given by the inspiration of God (II Timothy 3:16-17)

a. Profitable for doctrine - a system of teaching.

1. Doctrine is important.

2. Doctrine is most powerful when taken from the scriptures.

3. Preach the scriptures to make sure you are giving doctrines the same priority that God has on them.

b. Profitable for reproof.

1. No one likes to be reproved.
2. But when you reprove according to the scriptures, your reproof has authority behind it.

c. Profitable for correction.
d. Profitable for instruction in righteousness.
e. That the man of God may be perfect.

1. Perfect = complete.
2. So that we can be complete Christians.
3. The real deal... like Job. (Job 1:1 says he was perfect and upright, one who feared God and eschewed evil.)

f. Thoroughly furnished unto good works... fully equipped.

3. God has given us His word, and His authority to preach the word. By extension, when we preach His word, we are preaching by His authority. We are not alone in the pulpit.
4. God expects that we will preach His word. (II Timothy 4:2)

a. Preach it!
b. Know it!
c. Disciple people from it!

B. God hasn't just given the word to the preachers, He has given it to His people.

1. The Old Testament wasn't given to the Jewish priests, it was given to the Jewish people, and they were expected to know it and teach it to their children. (Deuteronomy 6:7-8)
2. We need to teach our people the word, and teach them to study it.

a. So they'll know it.
b. So they'll be capable of discussing it.
c. So they'll teach it to their children.

II. The Word Liberates Us

A. Romans 3:10 - There is none righteous, no not one.

1. It liberates us from working for our salvation.

a. We are sinful.

b. God knows we are sinful.

c. We can't earn salvation, and God knows it.

d. So He paid for our sins on the cross that those who repent and believe can be saved.

2. It liberates us from responsibility for others' sin.

a. They are sinful.
b. God knows it.
c. It's not your fault that others sin, regardless of whether people try to blame you for their sin.

B. Romans 3:24 - Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

1. We are sinful.
2. Despite our sinfulness, God saved us.
3. Despite their sinfulness, God can save them. Don't let the sinfulness of others deter you from sharing the Gospel.

C. The word liberates us from the responsibility of the results of our evangelism.

1. In sales, failure to close a deal is failure, period.

a. It doesn't matter if the customer absolutely does not want to buy... if you fail to sell, you are a failure.
b. Aren't you glad God doesn't hold us to that standard?

2. Romans 8:29 - For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate, to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

a. We don't have to figure lost people out.
b. God has them figured out (foreknow).
c. He has already been working His plan in their life (predestinate).
d. All He requires of us in obedience in sharing the Gospel with them.

III. The Word Grows our Faith.

Romans 10:17 - So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

A. The more we know His word, the more we know God.

B. The more we know God, the more we trust Him.

C. The more we trust Him, the more faith we have.

APPLICATION: Build your ministry around the word.

Profiting with God

No one disputes the fact that the Christian life comes with troubles. People ridicule your faith, some believers face persecution, and oftentimes we fore go personal pleasure, ambition or advancement in favor of something God has called us to do. While we make these sacrifices and observe people in the world living it up for themselves and enjoying life, it can become easy to be discouraged, or to blame God for all of our sufferings and problems.

That was the situation Job was in. He was perfect and upright, one who feared God and eschewed evil (Job 1:1), yet God allowed him to suffer when his livelihood was wiped out and his children killed. As Job lamented about these problems during his speeches, he accepted a premise that God will allow the righteous to suffer for no cause, and that God doesn't have a special regard for the righteous. Now, the Bible says that Job neither sinned nor charged God foolishly, but Job did misunderstand what God was doing.

Enter Elihu, a young man who quietly listened to Job lament his suffering, and his friends accuse him of bringing his suffering on himself. After the elderly men have completed their thoughts, Elihu speaks up, and says that Job goes in the company of those who work iniquity and walks with wicked men, because he said, "It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God. (Job 34:9)"

Job's words were spoken out of intense anguish, suffering and mourning, but sadly, I think many of us have accepted the same premise - If you follow God, you will have no profit on this Earth. It'll be non-stop suffering and failure till you die, then you get your reward.

