KEEP PRAYING FOR CHRIS AND WENDY PLEASE...

Today begins another day of testing for Chris to see where he stands concerning the injury and his breathing.  Today is also another important day for Wendy and her family.  Please pray for courage, patience, strength, and faith to abound in each of these families...

DISCOVER YOUR TOP THREE SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Here is a link to a spiritual gift test that I have used on many occasions... http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_PDF_Discover_Your_Spiritual_Gifts.pdf

If you are a member of our church, Rolling Fork Baptist Church, please download this survey, fill it out, and give it to me next Sunday.  This way we will have a better understanding what area of ministry God would want you to get involved in.
When you fill out the survey, check your first response.  Don't try to figure out what you should put down... mark the answer suits you best.  You can't pass or fail this 'test'.  And once you discover your top three spiritual gifts, please remember that you have to learn how to use those gifts to m.

PRAY FOR OUR SAFETY ON THE HIGHWAY

Two families that I know are going through the worry and stress of having a loved one involved with a car accident.  The first one was Wendy Nall and the second one was Chris Miracle (pictured above on the right with his brother, Matthew).  Both are still hospitalized and definitely needing prayers.  Will you join us in praying for these two families??

PRAYING FOR A CURE...

I am sure that almost everyone has known someone who has fought the battle against cancer... some are still fighting the battle against it and some have been healed from cancer.  Then there are those who are no longer with us here in this life... people like my dad (pictured on the right).  My dad died at the young age of 52 years young while trying to overcome cancer.  I can't tell you how much I miss my dad.  He was my friend and a great role model for my brother, Brian, and myself.  In addition to my dad, I have had several friends go to war with cancer.

I applaud the people who gone through the treatments, the sickness, the fears, and the weakness but now have been able to regain their lives.  I am also so impressed to see so much pink all around us... pink shirts, shoe strings, hats, you name it.  Even Kentucky Fried Chicken buildings!  Not that I like that color but I appreciate what it stands for.  So let's keep praying for our friends, family members, and everyone else is going through cancer.  I invite to you list your loved ones in the comment area below as we pray for a cure. Amen?  Please feel free to indicate beside each name if they are survivors, currently fighting cancer, or have passed away.

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO GET TO THE 'ROMANS ROAD'?

If someone asked you how they could become a Christian, one approach that has been used for years is called the Romans Road.  It's a series of verses from the book of Romans that lead us from why we need Jesus to how we receive His love and forgiveness.  An easy way for you to use this approach would be to write the first passage of scripture on the inside front cover so you could find it very easily in case you forgot where you would find the first verse of the Romans Road which is Romans 3:23.

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, Romans 3:23 (ESV)  Everyone of us have done things that are wrong in our lives... things like tell a lie, steal something, or anything else that the Bible describes as sin.  The Bible teaches us in several places that sin deserves a punishment.  Beside the verse 3:23, write 6:23 to help you find the next verse on the Romans Road...

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (ESV)  What a punishment for sin!  Death!  But notice in this verse that there is an alternative... a "free gift" that is "eternal life".  The greatest gift you could ever receive is the gift of Jesus Christ into your life.  Eternal life is only found through Jesus Christ but you may wonder how did God make this gift possible for you and for me.  Beside 6:23, write 5:8 in the margin...

8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 (ESV)  In spite of all of the sin that we have committed, God loved everyone of us so much that He paid the price for our sin.  That price was death and the One who died was God's only Son, Jesus.  Jesus died on a cross like a criminal even though He had not committed even one sin.  He took my place.  He took your place.  It should have been our crosses but the Bible says that Jesus paid the price in full. So what do we need to do in order to receive this free gift of eternal life?  Go to our next verse to find that answer (write 10:9-10 in the margin beside 5:8)

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)  We often teach the "A,B,C's" of becoming a Christian which is based on the verses you just read.  A is for admit... we have to admit that we are sinners.  B is for believe... we have to believe that Jesus is God's Son who died for us, was raised three days later, and now sits in heaven beside God praying for you and me.  And C is for confess... if we confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, we can be forgiven of all of our sins and have Jesus as the new Leader of our lives.  But you may wonder if anyone can be saved.  Write 10:13 in your margin and read the final passage of our Romans Road...

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13 (ESV)  "Everyone"... man, woman, boy or girl.  Anyone who realizes that they are sinners can find eternal life in Jesus.  In order to admit that we are sinners, something has to happen in order for us to realize that we are in trouble and that is what the third Person of the Trinity does for us.  Maybe you have heard the phrase, "God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit".  The Holy Spirit is the One who helps us recognize and admit that we have sinned.  It is the Holy Spirit who leads us to the truth that Jesus died for us and it is the Holy Spirit who enables us to call Jesus our Lord and Savior.

So what do you do with all of these verses?  If you or the person you are sharing these verses with are ready to admit that you or they have sinned and if you or they are ready to ask Jesus to come in to your lives as the Forgiver and Leader of your life,  then pray a prayer like this...

"Lord, I admit that I am a sinner and I believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sins.  Please forgive me of all of my sin and come into my life as my personal Forgiver and Leader of my life.  Thank you for saving me.  In the name of Jesus, Amen."

If you or your friend prayed this prayer and meant what you said, then you have just made the greatest decision you have ever made and there is a celebration in heaven going on because you just became part of the family of God.  Now to help you keep that commitment, find a church to help you learn more about how to grow as a new Christian.  Congratulations for making the best decision you could ever make!

