The Peanut Butter Shot

A few years ago, our family discovered this shop in Florida that made incredible cupcakes.  They were "out of this world" delicious.  And there was one item in particular that really became a favorite of ours:  a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter icing.  I remember thinking "I hope they have these in Heaven."

 

Every now and then, I would do something else.  When I went into that shop to pick up something, I'd get a "peanut butter shot".  It was the peanut butter icing in a small cup without the cupcake.  Basically, I was enjoying one part of the experience and leaving out the other.

 

If we're not careful, we can do the same thing with the Bible.  I'm talking about enjoying some parts of scripture and ignoring other parts.  Think about it...

 

It's possible to focus on God's forgiveness and leave out God's call to righteousness.

It's possible to focus on God's love and leave out God's wrath.

It's possible to focus on God's grace and leave out God's discipline.

It's possible to focus on God's Heaven and leave out Satan's hell.

 

Just like I would occasionally enjoy the icing and leave out the cupcake, people some times feast on the portions of scripture that delight, and leave out the selections that convict.  This picking and choosing with God's Holy Word is not good for us on a spiritual level.  We need all of the Bible.  Every bit of it.  The parts that soothe us, and the parts that sting us.  Scripture is to be read, absorbed, and followed in its entirety. 

 

I could occasionally get away with enjoying the icing and ignoring the cupcake.  But we don't get to do that with scripture.  God never gave us that option.

 

Be "whole Bible" in your Christian walk.  Take it all in.  And then live it out.  Besides, the Word of God is a healthy feast of life-changing wisdom and divine power that will make your life so much better.  You'll never regret feasting on the whole book.

Coffee, C.C., And Me

C.C. is a guy I work with at the funeral home.  He's a fine fellow.  And I always enjoy his company.

The other night, we were at a visitation when he asked me to make him a cup of coffee.

Now here's the deal:  I don't drink coffee.  And I've never made a cup of it either.  Coffee is just not my thing.

Because of that, I was not too thrilled when he made his request.  "C.C., I don't know how to make you a cup of that," was my reply.  "Oh come on, you've watched others do it tonight.  Just try it and make me a cup."  After a while, I gave in.  "Fine, I'll give it a shot."  Then and there I produced my first ever cup of coffee.

When I handed it to C.C., he took a sip and looked surprised.  "This is really good!", said my friend.  He actually enjoyed it.  He liked it so much, that the next morning when he arrived back at work, he said to me, "Hey, how about make me another cup of that coffee."

Oh brother.  I've created a monster.  Ha!

Sometimes we are surprised at what we can do.  Our accomplishments, big or small, may shock us.  We just never know what we are capable of.

But we should never be surprised at what God can do.  His power is unlimited.  Simply put, God can do anything.  Seriously.  ANYTHING.

Jeremiah 32:17 is where we read, "Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.  Nothing is too hard for you."  Then, in Luke 1:38, an angel tells Mary, "...nothing is impossible for God."  Finally, in Matthew 19:26, we read these words:  "With God, all things are possible." 

All throughout the scriptures we see the unlimited abilities of God.  His strength is flat out amazing.  God boggles our minds with His divine power.

Find comfort in knowing this.  The God of heaven and earth can more than handle anything you're facing.  Nothing is a challenge for Him.  So, talk with Him about whatever struggles you're having.  With a heart full of faith, hand your problems to Him.  And know, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that He's extra qualified to deal with it. 

I was surprised at what I could do with C.C.'s coffee.  But we should never be surprised at what God can do.  His abilities are quite simply incredible. 

Sunday Night Rewind - 11/15/15

*  Revival services are going on this week here at New Calvary Baptist Church.  Dr. Tim Sieberhagen is preaching the messages, and things are going really well.

*  This morning he preached on the church needing the presence of God more than it needs anything else.  It is God's presence that draws people in and builds them up.  May we allow God's presence to take over His church.

*  Tonight he preached on the New Testament church.  The scripture we focused on was Acts 2.  Specifically, Tim addressed matters such as scripture, prayer, and showing grace to others.



*  We will have revival services here at New Calvary from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of this week.  Everyone is welcome to come join us for this special time of worship. 

*  Our church family is participating in Operating Christmas Child again this year.  People brought in their shoeboxes today and we prayed over them.  Our desire is for the gifts to bless whoever receives them.  

*  I'm proud of how this congregation steps up to the plate time after time and helps out those who are hurting.  They really are a caring church family. 

