Pastor's Blog

 

I hope that you able to enjoy a day off from work yesterday, and now we are counting the days until the weekend once again.  We had a good Sunday with great attendance in spite of the holiday.   Jennifer and I had over 25 children and adults at our house Saturday night for our Sunday School fellowship- and to watch the Hogs football game.  It was  great time that spilled into the lesson the following morning.  We talked about the need to share our faith, something that most Christians would rather not hear.  As a matter of fact, when I was studying the lesson, I was afraid that no one would participate since it is not a fun topic.  Fortunately, I was wrong, because we talked about the importance of sharing our faith through the way that we live.  While there must be times of specific proclamation of the Gospel, such as tonight at FAITH, we have more opportunities to share as we live life each day.

 

Peter taught that we are always to be prepared to give a defense for the reason for the hope that we have in Christ, and he tells us to do so with "gentleness and respect."  When someone attacks our faith, or does not want to hear what we have to say, it is easy to respond harshly and even remind them that hell awaits those without Jesus.  The author of our lesson Sunday wrote, "An argumentative or belligerent approach risks making a hundred rebels for every convert."  Let those words set in.  When we do not respond with gentleness and respect to those without Jesus, we are turning more away that we are reaching.

 

As we share about the hope that we have, we do not have to have a degree in theology.  We simply share what Christ has done in our lives.  Paul shared several times in the New Testament about his past and his conversion experience, and it opened doors for the Gospel to be heard.  We are to do the same.  Any believer can share what Christ has done in his or her life.  This defense is not complicated, but it is very compelling.  A changed life is a powerful defense.  The author also wrote, "People can take issue with arguments for God's existence (which is actually almost never brought up); they may wonder about the relevancy of the cross and the claims of the resurrection, but they cannot argue with your changed life."

 

There was a time when I had to make a decision about what I knew concerning Jesus, and so will you.  If you have made this, like I have, then you are commanded to share with everyone the reason for the hope that you have.  I encourage you to do that today as you live your life- as you work, as you go to school, as you talk on the phone, as you post stuff on facebook- let it be evident that you have been changed by Jesus.

 

Don't forget that Sunday is "National Back to Church Day."  Invite someone who has not been in church to come to church with you this Sunday. 

 

Also, "40 Days of Prayer and Fasting" for the crusade begin September 20.  Please pick a day to fast and pray.  The sign-up sheet is on the table in the hallway near the double glass doors.

 

Lastly, please pray for our Chile mission team- myself, Bro. Wade, Billie Launius, DeVellyn Oliver, Doris Burrow, and Lesley Calcote.  Bro. David McCord, pastor of First Baptist in Mena, will also be going with us.  I spent a couple of hours this morning on the phone with the missionary there, as well as some other pastors in Arkansas, and I am excited about the trip.  We will be working in a village where there are no known Christians, so please pray for God to use us.  As Him to send the Holy Spirit to begin convicting these people of their need for a Savior.  This is a great opportunity for us to  tell about the reason for the hope that we have.

 

Those opportunities are also right here, all around us, if we will simply open our eyes and see them.

 

God bless,
Bro. Clint

 

"Christ's call is to save the lost, not the stiff-necked; He came not to call scoffers but sinners to repentance; not to build and furnish comfortable chapels, churches, and cathedrals at home in which to rock Christian professors to sleep by means of clever essays, stereotyped prayers, and artistic musical performances,...but to capture men from the devil's clutches and the very jaws of Hell. This can be accomplished only by a red-hot, unconventional, unfettered devotion, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to the Lord Jesus Christ." - CT Studd

 

 

 

 

 

Paul challenged the Romans to "pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another" (Rom 14:19).  A mark of spiritual maturity is a willingness to sacrifice personal comfort in order to strengthen other believers.  Paul urges Christians to pursue only activities that promote peace and behavior that builds up others. 

 

To pursue means to passionately focus one's undistracted effort toward a goal.  This is not a casual matter.  It involves using all the resources God has given us to ensure growth and peace in the life of a fellow Christian.  To the Colossian church, Paul said he labored, "striving...to present every man perfect in Christ" (Col 1:28-29).  This took concentration and effort.

