My World View...

Sunday Update

2011-01-10T18:09:00.000-05:00

We had a great day at church yesterday. It was cold and rainy, but the church was warm and friendly. We were missing several people yesterday morning due to travels and sickness, but we still had 13 in attendance. What a blessing. I preached from Matthew 14, where the disciples found themselves in the midst of one of the greatest storms they ever faced. Do you realize, it's possible to obey the Lord, to be right where the Lord instructs you to be, and yet still face storms. Hard times come to each and everyone of us. Storms are simply a part of life. However, it's encouraging to know, when you're facing those storms, the Lord knows exactly where you are. He came walking to those disciples in the midst of their storm. Jesus came walking on the sea. No matter what you're facing today, no matter how big it seems to be to you, it's not too big for the Lord. He's got it all under control. What an encouraging thought. Hope you had a great day in the Lord's house yesterday. I thank God for what He's doing here at Canaan Baptist Church in Covington, LA.

A Place to Grow

2011-01-04T14:29:00.001-05:00

One of my goals for 2011 is to use my blog more. It is a great tool to use to stay accountable and to help others stay informed about what is going on at the church. I am truly excited about the church. I believe there are great days in the future for our church.

This past Sunday was a good day. We are averaging 15 people on Sunday mornings. This past Sunday evening, I introduced our church theme for this year. A place to grow. I think this will be a great theme, as it is our desire to see growth at Canaan Baptist Church. I want to see the attendance grow, of course, but I also want to see those of us that are there now grow. I want to grow in my personal relationship with my Lord. Each month we'll have a different area of our lives that we will focus on. The first Sunday evening of each month will be a time I call Church Challenge. It's when we will look at those areas and how we can grow in those areas from the Bible. It's a year long series. It's going to be good and I am excited about it.

For the month of January, we considered the thought, A place to grow...in faith. We looked at the man with the demon possessed boy in Mark 9. I found it interesting while studying, the man approached Jesus to ask for help. When he approached the Lord, he said but if thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us. Notice the word if. If you can help Lord. The man had little faith. Notice then, how Jesus responded. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. Jesus responded to the man by letting him know the question was not with the Lord's power or ability. It was with the man's faith.

How many things do we miss out on simply because we don't believe the Lord is able? How many problems do we face because of our lack of faith? I need to grow in faith. The man responded to Jesus by saying, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. I believe he was saying, Lord, I believe you can heal my son. However, there are other areas where I have trouble believing. Help me with the unbelief that is still in my heart.

I can say the same. Lord, I believe, I trust you in so many areas. However, there are still areas where I need to trust you more. Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief.

An Unpopular Appointment

2010-04-29T08:02:00.001-05:00

That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. 1 Thessalonians 3:3

A thought jumped out at me this morning as I read these verses, Paul recognizes here that he is appointed to suffer for the cause of Christ. The latter part of this verse says so, for yourselvs know that we are appointed thereunto. Thereunto what? The answer, these afflictions. Paul understood his appointment was to suffer for Christ sake. He had no problem with that. He acknowledged that, he accepted that. He was willing to suffer for His Lord.

In a day of comfort, am I? We are living in a time of comfort. We have the most comfortable world we have ever had. We have new luxuries and gadgets, all designed to make us comfort. And it's carried over to our Christian walk. We have so watered down Christianity in an effort to be a more comfortable Christian.

Now mind you, I'm not saying I want to suffer. But I must search my heart and ask, would I? Would I be willing to suffer? Would I accept it as my appointment, something that was required of me, or would I complain and make accusation against God? My God give us all the steadfastness of Paul, willing to accept our appointment, even when it is an unpopular one like afflictions.

Can I Be Trusted?

2010-04-26T08:25:00.000-05:00

1 Thessalonians 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak;

As I was reading this morning these words jumped out at me. I asked myself, can I be trusted with the Gospel? You see, God when He gave me the Gospel, gave me a very precious treasure. It is a treasure that exceeds all value of any earthly possession. The assurance of knowing one has a home in heaven throughout eternity is worth far more than gold. Thank God that I have that assurance, but what am I doing with it? Have I hid it in a closet somewhere? Have I buried it? By doing so, I have in turn diminished its value.

This treasure only has true value when it is shared. God has trusted me with the Gospel. What am I doing with it? Have I proven myself trustworthy?

No More Overtime

2010-03-15T14:13:00.001-05:00

Several weeks ago, my watch fell apart. The band on it just broke. Now, that may not be a terribly bad thing for some people in some professions, but for a preacher, that's a bad thing. Well, at least the people in the congregation probably think so. I was actually starting to grow pretty fond of not wearing a watch during church. No worry about time constraints, just go till you finish. I was a liberating feeling. Well, yesterday, our most faithful family in the church surprised me with a brand new watch. Now, this wasn't a cheap, Wal-Mart watch, this was a really nice watch. They said it was in honor of our being here a year and just to let me know how much they appreciated me and my family. That, and they were tired of me going so long. (They were just kidding about that part, I really didn't go any longer without the watch than I did with the watch.) I was very grateful to them. I thank the Lord for meeting needs for us when we have them. What a blessing that He uses His saints to encourage others. It makes me want to go out and encourage someone else today. Servant of God, just keep on serving Him. People are watching. God is watching.

It also really challenged me to be my very best for the church. In essence, they gave me time. They gave me a watch. I want to invest that time wisely. I want to invest it in a way that God can use us to do great things for His honor and glory. I am reminded of Ephesians 5:16, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. We all only have so much time to do a work for God. If we are going to do anything, we must do it now. We are not promised tomorrow.

By the way, I did tell them last night that they did good to buy the watch when they bought it. I told them usually on Sunday evenings I just preach until it is good and dark outside. With this weekend being daylight savings time, that would have added an extra hour to the service.

Can I Trust Him?

2010-03-08T18:10:00.001-05:00

Sunday morning I preached from Genesis 22. It is the account of Abraham taking Isaac up Mt. Moriah to offer him as a sacrfice, just as God had instructed him to do. I realize that the Scriptures do not say that he thought it, but if it were me, I would have been wondering, Can I Trust Him? Can I really trust God with this? Why is He testing me this way? Isn't this just a little to much? After all, Abraham had prayed for Isaac for many years before God gave him. Isaac was Abraham's promised child, now, God is asking Abraham to sacrifice the thing he has prayed for and desired the most? Surely I would have thought, and you probably would have too, Can I Trust Him?

I don't know what test you may be facing right now, but I want to assure you, whatever it is, however huge it seems to be, you can trust Him. God has no desire to hurt you. He loves you too much for that. He cares for you too much, He only wants what's best for you. Of course the answer to the question is a resounding yes, I can trust Him. Then another question came to my mind, how? What is it that enables me to trust Him?

I thought of two things, two reasons, why I can trust Him. I have an Isaac, He has a ram. I have an Isaac, I have a promise from God that I can trust Him. Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Now remember, things don't always work out good. Sometimes bad things happen to good people. However, God has promised me that all things work together for good. I may not understand why, but it will always be for the better. I have a promise from God that tells me so. That is my Isaac, the promises of God. Another Isaac I have is previously answered prayer. I have prayed before and seen God answer those prayers. If He can answer prayer in the past, He can surely still answer them. He hasn't changed. He never will. I can trust Him because I have seen Him work on my behalf in the past and I know that He still is.

I also know that God has a ram. You see, while Abraham and Isaac were walking up that mountain, there was a ram that would soon be Isaac's substitute, walking up the other side. God had already prepared a substitute for Isaac, even though Abraham didn't realize it yet. God was working on Abraham's behalf before Abraham even knew it. I know that God has everything under control. He is working on my behalf. He is already preparing the answers for tomorrow's problems. No matter what I may face in the days ahead, I can take comfort in knowing that He has already prepared a ram, He is working on my behalf. Therefore, because I have an Isaac and God has a ram, I know I can trust Him. Whatever you are facing today, let me encourage you to hold onto your Isaac, the promises and past provisions of God, and remember that God is working on your behalf.

Extravagant Love

2010-02-15T11:57:00.001-05:00

We had a good day here at Canaan yesterday. With it being Valentine's Day, I felt led to preach on Extravagant Love. The word extravagant means excessively high, exceeding the bounds of reason. We looked at the example of Mary from Mark 14:1-9, when she broke open her alabaster box and poured the spikenard on the head and feet of Jesus and washed His feet with her hair. This was, in my opinion, a great act of Extravagant Love. My heart was convicted as I studied and preached on it. The question kept coming to my mind, do I love the Lord that way? I really want to, I strive to, but do I? You see, Mary loved the Lord so much that she gave Him her greatest possession, her alabaster box with the spikenard ointment in it. Do I love Him enough to give Him my greatest possessions? What about you? Do you love Him with an extravagant love, witholding nothing back from Him, not even your greatest possession? What is your greatest possession, your car, your home, your job, your career, your children? Would you give it to the Lord if He asked?

There were four things we looked at concerning Extravagant Love yesterday morning:
I. Extravagant Love is Costly - it cost Mary something to love the Lord, her alabaster box and ointment.

II. Extravagant Love is Criticized - anytime you do anything for the Lord, there will always be a critic in the background. This time, it was Judas. He called Mary's act of worship a waste.

III. Extravagant Love is Commended - what Judas called a waste, the Lord called good. He said that she had done a good work. I pray that my work for the Lord would be a good work.

