Forever

The oldest member of our congregation passed away last night. Lena turned 97 on March 15. Not only was she the oldest member but she was one of the longest-tenured members having been a charter member of Cross Road Baptist Church at its founding in 1971.

I’ve heard stories about her from family and church friends that tell of her feisty demeanor. But I only knew her as one who loved the Lord, longed to attend the church, and thought the world of her family. The only stern words she ever had for me were, “Why haven’t you come to see me?” after she had been in the hospital for a couple of days before I made the visit. But she said those words with a smile on her face: she was glad to see her pastor.

It’s an honor to be someone’s pastor. I’m told (and I believe it) that you are the preacher when you first come to a church, then a pastor after at least five years, and finally a leader after a few more years. But I think Lena considered me her pastor and I’ve only been at CRBC for three and a half years.

For someone who was 97 and had been a member in one church for 39 years (almost exactly) and had been a Christian for many more years to call me her pastor, well that’s a great honor. I will gladly speak at her funeral and talk about her stubborn ways and her loving attitude and her legacy of family she has left behind her and the impact felt by CRBC.

A disease may have hastened her death but the hope of scripture is that she (and all of us, too) entered the presence of the Lord at the very moment her earthly body died. And in his presence there is no sickness or pain or sorrow or tears or dying. Only life and worship and joy. Forever.

Something From Nothing

From where I sit I can see two of Riley’s projects. One is complete – he found it in the bottom of his backpack this weekend. The other is due tomorrow. One is some kind of candle or reflector, I guess. The other is a diorama (I just learned that word, too, so don’t feel bad) of a cave – a topic they’ve been studying in school.

What catches my eye is the materials used to create these things. A box that once held bags of potato chips. A cardboard spool that once held paper towels. Marbles, rocks, stickers, construction paper. All held together with glue and tape.

Honestly, I don’t remember making stuff like this when I was in school and I turned out just fine. My fortune cookie said, “You have an active mind and a keen imagination,” thank you very much!

I guess this is one way to recycle.

Riley has made ocean scenes, a castle, and countless smaller displays and projects. Takes a lot of stuff to do that.

The Bible says that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in them. He did it without raw materials and supplies. He just did it. Spoke it into existence. Wouldn’t that be cool? “Cave diorama, be complete!” I don’t have that kind of power. That’s one of the reasons I’m not God.

I’m glad God is God.

Swing, Batter, Swing

Our boys are starting to swing the bats. And that’s a good thing. The Red Roc Rockets (ages 10 and under) are nine boys who have a pretty good time at the ballpark. Their record is 12-3 (I think, not counting a 2-2 tournament record). They have won most of their games by simply outscoring the other team. Obviously. But specifically, by taking advantage of wild pitches and stealing all the way around to score.

They have not hit very well. The losses have come when the other teams’ pitchers weren’t very wild. Without the runs from stealing home, the Rockets have been a weak team.

But the bats are waking up! Just in time for post season tournament, too. That’s when the pitching will be a little better so we’ll need to get runs the old fashioned way – by hitting the ball.

We (the Dads) have noticed that when one or two players get a walk the next few batters just look for a walk, too. Getting them to swing at the ball is a victory at times! Like I tell my son, more good things can happen when you hit the ball than when you get a walk.

In baseball, that’s called being aggressive. In life, it’s called being proactive.

As a Christian, I need to look for ways to bring glory to God rather than sit back passively waiting for a moment I can’t ignore. The children’s song says, “Praise Him in the morning, praise Him at the noontime…praise Him when the sun goes down.”

In other words, I need to swing the bat!

My Personal Arbitron Radio Ratings Diary

I am a fan of radio. I should have been born a generation or two earlier because I love listening to radio. Especially sports on radio. Not just sports talk shows, but the actual sporting event.

I once heard a story about a sportscaster from the radio-only days of baseball. He would sit in a studio waiting for the telegraph to spit out the news from a ballpark. He only received basic information like the lineups, line score, and box score. He took that information and created a broadcast for his listeners as if he was telling the story of the game live as it happened. He had sound effects for the crack of the bat! I have listened to many games mesmerized by the excitement in the voice of the announcer.

I the early- and mid-90s I spent everyone other Friday night and Sunday night picking up my boys and taking them back. The 120 minutes in the car with them is some of my best memories. I had to do a lot of fathering in just a few hours a month; I hope it made an impact. But for years I never saw a Super Bowl on TV. I would listen on the radio after dropping them off. Same with Monday night football because for many years I had classes in Little Rock and would listen to the game on the radio as I drove back to Russellville where I lived.

I’ve come to the point that I’d rather listen to a game on the radio than watch it on TV.

I love radio. Even worked in the business for a few years. I had a Southern Gospel music program. I was the “on air talent” at live remote broadcasts. I cut commercials and sold advertising. If I could have made a living at it I would probably still be involved in some way.

So with all this love for radio, I was finally selected to participate in an Arbitron survey. This is the company that monitors listening habits so that radio stations can prove they have a huge audience and justify the rates they charge for advertising.

Guess what all my listening diary contains. Sports. Sports talk. Baseball games. And a little Rush Limbaugh mixed in.

Do you have a bucket list? Mine includes calling games on the radio. The closest I’ve come is when I did the stadium PA for a PeeWee football game. I was in high school and we jocks had to work the game. Some were referees. Others made up the chain gang. I was the announcer. And I called it like I was on the radio! “Bye-bye, LeMasters!” as Brad scampered more than half the length of the field.

Fully Charged!

I lost the charger for my cell phone for a few hours Saturday. I looked in all the normal places at home but did not find it. I looked in the car but it was not there. I went to my office but it was not in my computer bag and was not plugged into the wall or USB slot in my laptop. I even walked from the church to the house looking for it on the ground.

Soon my phone was shut off due to lack of power in the battery. That’s an awful feeling – both the actual lose of power and the losing of power. Questions like this ran through my mind. Should I try to catch up on the Words with Friends games where it was my turn to play? Should a check email and voice messages one more time? Should I hurry to town to buy another charger? It was an awful feeling!