 

For Paul, cho0sing to edify Christians meant refraining from any activity that caused others to stumble.  He did not concern himself with his own rights or comforts because his greater priority, over his personal freedom, was to lead others to Christian maturity.  This is how Jesus related to His disciples.  He taught them that they could express no greater love than to lay down their lives for one another.  As Christians, we ought to be so devoted to strengtening one another's faith that we pursue this goal relentlessly, even if it means laying down our own lives.  This behavior characterizes the early churches, and this is what love is like among God's people.

 

As God reveals to you what those around you need in order to grow in their faith, be prepared to make the necessary sacrifice on behalf of your fellow Christians.

 

God bless,

 

I know that you are constantly assaulted with requests for money and people wanting you to help them in various ways.  You may feel that way at church, too, when you pick up the bulletin and read of the opportunities to serve and areas where help is needed.  You may even be contacted personally and asked to serve in a particular area.  Then, before the service ends, an offering will be collected and you will have the opportunity to give financially to support the work of the church.

 

All of our service and giving shoudl be done with the right attitude.  When giving is viewed as a rule and done out of a sense of duty, it becomes legalism.  Giving is never legalistic when we do it in thanksigiving to God.  A few moments spent counting our blessings always reminds us of reasons to be thankful, including our ability to work.

 

Giving in the hope that we will receive two or three times as much is also a wrong attitude.  Romans 11:35 says, "Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to Him again?"  If we give only to receive, then we are no better than Simon, described in Acts 8, who offered money to the apostles in hopes of receiving spiritual power.  His offer brought a stern rebuke from Peter, who answered, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money" (Acts 8:20).

 

Another wrong attitude is giving out of fear.  Reverence and respect toward God, when tempered with confidence in His love, are signs of spiritual maturity.  This is a healthy kind of fear, as noted in Psalm 111:10 and repeated in Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."  Ou giving should not be out of fear that God will punish us if we don't give.  If we give because we feel intimidated, then we are giving under compulsion, which is contrary to 2 Corinthians 9:7.  Never support a ministry that uses threats as a fundraising gimmick.

 

Finally, we should never give to impress others.  In Matthew 6:2-4, Jesus gave the following warning:  "So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."  We are not to draw attention to ourselves when we give.

 

Allowing our children to witness our giving, particularly when sacrifice is involved, teaches them the importance of commitment.  Giving for applause or approval from others, however, is unscriptural.  Our greatest satisfaction is God's overflowing joy when we give generously as He does.

 

God bless,
Bro. Clint

 

P.S. Check out the "Mapuche Vision" page with some prayer requests from Chile.

 

There have been times in my ministry that I dreaded Sunday evening services because I felt like it was an mundane, ordinary service- and everyone there felt the same thing.  Rather than an opportunity to worship, we are there simply because it is a time set for worship.

 

I have gotten to really enjoy spending time in prayer in our evening service, as well as hearing how God is working.  Last night was great to hear the report from Celebrate Recovery and how God has supplied for other needs.  However, we were challenged to pray to those that are lost, including one young man specifically.  I am pretty sure that I could have not preached and we would have heard what we needed to hear last night.  We get so self-centered and physical need-centered in our prayers that we  neglect the responsibility to pray for those needed spiritual help.

 

When we look at the early church in Acts, gladness and simplicity of heart were staples of the early Christians' walk with God.  In the Psalms alone, the word "rejoice" accurs in 46 verses, "glad" in 22 verses, "joy" in 20 verses, "delight" in 19 verses, and the other words "rejoices," "rejoicing," "joyful," "gladness," and "celebrate" account for 30 more verses.  When our prayers lead us to remember the privileges we have in a relationship with God, renew the desire to deny self, see His kingdom come, and cast our cares on Him, it most often produces joy.  The majority of healthy prayer times will result in rejoicing in God- not the ignoring of trials nor the denial of problems- but finding joy in the person of God.  It is common to conclude a prayer time in a spirit of celebration, anticipation, joy, or gratitude because of having been in God's presence.

 

Once your heart and mind have been renewed, you now leave your closet to serve Him in His world.  Your communion with God does not end when you finish your prayer time; rather, it prepares you to walk with Him throughout the day, leading you or involving you in His work in the world.  We cannot de-value the importance of prayer, but there are times when we have to put feet to our prayers.