It's a discouraging premise, and one that is seemingly validated when you see people who leave the church get everything they wanted. It seems to be validated when you do massive amounts of outreach and evangelism, and see people reject the message of the Bible in favor of more entertaining venues. It seems to be validated when you strive to honor and glorify God the best you know how, and nothing seems to come from it.

With that discouragement in mind, let's look to Elihu's encouraging words.

Job 34:10-12 Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. 11 For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways. 12 Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.

For God to constantly bring His people into captivity and force them into non-stop suffering and discouragement, He would have to deal wickedly with His people. However, Elihu says that goes against God's holy, righteous and just nature. God allows suffering, but God always rewards His people.

In the case of Job, (and Job didn't understand what was happening at this point), God was working a bigger picture. He was accomplishing another major victory over Satan, while simultaneously strengthening Job and bringing him closer to Himself. Job finally got it in Job 42:5-6.

In our cases, God allows our suffering, but it is never without purpose, and it is never without reward. If we are obedient, faithful, and unwavering in our trust of the Lord, we'll see the fruit of our labor and suffering, and we'll see God bless us mightily. Or as Paul wrote in Galatians 6:9, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

So, do not accept the premise that life is nothing but suffering. Do not accept the premise that you can not make a difference. Do not accept the premise that people will no longer accept the Gospel, or that no one wants to hear the Word of God, and do not accept the premise that your church will never see better days.

Continue to labor for the Lord. He will bless you.

The Journey: Genesis 2:1-3

The Journey: Genesis 1 - It All Begins with God

God's limitless power is beyond our comprehension, and it is on full display in the creation of the universe. Think about it, God created everything from nothing! He literally spoke it all into existence.

Science says matter can be neither created nor destroyed, yet, God in His infinite power, not only created matter, but spoke it into existence. The Bible teaches that God created all things, and He will destroy this present world before creating a new, perfect world.

To be honest, God's account of creation as recorded in Genesis 1 does not jive with popular science. In Genesis, there is light before the sun was created. There was water before dry land. There were fish and birds before mammals and land animals.

The most important thing we learn in Genesis 1 is Who God is.

IT ALL BEGINS WITH GOD.

Genesis 1:1 says "In the beginning, God created the Heaven and the Earth." In the beginning, before time was even invented, there was God. In fact, Genesis 1:5 teaches that God created time.

John 1:1 echoes the sentiment that God is the beginning of everything. John wrote, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." John shifted the attention of creation from God the Father to our Lord Jesus Christ, but you still see in this verse that God is there in the beginning, and all things begin with Him.

God is not only the beginning of the world and all the things in it, He is the beginning of everything in our lives. He is the beginning of us, for He created us. Jeremiah 1:5 says "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

God created Jeremiah to be a prophet. In the same way, He creates us with special talents and abilities to follow certain callings in our lives. However, the first step in following God's will for your life is to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. This is done by repenting of sin and trusting that Christ paid for your sin when He died on the cross. However, even salvation starts with God.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says that "It is by grace through faith that you are saved, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works lest any man should boast."

Following salvation, God calls us to the special area of service He has set aside for us. Ephesians 2:10 says "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." We are God's workmanship. He hand-crafted each of us to perform some sort of good work for him, and He fully expects us to use our talents and abilities for Him.

So, if we are going to do great things for God, we are going to have to stay close to Him. For John 15:5 says "He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit, for without Me, ye can do nothing." God gives us all of our talents and abilities. The closer we are to Him, the more He will bless our abilities, and the more we'll accomplish for Him.

Everything about us starts with God. Who we are, what we do, where we live, what our calling is, and how successful we are.

GOD IS CREATIVE.

Genesis 1:9-10 says "And God said, let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so. (10) and God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering together of the waters called He seas; and God saw that it was good."

The view from the top of Pike's Peak, the Grand Canyon, the Painted Desert and the Florida Everglades were all God's idea, and His creation. The same goes for the beaches of Southern California, Hawaii and the Caribbean.

Genesis 1:11 - "And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so."

Beautiful plants like roses and the great Redwood trees were God's idea and His creation.

Genesis 1:24 - "And God said, let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beasts of the earth after his kind, and it was so."

Horses, kangaroos, dinosaurs, cats, dogs, and all the magnificent creatures that may fascinate you were all God's idea, and they were His creation.