The Bible tells us in Acts 1:8 that the Holy Spirit is our power. He gives us strength and energy for living. He is constantly present to keep us charged.

But I sometimes get disconnected and lose power. I begin to feel the drain and it’s an awful feeling. I start selecting what I will and won’t do. What I consider priorities and urgent needs gets so out of whack. What I should do gets shoved aside while I use what power I have to accomplish meaningless things.

I doesn’t have to be that way. I should never lose power. There is no reason for it because the source of power lives within me. (Notice that I did NOT say the source of power WAS me.) God himself lives within me to constantly recharge and energize me. Anything less than 100% is my fault. I didn’t take time to pray. I let my daily Bible reading slip. I didn’t consider God in my decisions. I put other things above my Lord. And then I lose power.

Reverse these things and I maintain power. Pray. Read my Bible. Look to God for guidance. Put him above all things. Fully charged!

Oh, I found my charger on my desk in the church office. I had placed a stack of papers on top of it.

Section 216, Row D, Seat 12

From Section 216 the breeze was from right to left and strong enough to make the flags beyond the center field fence stand straight out. After moderate temperatures during the day and the shadows pulling across the ballpark, that was enough wind to make short sleeves a bad choice for a 7:10 first pitch.

Then the drizzle began. Most of the night we were misted by raindrops so light that they looked like summer bugs dancing in the stadium lights.

None of that mattered when the Red Roc Rockets took the field with the Arkansas Travelers shortly after 7:00 PM CDT. Riley plays first base most of the time. He pitches a little, too. He took the field with the Travs’ first baseman Efren Navarro who wore jersey number 16. That was Riley’s number for the last three years. He changed it to 44 this year because his all-time favorite Traveler and now LA Angel Mike Napoli wears that number.

But Riley and Efren did have something in common besides playing first base. Both are left handed. I intended to watch Efren play the position to pick up some pointers for lefties playing first but I got caught up in the event and didn’t pay that much attention – which is unusual for me because I usually keep a scorecard and monitor every pitch as if I am a scout from the “bigs” looking for the next superstar to call up to Anaheim.

What I paid most attention to all night long was #44 for the Rockets. I never amounted to much in baseball but Riley is pretty good. I hope I am not living vicariously through my son like a lot of dads do. I love the game and Riley is good at it. Maybe I can keep it at that.

Riley wears his pants knee-high. That’s not how most players at any level do it these days but the baseball purist in me has rubbed off on my son. He looked natural standing on the fresh-cut infield grass with a man who will probably be in the Major Leagues within a couple of years. Two of the last three Travelers first basemen made it; maybe Efren will, too. And Riley has a brand new baseball with one autograph on it: Efren Navarro.

The game against the Tulsa Drillers started out on the sour side with the opponents getting a 3-0 lead in the second inning. But the Travs battled back to tie the game at 3-3 then let it slip away to 5-3 in the top of the 8^th.

We didn’t see that because we left at 9:00 after 7 innings. That’s not like me, either. No matter what the event, I stay until it’s over. We are always the last to leave the movie theater because some bloopers may be coming up after the credits. I always stay at a concert until the last song is sung because I want to soak up the entire experience. I’m always the last to leave church because, well, it’s my job!

And I don’t leave a ballgame early. I’ve seen too many late-inning comebacks. I’ve seen too many great plays and I don’t want to miss another one. I can’t stand the thought of an incomplete scorecard. But I wasn’t keeping score. The wind and lack of sunshine and the constant presence of mist or drizzle made it reasonable to leave at 9:00 after 7 innings.

The score was tied 3-3. Another reason not to leave.

We flipped on the radio and found KARN 920 AM just in time to learn that the top of the 8^th was over and the Drillers had pulled to a 5-3 lead. Nothing happened for the Travs in the bottom of the 8^th. The Drillers could add nothing in the top of the 9^th.

By this time we were close to home, which is far enough away from the AM station’s tower that we drove out of the range of the nighttime signal. By the time we got Riley into the shower and into bed the game was over. I pulled up travs.com and learned that those who stayed until the end saw a half-inning of hope that resulted in a victory.

The Bible says that those who stay true to the end will be saved. It says that those who put their hand to the plow then look back are not worthy to be called disciples. I wish I had stayed in Section 216, Row D, Seat 12 until the end with the Travs. I know I am staying to the end with Jesus.

Do It Right

I remember coach Roy McSpadden telling the team that if we do it right we won’t do it as long. During drills in the 1979 Dardanelle Sand Lizard football season, we heard that over and over again. If we didn’t do it right, we would do it again! Until we got it right!! I’ve kept that verbal nugget in my mind and on my tongue for over 30 years.

The DirecTV repairman just left the house. Our reception just abruptly quit a few days ago. Deana called the toll-free number and went through the fix-it procedures they prescribed but nothing worked. So we had to have a home visit.

We had another repairman visit us a few months ago because tree limbs had grown into the line-of-sight of the old dish location. He moved the dish and reception was back to the great service we have grown used to with DirecTV. But he took a shortcut by splicing a new section of cable to the old to make the distance needed for the new dish location. Today’s technician said the spliced areas were open to the weather and probably just got wet, corroded, and failed.

Do it right and you won’t do it as long.

Scott (today’s DirecTV helper) replaced the old spliced cable with a single run from dish to receiver.

Do it right and you won’t do it as long.

Makes me think about shortcuts I may take in my walk with God. A shortcut here and there won’t hurt, I think to myself. But before long I’m a long way away from the Lord. A missed prayer time. A displaced Bible reading. A skipped Bible study class. A zoned-out time of worship. Each event doesn’t sound like much. Just one morning when I’m in a hurry and have to skip my quiet time doesn’t seem like a big deal.

Do it right and you won’t do it as long.

Learning and growing require doing it right. Learn more and grow more by doing it right the first time.

Yo-Yo

I signed up for a weight-loss contest about a month ago. I lost about 10 pounds in the first 3 weeks but my weight has crept back up the last few days. I have to get on top of this!