*  Yesterday, I officiated a wedding for my friends, Daniel and Amy.  They looked great and were obviously happy to begin their married life together.  It was a pleasure for me to be a part of their big day.

*  They are a neat couple, and I wish them all the best!

*  Kipper Edens Ackerman played the harp and piano yesterday for the wedding.  She did really well.  Once again she proved to be a talented musician.

*  Best football game I watched this weekend:  Oregon vs. Stanford.  The Ducks looked impressive and won a thriller.  Emerson and I enjoyed this game the most on Saturday.

That's it for tonight.  Thanks for checking out the blog.  I'll have more new posts up this week, so feel free to check in any time. 

Little Things

I turned 45 years old recently.  That night, my family threw a party with cake, ice cream, and presents.  We all had a great time.

After the party, my young son, Emerson, handed me a bag.  Inside was some wadded up notebook paper.  I carefully opened up the paper and found a little Lego man inside.  My boy then said, with a smile on his face, "Happy Birthday, Dad.  I hope you like it."  I hugged him and replied, "Thanks buddy!  I love it."  And I meant that.  It's on my dresser and will remain there.

He's a kid who is too young to work or earn money.  So he did the best he could with what he had.  In his room he picked out something that meant a lot to him, and he chose to bless me with it.  Though small in size, the gift truly was meaningful.  And it still is.

Little things can mean a lot.  When we have love and goodwill in our hearts, even the smallest gesture from us has the potential to bring sunshine into the life of someone else.  At that moment, God can take a little thing and make it a big thing.

Smile at someone today.  Open a door for a lady.  Take the kids or grandkids outside and play with them.  Thank a waitress for serving you that meal.  Tell your wife she is beautiful and you love her.  Slow down and listen when an elderly person shares with you a story about the good old days.  Express gratitude to your husband for working and providing for the family.  Visit someone who is not doing well physically.  

When you do things like these, you'll be reminded of the power in little things.  It's the tiny deeds and gifts that can sometimes mean the most.  And we may bring more of a blessing into someome else's life than we realize.  Just like Emerson's Lego gift did for me.

When Brother Jay Was There

A few years ago, I served as the pastor of First Baptist Church in Sebring, Florida.  They were (and still are) a fine church.  One Sunday morning, I had a lot on my mind as I walked into the sanctuary.  And I guess it showed.

Brother Jay saw it.  He was a former pastor of First Baptist, and he still attended there with his wife and family.  Furthermore, he was one of the finest men I've ever met. 

Anyway, he saw me walk up to the platform a few minutes before the service started.  I sat down and waited for things to begin.  Then, Brother Jay got out of his seat and walked up to the platform where I was seated.  He sat down beside me and patted my knee.  He said nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  But he sat there with me.  It was as if his actions said, "I'm here, and I care."  Then after a moment, he looked at me, smiled, and returned to his seat without opening his mouth.  I felt so much more at ease after that experience.  It really meant a lot to me.  And I'll always remember that moment.

Sometimes in life, we see people hurting.  And one of the best things we can do for them, is just be there.  They don't need a sermon, pep-talk, or old, wore out clichés from us.  Really, more than anything else, they just need to know we care and we are with them.

It's the ministry of presence.  Simply being beside someone is what this is all about.  And I can tell you from personal experience, it means a lot to people.

Is someone you know hurting today?  Go see them.  Be there.  And it's ok if you don't know what to say.  Your presence alone will mean more to them than you can imagine.

Worship In The Sunshine And The Rain

Our town's newspaper, The Sumter Item, ran a story on November 7, 2015 about how the recent flood has affected this area.  Jackie is one of the women featured in the article.  On October 4, 2015, she noticed water coming into her home because of the heavy rains outside.  That afternoon her residence was knee deep in water, and she had to leave.  She lost everything, except for a few article of clothing.  Since then, people have stepped up to help her in various ways.  My favorite part of the story is when Jackie told writer Rick Carpenter, "In everything I've been through, I know God has blessed me."

Wow!  That's inspiring.  What a perfect response to tough times.

Her experience reminds me of a Bible story.  In the Old Testament we read about a man named Job.  One day, he lost everything.  His material possessions, his family, and his livestock were all taken away from him.  It was a devastating blow!  Then we see Job doing this in chapter 1, verses 20-21:  "At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head.  Then he fell to the ground in worship, and said:  'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart.  The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.  May the name of the Lord be praised.'" 