GOD INVESTED HIS PERSONALITY TRAITS INTO US.

Genesis 1:26 says "And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing thing that creepeth upon the earth."

God made us in His image, in His likeness, with His personality traits, like creativity, emotion, intelligence, and the ability to conquer. He gave us limited control over the earth, which is always subject to His will.

Genesis 1:31 says "God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day." God completed His creation, saw that it was good, then rested on the seventh day to bask in His greatness. Don't we do the same. When we complete a job or a project, don't we sit back for a moment and admire our work?

Hebrews 11:3 says "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

Do you believe God created the Heaven and the Earth in six days as is recorded in Genesis 1? If so, you have faith.

Watchmen (Ezekiel 3:16-21)

Casting a vision for "The Journey"

We Can All Get Along

Few things can disrupt fellowship between believers faster than disputes over religious practices. One believer doesn't feel comfortable drinking a bottled water in the sanctuary, the other one does. One believer wears a suit and tie to church, the other one doesn't. One believer will only consume Christian media, the other listens to secular music and watches regular TV. One believer votes Republican, the other votes Democratic. These are just a few small, trivial examples of practices that can divide brothers and sisters in Christ.

The one who drinks the bottled water in the sanctuary feels that the one who isn't comfortable doing so is being Pharisaical. The one who wears the suit and tie in church disdains the casual appearance of the other. The one who only consumes Christian media thinks the one who listens to secular music is rotting their brain. The Republican denounces the Democrat for voting for abortion, the Democrat denounces the Republican for voting for greed.

Is it possible that both parties could be right? Perhaps the one drinking the bottled water in the sanctuary knows that the sanctuary is not the Holy of Holies from the Temple, and sees the church building as just a place where the church meets. Conversely, the non-water drinker is abstaining from drinking bottled water in the sanctuary out of respect for God. The suit and tie wearer feels he is being respectful by dressing up for church, yet the casual dresser feels that God accepts him and sees beyond the Polo shirt.

The Bible addresses these divisions in Romans 14:5-9: 

5  One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. 6  He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. 7  For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. 8  For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. 9  For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. 

In the early church, some regarded certain holidays, others didn't. Some observed food restrictions, others didn't. However, Paul wrote that all were doing what they were doing for the Lord, and thus they should be left alone to do as they felt the Lord wanted them to do. 

The problem arises, however, when Christians feel the need to get their brothers and sisters in Christ to act just like they do. Paul addressed that attitude in Romans 14:4: 

Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. 

God is our master, and He is the one who will judge us. Our decisions on the finer points of practice (dress code, water bottles, music choice, etc,) will be addressed by God. If a believer's standards are not up to par, God has a way of getting them up to par (He shall be holden up, for God is able to make him stand.)

So, conduct yourself the way you believe God wants you to, whether it be by dress, entertainment, food choices, or voting habits. Let everyone else follow God as they feel He is directing them. If Christians will do this, we'll have peace and harmony in the church.

Something's Gotta Give

As I stand before the congregation leading Grace Pointe through the final verse of Bringing in the Sheaves, I can't help but feel conflicted, and see the conflicted nature of pastoral ministry, church ministry and church planting today. The conflicted nature doesn't have so much to do with the members' personalities (Grace Pointe enjoys a very close unity among its members), as much as the conflicted nature has to do with who the church is, and whom the church has been called to reach.

There are two groups that make up the congregation at Grace Pointe. There are the very young, and the seniors. As for reaching the 20-somethings to 40-somethings, we have not been very successful. Let me clarify. We have seen some 20-40 year olds saved, and some baptized, but few continue to be involved in the church. This happens for a number of reasons, including hectic work/family schedules, and the desire for downtime. However, those factors can be overcome to get young families into church.

As I look across the religious landscape in Brownwood, I see three churches that are excelling in bringing in young families and getting them involved. These churches have three common-denominators. (1) They are built on relationships. The young families who go there have friends there, and they feel at home in those churches. (2) These churches are not known for being dogmatic on doctrine. They tend to focus their teaching on the basic doctrines of Christ (repentance, faith, salvation, and trusting God through the storms of life). And (3) Like it or not, they have contemporary worship services.