One of my former employers was a pretty big guy. He said he had lost a hundred pounds – the same ten over and over again. He also said he was working on his second million. He had given up on the first.

I guess I’m not alone in this struggle. Exhibit A would be the number of health/fitness gadgets you can buy from an info-mercial. Exhibit B is the TV show that is a contest to lose weight. I could go on and on, but the point is that many of us struggle with our weight.

After a recent church service, we had homemade ice cream and cookies. I had a small portion of ice cream and two cookies. The guy sitting next to me said, “Get some more. It won’t make you fat.”

While I was thinking how to respond with something catchy, he leaned in and said, “You’re already fat.” He’s right.

So, up and down I go. But I have to do better. The Bible says that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. When I can see dust on top of the piano at church I get a little irritated. When the bathroom trashcans aren’t emptied, I do it myself because I don’t want anyone else to see the church is a mess. I have to take that approach to maintaining the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Baseball

I’m not sure what’s wrong with me. I haven’t watched any Major League Baseball yet and we are almost a full week into the season! I must be sick!

I do know that Cincinnati lost their first game and that they had win last night with a walk-off HR. Not sure about much else.

But I’ve been watching the Red Roc Rockets 10-and-under team play. Last night’s game was exciting. The Rockets won 13-10. Joe was the winning pitcher and Riley picked up a save. Riley hit an inside-the-park homerun – really, with no errors. Zac hit a triple down the first base line. Teal and Jake were two of several players who got hits or walks and stole 2^nd and/or 3^rd. We even had a few steal home on wild pitches.

Defensively, Nick made a couple of plays at second, Jake was solid at short stop, and Isaac and Joe kept the ball in front of them most of the time at catcher. Dakota made some good plays in center. He and Riley did a good job getting the outs at first.

I’m looking forward to more of the Rockets. Hope to see some Reds games. Maybe get to an MLB park once this summer. Baseball is here and I’m loving it!

Sick People and Doctor's Offices

I broke my left leg 10 years ago. For the most part, I’m OK except that I didn’t rehab like the PT said to. Note to anyone rehab-ing an injury: do all your PT says to do.

During baseball practice two weeks ago, I was helping the pitchers and did something to that leg while demonstrating proper technique. Why was I demonstrating something I know very little about? Great question! Nonetheless, my left leg is messed up.

I put off going to the doctor for two reasons. We were leaving three days later for a week in Russia. And, I generally put off things like this anyway. But I’ve been thinking about a trip to the doctor.

When I go to the doctor it is because I have something wrong with me. I can’t remember ever going just to say, “Hi!” I suspect that he expects me to have a problem when I come to see him. His waiting room used to have signs designating areas for “sick” patients and those not sick. I always sat next to the “sick” sign and wasn’t ashamed to do so because I assumed everyone knew I was sick or I would not have been there. I wondered why people would sit on the other side of the waiting room. Except for the sales reps, all those people were just in denial!

So my doctor expects me to have some kind of physical problem when I come to see him. That’s fair. And I expect him to do something about it. That’s fair, too.

Jesus said it was the sick who needed a doctor, not the well. And he came into the world to heal the sin-sick. Jesus knows I am sin-sick. And I know he can do something about it.

Reflections on Easter

We had a great day of worship on Easter Sunday at Cross Road Baptist Church. It started at 6:30 A.M. with the Community Sunrise Service. We hosted the event this year and members of Martindale Baptist Church and Holly Springs Baptist Church joined us in worship. Our churches have a special sense of fellowship that neighboring churches don’t always have. I appreciate their pastors and leadership for this.

Then our regularly scheduled worship service was outstanding. The singing was superb as the choir sang two songs. One was a medley about the cross. The other was a modern song. And the preaching was good, too!

Easter is all about the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the victory he gives over sin and death. For believers, Easter is a time of celebration. We have an eternal home in heaven because of the resurrection if we accept God’s free gift of salvation.

For unbelievers, Easter can be a time of new birth. Often the pointed messages and images of Easter get the sinner’s attention and draw him to Jesus. When that is the case, Easter is again a time of celebration!

I’m glad God love the world so much that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life!

Sunny Days

Spring has sprung at my house. The daffodils and pear trees are in bloom. And the days are warm. The jacket needed in the mornings definitely get tossed in the back seat by noon. It’s a pretty time of the year.

Temps will probably be in the 70s when we get on the plane in Little Rock Thursday. When we step out of the airport in Ekaterinburg Saturday morning the temperature will likely be in single digits. Spring hasn’t yet arrived in Russia!

But we are looking forward to a week of ministry in a place desperate for the hope found only in Christ Jesus.

March Madness

I’ve watched a few of the NCAA Tournament games yesterday and today. Upsets and OT are the headlines. I like watching the fans in the stands. Some are wearing their school’s colors. Some are waving banners and flags and posters. Some and just plain crazy – like the guys stripped down to their jeans and had their torsos painted. I saw a video on the local news last night about Arkansas Tech’s fan who wears a green spandex suit similar to Blue Man Crew – covered head to toe. He runs around the stands hyping up the crowd.

They love their teams and will do anything to show it.

I love Jesus but sometimes hold back from showing it. It’s not my personality to make a scene but surely I can be more demonstrative when it comes to praising God publicly. What about you?

“I am not ashamed of the gospel,
because it is the power of God
for the salvation of everyone who believes:
first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”
(Romans 1:16 NIV)

On the Mark

I am reading the Gospel of Mark today. This gospel is one of my four favorites because of its fast-paced action. Jesus is always doing something. Mark moves from one thing to the next. While other gospels may be docu-dramas or romances, Mark is an action-packed thriller.

Speakers at the Expository Preaching Workshop at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary challenged me to read the Bible to a greater degree than I have in the past. I’ve always thought that if I read a little each day, maybe the whole Bible in a year, I would be OK. But when I consider that the Bible is not only my life but my living, I realize I should read it more.