IV. Extravagant Love is Cited - the memorial of what this lady did has been recorded in Scripture forever. The Lord cited her good work for eternity. What a blessing to know the Lord is keeping a record or our labor. The things we think no one notices down here, He notices. He'll not forget our love and labor for Him.

Extravagant Love. May the Lord help me to love Him with a greater love than ever before. I hope you had a good day yesterday.

New Blog

2010-02-10T17:23:00.001-05:00

I have decided to set up a new blog and start all over. You can find the new blog here. I hope that you will head over there and follow us on that blog. Everyone needs a fresh start every now and then.

Twitter

2009-05-14T08:05:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I know it's been a while since I have updated the blog. I have been playing with some other things as far as updates go. One of those things is twitter. Let's just say that I am probably much better at twittering (or whatever its called) than I am at blogging. You don't have to say as much, you just give it a line or two. If you would like to follow us at twitter, you can do so at www.twitter.com/travis1776. We also set up a twitter account for the church. You can follow that by going to www.twitter.com/CanaanBaptist Either one of these are great ways to keep up with what is going on in our busy lives. This doesn't meant that I won't blog again, I look forward to, but I just wanted to let you know what's been going on and why I haven't been blogging.

The Romance of Redemption

2009-02-16T10:18:00.001-05:00

We had another great day yesterday at the Canaan Baptist Church of Covington, LA. It is hard to believe that we are celebrating our one month anniversary. Wow, time sure does fly. The Lord has been blessing us with great services and we are so thankful for that. Yesterday, in honor of Valentine’s Day (I thought about preaching something for President’s Day, but went with Valentine’s Day instead), I preached all day on one of the greatest love stories in the Bible, the story of Ruth and Boaz. We title the whole day The Romance of Redemption. Yes, it is a borrowed title but it still fit. Yesterday morning I preached on Grace Exceeds. We thought about Ruth as she entered Boaz’s field. When she entered the field, she was only looking for a little corn to eat. By the time the book of Ruth concludes, grace has given her far more than she could have ever imagined. Grace exceeded her wildest dreams. The same is true with us, my how grace exceeds all of my hopes and dreams. Now, we all know that every good love story must have a happy ending, so we preached on Happily Ever After. As a result of Ruth’s redemption, she was able to live happily ever after. The same is true for us. After we have been redeemed, we can certainly count on living happily ever after. It was a great time and the Lord helped us immensely.

Please continue to pray that God would provide us with a public building to meet in. We are praying that God would give us a place of our own. We know that He is able to do just that. We have looked at a couple of places, but just didn’t feel that they were right. Please help us pray that we would find just the right place.

Our First Service

2009-01-27T18:24:00.001-05:00

This past Sunday, January 25^th , 2009, will go down in history as an exciting day. Amongst the boxes that need to be unpacked, we met for church. We held the very first service of the Canaan Baptist Church of Covington, LA. It was an awesome time as the Lord truly met with us. We had 10 first time visitors Sunday morning (of course, that would include all of us). It’s not many times that the Pastor is a first time visitor. We met in our home for both Sunday morning and Sunday evening services. Thank you to each and every person that has prayed and given over the years for us to be able to see this historic day. We are excited to see what the Lord is going to do here in Covington, LA. Please help us pray that we would soon find a permanent meeting place. This is a great need. We look forward to keeping you posted in the days ahead about the great things going on here in south Louisiana.

Moving Day

2009-01-19T00:54:00.001-05:00

Wow, it is hard to believe that this day is actually here. After several years of deputation, we are now moving to Covington, LA. Lord wiling, the moving truck will be here in just a few hours from when I am writing this. Our house is full of boxes, packed and ready to be put on the truck. This is certainly an exciting time. As I take just a few moments to reflect back over how God has so blessed my family during the course of deputation, I am truly humbled by His goodness. I think of countless Christians and churches that He has used and continues to use to be a blessing to us and it amazes me. For everyone that has mentioned our name in prayer, Thank you. Please, don’t stop. If ever we needed prayer, it is now. Please pray for us during the course of the next few days. These will be busy days with lots of different things going on. Pray that all goes well. I trust the Lord that it will. We look forward to the next phase of life, the establishment of the Canaan Baptist Church of Covington, LA. Pray that God will place His hand upon that place and use it mightily for His honor and glory.

I also want to take a moment and say a very special THANK YOU to our home church, Canaan Baptist Church of Covington, GA. I can truthfully say that deputation was easier because of this special group of people. The Lord blessed my family to have this great church as our sending church. They have given on our behalf, prayed for us, encouraged us, been there for us when we needed a friend, and so much more. I thank my God for the privilege of being a part of Canaan Baptist Church. They have been so good to us as we prepare to leave for the field. I know that we have their continued prayers and support and for that, I am truly thankful.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T22:58:00.001-05:00

I wanted to take just a moment and wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas. I know that the hustle and bustle of Christmas can often be frustrating and stressful, but please take a moment at this most precious time of year to remember the Reason for the season. Christ was born a babe in Bethlehem’s manger, not just to be a cute baby, but with a much greater purpose. He was born to die. He offered to us the greatest gift that mankind could ever be given, the gift of eternal life. Let that peace dwell in your soul this year. From my entire family, Merry Christmas. Thank you for your prayers and support this past year. We are excited and looking forward to greater things in the year ahead.

Tremendous Article

2008-12-15T11:25:00.001-05:00

As a church planter with children, there are many choices and challenges that we face that others may never know about. We want to serve the Lord with our whole hearts, but we also want what is best for our children. Sometimes it may seem difficult to balance those two things. Jason Janz is a church planter in Denver, CO that has recently faced such a decision. He writes a great article about it that I thought I would share with you this morning.

Article Here

Snow and Praise

2008-12-11T08:10:00.001-05:00

As we awoke this morning, we were quite surprised to look out the window and see the van covered in snow and to see snow still falling quite heavily. Now, this would be an unusual thing if we were at home in Covington, GA, but we’re not. We are in Covington, LA. That’s right, it is snowing in south Louisiana. Unbelievable.

We have spent the last few days in Covington, LA looking for a house to live in when we move. While down here, we were also blessed to attend the Louisiana Independent Baptist Fellowship. This was an incredible group of guys who were all very supportive of our plans. I do believe that they will do all they can to help us. We spent a good deal of Monday and Wednesday riding around town, looking at any available house we could find. Praise the Lord, He sent us to one on Wednesday that wasn’t advertised and we loved it. We were able to secure and are excited about having a house here now. The Lord is good.

Chance Encounter

2008-09-01T08:16:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, my family and I went to a Japanese restaurant for lunch. It was one of those places where you watch them cook in front of you. If you have ever been to one of those, you know that it is community seating, meaning you sit beside strangers. We sat beside a lady named Rosie. As it turns out, Rosie is from New Orleans. She is staying in the area with her sister, as she evacuated ahead of the Gustav. Rosie’s husband, August, is a firefighter for the city of New Orleans. I promised Rosie that we would pray for August as he serves his community. We took a moment there at the table to ask God’s protection upon August. Will you please help us pray for the safety or August? Not only August, but all those in the path of this fierce storm.

Pray for Protection

2008-08-31T07:08:00.002-05:00

I know that many of you have been watching the weather and the intense storm that is approaching south Louisiana. May I beg you to please pray for the protecting hand of God during all of this for those folks? This is not looking good. Please join me in praying for the area, that the Lord would watch over them and protect them.

Exciting Times

2008-08-29T14:36:00.002-05:00

I must confess, I am a political junkie. I love politics, especially presidential politics. This time of the year is so interesting to watch. I enjoy watching all the maneuvering and positioning that everyone does. I confess, I even watched the Democratic Convention, nearly every night. I look forward to next week and the Republican Convention. This is truly an historic election. I don't go around telling folks how to vote. I only want to encourage you to pray and vote as you feel the Lord would have you to.

Awesome Thought

2008-08-23T16:17:00.001-05:00

In the past month or so, we have had a number of people email and write us to let us know that they are praying for us. What an awesome thought, to know that people are praying for our family. I have even had people that I have never met email me to let me know that they are praying that God would get us to the field. I don’t ever want to take lightly that Christians would care enough to pray for us. Thank you all for the prayers that have been offered up on our behalf. We need it. We are so close, we just need you to continue praying that God would send in the remaining few churches so that we can be on our way.

Time Flies

2008-08-18T13:35:00.001-05:00

It’s hard to believe it has been so long since I posted. I know that is a pattern for me. I am still trying to get in the habit of writing more often. I did want to drop a quick note to let you know that since our last update, we have had a couple of new churches take us on and still have promises from several more. PLEASE help us pray that we would see the churches we need take us on soon. We are so close. I feel like the Lord is working on our behalf. We are trusting the Lord to send in these last few churches. I know that He can do it. God can do all things. Please help us pray.

Getting Closer

2008-07-01T07:42:00.000-05:00

Thank you to all who take the time to visit the blog. I know I often have difficulty keeping it updated, mainly for wondering if I have anything interesting to say. Today I wanted to ask you to continue to pray for our goal of 20 new churches. We have seen four new churches take us on so far and have three promises of churches that will begin supporting us. This takes our goal down to 13. We must have those 13 churches before we can move. Please help us pray that God would supply as only He can. It is only God that can lay it upon a church’s heart to begin supporting us. We realize that we do our part, and He will do His. Keep praying and as the Lord sends those churches in, we will begin packing and getting ready to go.

It's The Soldier

2008-05-28T12:56:00.001-05:00

I heard this the other day and finally found it online. I thought you might enjoy it.