The building of relationships takes time, and the relationship must be built out of a genuine love and concern for the other party, otherwise it is little more than a manipulative situation. We can not go building relationships for the sole purpose of building a church. If we do that, we will become guilty of using people and abusing them the same way other religious organizations have done for years. No, we must love people and be there for them, even if they feel at home at the church across the street.

As for the doctrine issue, I have found that those in the 20-40 age range have an appetite for doctrine, but don't necessarily accept or internalize it just because the preacher says so. If a doctrine is presented they disagree with, they typically will try to brush it aside in an effort to get along. If the preacher insists they accept it, they will probably be gone. The way I handle doctrinal issues is that I present them as they come up in the scriptures. I preach through books of the Bible, and when we reach passages of doctrine, I present it. The interesting thing about this approach is that you get a feel for which doctrines are God's priority, as those doctrines are presented most often in the scriptures. Do you have any idea which doctrine is presented the most in the scriptures (and by extension, is the most important to God?) Hint: It's not the Bride. When differences of belief on certain doctrines arise, if you can get back to the fundamentals of the faith and agree there, then you still have fellowship and no one gets their feelings hurt.

Then comes the contemporary worship issue. I have publicly opposed contemporary worship, not because of what it is, but rather the attitudes some people who have propagated it. Their attitudes of contempt toward the senior members of the church, and their proclamations that they couldn't worship in a traditional style were major turn-offs for me.

When I look out among the congregation of grey hair, and in some cases, no hair, I see a generation of people who not only contributed much of their lives and personal resources so that I could stand in a pulpit and preach, but I see a generation of people who built the country into what we know today. I also see a generation of people who have been left behind by our modern, technology driven, frenzied paced lifestyles.

But yet, they stay active in life, and in church. In some cases, church is the only thing that still seems normal, that still makes sense. Then comes the young, on-fire preacher who is going to totally turn the world upside down, and he tells them to sell the piano, get rid of the organ, burn the hymnals, and sing staring at a projection screen to the accompaniment of a praise band. It totally freaks them out, and with good reason.

Contemporary music makes sense to my generation, because it is what we've grown up with. When you grew up listening to Def Leppard, Belinda Carslile, or Third Eye Blind and Green Day, the praise band seems like rather tame, worshipful music. However, if you grew up to Bob Wills, Jimmie Davis, Johnny Cash, and even Buddy Holly and the Beatles, it can be downright disturbing.

To put it another way, what if your worship leader looked like Kesha or Lady Gaga? It'd freak you out. That's what contemporary worship looks like to these seniors. So, they oppose it. However, their opposition only fuels the fire of the proponents of contemporary worship, leading to a split in the church. Sometimes, the result of this split is two different churches. Other times, churches choose to have two, or three, separate worship services. In those scenarios, you have a segmented church membership that is not necessarily working as a body.

I love our seniors at Grace Pointe, and I look up to them. I definitely don't want to leave them in the dust of progress. At the same time, I realize that if we are to see younger families join and become active in our congregation, there are some methods that are going to have to change.

The question is, how do we adjust our methods for reaching people, and bring our established members along through the changes? How do we get them on board? How do we make them feel at home through the changes? If I can find the answer to those questions, then I'll be able to invite you to the dedication of our new state of the art worship facility. Until then, we meet at 1045 West Commerce in Brownwood, Texas, at 11 a.m. on Sunday mornings.

Is it a sin to... ?

Anyone who has been in ministry any amount of time has been asked questions that begin with, "Is it a sin to...?" Such questions range from, "Is it a sin to drink a beer?" to "Is it a sin to watch R rated movies?" "Is it a sin to get a divorce?" "Is it a sin to listen to (country, pop, rap, rock, etc) music?"

While I understand the motivation behind these questions (I even asked some of them myself when I was younger,) the fact is that if these are the questions we are asking, we are approaching our Christian walk the wrong way. You see, just about anything can be made a sin in man's eyes (whatsoever is not of faith is sin) and almost anything can be justified in man's eyes (all things are lawful unto me, but not all things expedient.) While these questions may be asked with pure intentions, often they can spark endless and futile debate.

The question is not, "Is it a sin to...?" or "Am I allowed to...?" but rather, "What does God want me to do?"