For the moment, I have three reading plans. One to read the Bible through in a year. One to read Psalms and Proverbs each month. And one to read the text for upcoming sermons and Bible studies. Maybe I should integrate these somehow but I just know that I have to read the Bible more. Why? It’s the “trade journal” for my career. Three times a week people sit before me with this question in their hearts: What does God’s word have for me today?

The challenge to read the Bible has brought me great encouragement and joy. As I continue, I expect to learn more about God, his will, and myself.

On the Mark…get set…go!

Saturday Morning

It’s my own fault.  I am responsible for it. I do it to myself.

Can’t remember the last time I actually had a day off with only R&R on the schedule. My work habits through the week always result in business to do on Friday and Saturday. I get everything done – mostly. I just have to take one or two extra days a week to get all my chores finished.

This week was a little different because I spent Monday and Tuesday at a conference in Fort Worth at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Much of what I do it worthwhile – like the conference. Just a few things that I need to cut out throughout the week so I’ll have a true day off.

So this Saturday morning is filled with stuff I have to get done by Sunday morning. I’ll break for Riley’s baseball practice, lunch with Deana & Riley, and a little SEC basketball.

It will be a full day but I really wouldn’t know what to do if it wasn’t. I don’t handle free or down time very well. I get restless. The spiritual discipline of being still is one I should practice and improve. “Be still and know that I am God.” Guess I can’t really know God unless I am still everyone once in a while!

Why be part of PBA

One of our leaders told me tonight that it seemed to him that Pulaski Baptist Association had just sorta gone away. He is not aware of PBA's ministries. There is a communication gap and I'm part of the problem. So i wanted to take this post to improve the communications to our church regarding the association.

 

Pulaski Baptist Association is a group of 60+ churches in central Arkansas who cooperate in phenomenal ways to accomplish significant ministry. PBA assists churches seeking pastors and pastors seeking churches. They scholarship pastors seeking a seminary education. They support church mission trips.

 

Cross Road Baptist Church (me, specifically) has received back from PBA much of what we contribute financially. PBA is especially good as equipping pastors to be better pastors for their churches. CRBC benefits (hopefully) in this way.

 

PBA facilitates mission opportunities for our churches. CRBC has made two mission trips to New Orleans to help refurbish homes after Katrina. PBA and its churches take numerous trips deep into Mexico where over 1,000 people have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord over the last four years. Opportunities for churches to partner with churches in St. Louis began last year. You may remember that CRBC tried to put a trip together but failed to garner enough volunteers.

 

PBA provides a website that anyone can use to share the gospel.  Check out www.whorocksmyworld.com and give it a try. Another site that will impact children evangelism is in creation at this point and could be available later this year. PBA isn't doing business as usual but is taking advantage of technology to reach lost people.

 

PBA has purchased two 15-passenger vans that are available to churches for use on missions trips, VBS transports, etc. Churches like CRBC cannot afford a new van but we have these available when needed. We used one of the vans for our trip to New Orleans in 2008.

 

PBA hosts a ministers lunch one the second Wednesday of each month. Most weeks also include a Brunch Bunch meeting for pastors of small or single-staff church (like me) that has proven to be the most important aspect of our association with PBA because I am no longer isolated at the corner of Colonel Glenn and Congo Ferndale Roads. I have developed deep friendships with many pastors who encourage me in my ministry. I hope I can do the same for them.

 

We have joined with Faulkner Baptist Association in recent months for a pastors retreat and a preaching conference. Pastors from our associations had the chance to preach and share testimonies to equip and encourage one another. I leave in the morning to go with many of these pastors to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary for their Expository Preaching Conference. I hope to be a better preacher from what I gain from this event. PBA is paying for all transportation and lodging at the event.

 

I could go on and on about the value of being part of Pulaski Baptist Association but I'll save some for later. I pledge to CRBC and to PBA to be a better champion of the association.

 

Too Full

My laptop is over three years old. That’s ancient for a computer. The speed is not so bad but the hard drive is too full.

I’m a packrat when it comes to electronic files. Hey, you never know when you’ll need it! So I have files saved on there that I’ll never open again.

And I have gobs of programs that I don’t use. I bought a logo design program when I started at Cross Road. I developed a few logos then found out I could do the same thing with Microsoft PowerPoint and Publisher. I also have a home design program that’s probably 10 years old. I installed it when the church began the new building so I could produce floor plans. I should probably remove it but I just keep thinking I’ll need to do something with it just any day.

You can see why my laptop is too full. It has 70 gb of storage – that was a lot three years ago. But it’s so full I can’t do a defrag – must have 15% free space and I’m at less than 10%. I bought a 500 gb external storage thingy and have been moving stuff to it for a  couple of months but haven’t created much free space so today I removed my Bible study program (it’s big) and reinstalled it to the external drive.

Now I have some breathing room.

Makes me wonder if my life is full of stuff I don’t need or never use. Is there any useless stuff cluttering up my life? Probably so. The truth is that all the unnecessary stuff is taking up space where good stuff could be.

Maybe it’s time to simplify – streamline – focus.

Plans

I headed out this morning to go to the bank, get a prescription refilled, and visit a friend in the hospital. Well, I made it to the bank, forgot to take the prescription, and the friend has been discharged from the hospital. This trip illustrates many things. First, sometimes things go as planned. At the bank I was able to make the deposit and pick up more deposit slips. That was a good stop.

But the second thing about the trip bothers me. I am forgetful. I don’t remember when this affliction first beset me. Because of this, I’ll have to make another trip to town today because I am completely out of the medication and I’m supposed to take it daily. Way to go, Bob! What do you think are the chances I’ll actually remember?

Third, our plans sometimes blow up because something good (or better) happens. Getting discharged from the hospital was a good thing for my friend. Had my plans worked perfectly, he would still be there.

I guess this is why the Bible says we aren’t to rely too much on our own plans. Instead, we are to always be looking for God’s activity and align out plans with this. Much better than having 1/3 of your own plans actually come to pass.

Reminders

I woke up yesterday with a nagging dry cough. I set the CPAP machine’s moisture level to “zero” Saturday night to see if I can get by without the humidifier part of it for the trip to Russia. That’s probably why I have the cough – still.