It's not the reporter who gives you the freedom of the press, it’s the soldier.

It's not the poet who gives you the freedom of speech, it’s the soldier.

It's not the campus organizer who allows you to demonstrate, it’s the soldier.

It's the soldier who salutes the flag, serves the flag, whose coffin is draped with the flag, that allows the protester to bum that flag!!!!

I for one want to say thank you to the brave men and women that serve our country so admirably. Remember, it is the soldier that gives us the freedom to enjoy the wonderful liberties we enjoy.

Memorial Day

2008-05-26T14:16:00.001-05:00

It is just a little after 3:00 p.m. as I write this and our country has just observed a moment of silence to show our gratitude for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms. I would like to publicly thank all the brave men and women who have served our country. I also thank the families of those brave soldiers. I understand that it is a family affair. I know that without those sacrifices, we would not have the freedom to stand and boldly proclaim the Word of God. Thank you, soldiers, for your contributions to our freedom.

However, as we think of sacrifices for freedom, we must remember the One who made the ultimate sacrifice so that we could have the ultimate freedom. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins on Calvary so that our souls could be set free from the penalty of sin. No more does sin have to rule and reign over us. Jesus Christ laid down His life so that we could be free. As we thank the soldiers who made our country free, let us also remember to thank the Saviour who set our souls free.

His Grace Is Sufficient

2008-04-22T14:34:00.001-05:00

This afternoon I had the privilege of going to visit with Bro. Roger Blevins for a few minutes. Many of you no doubt have been praying for Bro. Blevins since his accident in early February. This was the first time I had been able to visit with him and boy was I thankful that I was able to. It was a tremendous blessing for me to stand there and listen to Bro. Blevins explain how that “God’s grace is sufficient.” Just to make sure we understood exactly what he was saying, he raised one hand in the air and proclaimed again, “God’s grace is sufficient.” He told us how that he had been through things before in life, but nothing quite like this. However, he was glad to report that God’s grace is still sufficient. What an encouragement this was for me. You see friends, I don’t know what difficulty you may be facing as you read this, but I can assure you, that God’s grace is sufficient for your needs right now. If you don’t believe me, just ask a man who has spent the last nearly three months in ICU and the hospital fighting for his life. God’s grace is sufficient.

Keep Praying

2008-04-17T11:37:00.001-05:00

I just wanted to drop a short note and ask you to keep praying for our family as we strive to get to Covington, LA. We are getting closer. I look forward to sharing some exciting news with you in a few days. I would ask that you continue to pray for 20 new supporting churches. I believe this would be what we needed to get us to the field. Thank you for the prayers that you have already offered on our behalf. I know that the Lord is hearing and answering these prayers.

Pray for 20

2008-04-09T09:19:00.001-05:00

Most of you know that we are getting close to finishing deputation. Currently, we are at 75% and hope to have our support raised before too much longer. Of course, our heart’s desire is to be a blessing to the churches which allow us to come by, but we also have a burden for southern Louisiana. We are very close to completion. I would say that if we had about 20 more churches take us on for support that would be enough for us to leave for the field. This is not a large number. We have probably been in over 175 churches that do not yet support us. Therefore, I am asking you to join me in prayer. I am praying and asking God to give us 20 new supporting churches in the months of April and May. This is a large request, as we have never had that many churches take us on in a two month span, but I know that our God is able. I know the Bible teaches us that nothing is too hard for God. We need your help. Would you please intercede for us that God would give us 20 new supporting churches in the next two months so that we may soon get to the field? It would certainly be a blessing. As God begins to answer our prayers, I will certainly keep you updated on the blog.

Housing Needs

2008-03-24T13:21:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago my family made a trip to Covington, LA to begin to scout out a place to live. Seeing as how we are just a few more churches away from being able to move, we are getting excited about getting on the field. Of course, in order to be able to do that, we must have a place to live. After scouting out the area, it was clear to us that the effects of Hurricane Katrina still linger. The housing market in Covington, LA is quite expensive. Even apartments seem to be priced well above what you would expect. Now, don’t misunderstand, we knew that the housing market had gone up since the storm, but we were reminded of it again as we drove around and looked. Please help us pray that the Lord would provide a home for my family in Covington, LA. We know that God never guides where He does not provide. We are excited about seeing Him work on our behalf. Thank you in advance for your prayers on our behalf concerning our housing needs.

Just Part of the Ministry

2008-03-20T08:02:00.001-05:00

A few days ago I had the privilege of meeting a national pastor from the country of India. What a great joy it was to be able to talk with this gentleman. During the course of our conversation, he mentioned that he had a good number of young people who had gone out of the church and Bible College to start churches. He was glad to report that only 13 of them had been arrested and were currently in jail. He then made the statement, concerning the 13 in jail, that it is “just part of the ministry.” WOW. Can you imagine if we were the ones that had been jailed for preaching the Gospel? We would be crying and pouting and telling everyone that would listen how unfair life is and how we are so persecuted. Yet for these precious saints of God, it is merely part of the ministry. I admire the bravery and courage of these men, the sacrifice and the willingness to do something great for God no matter the cost. My prayer is that Jesus would give me a greater love for Him and His ministry.

Bro. Mark Stewart

2008-02-27T10:33:00.000-05:00

This is a prayer request that was sent out by a fellow Macedonia missionary, Mark Stewart. Bro. Stewart is the Middle East Director for MWBM. Some time ago, his wife was diagnosed with cancer and they have been on an up and down journey since then. There have been times that they thought they had gotten all the cancer only to have it come back again. Bro. Stewart sent this prayer letter out asking for everyone to remember his wife. Please pray for this dear family.

This is from Bro. Mark Stewart's prayer letter:

To all of our faithful supporters and partners, greetings in this new year. I want to thank God that we have some of the greatest supporting churches and pastors on the face of the whole earth. It is good to know that we have so many faithful people supporting our family. I truly mean what I am about to say, without you we couldn’t do what we do. We don’t say enough how much we love and appreciate each and every one of you in the Lord.

FAMILY- Our girls are doing real well in the Christian school that they attend. Both of them are on the A honor roll and it just amazes me at how smart these little one’s can be. They have been an inspiration to me and my wife during these difficult days of fighting this cancer. We want to try to bring everyone up to speed on the condition of my wife. Sandra has one more treatment to go of chemo. After that we are really not sure if the doctors are going to be able to do anything else. Her cancer is still not gone but it hasn’t been growing. The everyday worry is sometimes more than we can bear. We really need a miracle from the Lord!

PRAYER DAY FOR MY WIFE- I am very well aware that many people have prayed for my wife and gotten under a burden for her. You don’t know how much I appreciate that. I am asking that all of you on one specific day will pray for my wife in the church. We are asking that all of you make March 2^nd a day of prayer for my wife Sandra and that the rest of the week be spent as a prayer week for the healing of my dear wife. I need her in my life as well as my two precious daughters need their momma. Please, please join us in this special “Day of prayer” for my precious wife.

Prayer Request

2008-02-03T15:30:00.001-05:00

Please remember this special prayer request. A missionary from our home church, Bro. Roger Blevins, was involved in a serious car accident this morning on his way to a meeting. Bro. Blevins is the South American director for BIMI and is a tremendous man of God. He is as kind as anyone you will ever meet. Would you please pray for him and his family at this time? I know that his family would greatly appreciate your prayers.

The World

2008-01-24T08:58:00.000-05:00

This morning while reading in the Gospel of John, I was once again reminded of the fact that Jesus came to die for all the world. In John 1:29, John proclaims Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. It is interesting to note that it does not say that He came to take away the sin of Israel, God’s chosen people. It doesn’t mention the rich, educated, poor, humble, or any other group of people as being specially elect. It does, however, mention the world. Jesus came to die for the world. He came to take the sin away of every man, woman, boy, or girl upon the face of God’s creation. The question is this, are we doing our part to share that good news with them? Are we telling humanity that their sin debt has been settled, it’s been paid in full? All they have to do is receive the free pardon that has been granted them. I trust that in the days ahead we will strive to do our part to share the good news of the Gospel with those for whom Christ meant it, the world.

As Many As Received Him...

2008-01-22T09:39:00.000-05:00

I have recently begun a new study in the Gospel of John and it is proving to be fascinating thus far. I am hoping to be able to share some thoughts with you every few days from that study, things that the Lord shares with me. This morning, as I was reading in John chapter one, I was drawn to verse 11 and the first word of verse 12. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But… Praise God for that small word but. You see, Christ came unto His own people first, the nation of Israel. Those same people rejected Him. They despised Him. They mocked Him and cursed Him. But…as many as received Him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Oh sure, some rejected Him, but not every one did. Even though the Israelites rejected Him, I didn’t. And because I was willing to believe upon His name and receive Him as my Saviour, to me He gave the power to become the Son of God. Now I am part of the family of Christ. Isn’t that thrilling. He could have rejected everyone when His own people rejected Him, but He didn’t. He still chose to accept those that would accept Him.

Of course, my mind often takes things back to the people of southern Louisiana, where God has called us to go and be a witness. I am fully aware of the fact that everyone there will not accept Christ as Saviour. Some will receive Him not. Oh, but there is good news for the ones who will receive Him. For the people that will receive Christ, to them is given the power to become a child of the King.

I found this illustration the other day. It clearly states the importance of accepting our pardon, the pardon from the punishment of sin that Christ offers. On May 1, 1830, George Wilson and James Porter were sentenced to a public hanging for six charges of robbing the US Mail. The justice system was much different then, and penalties were harsher. However, George Wilson had some influential friends who convinced President Andrew Jackson to give him a pardon.