 

Leave your closet!

 

 

I am officially looking at buying a vehicle.  Jennifer has been wanting me to have a truck for a long time so that I "can feel like a man."  She has never liked my car.  I hate having a car payment, but I believe that it is time.  I hate this process, though.  When I talk to someone on the phone, I am pretty sure that they are lying, and when I talk to them face-to-face, I will probably think the same thing!  This is going to be a very detailed process with lots of stuff going into the decision, but then I have had a lot of folks tell me that they need to make deals this week to make their month productive.  But are they telling the truth?

 

I have been thinking this morning about the difficulty of this decision versus how easy it was for me to accept Christ.  At the age of nine, I knew that He was speaking to me, and that I needed a personal relationship with Him.  I was fortunate to grow up in a Christian home where I was taken to church every Sunday and Wednesday.  However, I realized that going to church was not God's plan for me, but that His plan was a personal relationship with Jesus.  When I responded to the invitation at VBS that Thursday evening, I did not have to ponder my decision. 

 

I also knew that I was dealing with the Truth, Jesus Christ.  I knew that God's Word was true and that it told me that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that if I confessed with my mouth and believed in my heart "Jesus is Lord," I would be saved.  I did not have to consider whether or not I was hearing the truth because I was encountering the Truth.  At no point have I ever doubted God's Word.

 

Many people, though, have a hard time making a decision about salvation, just as I have a hard time making one about a vehicle.  Some think that God cannot forgive them for the horrible things they have done; others believe that it sounds too good to be true; while many think that they are good enough by themselves.  They are all caught up in lies and refuse to turn to the truth.

 

Just as a car dealership runs multiple ads and offering specials, as a church we must continue to share the Gospel of Christ and point people toward the Truth.  Not everyone will respond, just as I will not buy from every dealership, but that does not mean we should not do our best to make Him known, just as multiple dealerships will call me and try to persuade me to buy from them.

 

We must not forget the reason that God has left us on earth- to make Him known so that others will experience Heaven with us and fewer will go to hell.

 

God bless,

 

Yesterday was another great day together.  I hope that God is speaking to you, as He is to me, through the Sermon on the Mount.  We are just 2 weeks into this series, and looking at the first 4 beatitudes has helped me to see them in a new light.  This morning, I had on my mind "blessed are those that mourn, for they will be comforted," and was reminded of the need to mourn over my sinfulness.  Then, I read the following from Henry Blackaby, based upon 2 Corinthians 7 :10 ("For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death")  that I wanted to share with you:

 

 

 

 

And when you experience Godly sorrow, you will be comforted through forgiveness!

 

Have a great week.

 

P.S. Don't forget to pray for youth VBS this week!

 

We had a great day in the Lord's house yesterday!  For me, the highlight of the day when in both morning services when so many stood to say that they needed prayer.  They were facing something that caused them to realize they needed God's help in the situation.

 

God promises all believers that if we live righteously and pray fervently, our prayers will be effective and produce significant results.  How do we treat a promise like this?  We might argue, "But I do pray  and nothing happens!"  Oru problem is that we do not hold ourselves accountable to the Scripture.  God's Word says that prayer ought to accomplish much.  If our prayer life is not accomplishing much, what should we do?  If we are praying but seeing no results, should we conclude that this promise is untrue?  Should we excuse this Scripture as impractical and unrealistic?  Or should we examine  ourselves to see if we meet its conditions?

 

James says that fervent prayer avails much (James 5:16b). Could it be that we are not as fervent in our praying as we should be?  Fervent prayer means we do not quit easily.  Fervent prayer means we purposefully spend sufficient time in intercession.  Fervent prayer means we cry out to the Father, sometimes in tears, with our heart and soul.  Fervent prayer comes as the Holy Spirit assists us in praying with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26).

 

According to James, our righteousness will ensure effective prayer.  God's standard of righteousness is different from ours, for He looks beyond our actions, even beyond our thoughts, directly to our hearts.  How then should we hold ourselves accountable if our prayers are accomplishing little?  If nothing happens when we pray, the problem is not with God.  It is with us, for God's Word is absolutely reliable.  If we hold to what God requires, He will lead us to pray for things that align with His purposes, and God will answer our prayers in a mighty way.