Several years ago I developed the same kind of cough but didn’t think much about it. Then four years ago I came down with pneumonia – unrelated – and in the process of doing chest x-rays, my doctor found some abnormal lymph nodes in my chest. We used words like “Lymphoma” and “cancer” over the next couple of appointments. I had scans and tests and finally had a procedure to remove a node for biopsy. The good news is that I don’t have cancer but I do have another disease called sarcoidosis – my lymph nodes affected are shot.

The nagging cough, as the surgeon explained it, was my nervous system’s way of getting the enlarged lymph node away from the nerves in my throat and lungs. The cough served to shake things up a bit. I don’t think today’s cough is for the same purpose but I am remembering those months in 2006 when I was unsure of my condition.

Although I didn’t know what was wrong, I did have a peaceful demeanor because of my faith in Christ. I knew that no matter what happened I would be OK. Maybe not OK physically in this world, but OK because he loves me. I wanted everything about this experience to glorify Christ. If nothing was wrong – praise the Lord! If I had a disease but was healed – praise the Lord! If I had a disease but was cured – praise the Lord! If I had a disease that would claim my life – praise the Lord! I made up my mind to accept God’s will and praise him no matter what.

That nagging dry cough is only a nuisance. I really praise the Lord for it because I am reminded of his presence in my life. Yellow butterflies also remind me of the Lord’s presence but I’ll save that for another post.

Deadlines

I’m rushing today to complete an assignment for the DMin seminar I took last month. It is to be postmarked TODAY! There’s just something about a deadline that both comforts and disturbs me.

First, I find comfort in a deadline that is far away. I can wait and do it later. I don’t have to designate my time so rigidly. I am safe because I am not yet late turning in my paper.

On the other hand, I am disturbed by deadlines that are quickly approaching. I lose sleep. I don’t do my best work. I take time from my family. I binge eat and bite my nails.

I am 45 years old and have been in school a total of 30 years. You would think by now I would have learned and changed my ways. Instead, I continue down the same path that, honestly, started a long, long time ago. Old habits are hard to break.

The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Certainly, the verse applies to my desire to sin and my rejecting God’s ways. I am new and no longer desire sin – although I still sin – and I want to follow God’s ways – although I don’t always do it. But I have noticed a change in my life over the years as God’s Spirit has chipped away at the old Bob and brought out the new Me. And I like what I see.

I think the verse also applies to my procrastination regarding deadlines. But God’s Spirit will only change the parts of me that I give him access to. I don’t have a problem with procrastination – that’s just the symptom of a larger problem. I have a problem yielding all my life to God’s Spirit.

Maybe you do, too. Let’s pray that our hearts and minds will be completely open to the Spirit and willing to let him have his way in our lives.

 

Footnote: As I am writing this, I received a Twitter update from author Len Sweet. It said, “Deadlines are like bumper cars. They’re only fun I you hit them dead-on. (from Heather Wilson)”

 

Follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/bobloyd

Be my friend on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bobloyd

 

Birds

I don’t usually get concerned about feeding birds when the ground is covered with ice or snow, but today was different. Riley and I have been spreading birdseed on the snow on the deck and the birds have flocked to it. The Cross Road Birdwatchers Society could have had a great time identifying the different species feasting on the seed. Or the Cross Road Bird Hunters Club could have bagger their limit easily!

I saw as many as fifteen birds on the deck at one time. When they saw me peeking through the window they would all fly away. But they would gather again within a few minutes. Because of this, I couldn’t get pictures, though.

We had a woodpecker, a female cardinal, two kinds of blue birds (a big one and a little one), some small brown birds without stripes, some small brown birds with stripes, some small black birds with lots of yellow, a robin, and a camouflage bird. You know how the military jets are painted like the sky on the bottom and like the ground on the top? There were a few birds on the deck that had light grey tummies and dark brown or black backs. I’m guessing they are prey for bigger birds and this is the way God camouflages them.

Isn’t that just like God? He protects us from our enemy, too. Cloaked in garments of righteousness (his, not our own), we are safe. Yes, the devil will go after us but he cannot defeat us. But we must be clothed in his righteousness and keep our eyes on the Lord.

And another God-thing… He takes care of us even better than he takes care of the birds. And he often uses other people as conduits for our blessings just like he used me to feed the birds today.

The New Building

I spent several minutes in our new building this morning. No electricity so it was cold and dark. But I propped a door open and walked around in the shadows. Our volunteers have spent many hours over the last few weekends putting up sheetrock. From the set of doors in the end of the building, you can no longer see everything in the building because the sheetrocked walls block some of the view.

I remember one of the ladies in New Orleans who was so excited when a team from CRBC finished hanging the sheetrock in her post-Katrina home. She couldn’t help herself but blurted it, “Now it looks like a home.” Our building is beginning to look like a fellowship hall with a kitchen, bathrooms, and classrooms. I can’t wait until we quit calling it “the new building” and start calling it the fellowship hall.

In the Bible, God says that each believer is the house of God (see 1 Corinthians 6:19). I wonder how many of us are just the shell of the building we are supposed to be. I wonder if we allowed the Spirit of God to begin the remodeling of our lives but have closed him out so that he cannot complete the work. I wonder if God gets excited when he sees the work in progress. I wonder if he gets discouraged when he sees things in your life that are undone.

Our prayer should be one of confessing the sin of wrestling control of our lives from God. Then we should submit to the Spirit’s work in our lives so that we can be the wonderful temple of God he intends us to be.

Podcasts

I’ve had my iPhone since September but have really just started using the iPod built into it. I registered to attend the Expository Preaching Conference held annually by Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (March 8-9 this year). I found the audio files of previous conferences on iTunes so I downloaded several and have been listening to some great preaching.

 

So that got me to thinking…What other preaching can I find on iTunes? I was amazed at how much is out there. I even started recording and posting my own sermons on the church’s website (www.crbclr.org/sermons) although I haven’t looked into what is necessary to post to iTunes. Anyway, I downloaded sermons from Liberty University’s chapel services last week and listened to them today while driving to the hospital and back home. One was a sermon by Mike Huckabee and the other by Charles Lowery. I was inspired by the messages and also happy to find a common thread in them so I posted two statements as my status updates on Facebook (www.facebook.com/bobloyd) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/bobloyd).