Rather than being overjoyed, Wilson resolutely refused to accept the pardon. The case was sent to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice John Marshal and the rest of the court ruled that a pardon could not be forced on anyone, so the execution was carried out.

Merry Christmas from the Campbells

2007-12-23T15:08:00.001-05:00

Our family realizes that it is because of the prayers of many of you that we are able to do what the Lord has called us to do. We absolutely could not do this without the help and support of so many people that we care for. As we are in the most joyous time of year, it is our prayer that each and every one would have a joyful and Christ centered Christmas this year. We look forward to the days ahead and the exciting things that the Lord has for us as we soon prepare to move to southern Louisiana.

Keep Pushing

2007-12-10T09:32:00.000-05:00

A story has been told of a time when the Lord told a man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of the man’s cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many months he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night, the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out.

Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man’s mind such as: “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. You are never going to be able to move it.” These thoughts began to discourage and dishearten the man even more.

In the midst of battling discouragement, the man decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord. “Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which You have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a centimeter. I am failing You.”

To this the Lord responded compassionately, “My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to me, with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewy and sturdy, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But, son, I did not ask you to move the rock. I simply asked you to push. It is my job to move the rock.”

Thankful That God Knows Best

2007-11-17T09:18:00.001-05:00

I receive a daily devotion from Pastor Paul Chappell in Lancaster, CA. It has some great stuff in it, including some really great stories and illustrations. I received this one this week and just had to share the story with you. I hope that you will enjoy it and be reminded that God has all things under control, even when we can’t see how a situation would possibly work out. If you would like to receive Pastor Chappell’s devotions, you can do that by clicking here

Most of us have heard the story of the first Thanksgiving—at least, of the Pilgrims, but not many have heard of all the events leading up to that first Thanksgiving. Historians believe that around 1608—more than a decade before the Pilgrims landed in the New World—a group of English traders, led by Captain Hunt, sailed to what is today Plymouth, Massachusetts. When the trusting Wampanoag Indians came out to trade, Hunt took them prisoner, transported them to Spain, and sold them into slavery.

But God had an amazing plan for one of the captured Indians—a boy named Squanto. A well-meaning Spaniard, who treated him well and taught him the Christian faith, bought Squanto. Squanto eventually made his way to England and worked in the stable of a man named John Slaney. Slaney sympathized with Squanto’s desire to return home, and he promised to put the Indian on the first vessel bound for America.

It wasn’t until 1619—ten years after Squanto was first kidnapped—that a ship was found. Finally, after a decade of exile and heartbreak, Squanto was on his way home. But when he arrived in Massachusetts, more heartbreak awaited him. An epidemic had wiped out Squanto’s entire village.

We can only imagine what must have gone through Squanto’s mind. Why had God allowed him to return home, against all odds, only to find his loved ones dead? A year later, the answer came. A shipload of English families arrived and settled on the very land once occupied by Squanto’s people. Squanto went to meet them, greeting the startled Pilgrims in English.

According to the diary of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford, Squanto “became a special instrument sent of God for [our] good . . . He showed [us] how to plant corn, where to take fish and to procure other commodities . . . and was also [our] pilot to bring [us] to unknown places for [our] profit, and never left [us] till he died.”

Only God could have orchestrated these events to preserve the Pilgrims when they landed in the New World. God in His sovereignty answered the Pilgrims’ prayers years before they arrived in Plymouth. The God that the Pilgrims served is doing the same for us as well! While we may not see how He is working, He is making provisions for us beyond what we could imagine!

It is good as we approach Thanksgiving to thank God for all He has given and done for us already, but let’s remember to thank Him for His providence and for what He is doing right now on our behalf though we may not see how He is working.

The Unknown Man

2007-10-03T14:13:00.001-05:00

“The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green.” —Thomas Carlyle

It seems that too often we strive to have a big name, to be the one that everybody knows. It is human nature to strive to be someone that everyone would look at and think what a great job we are doing. However, that is not what is really important. I read this quote several days ago and it really struck me. Where are the folks that are willing to work behind the scenes to do whatever good is needed to accomplish the task. I often think of those that support us, whether it be through prayer or financially. Everyone may look at our family and think that we are doing a good work. However, we could not do what we do without the support of many people. It is those folks, the ones that are unseen, that are secretly making the ground green. Thank you Lord, for those that You have given to us to help us and aid us in the task that you have called us to.

Did You Rest Well?

2007-09-26T07:19:00.001-05:00

This morning as I was doing my devotions, I read Psalm 127:2. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep. I began to think about how many times we have all had sleepless nights, due to worry. How many times are we so distraught by something that is completely out of our control, that we are not able to get the rest that we need. As I read this, I was reminded that there is no place for worry in the life of the child of God. God’s desire is not that we sit up half the night worried about things, or get up early worried. His desire is that I might trust in Him. His desire is that because of my complete trust in Him, I would be able to sleep through the night. As we awake after a good night’s rest, how much more refreshed are we? Aren’t we in much better shape to serve the Lord, after a good night’s rest? Let’s all commit to trusting Him, so that we might better serve Him.

Modern Day Headlines

2007-08-31T14:22:00.000-05:00

I found these in a church bulletin recently and thought I would share them with you. They give a pretty good idea of how Biblical events would be reported today. I thought they were funny and thought they may be a good way to brighten your day. I hope that you enjoy them.

On Red Sea Crossing:

WETLANDS TRAMPLED IN LABOR STRIKE

Pursuing Environmentalist Killed

On David vs Goliath:

HATE CRIME KILLS BELOVED CHAMPION

Psychologist Questions Influence of Rock

On the Birth of Christ:

HOTELS FULL, ANIMALS LEFT HOMELESS

Activists Enraged by Insensitive Couple

On feeding the 5,000:

PREACHER STEALS CHILD’S LUNCH

Disciples Mystified over Behavior

On raising Lazarus from the dead:

FUNDAMENTALISTS PREACHER RAISES A STINK

Will Reading Delayed

Never Before

2007-08-14T08:19:00.001-05:00

I heard of this quote made by a missionary in Africa and thought I would share it with you all. Never before have so many people relied on so few for so much. He was speaking of the great number of people that are in need of the Gospel and how there are so few willing to take it to them. We must be busy. The harvest truly is great, but where are the labourers?

A Good Day

2007-08-13T07:40:00.001-05:00

I trust that you all had a good day on the Lord’s day yesterday. I know that our family did. We were at a couple of churches in the north Georgia area. The Lord blessed in both services and we had a great time. One of the interesting things from yesterday morning is that the church we were with is only about four years old. You see, in Blue Ridge, GA, there was not a solid fundamental, independent Baptist Church. The Lord laid it upon the heart of Bro. Rusty Thomas to go and start one and that is what he did. There were people from Blue Ridge driving nearly 45 minutes to go to a fundamental Baptist Church. Now, they have one in their community. It is hard for many of us to fathom that there are places even in the south, in the Bible Belt, that stand in need of churches. No doubt one such area is southern Louisiana. Let’s pray that the Lord will get our family there as quickly as possible that we might be busy with the work that He has called us to.

Parenthood 101

2007-08-08T18:27:00.000-05:00

I saw something today that left me rather disturbed. Seth and I had to run to the local grocery store for a few things this afternoon. I know that it’s hot everywhere, but it is just sweltering here in Covington. I think the temperature was 99 with a heat index of 105. Not the kind of weather you want to spend much time in. As we get ready to go in the grocery store, a little girl, probably around 9 years old, asks me if I would like to buy a raffle ticket. Choosing not to waste my money, I politely told her no. I did notice though, that there were no adults around her. Seemingly no one there watching her. I promise you, in today’s times, I try my very best not to let my children out of my sight for one second. There are simply too many evils lurking around us. As we finished our shopping and left, there was a young boy now stationed at the exit door. Again, probably 10 or 11, hawking raffle tickets. Once again, I politely declined and looked for his parent or guardian. I saw no one. Finally, as I was walking across the parking lot, I turned back around to see a woman parked in the fire lane of the grocery store, windows rolled up, air conditioning no doubt running, watching the kids. Apparently she was their “guardian”. Can I say how sorry this is? As a parent, don’t send your kids out in the heat to try and sell raffle tickets if you aren’t willing to get out there with them. Apparently it was too hot for her to be outside, but not to make her kids be outside. I found this horrible. If I am not willing to do something, I should not expect my children to do it. Children are a gift from God and they should be treated as such.

It's In The Book

2007-08-06T13:33:00.001-05:00

Many times we seem to be intimidated to preach about money. With so many televangelists and crooked “preachers” out there, we seem to be afraid that if we mention money we will be lumped in with them. I think the question to ask, when considering should we preach about money, is this “Is it in the Bible?” I was given these statistics the other day and found them quite astounding to be honest. I have not personally checked these to confirm their accuracy, but the source from which they came was reliable, so I have no reason not to believe them.

Think about these statistics:

16 of 38 parables are about money

There are about 500 verses in the Bible on Prayer.

There are less than 500 verses in the Bible on Faith.

There are more than 2350 verses in the Bible on Money.

I guess this definitely answers the question “Is it in the Bible?” Yes it is. It is obvious that it takes money to do the work of God. I get the feeling that many of the churches that we visit think that all we are concerned with is money. No, that is not our only concern. We also need your prayers. However, we would be foolish to think that it does not take money to accomplish things for the Lord. We must have money, just like anyone else must have it to live on. Should we be intimidated and afraid to preach on giving? I say absolutely not. If we are to preach the whole counsel of Scripture, than that is a part of it just like any other.