HERE'S THE CHURCH AND HERE'S THE STEEPLE...

Here's the church
Here's the steeple
Open the doors
And here's all the people.

Do you remember bringing your hands together and saying that while you made a double-fist for the church... both index fingers came up for the steeple... and all of your fingers inside were the people? Unfortunately, the poem has been changed by the lifestyles of today's people...

Here's the church
Here's the steeple
Open the doors...
Where's all the people?

Even though we have nice church buildings with heating and air, instruments and sound systems to provide beautiful music, and preachers/teachers who want to help people be more like Jesus, something is missing... PEOPLE.
Too many times we act like James Earl Jones was talking to us when he said in that baseball movie, "Build it and they will come."  It might work for a baseball stadium, not necessarily for the church.  Just because we have a building to meet in, that doesn't mean people are going to start rushing in.
So what do we do about this?  We start BEING the church instead trying to get people to come TO church.
The church is not an 'IT', the church is a 'WHO'.  WE who are belivers and followers of Jesus Christ are the church.  And if the people won't come to the place where we worship, then we must 'take' the church to where the people are. 
In Matthew 28, Jesus said, Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matt 28:19-20 (ESV)  He didn't say, 'Wait and they will come.'  So when you go to work or school, the gas station or the store, remember that you ARE part of the church and share God's love with the people you meet...

WHAT LANGUAGE ARE YOU SPEAKING?

Here's a passage of scripture that I was studying this morning...
6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language.

7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?
8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?
Acts 2:6-8 (ESV)

People who were not Christians were hearing the message that Jesus came to give us life IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGE.  Not the disciples' code words they had learned while hanging out together.  They were not using the fancy words that made them sound smarter than everyone else.  They were speaking the language that other folks would understand.
When you talk to somebody about Jesus and what He has done for you (and yes, you are supposed to be doing that), do you use big fancy words that they don't understand or do you make sure that they understand what you are saying ... do they understand why they need Jesus Christ in their lives?

IF THEY CAN'T REPEAT IT, THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT.
IF THEY CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT, THEY CAN'T APPLY IT. 
IF THEY CAN'T APPLY IT, THEY CAN'T LIVE IT.
GOT IT?

"WHAT'S HER NAME?"

If someone calls you by the wrong name, you notice it right away, don't you?  And when somebody that you just met remembers your name and uses it throughout your conversation, you are impressed with that and sometimes feel guilty because you don't remember what his or her name was. A person's name is important.
As you go out each day to be Jesus in your circle of life, learn and practice the names of the people who serve you each day... the lady at the bank, the man at the store, the waitress at the restaurant, etc.  If you don't know them yet but you see their name badge, call them by name and be kind to them... you may be the first person that day that was polite to them.  Ask them how they are doing and actually listen to what they say.  As you build that relationship, also add ministry moments such as asking 'Is there anything going on in your life right now that you would like for me to pray about this week?'  When they see that you really care about them, you get to be Jesus to them.

16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.  Matt 5:16 (ESV)

MAY GOD BLESS YOU

I read this benediction lately and it really fits the purpose of this blog so I want to share it with you.  After reading it slowly, you may want to spend some time with God in prayer about the topics listed in this benediction.  May God bless you...

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in the world so that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.- A Franciscan Benediction

WHEN WAS YOUR LAST 'LIGHTHOUSE MOMENT'?

The lighthouse in the photo above is in Maine and it plays a very important part in my life right now.  Whenever I see this photo, I remember the night that I photographed it and I remember what I was going through that night.  I was stressed out for a lot of reasons including the fact that my new camera got damaged that weekend.  My wife, Rhonda, "suggested" that I take a ride that evening and have some 'God time'. 

I was trying to photograph as many lighthouses as I could before it got dark that night but when I came to this lighthouse, which is known as Marshall Point, I sensed that God was dealing with me.  The combination of the sunset and the lighthouse was a joy to see, but there was more happening than that.  I realized once again that I was too wound up about stuff and that I needed to rest in His presence more instead of running so fast that I can't sense His peace.  It was at this place that my favorite Bible verse kept repeating in my ears "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10).

Maybe today you need to slow down and look for a light that can replace the darkness in your life.  What has been stressing you out lately?  What's causing you to feel pressured or defeated?  For you, it might not be a lighthouse in Maine on a quiet night in October... but if you let the dust settle around you and ask God to remind you of His loving presence, He will do so.  What have you got to lose besides some stress?  Just be still for a few minutes, close your eyes, and let God love you.  You'll be glad you did... so tell me, when was your last 'lighthouse moment'?

A NEW BLOG FOR AN OLD REASON

Welcome to the first post of 'IMPACT' which stands for 'I'm Meeting People And Changing Tomorrow'.  The goal of this blog is help you and me make a bigger impact on our families, our churches, our communities, and our country.  Since this is the first post, what better way to start with a commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ... a commitment to live a life that points other people to God through our words and actions.  Will you join me in this prayer?
"LORD JESUS, HELP ME TO SHOW YOUR LOVE TO THOSE WHO ARE HURTING AS I POINT THEM TO YOU.  GRANT ME THE COURAGE TO SPEAK UP, THE COMPASSION TO REACH OUT, AND THE CONSISTENCY TO BE A FAITHFUL WITNESS FOR YOU AND YOUR KINGDOM.  IT'S IN YOUR NAME THAT I PRAY, AMEN."