 

Mike Huckabee said that life is perishable. You either give it away or you throw it away. You use it or lose it.

 

Charles Lowery said the life is short. It’s a quick trip from diapers to Depends.

 

Take advantage of every day and live it to the fullest giving glory to God in your words, thoughts, actions, and attitudes. Your relationships with Jesus and the people around you are the most important things in life.

God Equips His People with Leaders

Sermon from Haggai 2:20-23 preached on January 31, 2010 at Cross Road Baptist Church by Bob Loyd.

 

http://www.emedialink.com/video/9586/God-Equips-His-People-with-Leadership

A Difference in Roads Taken

We’ve had a pretty good winter storm over the last few days. Freezing rain began to fall Thursday with snow overnight and through the day Friday. Schools, churches, government offices, and businesses shut down. Arkansans don’t handle the ice and snow very well.

We live in Saline county about a mile and a half from the Pulaski county line in two directions. This is sort of a “no man’s land” when it comes to law enforcement, road repair, cutting edge utilities, etc. AT&T put in their U-verse lines to within a mile or so of the house. They stopped at the entrance to the upscale gated community. City water just came in about three years ago. We all are on septic tanks.

So I was surprised when the Saline County Road Department sent a road grader past the house toward the county line. Funny thing is that Pulaski county did nothing or their side of the line. We made it to Benton (Saline county) and back Saturday with no problems. Headed to Little Rock (Pulaski county) Sunday after church and was shocked by the bad condition of the roads. The route to Little Rock is fairly heavily travelled but there is no sign that the Pulaski County Road Department has been out that way.

But I’m not writing to bash the road departments but to comment on the choice of roads and destinations from a spiritual perspective. And this is not about the spiritual condition of Benton versus Little Rock, although someone else may want to pick up on that.

Our choices make a huge impact on our lives. Take the wrong turn or travel the wrong road and you face danger and difficulty. Head in the right direction and you stand a much better chance of arriving at your destination safely. In fact, with the Lord you are guaranteed to arrive at your eternal destination safely. Even the stops along the way are better travelling with the Lord along the Lord’s highway.

So take care when deciding which turn to make or which road to take. It makes all the difference in the world.

State Conference on Evangelism & Church Growth

Sonny Tucker is the leader of the Evangelism and Church Growth Team at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention. He and his team provided a first class conference for Arkansas pastors and church leaders this week at First Baptist Church in Sherwood. The preaching, teaching, and music were all very good. I always come home feeling a mixture of excitement, encouragement, conviction, and disappointment. Let me explain what I mean.

Some of the best speakers across the Southern Baptist Convention descend upon central Arkansas for these two days. As I listen to the talk about sharing the gospel and growing a church, I can’t help but get excited! Any pastor would want to do that; we all want to see our churches effectively reaching out and winning people to Christ.

One message after another brought encouraging words intended to inspire and equip us to get going. Some messages focus on the theological reasons for sharing our faith. Others provide practical ways to put the ideas into practice. I walked away from the conference knowing that I can lead my church to fulfill the Great Commission.

Other messages are directed at me and my sin and my lack of commitment or involvement. Those sermons are hard to hear but someone who wants to please the Lord, win others to Christ, and lead a church to do the same must get serious about his own commitment. My prayer, my study, and my practice can all stand a lift. I know that God’s love can transform me into the vessel that is useful to him.

Disappointment always seems to be part of the emotional package I take home from these conferences. I am disappointed that I have not done a better job leading my church to reach out and grow. I’m disappointed that I stand back from opportunities to share Christ. I’m disappointed because my church doesn’t compare favorably with some others in our state.

The first three emotions are fine and appropriate. The last one has no place in effective living and ministry. Disappointment will drag me down, distract my attention, and defeat my purposes before I ever get started. So I’m letting that one go. Rather than being disappointed by what I heard, I will be motivated by the messages and statistics that indicate a shortcoming in my life and my church. With motivation now at the helm, God can use the excitement, encouragement, and conviction to help me mature as a pastor, preacher, leader, and Christian.

Sunday nights

I need some help. Our Sunday night crowd is very small. We have a few regulars and a few that are hit and miss. Since I’ve been at this church we’ve tried a few things to boost attendance but nothing has worked so far.

 

Here’s a short rundown of what’s going on.

 

Children: attendance is anywhere from 1 to 9. Mostly 1 to 4. Using a music/bible study combo format.

Youth: attendance was 6 at best but now is 0 or 1. Contemporary music & bible study.

Adults: choir rehearsal and adult bible study options. Total attendance average is 12.

Another 2-4 some in for the worship service at 6:00.

 

I’m open to any and all suggestions. I’ve been thinking about having no Sunday evening activities, having home groups, having worship service only, or just leaving it alone. But it seems to be broken so I don’t like the last idea. I am pretty traditional so I really can’t imagine not doing something in the church building. I’m getting over that, though.

 

Question: If we do home groups, do I, as the pastor, settle into one group or float through all of them?

 

So, I need help. Comment with your suggestions or at least pray for me. This is the most frustrating challenge I’ve faced in ministry.

Moments

Have you ever had one of those moments when reality sank in? For a young couple the reality of becoming parents hits them perhaps when the ultrasound shows signs of life within the mother. For the football team the dream fades when the clock is winding down in the fourth quarter and the opponent has the ball. Each of us has moments in our lives when something happens – an event that marks the moment – and we realize its significance.

 

I received an email today from the registrar’s office at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. It is a notice regarding upcoming registration dates for the Spring trimester. I will enroll in the final workshop in the Doctor of Ministry program this trimester. Now, I realize I’m still a long way from the finish line. After the workshop comes the daunting task of researching, creating and implementing a project that will impact the ministry of Cross Road Baptist Church. That can take a couple of years or more. But this workshop will likely be the last “for credit” classroom setting. I started school forty years ago. This is one of those moments.