Excited

2007-08-02T15:19:00.001-05:00

It’s Thursday and I can report to you that we are quite excited. Today kicks off a month that we are calling Awesome August at Canaan, our home church. The church has moved its mid-week services to Thursday night for this entire month. We will also have revival meeting the third week of the month. I just know it is going to be great. I don’t know about you, but my heart yearns for revival. I know I need it. I pray that the Lord will send revival to me. In all honesty, we all could use revival. The problem is that many of us don’t realize we need it or we just don’t want it. What a mighty army of believers that could be raised up to reach our world with the Gospel if only true revival would break out across our land. It would be unseen what could be accomplished for the Lord. I challenge you today to pray for revival. Not just in your heart, but in mine as well.

Snakes in the Woodpile

2007-07-26T08:07:00.001-05:00

Here is a thought for you today, something to think on. In Acts 28, after Paul has been shipwrecked and come to shore, he is out gathering sticks for the fire. As he places the sticks on the fire, a viper comes out and attaches to his arm. He shakes the viper out and is unharmed, much to the amazement of those around him. If I may, I would like to make an application with these verses. How many times do we find in the church, there are snakes there unaware. You see, Paul would have never known that there was a snake in the woodpile had he not placed them in the heat. Many times, there are snakes in our churches, and it is only when the man of God turns up the heat that they come out. After the heat, they begin to try and harm the man of God with their mouths. Think on these things concerning those snakes.

The deceitfulness of snakes

Paul had no clue that the snake was in the woodpile. We never know when there are snakes in the church. They are certainly quiet. They camouflage in the woods well. They have no odor or large size to point them out. You would never know they are there. They are deceitful.

The danger of snakes

They say that typically, a snake is more afraid of you than you are of it. Most of the time, a snake will not harm you. However, it will cause you to harm yourself. How many times have pastors harmed themselves because of fear when they find a snake? They react too quickly or too harshly in fear of those snakes and they cause great harm to themselves, more harm than the snakes could have caused on their own.

The destruction of the snake

In Acts 28, the snake was destroyed when he was cast into the fire. I believe such may be the end for snakes in the church as well. Their destruction could be found in the lake of fire.

Are You A Practicing Atheist?

2007-07-25T14:35:00.001-05:00

This morning, I heard a message that dealt with a sin that so many of us are guilty of, yet we do little to try and hide it. It is the sin of worry. Yes, it is a sin to worry. In this message, the preacher made the following statement that really caught my attention and I thought it might make you think as well. He said, Many of us are not professing atheist but we are practicing atheist. We do not say there is no God, we only live like it. What great truth this is. We would never say that there is not a God, yet when we worry if He is able to keep His Word, or meet or needs, that is exactly what we are doing. We become practicing atheists. May we strive and determine to trust Him. As my pastor often says, Even when you can’t track Him, trust Him.

What Are We Here For?

2007-07-24T13:59:00.000-05:00

I am afraid that too many of our modern day churches have lost their direction. We have lost our clear vision of why we are here, to preach the Gospel. Often times, it takes someone that you least expect to point us back in the right direction. Kirk Cameron, former star of the ‘80’s sitcom Growing Pains and now a born again believer, recently spoke at the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting in San Antonio, Texas. I heard a pastor make mention of this quote the other day and thought I would share it with you. I think there is a wealth of truth in it. I am afraid that too many people are dying and going to hell from a church pew because we have stopped preaching the whole counsel of God. Here is Kirk’s message:

Can I speak to you from my heart for a moment? I realize that, theologically, I’m not worthy to wash your socks. But imagine this scenario with me, if you will: Imagine I’m a “seeker”- I’m a non-Christian, sitting in your church week after week after week listening to you. Am I ever going to hear the message that will save my soul from Hell? Will you ever tell me the truth clearly enough so that I realize that my sin has made me an enemy of God: that I am currently on the path that leads to destruction, with the wrath of God dwelling upon me, and that unless I repent and put my faith in the Savior, I will perish? Or have you decided that it’s better to simply entertain me, and on Sundays I can come to have my “felt needs” met with good music and good advice? Pastor, while I would appreciate that, it’s the ultimate betrayal of my trust in you if you don’t tell me the truth. Will I ever hear the words “repent,” “surrender,” “turn to the Savior,” “be born again”? If you don’t tell me those things, how will I ever know to do it? Please don’t leave it up to the Wednesday night small-group leader. They’re taking their cues from you. You’re leading the flock.

And now I speak to you as a Christian. If you and I fail to teach the whole counsel of God, and we don’t warn sinners to flee from the wrath to come, and run to the love of Christ on the Cross to save their soul, we make a terrible mistake. It doesn’t matter how happy a person is- how much a sinner is enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season- without the righteousness of Christ, he’ll perish on the Day of Judgment. The Bible says, “Riches profit not on the Day of Wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.” You see, that’s how Kirk Cameron realized he needed a Savior. I had riches, but I knew that it was the righteousness of God that I needed in order to be saved from my sin.

How many people left church this past Sunday having been entertained and not exhorted? How many churches had comedy but no conviction? I think it is high time we placed our priorities in the right place again, on the preaching of the Word of God. God’s Word will always get the job done. As I prepare to plant a church, I need to hear this thought ringing through my mind, Preach the Word.

Great Weekend

2007-07-17T16:12:00.002-05:00

We had a great weekend this past weekend. I enjoyed the privilege of preaching twice on Sunday and had a great time. I always enjoy meeting new people in the churches that we visit and this past weekend was no exception. We met some wonderful people, many of whom said they would be praying for our family. What a great blessing. We pray that if it be the Lord’s will, these churches would take us on as part of their missionary family. If not, the Lord’s will be done.

On a side note, also this weekend Seth had a close encounter with a table at the restaurant we ate at Sunday. It resulted in his first black eye. I think he was kinda proud of it to be honest with you. It didn’t seem to bother him to much after he got over the initial shock. That is one tough kid…

Is There A Need?

2007-07-17T16:12:00.000-05:00

Yes, there is a need. A need for what you may ask? A need for missionaries in the United States. Recently, we met a young lady in a Bible belt state. This young lady was probably in her early to mid 20’s and had grown up in a northern state. After some time getting to know her, Seth enjoyed her company as a friend and they had a great time playing together. As he is so prone to do, he decided it was time to preach and sing. He wanted to sing Jesus Loves Me and asked this young lady to sing along. She told him she did not know that song and had never heard it. I was shocked. However, it reminded me that there are people all around us that do not know the saving grace of Christ. There are people that live in the south, in the Bible belt, that have never even heard Jesus Loves Me. We must be busy. I am afraid that so many times we concentrate on the rest of the world, and there is a great need there, but we are losing our own country. Let’s determine that our own neighbors and fellow citizens will not be left out on the Gospel message. Let’s do our part to take it to them as well as the rest of the world.

Have A Great Weekend

2007-07-14T16:02:00.000-05:00

It’s Saturday afternoon and we hope everyone is having a great weekend. We are in NC and are looking forward to some great meetings tomorrow. Pray for us as we will be in Harmony, NC tomorrow morning and Apex, NC tomorrow night. Please help us pray that the Lord would use us to be a great blessing to these churches and that we will effectively share the burden with them that the Lord has placed on our hearts. We are excited about the opportunity to share our vision for southern Louisiana with churches and are always excited to see how the Lord works. We are praying that you all have a great Lord’s day and the blessings will abound and many souls will be saved.

How Far We Have Come

2007-07-12T15:59:00.001-05:00

Don’t know how many of you saw this today, but for the first time in our nation’s history, a Hindu led the opening prayer for the United States Senate. This is from a nation claims to be “One Nation Under God.” Certainly, you would agree that the same God that this nation was founded upon is not the deity supreme that Rajan Zed was praying to. Hindu is a polytheistic religion, having gods in everything, be from the sky to the earth to the ants. This is not my God. My God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the one who hung the moon and stars in the sky. My God is the one who created the sky, earth, and ants. I do realize that one of the most beautiful aspects of our nation is the right to pray to whom we choose. If Mr. Zed wants to pray and meditate upon the earth, so be it, that is his choice. However, for us to claim to be a Christian nation and allow this sort of thing is a travesty. I can only wonder how our forefathers, the men who sacrificed so much for us to have this great country, would feel about this sort of thing. I am almost certain that it would not have happened without more of an outrage than there was. My, how far our great country has come.

The Greatest Gift

2007-07-11T12:26:00.001-05:00

It has been a lot of fun this week to watch how excited Seth gets about going to Bible School each night. It’s also a wake up call, because it just shows me how he’s growing up so fast. It seems not long ago we were bringing him home from the hospital, now he’s going to his very own Bible School class. Even last night he won the quiet seat award. Wow, they grow up so fast. As I watch him, I am reminded of a visit I made this past Saturday morning. I talked with a man that was a single parent, a father trying to raise a 10 year old boy own his own. I told him of how impressive that was and that no doubt there was a lot of love in his heart for that young man. The dad told me of how every day, each decision revolves around what is best for that young boy of his. I could tell he meant it. I tried my best to tell him that the greatest gift he could give that young boy was a Godly heritage. You see, we can buy our children all the toys and clothes this world has to offer, and what good is it. I watch Seth get a new toy and many times he is just as happy with the box as he is the toy. These things are all temporary. However, the greatest gift I can pass on to my children is a Godly heritage, to be the kind of dad that causes a true love for Christ to build in their lives. No, I cannot save them. I can though, play a great part in whether or not they get saved. The greatest gift I can give my children is for me to live a Christ honoring life, and then try my best to pass that on to them.