Ephesians 2:10 says "We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."

We are God's workmanship, which means that God created us. Not only did He create us, but He hand-crafted us. That's what workmanship is, it is hand-crafting. Every year, Detroit creates millions of cars, but they are not hand-crafted. They are not workmanship. God created the heavens and the earth, but He spoke them into existence. The heavens and earth are not God's workmanship. However, Genesis 2 says God formed man from the dust of the earth. He hand-crafted man.

Not only did he hand-craft Adam, the first man, but he forms all people in the womb. (Isaiah and Jeremiah both speak to this, specifically Jeremiah 1:5).

God created us, He created all of us, and He created all of us with a purpose.

We are created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. What this means is that God created us with a purpose, and once we are in Christ Jesus (meaning, once we know Jesus as our Savior), we can know and follow that purpose for which God has created us, and He expects us to follow that purpose.

So, while moving to California and renting a two-room flat in L.A. might not be a sin per se, doing that if God wants you to go to New York is a sin. The prophet Jonah was called by God to go to Nineveh. Jonah opted to go to Tarshish. Jonah's decision, seeing that it was the opposite of what God wanted, was a sin. Not following God's will for your life is a sin.

So the question is, "What does God want me to do?" Good question. That's the one you should be asking, not whether it is a sin to consume high fructose corn syrup.

"How do I find out what God wants me to do?" Prayer, spend time studying your Bible, and take time daily to meditate on the Lord and His Word.

God bless you as you seek God's will in your life.

Booze Stooge

Part of my job as news director for KOXE is to go to the Law Enforcement Center every morning and check the police reports for any possible incident that might make a good news story. While there is an occasional robbery, or string of vehicle burglaries, most of the incident reports have to deal with DUI violations, possession of small amounts of marijuana, or disorderly conduct often caused by excessive drinking. To be quite honest, if not for the alcohol-related offenses in the stack of police reports, there probably wouldn't be much news at all come out of the Brown County Law Enforcement Center.

To be quite honest, consuming alcohol is quite popular in America. When Jacksonville, Texas, voted to allow alcohol to be sold in stores, sales tax revenues jumped. At the store my father manages, the increased sales revenues allowed him to hire an assistant manager, thus making it posssible for him to take a day off. While many people drink socially without much problem, many others have their lives destroyed by their actions while under the influence of alcohol. Given the problems and social stigma that often accompany the consumption of alcoholic beverages, my practice is to counsel people to avoid consuming alcoholic beverages.

The Bible is very clear in regard to recreational drinking. Isaiah 5:11 says, "Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink, that continue until night, till wine inflame them." Isaiah 5:22 reiterates this by saying, "Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink."

People who engage in recreational drinking for the purpose of getting intoxicated are setting themselves up for disaster. Drunkeness is a sin, and it also creates situations that will not be easily resolved when the buzz wears off.

For that reason, and given the strength of alcoholic beverages today, I counsel people not to drink alcohol. (1) Despite it's popularity, recreational drinking does carry a social stigma. (2) Given the potential for recreational drinking to go too far, resulting in a drunken incident, I advise people to abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages. Why flirt with disaster? (3) Drinking alcoholic beverages does not help your relationship with Christ. You are not going to grow closer to the Lord by drinking.

Now, some will counter with the statement, "But the Bible doesn't forbid drinking." This is true, but if you are going through life trying to figure out what the Bible allows you to do, then you are approaching your relationship with God the wrong way. The question is not, "What can I do, and what can't I do?" but rather, "What should I be doing?" That's a topic for another day.

So, to sum up. Drinking is not expressly prohibited in scripture, but for a variety of reasons, I strongly advise against it.

Heart Like Mine - Secular Music Ponders Christ

Over the course of the past few months, Miranda Lambert's "Heart Like Mine" has rocketed up the country charts. It's a song that espouses Jesus' love for sinners, and the chorus proposes that Jesus would "understand a heart like mine."

Now I disagree with the premise that Jesus drank fermented wine, indulged in alcoholic beverages and engaged in behaviors that you would find in an East Texas pasture party. (They don't have pasture parties in West Texas, too big a fire hazard.) Still, this song touches the hearts of many people. Why?