 

Check back in a couple of years to find out if I was able to finish the project and get the degree.

Early hours

I’m a procrastinator. If you read my blog regularly you already know that. I confess it often. I guess that means I’m not getting over it.

I’m up at this early hour because of procrastination. I’ve known about this deadline for about two months. You get the picture? Put if off. Put if off. Lose sleep getting it done!

I do OK with that but it sure is stressful. And I’m sleepy.

What if a person waited and waited to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord? You might wait too long and forever miss your opportunity to spend eternity in heaven with Jesus. The flipside is that you would also miss you opportunity to escape hell. Those are two good reasons to stop putting off trusting Jesus for your salvation.

Do it today. Stop procrastinating!

Syncretism

A UPS delivery truck just backed up to the window of the coffee shop where I’m sitting this morning. On the side of the truck are these words: “Worldwide Services Synchronizing the world of commerce.” That’s a good goal and from what little I know about the company, they are getting it done.

 

The word “synchronizing” caught my attention. Just yesterday I saw a bumper sticker about syncretism. I remember the first time I saw it; it really irritated me. Still does.

 

The bumper sticker is the word “co-exist” and the letters are made up of symbols from different religions. The Christian cross makes the “T” and the Muslim crescent makes the “C” and so on. The idea is that all religions are of equal value and can be merged or harmonized because all religions are true and lead to the same goal – just different paths. I have no problem with religious freedom – the idea that anyone can believe and practice any religion they want. I have a problem with someone thinking all religions are the same.

 

If a person claiming to be a Christian believes all religions are the same, how can he really be a Christian? The claim of Christianity is that Jesus is the only way. Our Lord said it exactly that clearly in John 14:6. Reject that and you cannot be Christian. This tenet is called the exclusivity of the gospel: there is only one way to eternal life and right-standing with God.

 

Although Christianity has the tone of exclusiveness, it also has a universal aspect. First, don’t think that I am saying all people will somehow be saved. I am not saying that because I don’t believe it and it is not true. The universal aspect of Christianity is that “whosoever will may come.” Salvation is available to anyone and everyone. The condition of salvation is faith in the one and only Son of God – Jesus Christ.

 

There is no reason to synchronize our beliefs with any other belief system. But there is reason to aggressively share the gospel with everyone we meet. Unless they turn exclusively to Jesus Christ the will perish eternally.

 

It’s OK for UPS to synchronize the world of commerce. In fact, that’s a good thing. But synchronizing religions leads nobody to heaven.

Busy Days

Too much on my calendar these last few days is undone. Must have been too much on there to start with. But what should not be there? Family Christmas gatherings, church services and meetings, weddings, shopping, seminar assignments, and general “life” activities dotted the days. Father and son writers Thom and Art Rainer authored “Simple Life” in which they describe a life free from clutter. The point is to prioritize and then stick to the priorities.

 

Compounding my problem is procrastination. So the congestion becomes a log jam! At times throughout the years I’ve handled procrastination but at other times it has handled me. I’ve learned that the culprit is perfectionism: if I can’t do the task perfectly I will wait until later when I may be better equipped or have more time. When I have been on top of procrastination it has been because I pursued excellence rather than perfection. Excellence is a better goal because it is attainable. Excellence is doing my best. Honestly, sometimes my best will not achieve perfection but my best is always excellent.

 

So for me the key to navigating busy days is to focus on priorities and strive for excellence. Hope that thought helps you, too.

Hard Work or Chasing Fantasies.

As I read through Proverbs, I came to this verse today. It made me think of the lottery.

 

“He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.” Proverbs 28:19 NIV

 

A very wealthy man who is a member of a very large church in Little Rock casually showed me the scratch-off card he had purchased earlier that day.

 

A very poor man casually mentioned losing a few dollars in the lottery.

 

Either way, there is a danger in gambling. The multi-million dollar jackpots are the fantasies of many people. Some can afford to lose the money needed to play. Others cannot. But that’s not the point.

 

The point is about our stewardship of what God has given us. In God’s economy, gain comes through hard work. Whether it’s a casino, a lottery, or a racetrack, none of these are hard work although many people put in a lot of effort playing. In reality, gambling is chasing fantasies.

 

At the end of the day we must ask ourselves if all that we have done honors God because at the end of our lives God will ask us the same question.

Christmas Break

Riley’s home this week. That means ‘round-the-clock Disney Channel! I can’t wait. I like some of the shows but not the reruns of the reruns of the reruns. But Riley can watch them over and over again.

I’m glad I have a job that allows me to be home with him. He’s old enough to entertain himself most of the time so I still get to study, make contacts, and prepare the publications. And he’s a real trooper (pastor in the making?) when it comes to hospital visits.

Now that it’s the week of Christmas, the schedule slows down in some ways and speeds up in others. The only remaining service is the Candlelight Service on Wednesday. I’ll work on it a little each day ‘til then. We’ll have Christmas with family Thursday night, Friday, and Saturday so I’ll need to be ready for Sunday a little earlier than usual.

And I have three assignments to complete for a D.Min. seminar coming up in January.

I guess there’s really not much time to slow down this week! But one thing I must do…celebrate Jesus. Try to do that every week rather than just once a year and it won’t be so hard to do it when life is hectic.

All I Want for Christmas...

Remember the uncle who was always the hardest to buy for? Apparently, that’s me. I’ve never had lots of money but I have been able to get all I need and most of what I want. That leaves little for a Christmas list to pass around to family and friends.

What I WANT are those things I can’t afford to buy myself. Like a GMC pickup. Or a new acoustic/electric guitar. Or all new A/V equipment for the church. Or the latest/greatest Canon digital camera outfit. Or a NASCAR Experience. I could go on for a while!

But you can’t put those things on a Christmas wish list to pass around. Being as serious as I can be, I’ll be happy with anything. Or nothing.

All I really want for Christmas is to spend time with Deana, Jim Bob, Caleb, and Riley. (Girlfriends included, but not for Riley!)