Do you know what time it is?

2007-07-10T22:29:00.000-05:00

It's Bible Time! That's right, for the past few nights we have been having Neighborhood Bible Time at Canaan. What an exciting time to see so many boys and girls have an opportunity to hear the Gospel. I have had the privilege to counsel with several young boys. Pray that God would do a work in their hearts and lives. I realize more than ever before the importance of making sure that they are on a solid foundation. I would surely hate to think that I led someone into a false profession. What a tragedy.
I talked with one young man this evening that reminded me of so many people. He was seven years old and had never, ever told a lie. Not even one. He had never disobeyed his parents or his teachers. He was not a sinner. He could not bring himself to admit that he was a sinner. My how that reminds me of so many adults. People everywhere refuse to admit that they need a Saviour. They think their good works are sufficient. They don't cheat or steal. They are good people. They are too proud to recognize themselves as sinners. What we need is for the eyes of man to be opened so that they see themselves as God sees them, wicked and sinful. We are all sinners in need of a Saviour. Until we realize that profound truth, we can never be saved. Pray for Bible Time. It concludes Wednesday night. We're trusting the Lord for great things.

Time at Home

2007-07-08T23:38:00.000-05:00

This weekend saw us spending some time at home. We had a meeting scheduled but it had to be rescheduled due to some other things going on. We decided to simply spend the day at our home church. It has been a while since we have been able to do that. Our church is starting Neighborhood Bible Time for the kids this week so it gave us a great chance to help out. Let's pray that many young souls will be saved this week. You never know, we may have the next D.L. Moody or Lee Roberson in this group. What a blessing that would be.

Happy 4th of July

2007-07-04T13:28:00.000-05:00

What a great privilege to live in the greatest nation on earth. I saw a poll last night on Fox News that said that only 80% of the people surveyed believe the United States to be the greatest nation in the history of civilization. May I say that I believe that 20% of the people have lost their minds. This is the greatest nation on earth. I fully understand that we have many things wrong with our nation today. We tolerate sin and even condone and promote it. Our freedoms are constantly under attack by liberals and socialists. However, it is still my firm belief that this is the greatest nation on the face of God's earth. God has richly blessed our great country. My prayer is that He will continue to do so. Therefore, as you go about your day, even in spite of the many freedoms we have lost and are losing, thank God for the privilege to live in the greatest nation on earth.

Camp Canaan

2007-06-26T09:14:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I was privileged to be able to spend the week at Camp Canaan. This is a ministry of our home church, Canaan Baptist. What a wonderful week. We had close to 300 people there, over 200 of them juniors and teenagers. Pastor Chancee Carter of Troutman, NC did the preaching for the week and it was the best I have ever heard him. I believe overall about 10 young people were saved and several surrendered their lives to full time Christian service. If you are looking for a great camp to send your young people to, I would highly recommend Camp Canaan. Next year's dates are already set, June 22-27.

Wow, it's been a long time.

2007-06-19T12:38:00.000-05:00

I did not realize just how long it had been since we had posted on the blog. I knew it had been awhile, but I did not realize it had been almost six months. Guess there is much to keep us busy. Just to give you a quick update on some things, Ethan Luke is here and doing great. He is growing like a weed. He is almost 17 pounds now and over 2 feet tall.
Seth is doing a great job as a big brother. He is very loving and kind to Ethan. I think they are going to have a lot of fun together.
Deputation is going well, as the Lord is really blessing. We should be somewhere around 63% of our needed support. The end is getting closer and closer and we are all starting to get a little more excited about getting to the field. I really look forward to starting the work the Lord has called us to.
Well, just a quick update. We'll do more when we get the chance, and we will do our best to make sure it's not another six months before we post again.

Almost Here

2007-01-29T16:15:00.000-05:00

The big day is almost here. Tuesday afternoon Wendy goes in for the scheduled C-section and the birth of our second child, Ethan Luke. We are excited about this but know that some big changes are in store as well. We think Seth is excited, but still a little confused about everything that's going on. We know that he will enjoy having his little brother around, it's just going to take him some time to get used to it. I know he can though.
We had another good weekend this past weekend. Hopefully, this is the last weekend that I will have to travel by myself. It certainly was different. I enjoy having my family with me as we travel and meet all the new people the Lord has for us to meet. We will take a couple of weeks at home to begin adjustments and then we will hit the road again. Please be in prayer for us tomorrow and rest assured that just as soon as I am able to post pictures I will.

Great Weekend

2007-01-22T16:25:00.000-05:00

I had a great weekend this past Sunday in south Georgia at the Bethel Baptist Church and the Waterloo Baptist Church. I was able to meet many new friends and believe I found some more people that will pray for our family. That is what deputation is all about, find more people who are willing to call out to God on your behalf. It amazes me to think that there may be people all over possibly even this nation who are calling our names out to the Lord. We never know when someone may be praying for us. Isn't that such a blessing? I know many folks bad mouth deputation and complain, but I must praise the Lord for it. He has used it to teach me so many wonderful things. And to think of all the people that we have met, I am so glad I didn't miss this. I have really enjoyed deputation. Now, that's not to say that I won't be thankful when it's over, I will. But in the meantime, I'll just keep on trying to bloom where I'm planted and serving the Lord as faithfully as I can.

Exciting Times

2007-01-19T15:39:00.000-05:00

Praise Report:
With several churches having promised to begin support in the month of January, we should be over the 50% mark. This is exciting because we have been praying for this for sometime now. The Lord has answered prayer. I sorta feel like this is some kind of milestone on the deputation trail. The next milestone is 60%. I am praying and I would like for you to pray with us, that we will be there by the end of February. If this happens, we can start getting a little more serious about looking down the road at a date to leave on. I don't know about you, but I choose to believe that God can do it. I know He can. Would you please call upon Him on our behalf and ask Him to provide this? Thank you so much.
In other exciting news, we are only about a week and a half away from the scheduled birth of Ethan Luke Campbell. Wendy is scheduled to have a section on Tuesday, January 30th. The time is almost here. Continue to pray for her in these last few days that the Lord would strengthen here and the baby. We are excited about this addition to the family and looking forward to training this child to serve the Lord. Seth seems to be excited about having a new brother as well. As soon as I can, I will post pictures here for you.
Again, we want to thank you for praying for us as we travel and do the Lord's will for our lives. We have been in some great meetings lately and thank the Lord for it. Please pray that the Lord would continue to bless our labors.

We're Baaack

2006-12-19T10:47:00.000-05:00

Wow, I know that it has really been a long time since our last blog. I do apologize for the delay in keeping you updated on us. We praise the Lord for His goodness to us during these past few weeks. The Lord continues to show His faithfulness to us time and time again.
After a busy schedule, we have been able to spend the past few weeks at home for somewhat of a Christmas vacation. This is always a great blessing to be able to do, as we are able to attend Canaan and enjoy the Christmas season there. You don't really know how to appreciate something until it's gone they say. Well, it's true. We certainly appreciate every chance we get to spend some time with our church family and just the chance to attend a service there.
We have had several churches promise to take us on for support starting in January of next year, and that is exciting. We should be close to, if not over, 50% real soon. This is exciting because it is another mileston that we have reached, halfway. Please help us pray that we would get the second half quickly, so that we could be moving real soon.
In family news, Seth is constantly growing and doing things that amaze us. Wendy and the baby are doing well. We are excited about another addition to the family.
Again, thank you for understanding about the delay. I promise to try my best not to let it happen again. It is just so easy to get busy and forget about things and continually put them on the back burner. I am looking forward to using this as a tool in the days ahead to let you know more and more about us and the deputation trail. Until then, God bless and we are looking forward to the days ahead.

On the Road Again...

2006-10-06T08:12:00.000-05:00

Things have been mighty busy these past few days and they probably will not slow down anytime soon. On Tuesday night, I was blessed to go over to Peoples Baptist Church and the Nationwide Independent Baptist Fellowship. It was a great evening and we heard some wonderful preaching and singing. I was blessed to hear Bro. Paul Chappell of Lancaster, CA for the first time. I really enjoyed it and the Lord blessed the message. It was a help to me. Wednesday night, we had a meeting in Maysville, GA and had a great time. Wendy and Seth were not able to travel with me again due to a virus that Seth had caught. I sure do miss them when they're not able to go. Thankfully, they are packing now to be back on the road with me this weekend. Today, we are going to be driving to Louisville, KY and spending the night and from there we will drive to Princeville, IL. Lord willing, we will be in a missions conference there next week. We are looking forward to a great time and excited to see how the Lord works in this church. I believe that this is their first missions conference. What an exciting time. Please pray for us as we make this long trip. We earnestly desire the Lord's protection.