Maybe it is because the song proclaims that Jesus loves sinners, and accepts sinners as they are. Maybe it touches that void that is left in a person when they don't know Christ. Maybe it gives the idea that a relationship with Christ can be a reality, despite a sinner's shortcomings. In that sense, I believe the song actually does a fairly decent job of explaining the personality of Jesus to lost people. Don't believe me? Let's look to the scriptures.

In Luke 15, Jesus has walked out of a Pharisee's meal, and sinners and publicans drew near to Him. The Pharisees criticized His association with sinners and publicans, but Jesus told them the parable of the lost sheep. Those lost sheep, the sinners and the publicans, were the ones he came to earth for.

1 Timothy 1:15 says "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." Jesus came to earth to save sinners. Why not? He loved sinners. Read the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John). Jesus was always with sinners and publicans. Why? Because He loved them.

Bro. Jim Slocumb told me during a recent missions conference that Jesus loved the sinners and the publicans, but He didn't partake of their sin. In reading the New Testament, any reasonable person would conclude the same.

I know in my presentation of the Gospel, and of the personality of Jesus Christ, I often omit this very principle, the love of Christ for sinners. Shame on me. All too often my focus is on how wretched we are because of our sin, and how we must repent and turn to Christ. All too often I tell that part without telling about the love Jesus has for sinners. Maybe this is why I fail to lead people to Christ, because I fail to introduce people to Christ. All I do is tell them about an experience I think they should have. Ironically, a secular country music song presents Jesus' personality (aside from the drinking of wine) better than I do.

It's important to remember the love Jesus has for sinners, because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23). Seriously, what makes any of us think we are pleasing to God? Why do you think you deserve to go to Heaven and inherit eternal rewards? Is it because you were faithful to your church, didn't listen to this sinful Country music like Bro. Leland, didn't smoke or drink, wore suits, lived a separated lifestyle from the world, and never watched TV? Hey, good for you! But remember on your best day, your actions still fall way short of God's glory. All our righteousness is as filthy rags before Him.

So, with that in mind, where do we find our blessed assurance? In the knowledge that Jesus loves us, and died for our sins on the cross so that we could have eternal life with Him in Heaven. How awesome is that!

Jesus loves you! If you have never turned from your sin and trusted Him as Savior, let today be your day of salvation. He doesn't want to bring you into some sort of restricted legalistic lifestyle. He wants a friendship with you that will last for all of eternity. All you have to do is accept that friendship.

Trust Christ to save you, not because of what you can do for Him, but because He took the punishment for your sin. If you trust in Him, you are saved.

Fellowship of Believers, Dividers over Doctrine

During a recent conversation with a dear brother in Christ, the question was raised,"How can so many brethren, who are saved, Spirit-led, committed to studying and standing for the scriptures, come to so many different conclusions on points of doctrine, and be so divided over that doctrine?"

The answer is actually quite simple. Men and women who come to know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior often begin their walk with Christ by attending church, Sunday School, Bible studies and doing their own personal devotions. This practice leads to an increased knowledge of the Word of God, increased faith, and an increased desire to defend the faith and stand on the truth of God's Word.

While this is good for Christian growth and maturity, there is a downside. The sin nature within us, with which we will struggle until the day we are reunited with Christ (in person), often skews or hinders our understanding of the scriptures. Also, our lack of total knowledge of the cultural and situational context can often affect the way we interpret scripture. So, despite the Holy Spirit's helping us understand scriptures, our sinful minds often pick up the wrong message.

Couple this problem with the fact that many who get to this level of study see anything other than what they believe as false doctrine, and you see divisions arise out of the finer points of doctrine.

Some have even gone as far as to take Amos 3:3 out of context to justify breaking fellowship with other believers over minor doctrinal points. Amos 3:3, which says "Can two walk together except they be agreed?" is not dealing with fellowship between believers over doctrinal issues, but rather can Israel and God walk together seeing how Israel continually rebels against God? To relate this to our modern society, can God fellowship with unrepentant sinners? The answer is obviously no.

Now, when we discuss minor points of doctrine, we are discussing doctrines like the timing of the rapture (pre-, mid- or post-tribulation), the Bride of Christ, and if properly understood, even more controversial doctrines.

