Bravely Onward!

 Last week my family read a fictional story about children who visited a palace in ancient Egypt. The children were stunned by the wealth and magnitude of the home. Seeing the luxury that the wealthy Egyptians enjoyed, they asked one another, "Would you wish that you could live here in such extravagance?" One of the children replied, "Not at all." The others were surprised at the response and asked, "Why not?" The child who answered spoke up and said, "Have you seen the sad faces of the Egyptian children? They have everything in the world, but it's still not enough. They never lift a finger. Only servants tend to their clothing and belongings. The servants cook all their meals. The children look bored and dissatisfied."  Christians today can suffer in the same way as these Egyptian children. Many Christians see their faith as a religion where God exists to give them what they want. They see the church as a place to go to receive goods and ser...

2021 was a fruitful year in the life of our church. So many in our congregation were bold for the gospel and took leaps in their obedience to Christ (e.g. 83 people in our church shared the gospel 918 times). Looking to 2022, there is another opportunity for dramatic growth as we serve the Lord together.  For the sake of Christ and for our spiritual growth, I want to give you a big ask. Would you commit to do the following list with me? For many, this list will be uncomfortable and probably unpopular. For others, it may be one of those lists that we will give a nod to, but then hope everyone forgets about it. Yet, those who commit to reach for it will likely experience profound growth in Him.  Living out the lifestyle outlined below will only be possible by the power of God in us through Christ. We will need each other and accountability for the items listed below to become habits and convictions. But will you try with me? Will you commit to live this out with me? I hope you w...

Just recently I heard the following song "All Glory Be To Christ" sung by a Branson blue grass group named The Petersens (written by Kings Kaleidoscope). You can hear it at  https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=ch-99N24fc4&feature=share . You can read the lyrics here (it goes to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne."):  Should nothing of our efforts stand No legacy survive Unless the Lord does raise the house In vain its builders strive To you who boast tomorrow's gain Tell me what is your life A mist that vanishes at dawn All glory be to Christ! All glory be to Christ our king! All glory be to Christ! His rule and reign will ever sing All glory be to Christ! His will be done His kingdom come On earth as is above Who is Himself our daily bread Praise Him the Lord of love Let living water satisfy The thirsty without price We'll take a cup of kindness yet All glory be to Christ! All glory be to Christ our king! All glory be to Christ! His rule and reign will ever sing...

This weekend we give gifts to one another in honor of the birth of Christ our Savior. This is one of the most exciting parts of Christmas, especially for the kids. Last week, a little girl told me that she hopes to get a pony for Christmas and I know a little boy who wants a fiddle. We all like to receive meaningful and special gifts, however we must realize that no material gift can compare to the gift of Christ.  The richness of Christmas comes with understanding what we receive through faith in Jesus Christ. We receive pardon of our crimes toward God. We become adopted into God's family and become heirs to the inheritance of heaven. We also receive eternal life and the promise that we will be with God forever, enveloped by His goodness and glory. There are many other rich and substantial blessings we receive through Christ, the greatness of which we cannot fathom. Really, there is nothing under that tree that comes close to what we receive in Christ. It is also rich to consider ...

As Christians mature they become less focused on themselves and more concerned with others. This is the Christian way. This is at the core of Christ's teaching and life.  Jesus taught this: " Do to others as you would have them do to you ."   (Luke 6:31) " Love your neighbor as yourself ."  (Mark 12:31) Jesus demonstrated this:  "By this we know love, that He laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers ."  (1 John 3:16) Paul taught this:  "Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor...Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality...Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another . " (Romans 12:10, 12, 13, 15, 16) It's a beautiful thing to watch believers grow in love and care for one another. God puts in our heart the desire to do this. He also provides the church as a context to practice caring for one anot...

Imagine this: Crisis strikes your family. You are unsure how things will turn out, but one thing you do know is that you need the Lord's help. Who do you call for prayer? For some, this may be an easy question. For others, this question draws a blank because you don't have a lot of praying friends or family.  This scenario is one of the reasons why it is so important for you to be engaged in a growth group. Growth groups provide an opportunity for Christian community, and this involves praying for one another. You will know if you are in a good group if the members take prayer seriously and regularly and fervently pray for one other (and not just during emergencies). Prayer is talking with God. Prayer is expressing faith. When we pray for each other, we are talking to God for one another. E.M. Bounds says, " Talking to men  for  God  is a great thing, but  talking to God  for  men  is greater still."  When we pray for one another, we show we ...

Church Family,  Tomorrow (Wednesday, December 1st), the supreme court of our country will hear oral arguments for the case of  Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health , which is a challenge against the State of Mississippi's 15-week abortion ban. Those of us who mourn the reality of legal abortion in our country hope that the ban is upheld by the court. Further, we view this case as an opportunity to return decision-making regarding the legality of abortion to the states. Once returned, states could decide for themselves, throug h their own legislative processes, if abortion should be allowed and to what degree. We hope that the decision of the court will allow states to make abortion illegal and save the lives of millions of unborn children.  As believers in Jesus Christ, who trust the Bible for what to believe and how to act, it is clear that children in the womb belong to the Lord and are the result of His creative work. Psalm 139:13-14 says:        ...