Another bit of exciting news we received on Thursday. Wendy went to to doctor for an ultrasound appointment. They were going to tell us if we were having a boy or a girl. The ultrasound showed that it is a

Busy Days

2006-10-02T09:32:00.000-05:00

I know that it has been several days since my last post, and I do apologize. Since the last post, we have been busy on the highways. We were blessed last Sunday to be in a missions conference in Rainelle, WV with Pastor Milton Kerr. What a blessing these dear people were. We had a great time and very much enjoyed our stay there. Rainelle, WV is in the Sewell Valley, which is a valley surrounded by several mountains. It is absolutely gorgeous. What a spectacular view, and what an awesome God that created such a great view. On Monday, we had the privilege to preach chapel at the Rainelle Christian Academy. This was a great group of young people and seemed to enjoy listening to the Word of God being preached. After chapel, Wendy and I drove to beautiful Pigeon Forge, TN for the annual couples retreat with our home church, Canaan Baptist Church. We were able to spend four days in Pigeon Forge and had a great time learning from the pages of the Word of God how to be better husbands and wives. Of course, we also had fun with things like Dollywood, go carts, putt putt, and of course, plenty of good food. This is always an exciting time and I thank the Lord for a church that has a vision for its families. Surely you understand that as goes the home, so goes the church. We must do all we can to build strong homes, thereby building strong churches. Yesterday, we were at home on Sunday morning. It was wonderful to be back at home and celebrate our pastor's 4th Anniversary at Canaan. Last night, we had a meeting in Tallassee, AL and had a great time preaching there. The Lord has truly been good to us and we are enjoying the service of the Lord. Please continue to pray for us that the Lord would get us to the field in His time, working all things out for us. We have busy days ahead, and for that we are thankful. We want to go as much and as hard as we can, doing all to stay busy for the Lord.

Answered Prayer?

2006-09-19T15:26:00.000-05:00

Have you ever prayed a prayer, and then when God answered it you knew that it was an answer, but it wasn't the answer you were looking for. I have had times in my life when I prayed prayers only to have God answer those prayers within minutes or hours, causing me to actually wonder why I prayed as I did. Did I pray foolishly? Of course not. I believe there are times in our lives when God gets us to a point where we have to give it all to Him. Often times we go through these moments numerous times. It seems that we give God everything, but over a period of time seem to take some of it back. We have to constantly keep check, making sure that we know that we should give it all to God. Lord, use me. Many times I pray that nothing in my life would be a roadblock. I want my life to be wholly open to God and His service. I want to give it all to Him. I'll be honest, I would rather give it to Him than have Him take it. Search your life, make sure that there is nothing you are holding back from the Lord. It is much less painful for us to give it to Him than for Him to have to take it.

We thank the Lord for the missions conference we were blessed to be a part of at Southview Baptist Church Statesville, NC last week. Pray for the church as they strive to do great things for the cause of Christ. Praise the Lord, they promised to take us on a church planters and support us for the next year. What a blessing. Many of the folks there promised to pray for us and that means a great deal. Tonight, I have the privilege of teaching at Fundamental Baptist Bible College in Statesville, NC. This is the college I attended and where I earned my Master's Degree. It is a great school. Pray that we have a great class. Tomorrow night, we will be at New Hope Baptist Church in Walnut Cove, NC. We are looking forward to a great time there. Please keep us in your prayers as we travel. I must admit, with each passing day deputation grows a little more weary and I become a little more ready to get busy about the business the Lord has called us to. However, I know that God's time is not my time and we must be faithful to the task He has given us. Thanks again for your prayers and we look foward to hearing from you.

Disappointment and Recommitment

2006-09-14T10:23:00.000-05:00

Often times while on deputation, we are only around church people. This is obviously our circle of life at this present time. We are not just around church people, but we visit some of the best churches in the world. When you are surrounded by this circle, it is often times easy to forget just how wicked the world around us truly is. Sure, we know that certain groups of people and certain areas are wicked, but to realize how bad things are close to us. Recently, it seems as if I have been reminded of this. I have watched in several different examples of things that remind me just how badly this world needs a Saviour. I am certainly not talking about religion, for you see, many times religion is involved. I am however, talking about a Saviour. It seems in recent days that I have watched as a group of people were attacked for taking a stand for what is right, and then suffered as false accusations were railed against them publicly. I have watched as people compromised in ways that I would have never imagined they would. I have watched as men of God have fallen out in the last laps of their ministry. I see these things and I have to admit, I am disappointed for our Saviour. It seems as though my heart breaks for the Lord. If these things hurt me, how much more do they hurt Him.
In spite of disappointment, I must also admit that I have been fired up. It seems that there burns within me a greater desire to do right than ever before. I desire to live above reproach, to draw closer to my Lord, and to be an example more than ever before. I am also committed to finishing strong. I don't want to fall out in the final stages of my ministry. I don't want to be a casualty in the Lord's army. Would you help me pray that my family would be strong and secure in the service of the Lord? Dear friend, there is a battle going on today, and it is one that we MUST win. Would you be my strength in the midst of the battle?

I must apologize for the delay in between posts. One thing I was afraid of when I started the blog is that I wouldn't have anything exciting to say to update it enough. We are currently in Statesville, NC at a missions conference that will last through Sunday. Please pray that the Lord would greatly bless while here. We have had great meetings in the past weeks and are excited about what the Lord is doing and is going to do in the days ahead.

Thank you Lord...

2006-08-23T11:32:00.000-05:00

I want to thank the Lord for the great two nights He has given us during revival thus far. Dr. Haizlip has preached two tremendous messages that have helped me. I don't know about you, but sometimes it becomes easy for us to get mechanical in our Christian life. We are still doing good things and we are still busy serving the Lord, but it seems as if we do it out of habit and not a genuine love for the Lord. What a blessing revival meeting is to help us to get our focus and our affection back on the Lord and to be busy serving Him because of Him, not because of force or habit. I know that in my personal life, I deeply and sincerely desire the touch of an almighty God to help me with everything I do. I realize that nothing can or will be accomplished if I try to do it in my own might. Yet that is exactly what we attempt to do, do everything in our own might. It is all about Him. Yes, I am to stay busy and do all that I can for Christ, but ultimately, if anything gets accomplished, it is going to be because of Him and in spite of me. Thank you Lord for teaching me this great lesson.

Revival meeting has been good, but it can and will be better. I am seeking the Lord with an open heart and asking, no begging, for Him to do something great in my life and with my life. I need revival. If you are in the area, I invite you to come be with us at Canaan this week for revival meeting. If you are not in the area, would you please pray for this meeting? Would you pray that God would do something great in our church this week? Bro. Haizlip mentioned last night that he fears that the line has been drawn, that it is now time for either revival or ruin in America. I must say I agree. Dear friend, our country is in need of revival. It starts with one person, one family, one church, one community. Let's all do our part to pray for revival.

Wilt Thou Not Revive Us Again...

2006-08-19T09:01:00.000-05:00

This week, our home church will be having revival meeting. We have been praying for many weeks and months that the Lord would do something great in our church this week. I have been praying that He would kindle the flames of revival in my own heart. So often times it is easy to grow cold and stagnant. We get into a routine of serving God and we begin to do it out of that routine instead of a committment and love for the Lord. I know that I need revival. Please help us pray that the Lord would do a great work this week in the heart of each and every member of Canaan Baptist Church, especially mine. As you can see, we have two of the greatest preachers alive that are going to be with us. If you are where you're able, make plans to come and join us. The services begin at 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and Dr. Chris Haizlip will be preaching. If you have never heard Bro. Haizlip, you will certainly enjoy this man of God. If you can't be here, please pray for those that are here. We need revival.
Please pray for my family, as we are traveling this weekend. We are leaving this afternoon to head toward Kingsport, TN. We will be in Weber City, VA tomorrow morning (just across the state line) and in Church Hill, TN tomorrow night. Lord willing, we will be driving home Monday so that we can be at revival meeting Monday night. Please pray that the Lord would give us great meetings tomorrow and that many hearts will be touched concerning the great need in southern Louisiana.

2006-08-14T08:54:00.000-05:00

Keep Praying...

2006-08-07T21:18:00.000-05:00

What a great God we serve! I don't know about you, but I am so thankful for the privilege to be a servant of Christ's. The Lord has been so good to us and provided us with safety and all our needs while we have been gone. We are so thankful for the folks at Center Road Baptist Church allowing us to use their prophet's chamber for an extended number of days. Sunday morning, we left New York and drove to Wattsburg, PA where we were blessed to spend all day. I preached in both the morning and evening services and also taught Sunday School. I guess that's good training for the mission field one day. Sunday night, we drove to Erie, not but about 25 minutes, and that is where we will be staying for the next few days. They are having Bible Conference services Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and we are allowed to share in those. Lord willing, I will be preaching Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday evening. Please continue to pray for us. We praise the Lord for His goodness and thank the Lord for answered prayer.

There is a God...

2006-08-04T17:00:00.000-05:00

If you need any further proof that there is an all powerful God, look at this picture. Today, we had the chance to go to Niagara Falls. It is only about a thirty minute drive from where we are in New York. What an awesome sight. This was actually the second trip for Wendy and myself. Seth was quite amazed, as he kept talking about the water. We enjoyed it. If you have never seen it, Niagara Falls is an amazing sight. I do not understand how anyone can visit it and believe that it happened just by chance. You have to look at it and believe that it was created by an all mighty God. Only our God could create such a powerful, amazing sight. It is truly beautiful. As I watched the water flow over those edges, I was reminded of Dr. Eugene Goodman and an illustration he used to give concerning sin and the day of repentance. He would tell of a sign on the river flowing into Niagara Falls that stated it was the point of no return. Once you reached that point, there was no hope to be saved. Many people reach that same point in their lives. They reject the Lord, they reject the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, and eventually, they reach a point in their lives in which they have passed the point of no return. Never again will the Lord deal with them concerning the salvation of their soul. Do not pass that point. If you have never trusted Christ as your Saviour, do so today, before you reach the point of no return.