 

Let's keep praying!

 

God bless,

 

I enjoyed my day off yesterday, and for those of you that did not have to work, I am sure that you did, too.  Jennifer had to work, so I had the kids all day, which was like working a full day!  I figured that someone would come to the house after looking for me at the church and finding no one there.  However, no one came, no one called, and I do not think I even got any emails from church members yesterday.  Everyone knew I was off (plus they were, too).

 

Wouldn't it great if we could mark off some days in our spiritual lives where we are off, and the devil does not bother us?  We could get two weeks of spiritual vacation, where we can get up knowing that we will not face temptation, and would not not have to worry about offending someone when we do not act godly because "this is one of my spiritual days off."

 

We know that we do not get any days off, but there are some days where we do take them off spiritually.  We are not prepared for the battle that rages around us and we find ourselves away from God.  Zechariah 1:3 reminds us "Return to Me, and I will return to you," the Lord says.  God places much of the burden of what we will become on our response to Him.  If we have drifted from God, His call is to return to Him.  God promises that if we will return, He will immediately renew His relationship with us.  James 4:8 promises that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us.  Matthew 7:7 guarantees that if we seek Christ, we will find Him.  Much of the Christian life rests upon our response and our desire to experience God to the fullest.

 

Why is it that some Christians seem to go much deeper in their walk with God than others?  Why have some had such powerful intercessory prayer ministries that have changed the courses of nations?  Why has God chosen to anoint the words of some so that, when they speak or pray or preach, it is obvious that their words are consecrated by God?  It is because these individuals have committed themselves to pursue God until His presence is powerfully real in their lives.  They have decided to settle for nothing less than a vibrant relationship with God, and He has honored their desire.

 

Have you become complacent in your relationship with God, or are you hungering for more?  Have you taken some time off?  Do not become satisfied with a relationship with God that is broken by sin and void of the power of the Holy Spirit.  You have just as much of God's powerful presence available to you as the greatest saint in Christian history!  Return to God.  There is so much more in store for you if you will return to Him.  End your vacation!  He awaits your response.

 

God bless,

 

In last night's sermon, I mentioned that if we want to have a heart that follows God, then we must have a dependent humility upon God, rather than a prideful attitude based upon our own resources.  This morning, I read a quote from Henry Blackaby that said, "Pride is the great enemy of the Christian."  I think that he is right.  It motivates you to do things that you know are not Christlike, and it hinders you from doing what brings glory to God.  Pride influenced Adam and Eve to try to become like God, it motivated Cain to murder his brother, it provoked Joseph's brothers to see him into slavery, and it caused King Saul to resent David to deeply that he even tried to murder him.  Pride was at the root of the Pharisee's anger toward Jesus, and it was the reason the disciples argued over rank in the kingdom.

 

If you succumb to its influence, there will be consequences.  You may know that you have offended someone, but pride holds you back from asking forgiveness.  You may realize you need to reconcile a broken relationship, but pride will lead you to deny that need.  The Spirit may convict you that you are living a sinful lifestyle, but pride will discourage your admitting it.  Pride will convince you that you deserve better treatment, and it will impede your serving others.  Instead, pride will have you striving for places of prominence.  Pride will have you listen to flatterers and ignore  honest counselors.  Pride will lead you to isolate yourself so that you are not accountable to others.

 

Humility, on the other hand, is pleasing to God and places your life in a position where God will honor you.  If pride has crept into some areas of your life, ask God to give you victory over it before it robs you of God's will for your life.

 

God bless,

 

I had a great time at the Southern Baptist Convention last week.  Some decisions were made that could greatly impact how the convention looks within the next 10 years, but that is not necessarily a bad thing.  As I prepared for the class that I took while I was there, there were some characteristics of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) that must not change in order for us to be a people that God can bless.

 

First, SBC churches are known as "people of the Bible."  I do not know of any greater designation!  It is sad that other denominations stray away from God's Word to the point that people look at the SBC and point out that we preach, teach, and follow the Bible.  Now, this has caused us some problems through the years because people often do not like to hear what God's Word says.  While at the convention, a resolution was passed to show that we disapprove of the push in Congress to repeal the "Don't Ask, Don't tell" policy in the military.  The following day, the headline of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette was something similar to "Southern Baptists do not support homosexuals."  While that was not the main part of the resolution, I understand the media.  Yesterday, there was a letter to the editor saying that one should not be surprised because Southern Baptists oppose everything.  Well, while we do not oppose everything, I am proud that we do support God's Word and take stands on moral issues that are contrary to it.