Job did two things.  First, he grieved.  He allowed himself to experience the emotional journey of sadness and anger after his tragedy.  Second, he worshipped.  He recognized the authority of God and praised Him for it. 

Jackie and Job both realized something:  Just as God is worthy of worship in the good times, He is also worthy of worship in the hard times.  Whether the sun is shining or the rains are falling, God is still good and deserving of our praise.  Yes, it's good and healthy to express our pain and walk through the journey of grief.  We need to do that as part of our healing process.  And at the same time, it's also beneficial to adore our God.  Tears may run down our face as we lift up our hands, but that's ok.  In worshipping God, we are giving Him the praise He is due, and we are reminding ourselves how good He is to us even in the midst of adversity.

God is good.  He blesses us with His presence, peace, and power regardless of how life is going.  So let's remember the examples set by Jackie and Job.  Let's praise our God whether the sky is sunny or the clouds are dark.

Sunday Night Rewind - 11/8/15

*  A big crowd with many visitors showed up today here at New Calvary Baptist Church.

*  I love seeing new faces on Sundays!

*  This morning I preached on "What God Wants From Us" out of Micah 6:6-8.  You can read that scripture by clicking HERE.  My points were that God wants us to [1] Treat people right, [2] Help the hurting, [3]  Remember our place.

*  Our choir started working on this year's Christmas Cantata and I have been recruited to sing and narrate it.  This afternoon we checked it out for the first time.  I really like what we're doing.  Here is what we're singing:

*  Tonight I led our church in the first session of a new study called "The God You're Looking For".  It's based on a book by Bill Hybels.  In our 6:00 pm service I taught about God knowing everything.  Obviously, He does know it all, and this includes our [1] secrets, [2] scars, and [3] service.  And it's a good thing He knows everything!

*  Can I brag on my Emerson for just a minute?!  He received an award today for "Most Improved Player" on his football team.  The Chargers gave him some love, and we all are extremely proud of him.  At the start of this season, he was unsure of himself.  But he hung in there and got better as the season progressed.  What a thrill it is for us to see him rewarded for his efforts.  Here is a picture from today of Emerson and his head coach:

*  "Spectre" is pretty good.  I saw it Friday night.  But I still think "Skyfall" is the best James Bond movie I've ever seen.

*  Those Clemson Tigers are looking like a National Championship team.  They just keep winning.

*  Our Carolina Gamecocks sure have had a tough season this year.  Hopefully the winning ways will return soon.  I'm sure it's tough on those players dealing with these losses. 

*  I've seen more rain this year in South Carolina than I've ever seen before.  This is amazing. 

*  Revival services begin next Sunday here at New Calvary Baptist Church.  My good buddy, Dr. Tim Sieberhagen, will be preaching the sermons.  I'm really excited about this. 

That's it for tonight.

God's been mighty good to me and I'm really thankful.

I'll have plenty of new blog posts this week, so feel free to check back in anytime!

Beautiful Wedding. Wrong Name.

It was a beautiful wedding.  But I used the wrong name.  Yeah, I did that.

A few years back I officiated a wedding in Sebring, Florida.  The service was just beginning.  We all stood as the lovely bride walked down the church aisle with her father.  I asked everyone to be seated, did a brief welcome, and began the service.  

Then, it happened.

While I was talking, the bride gave me a look.  I stopped, leaned her way, and listened to her whisper these words:  "You're calling me by the wrong name."  My heart froze.  I could not believe I did that during a wedding in front of all those people.

Fortunately, we all got a good laugh out of it.  She was a good sport.  And we continued the service as I made sure to get her name right the rest of the way.

Sometimes we humans mess up names.  It happens with us.  But not with God.

God is spectacular with names!

He knows the stars by name.  All of them!  That's pretty amazing considering there are more stars in the sky than we can count.  Psalm 147:4 tells us "He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name."  Simply incredible, isn't it?!

He also knows His people by name.  Every single one of them.  In John 10:3, we read this about a shepherd:  "he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out."  Then, in verse 14 of that same chapter, we hear Jesus say "I am the Good Shepherd, and I know my own."  Jesus is drawing a comparison here.  Just as a shepherd knows His sheep, Jesus knows His people.

See, God knows more than just our names.  Way more!  He knows our thoughts, personalities, hopes, fears, dreams, and concerns.  This is because we matter to Him.  He watches us closely and cares about us deeply.