Eighty Years and No Regrets

2006-08-03T13:19:00.000-05:00

This morning I had the privilege of sharing a devotion with the senior citizen's group here in West Seneca, NY. As I was preaching, I was dealing with the topic of being satisfied with the Lord, and how He never lets us down. I was using the verses found in John 6:1-13 where Jesus fed the 5,000. The Bible makes mention of the fact that the people, the ones who came to Jesus hungry and without food, were filled, according to verse 12. I was using that to think about how Jesus satisfies. You know, the world has many things to pull our attention away. Many things that we turn to in an attempt to satisfy our inner longings. Some people may try to use alcohol or drugs, pornography or other lewd behaviours. Other folks use their morals and even religion to try and fill those inner longings. They all have one thing in common, they leave you feeling unsatisifed. The only way to satisfy that inner longing is through the Lord Jesus Christ. As I was preaching, I asked for a show of hands of people that had been saved 20 years, then 30, then 40, and so forth. We had one lady in attendace who had been saved 80 years! Wow. She told us that she was saved at the age of 9 and she was now 89 years old. I asked her if she had ever been disappointed that she had gotten saved. Of course, her response was never. I asked her if she had ever been disappointed in Jesus or if He had ever let her down? She said that in spite of the fact that she had failed Him a number of times, He had never failed her. I then told the people in attendance that she had said more in that testimony than I ever could and I proceeded to close my Bible and take my seat. Imagine, being saved for 80 years. What a great blessing and testimony. Isn't the Lord good? How about you today dear friend, have you trusted Him? What are you depending upon to satisfy your inner longings? Won't you please turn to Christ today?

Dog Days of Summer...

2006-08-02T14:42:00.000-05:00

Well, it looks like the dog days of summer continue for Pennsylvania and New York. Thankfully, we have a prophet's chamber to stay in that has air conditioning. What a blessing. On Monday night, we drove up to Franklin, PA and spent the night there. Thanks to a gift certificate, we were able to get a hotel room and enjoy the city for a little while. Wendy took Seth down to the kiddie pool and watched him frolick and play. He thoroughly seemed to enjoy his time in the big bath tub as he called it. I think one of his highlights was splashing his mom who remained on the side and did not want to get wet. He had a blast splashing and playing around. It is such a joy to watch him grow up and develop into a young man, yet such a challenge. To think, I am responsible for this precious life. I only hope that I can do my very best to point him to a Saviour that loves him and cares for him. At the end of life's journey, I would hate to think that I had worked so hard to lead others to Christ and not done the same thing for my own family.

Please continue to pray for us up here. Tonight, we are preaching in West Sencea, NY. They too are experiencing this incredible heat wave. However, good news does seem to be on the way. According to the news reports, tomorrow's highs only seem to be around 79. That will be perfectly alright with me. Tomorrow morning, I am doing a short devotion to the senior citizen's group here. I am looking forward to it. Hopefully either Thursday afternoon or Friday we will be able to run over and see Niagara Falls, considering we are only about 30 minutes away from it. Wendy and I have been before, but it is such an incredible sight I would love to go again. As always, thanks for the prayers and continue to remember us while we are away.

Great few days...

2006-07-31T15:41:00.000-05:00

We have had a great past few days. On Friday, we drove up to Hershey, PA to visit the Hershey Chocolate World. I would highly recommend that if you are in the area, you visit it. It was a great time. Here is a picture of Seth with the Peppermint Patty. On Saturday, we left Reisterstown, MD and drove up to Franklin, PA for services on Sunday. We were there all day and enjoyed our time. We had the great privilege of preaching in both services and saw four people get baptized Sunday night. Praise God for folks following the Lord. Tonight, we are staying in Erie, PA and looking forward to being in West Seneca, NY on Wednesday night. Please continue to pray for us as we travel that the Lord would meet each and every need. Thus far, it has amazed us at how He has worked things out for us. Please continue to pray that He would be with us.

We did have an interesting time over the weekend in Franklin. When we arrived Saturday to the prophet's chamber we were staying at, we noticed that it was rather warm. We asked the young man where the switch was to turn the air on and he informed us that the church had no air conditioning. Apparently, it doesn't get hot enough long enough in Franklin for most folks to need air conditioning. Wow, that was a surprise to this boy. We used all the fans we could find and tried to keep our room as cool as possible. Who said deputation was no fun.

2006-07-27T14:59:00.000-05:00

A Great Day

2006-07-24T10:06:00.000-05:00

What a great day my family and I had yesterday at the Lynn Hill Baptist Church in Whiteville, NC. Pastor Schalk and the wonderful folks there just went out of their way to make us feel welcome and loved. We were there all day long. We enjoyed the great fellowship and wonderful services. I was able to preach both the morning and evening service and believe the Lord did a great work in the hearts of the people. Yesterday morning, I challenged the people concerning being a confident Christian. I truly believe that it was God's message at God's time, as it seemed to help many of the people there. Last night, I challenged them concerning the need for us to be involved in reaching others with the Gospel. There was a tremendous response. Truly, the Lord is good and worthy to be praised. Pastor Schalk has a five year old daughter, Savannah, and Seth really had a great time playing with her all day. It was just a great day and we certainly thank the Lord for lining it up for us.

Please continue to pray for us, as we will be leaving Tuesday morning to head toward Baltimore, MD. We have a meeting scheduled there for Thursday evening. While in the area, we will take a few days and do some sight seeing in our nation's capitol. We are looking forward to a great few days. Please continue to pray for safety.

Pray for Sunday

2006-07-22T09:07:00.000-05:00

Greetings, it is Saturday morning and my family is currently in Florence, SC for a wedding of a young man that Wendy used to babysit. Tomorrow, we will be in the Lynn Hill Baptist Church in Whiteville, NC all day. Please pray that the Lord would use us there in a great way. Pastor Schalk seems to be a great man from the short time I have talked to him and I know he has a heart for the church and the Lord. Pray that we will be a help to him and his church tomorrow. I am excited about the day. Pastor Schalk has been preparing his people for it and advertising in the community. It is always a blessing when a church has a desire for missionaries to come in. I know that tomorrow will be a great day. Thanks again for your prayers and I will give you an update of what great things the Lord does tomorrow.

Also, we do have a praise to share with you all. The Lord has answered an unspoken request that my family has had for some time and we just want to thank Him for doing so. Isn't it wonderful to be able to look back sometimes and see how God has answered prayers for you. There are several that I can think of that He has answered just this week! What a blessing. God is so good.

Go to the highways...

2006-07-20T15:51:00.000-05:00

I don't think this is exactly what the Bible means. Tomorrow, my family and I will begin to emabark on the longest trip of deputation thus far. We will be one the road for 32 days. WOW. In the course of that time, we will travel approximately 2500 miles, have meetings in six different states, and sleep in who knows how many different beds. Isn't deputation fun? Actually, it is, because in that same amount of time, we will meet who knows how many different people that will become prayer warriors on our behalf. We will see God move and work to meet and supply our needs while we travel. We're praying that we will experience God's hand of safety, that will watch over us and take care of our vehicle as we travel. Yes, depuatation is fun, because it is a time when we get to see God do great and wonderful things. We ask that each one of you pray for us as we travel. Pray for safety, supply, strength, and the Spirit of the Lord to go before us and prepare the hearts of His people. Pray that we will share the burden for southern Louisiana with others as God has given it to us. I don't know what type if any internet service we will have, so it may just be audio updates for the next few days. We'll try our best to keep you informed of how the trip is going and how God is blessing. Thanks in advance for your prayers.

God's Blessings

2006-07-19T11:52:00.000-05:00

Isn’t it great to be a child of God? Just to get to experience His many blessings that He has to bestow on us. This past week we’ve had the privilege of helping in Vacation Bible School at our home church. What a wonderful time to be able to watch boys and girls come in off the buses and hear the Jesus loves them. They may not have anyone else to love them, but they know that Jesus loves them. Several of them have gotten saved this week and that is great. What a blessing to know that they have the chance to hear the Gospel. However, we must not forget that there are billions of people around this world that have never heard what those young people are hearing in Bible School this week. Let’s all be busy and do our part to help share the Good News with a world that’s never heard.

2006-07-18T16:04:00.000-05:00

It's All About Him

2006-07-17T15:23:00.000-05:00

I am amazed at how we as fundamental Baptist try our best to prove that it is all about us and our goodness sometimes. We act as if we think we deserve heaven because of our good works. We have our list of do's and don'ts down pat, as if that impresses God. I am reminded that it's all about Christ. It's all about His righteousness, how He died for us. He chose us. He loved us when we were unlovable. That amazes me. Christ first loved me. He knows me like no one else does, yet He still loves me. Yes, I believe in having a set amount of standards and living a clean life. However, I also realize that those standards do nothing to make me more worthy of the grace of God than anything else. Nothing I could ever do would make me worthy. It is only by God's good grace. I thank Him for the lesson. The way I see it, we would do well to remember, it's all about Him.

First Time

2006-07-12T15:46:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems I am giving in and getting my own blog. I must admit, I am more than a little fearfult that I won't have enough entertaining things to say that keep this going. Bear with me, I will do my best to keep things fresh and interesting. Tonight is Wednesday night and my family and I will be enjoying the service at our home church, Canaan Baptist Church. Dr. Leon Foote is preaching tonight in place of our pastor and so I know it should be good.