I want people to appreciate the holiday for what it is: the celebration of our Savior’s birth. I know it’s not Jesus’ real birthday (I guess it could be, though) but we can celebrate anyway.

I want the presents to take backseat to the presence of those who are present.

I want to remember Christmas at Mom and Dado’s (my grandparents) and try to create memories like that for my descendants.

I want to attend the family gatherings.

I want to worship with my church family on or near Christmas day.

That what I want for Christmas but if you can’t swing any of this just pick out something from the list above.

Say what you mean

I just came back to the office after spending a couple of hours in town Christmas shopping. An advertisement played on the radio that said, “Never paint your home again with [product name].” I don’t think that’s what they meant. The copy should have read, “With [product name] you’ll never have to paint your home again.”

Big difference!

Riley and I like to play “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader.” One of us is the contestant and the other is the host. We make up questions and dollar amounts. We always win a million dollars! This morning he said, “Dad, will you take me to school?” “Sure,” I said. A little later he said, “Can we play ‘Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader’ on the way to school?” I said, “Yes, we can play ‘Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader on the Way to School.” He started to get mad but then laughed because he’s used to me being picky about the language.

During the first session of my second seminary class, as we were introducing ourselves to one another, the professor asked me where I lived. I told him I lived in Russellville (the class was meeting in Little Rock). “Where’s that?” he asked. “About half way between Little Rock and Fort Smith,” I said. “Oh,” he said, “where’s that?” “Well,” I responded, “ Russellville is about 80 miles up I-40.” “Oh,” he said, “where’s that?”

I learned a valuable lesson that day: “Tighten up your language!” as the professor would say.

So my iPhone buzzed and I looked at the text that just came in from Twitter. A scholarly guy was saying that the “inn” in Luke 2 was really a “guest room” and that Jesus was born in the common room of the house because the guest room was full. The common room would have been a place where valuable or fragile animals would be kept overnight, thus the manger.

I grew up in a preacher’s home. I’ve been in ministry since 1982. I’ve complete a master’s degree and am working on a doctorate. Why have I never heard this? I’m now digging into the original text of the New Testament and researching NT background for answers. So far, I think the scholarly guy is right. Kinda messes up all the Christmas pageants and cantatas I’ve participated in through the years.

I need to rewrite a sermon that I’m planning to preach.

Opinions about Abortion

I was just reading On Mission magazine during lunch. One of the statistical displays is about views on abortion. The column was a list of issues when an abortion might be considered and gave a percentage of respondents who said abortion should be legal in each case and a percentage of respondents who said abortion should be illegal in each case.

A fascinating trend emerged for me as I reviewed the information (Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics Poll, March 2006 and Time/CNN Poll, January 2003). A certain amount of people think abortion should be legal in any/all circumstances and a certain amount of people think abortion should be illegal in any/all circumstances.

Seventy-two percent say abortion should be legal if the mother’s life is endangered; fifteen percent say abortion should be illegal in that case.

Ten percent say abortion should be legal in the last three months of pregnancy; eighty-four percent say abortion should be illegal in that case.

Whatever opinion you hold, one thing is sure; as the song sung by Gold City says, “Only God knows just what he could have been.”

The debate is not likely to end in a court room or legislative hall. However, God – who has the ultimate say in morality and ethics – has the definitive opinion. Our task is to read his Word, pray for discernment, and have courage to believe and live the truth.

The Father's Son

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art.  They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael.  They would often sit together and admire the great works of art..

When the  Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, ‘Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart and he died instantly.  He often talked about you, and your love for art.’ The young man held out this package. ‘I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.’

The father opened the package.  It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.  He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture . ‘Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.’

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. ‘We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?’

There was silence….

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, ‘We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.’

But the auctioneer persisted. ‘Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?’

Another voice angrily. ‘We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!’

But still the auctioneer continued. ‘The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?’

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. ‘I’ll give $10 for the painting…’ Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

‘We have $10, who will bid $20?’

‘Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.’

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel.  ‘Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!’

A man sitting on the second row shouted, ‘Now let’s get on with the collection!’

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. ‘I’m sorry, the auction is over.’

‘What about the paintings?’

‘I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will.   I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!’

God gave His son 2,000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: ‘The son, the son, who’ll take the son?’

Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

Copied from Mark Lowry’s Blog

People Need the Lord

I love that song because it simply states a truth and issues a challenge.

I know people who are at the end of broken dreams today. They need the Lord. One family lost a wife/mother just a couple of weeks ago. Another family lost a son/grandson over the weekend. The headlines tell us of a famous sports figure whose home life may be severely wounded. A friend’s brother made it through surgery yesterday but died today. People need the Lord.

It’s one thing to say that people need the Lord but it’s another thing to do something about it. The world population is over 6 billion people – all of whom need the Lord. I’m not sure how many have embraced Jesus Christ as the only hope for eternal life, but I would guess that 1 billion would be a generous estimate. People need the Lord.

So what am I going to do about it? I am part of a church that has partnered with missionaries in Russia to reach a city called Talitsa. I am praying for opportunities to go there and for the believers in the city – there are just a few. Our partnership with American missionaries and Russian believers will result in a church in the city that will reach further into the city and lead more to Christ.

Sharing my faith with others is not easy; I get nervous like most people do when given an opportunity to share one on one. But I am praying for greater courage. I am getting better at talking with people in stores and restaurants. The tools for sharing are abundant. In the role of pastor, I am leading my church to also get involved in sharing their faith with others. We need to establish a regular time each week/month for doing this in our community.

I believe in the Southern Baptist’s Cooperative Program and support it fully. Over 10,000 missionaries are on the field world-wide because of CP. People who need the Lord are hearing the gospel. Through CP and the special missions offerings taken through our church, I am part of a global strategy to impact eternity.

Finally, I am teaching my family to tell others about Jesus. That is perhaps my greatest responsibility outside of sharing the gospel myself. My hope is that my family will be involved in missions and evangelism in our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth. My prayer is that we will not be afraid, reluctant, or hesitant about speaking up for Jesus.

Because people need the Lord.