It's comforting to know.  People can mess up our names and misunderstand our hearts.  But Almighty God knows our names perfectly and understands our hearts precisely.  And that's just one more reason why a relationship with Him, through His Son Jesus Christ, is such a special blessing.

Let God be at the center of your life.  You'll never regret it.  He already knows your name and everything else about you.  And He will more than treat you right.   That sounds like a mighty good deal, doesn't it?!

New Calvary Cookie Ladies

A group of ladies here at New Calvary Baptist Church have decided to do something kind for local schools.  They are making cookies and delivering them to different places each month to bless a faculty and staff.  In addition to giving them a delicious treat, our ladies leave a note of encouragement and appreciation for all the hard work these ladies and gentlemen do in Sumter's schools.  Today they took cookies to Alice Drive Elementary School and Cherryvale Elementary School.

 

Pictured below are just a few of the ladies who are participating in this project.  There are plenty of others who gladly lend in a hand in this awesome work.  Check out their smiling faces and some of the cookies they are delivering.

Seeing this good ministry project reminds me of a scripture passage.  I John 3:18 tells us "Dear children, let us not love with words or speech, but with actions and in truth."  The writer is explaining that love is more than lip service.  It is a helpful deed that blesses someone.

 

I can tell you all day long that I love you.  And that's ok.  But REAL love is when I spring into action and do something that makes a positive impact on your life. 

 

Think about it.  There are hungry people to feed, homeless people to shelter, hurting people to comfort, lonely people to befriend, and lost people to evangelize.  If we truly care about people like we say we do, we will act on their behalf.

 

Let's show love in our homes.  And then we can demonstrate it in our businesses, churches, and communities.  If there's one thing this world needs, it is a lot more love.  And we are the ones who can share it!

 

Many thanks to the New Calvary Cookie Ladies!  Y'all are great.  I appreciate you reminding us that real love is more than words.  It's action.

Oh @&$# !!! Thoughts On Profanity.

Let's talk about profanity.  Cussing.  Using foul language.

 

Yes, I have cussed before.  I'd be lying if I acted like I haven't.  So I do need to own up to that. 

 

And I bet a lot of you have at least some experience in this as well.

 

During high school in the mid 80's, I worked at Simpson's Hardware here in Sumter.  Specifically, I spent my time in the garden center.  One day I watched this young kid, who was standing by his dad, drop something on the ground.  Then he cussed out loud.  "What did you say?", asked his dad.  I thought to myself that this kid might get the spanking of a lifetime right there in front of me.  The kid looked at his dad and repeated what he said.  Then the dad beamed with pride at his son, rubbed his head with a smile, and said, "That's my boy!"  Wow!  I was stunned.  That's not what I was expecting.

It seems to be everywhere these days.  Even some of the "cool" preachers do it.  Men, women, boys, and girls curse and swear openly without any sense of remorse.  Some do it out of habit.  Others do it to be shocking or funny.  And there are those who do it when they are hurting or frustrated.

 

So, what does God think about this?  Does He care how we talk? That's definitely worth considering.

 

Here are a few passages of scripture:

 

"But now you must put them all away:  anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth."  Colossians 3:8

 

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."  Ephesians 4:29

 

"Let there be no filthiness, nor foolish talk, nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving." Ephesians 5:4

 

The above scripture passages weave together a clear message about our daily vocabulary.  What needs to be set aside is "obscene talk", "corrupting talk", "filthiness", "crude joking", and speech that is "out of place."  Instead, the words we use should be "building up" others and granting "grace to those who hear."  Also in our language "let there be thanksgiving" for what God has done for us.   

 

Look, I don't think we need to be legalistic here and come up with some sort of list about what's appropriate to say and what's not.  And I sure don't think any of us needs to become "language police" who blow a whistle and dish out a rebuke every time someone drops a verbal bomb of some sort.  But I do think we all (including me) would do well to think before we speak.  Also, it should be noted by every one of us that God does indeed care about the language we use.

 

Let's use words that honor our Lord.

 

Let's use words that stir noble thoughts in the minds of others.

 

Let's use words that are becoming of a Christian.

 

May God help us with our daily speech.  His forgiveness can cleanse us from our inappropriate words.  And His Spirit can help our language be much more positive and Christ-like.  After all, we have a witness to maintain and an example to set.  Yes, our words do indeed matter to God.  And they need to matter to us.