So, what should be the basis for fellowship among believers? Some give five basic doctrines that all believers must agree on, and others say that the ABA doctrinal statement should be the basis for fellowship. While that may be well and good, these are still man-made lists. What is God's standard for men to fellowship with each other?

1 John 1:7 says "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, then we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin."

To walk in the light means to conduct ourselves the way God has taught us to in the Bible. God expects us to live by faith, to make ourselves available for His service, and to love others. If we are doing that, and we know Jesus as our Savior, then we have sufficient grounds for fellowship. Notice that this standard applies to fellowship between individual believers.

The person who breaks fellowship with everyone who doesn't believe exactly like he does will eventually find himself in a lonely, bitter and angry world. Don't be that person. Live by faith, fellowship with other believers, and let your joy be full (1 John 1:4).

Reformatting Again

Almost four years ago, I launched this blog to share my thoughts on theological issues as well as to journal my ministerial efforts in Brownwood, TX. Over the past four years, this blog has evolved from one of theological discussion, to missionary reporting, to current events analysis, to thoughts on life in general.

Today, I am taking this blog back to its roots. From here on out, the discussions will be about Biblical issues with occasional denominational issues thrown in. It is my hope that we return to what we had in 2008, where brothers and sisters in Christ could discuss Biblical topics with a spirit of love and learning.

Manufactured Holidays

Call me a Grinch, but there are only three holidays I really care about. The first is Easter (celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ), the second is Christmas (celebration of the birth of Christ) and the third is Thanksgiving (getting together with family and remembering how God has blessed us, even if annoying "in-laws" show up.)

Memorial Day, Veterans Day and Independence Day are also important to me as I am given the opportunity to remember how blessed I am to live in such a great country that has remained free due to the selfless sacrifice of men and women who died in combat. However, the latter three holidays have little effect on my daily routine. I still work and honor my responsibilities on those days.

However, on Easter, Christmas and Thanksgiving, I step back from the rat race (so to speak) and draw closer to my family and church. Scattered throughout the rest of the year are smaller holidays that appear as speed bumps in my daily routine, some of which are manufactured holidays.

The first manufactured holiday is New Years Day. Sure, a new year means a new beginning. However, when you wake up on January 1, you are still the same person with the same challenges as you were on December 31. Perhaps the changing of a calendar year gives you motivation to do things better, and if that works for you, then great! I'm still going to bed on time.

Then there's Valentine's Day. This holiday in particular gets my goat because the premise in marketing the sales on Valentine's Day is ridiculous. "Let her know you love her." Sure thing. It's not as if you can expect your wife to know you love her by your working two jobs, buying a home, fixing her car, supplying her needs, taking time to take her out on dates, and making sure she has the best life possible the other 364 days of the year. If you fail to go all-out on Valentine's Day, all that stuff will go out the window and she'll think you don't love her. Really? Please! (I'm thankful that Jessica actually "gets it." I do celebrate Valentine's with her, but she doesn't base our love on whether we have a "perfect romantic evening" that night.)

St. Patrick's Day is cool if you are in the third grade. Seriously, I'm 33. If you are over 18 and try to pinch me for not wearing green, you are responsible for what happens to you next.

Tax day is not a holiday. Even if you get a refund, you had to jump through hoops or pay a tax preparer to get it done.

Then there's Mother's Day. The premise is a good one. It's a day that we set aside to honor our mothers. However, often times the premise gets taken as far as the Valentine's premise. "If you don't do something super-special on this particular day, then you don't love your mother." Hogwash. I spend all year trying to do things to make my mother proud of me. On Mother's day, I have to officiate church services and do the ministerial thing. I'll give Mom a call. Would I celebrate with her if I were back home, sure thing. But just because I don't paste a Facebook status, write a big gushy blog post, send a card, and preach a sermon on how great mothers are, doesn't mean I don't love my mother. So there.

I have no problem observing and even enjoying these holidays. The only problem I have is that so many of our holidays honor ourselves. We want to celebrate our history, culture, love lives, family members, veterans, etc. When these holidays roll around, we want church services to center around them. So, a service that is meant to honor God gets reworked to honor man. It doesn't set well with me.