 

Second, we must continue to hold true to regenerate church membership, meaning that only those who have a personal relationship with Jesus can have membership within the church.  When we let go of this principle, the church becomes nothing more than a country club.  A vital part of church membership is using the spiritual gifts that God has given to us to serve within the church.

 

Third, Southern Baptists have demonstrated a heart for the nations.  Through the Cooperative Program, we have missionaries all over the world.  SBC churches, including ours, have been involved in taking short-term mission trips, developing partnerships with unreached people groups, and much more during our entire history.  It must continue.  Unfortunately, we are baptizing less people than we did in 1950 and the population has growing drastically.  Therefore, we are not even keeping pace.  We must demonstrate a heart for lost people here at home and across the world.

 

I was raised a Southern Baptist, but when it came time for me to make the choice myself, I knew that I wanted to remain a Southern Baptist because of these principles, as well as many more.  Is the SBC perfect?  Of course not.  But it is the most effective denomination in reaching people for Jesus, and I am proud to be a Southern Baptist!

 

God bless,
Bro. Clint

 

 

 

VBS started with a bang this morning, as we had 85 kids present, and I know that God is going to allow us to have a great week.  We talked today about how we were created by God in a wonderful and remarkable way, and when we understand that truth, our response should be one of praise.  A key aspect of praise is thankfulness, and I know that I often take for granted the many blessings of the Lord.  I am like the 9 lepers that did not return to thank Jesus after He restored their health- as well as their life. 

 

When we pray, we are to include a large portion of our prayer for praise.  The commands to praise and thank God are some of the most common connected to prayer.  Many good reasons exist why this is true.  Here are four:

1.  Thanksgiving and praise turn your eyes off self and circumstances onto God.

2.  We become like what we praise.  We imitate what we admire.  (2 Corinthians 3:18)

3.  How could we not?  Could we respond any other way to the One Who has redeemed us, given us His Son, eternal life, the privilege to reign with Him, and will withhold nothing else from us?

4.  Thanksgiving and praise are two of the indispensable heart practices that nurture love.  Romans 1:21 reveals that the first step in the heart turning from God is failure to glorify (praise is involving in glorifying) and thank Him.

 

In thanksgiving, I respond in gratitude for what God has done for me.  In praise, I respond to who God is.

 

Have a great week.

 

I hope that you had a great Memorial Day and that time was spent reflecting on the sacrifice many have made for our freedom.

 

Sunday was a great day together for worship.  The student praise band led the music for the early service, and we had the opportunity to pray for Kristine Etheridge and Dwayne Inzer, as they head to serve in Wichita for 10 weeks this summer through the North American Mission Board.  It is great to have students that love to serve the Lord!  When you think that all kids are bad and causing problems like we see on tv and read in the paper, then come see Wade or me and let one of us tell you about some of our students.

 

The reason so many of our teenagers are making a bad name for themselves has a lot to do with the estimation that on any given Sunday, only 10% of teenagers are in church.  Couple that with the fact that this generation is supposed to be the most spiritual generation ever, and I can easily conclude that our teenagers are not following Christ.  While it might be the most spiritual generation ever, it is also on the road to becoming the least Christian generation ever.  What a tragedy.  Thom Rainer, president of LifeWay Christian Resources, said in his book, The Bridger Generation, that most Christians are saved by the age of 13. 

 

Across the Southern Baptist Convention, baptisms for children age 9-11 is at an all-time low.  So, most people are saved by the age of 13, and we are reaching fewer 9, 10, and 11 year-olds than ever before.

 

We have much work to do, as a denomination and as a church.  While I cannot do a lot about the denomination problem, I can do something about what happens here.  That is why I love next week- VBS!  We will have more kids here next week, eager to learn, than any time since last year's VBS.  The following week, we will re-vamp our Wednesday night ministry in an effort to reach more children. 