In the Bible, the holidays ALL centered around God. There were holidays that commemorated God delivering His people from their oppressors, or that celebrated how God reconciled Himself to man by atoning for man's sin. We don't celebrate that way in America.

So what am I getting at here? Celebrate what you want and have a good time. However, don't expect me to preach holiday-themed sermons at Grace Pointe, and don't look for that "My mother was so great blah blah blah repost this if you agree" statement on my facebook page. If you want to, go ahead. I won't think any less of you for it. My calling, however, is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and teach people about God. Sundays are about Him, not us, our position, nor our accomplishments.

Happy Mother's Day. Tell Mom you love her, then go to church and worship God.

God Arranges Perfect Easter Weekend

Jessica on top of Enchanted Rock, looking as pretty as ever.

Sometimes, God puts the right touch on things.

Easter Weekend was a mixture of beautiful weather, great times with friends, and much needed rain. Saturday for the Acker family was marked by a trip to Enchanted Rock with friends of ours. The weather was clear and beautiful, and though the weather was warm for an April afternoon, the shade over the picnic table provided the perfect setting for lunch with our friends.

We hiked up the side of the mountain, frantically trying to keep up with kids who do not have the same trouble with gravity we do, enjoyed the view, explored the cave and took pictures. Down we hiked to a picnic snack before doing some shopping in Fredericksburg. The Fredericksburg Bakery and Fountain still hand-dips Blue Bell Ice Cream, a much welcome treat on such a warm day. Following our adventure in Fredericksburg, we returned to Brownwood, only to find that it had rained two inches. Hallelujah! Much needed rain to get our grass growing again.

Eagles sculpted from a tree on the
courthouse square in Fredericksburg.

Sunday saw beautiful services at Grace Pointe while precious rain fell outside. The really cool part about the rain is it seemed to fall at just the right times... no Easter Egg hunts were cancelled, no sunrise services rained out, Saturday afternoon activities went unhindered. Yet the rain came, falling at just the right times to give us the much needed moisture while not interrupting our much needed family time.

If God's way of mixing beautiful weather with much needed and well-timed rain doesn't illustrate Romans 8:28, then I don't know what does. How was your Easter weekend?

Wednesday Night World of Blessings

Kids work on their crafts during a Wednesday night class
at Grace Pointe Missionary Baptist Church in Brownwood.

Growing up in Jacksonville, Texas, Wednesday nights were a special time. Our youth group would meet at church at 6 p.m., with the boys participating in the Galileans program, and the girls joining the Girls' Auxiliary. Both programs trained up the youth for future church service. Though I was not yet a Christian, I attended the Galileans, and even advanced in their program. The things I learned in that program came to life when I was later saved and surrendered to the ministry.

Today, Wednesday night attendance at churches is sparse. At Grace Pointe Missionary Baptist Church, we are likely to have 20 in attendance, but 15 of those in attendance will be children. Most of the children receive rides to church by youth volunteers (namely, my wife). We are blessed at Grace Pointe to have a man who teaches the adults while my wife and I teach the children.

The decline in Wednesday night attendance is due mostly to a cultural shift. As time goes on, life goes faster, and people as having trouble finding the time to go to church. Children have a myriad of activities, and Wednesday nights are no longer off limits to baseball/softball practice, school athletic events, drama practice or other extra-curricular activities. I'm not trying to stir controversy, just stating how things are.

Despite the things that compete for the time, hearts and minds of people, some churches are still enjoying good attendance on Wednesday evenings. Some churches have begun having fellowship meals on Wednesday evenings, and others focus on auxiliary and Bible club meetings. Even if attendance is not very high, Wednesday night services can still offer church members the opportunity to fellowship during the week and get a little more Bible study accomplished.

At Grace Pointe, we are entering an exciting new chapter in our Wednesday night services. Bro. B.R. Teague has begun teaching the adults while Jessica and I teach the kids. Starting next week, we will unveil a new program entitled, "Jesus, the One and Only," an in-depth study of the life of Christ for kids in First through Sixth Grades. This is exciting. After getting to teach ALL of the kids tonight, I have learned that they know a lot about the Bible. Jessica has done well.

Do you attend church on Wednesdays? Does your church offer any Wednesday night services/programs?

Wednesday night services at Grace Pointe begin at 6:30 p.m.