 

Reaching Generation Now is our calling and mission for the hour! The task before us is great and God's power for the task is greater. Together we can impact this generation for Jesus Christ.  I pray that you will get plugged in and serve!  God desires to raise up more students to serve Him, such as Kristine and Dwayne, and I pray that our lack of efforts will not hinder His use of students.

 

In Him,
Bro. Clint

 

I did not post last week because I simply did not have time.  I am in a class this week and had lots of stuff to do in preparation.  The truth be told, though, is that I waited until the last minute to get the stuff done.  I was at the church so late one night that the cops checked on me!

 

I have always been a procrastinator (I hope that is a real word) when it comes to stuff that I have a long time to do.  I know that the deadline is approaching, but it really does not bother me until the due date is right on top of me.  I do not know if I have ever missed a deadline, so I guess my "bad" habit is ok.

 

It is easy to get into the notion that God is procrastinating the Lord's return.  We look around and see everything that is going on, and we want Him to return.  It is going to be a great day, but I think it shows our selfishness when we sit around wondering why the Lord is delaying His return.  He has told us that He will not return until everyone has had the opportunity to respond to His Word and offer of salvation.  When we sit around, waiting on his return without actively sharing our faith, we are saying that we want God to come and send those to hell that have not had an opportunity to respond to His Word.

 

There is a whole people group in Chile that have not heard the Gospel.  There are young professionals in Wichita, Kansas, living life at large with a good paying job, but they do not have eternal life.  There are people in Calhoun County that have never had anyone share the Gospel with them clearly.  We are working as a church in each of these areas.  Where are you going to plug in?

 

While I look forward to the Lord's return, I am glad that He has not come back because I know some people that would not join me in Heaven in the presence of Jesus.  Some even come regularly to our worship services but are lost.  May we work hard so that all can hear the Gospel- and Jesus can return quickly.

 

In Him,

 

We had a great day in the Lord's House yesterday, and I had enjoyed honoring my wife, mother, and mother-in-law yesterday.  While there are evidences of God answering prayer all around us, we had one particular example yesterday morning.  It was great to look on the back row and see Mr. Hollis sitting there!  As you may know, he was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that resulted in him spending several weeks in Houston getting opinions, having surgery, and then recovering.  After the surgery, it was determined that radiation was not needed, the cancer was not as involved as first thought, and he has been released from the doctor's care! 

 

There are other needs within our church right now, both physical and spiritual.  When I pray, it can be overwhelming the number of requests that I have and how it seems that God is "slow" in answering the prayers.  When we pray and begin with the requests, we are missing out on a major part of prayer: starting with God.

 

When we looked at Nehemiah 10 for three weeks recently, I pointed out how in Chapter 9, the people confessed and worshipped for half of the day.  If you read Nehemiah 9, you will see that they prayed for 28 verses before making their first request in verse 32.  This pattern follows the record of every prayer meeting in the Bible.  Not a single one ever began by participants praying for their needs.  You should not do that either.  Three good reasons why include:

 

1.  It is proper and fitting; He is God of the universe, the Almighty, the Eternal One to Whom you owe your very life.  How incredibly improper to waltz into His presence and blurt out a wish list!

 

2.  God is more important to us than getting our needs met.  His desires supercede ours.  He is not our personal Santa Claus.

 

3.  Beginning with God causes us to see from His viewpoint.  Mary and Martha requested their brother would not die.  Jesus explained from His perspective that He was the resurrection and the life.

 

In dynamic prayer, you must begin with God.

 

In Him,

 

If there is anything that ought to characterize the life of a Christian, it is joy.  Unfortunately, I do not see a whole lot of Christians displaying joy in their everyday life.  We allow external circumstances to influence our level of joy, and since we are constantly "putting out fires" and other unpleasant things in life, we do not have much joy.  Jesus spoke many times to His disciples about His joy being complete and full in them.  His disciples were filled with joy as they realized who they were: children of God and joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:16-17).  They had been dead in their sins but were now made alive in Christ (Romans 6:4).  They had once been helpless victims of death, but now death had no hold over them (1 Corinthians 15:55-58).  With such a marvelous salvation experience with Christ, how could the disciples be anything less than joyful?

 

Don't deny yourself that which is your birthright as a child of God.  Don't be satisfied with a joyless life.  There ought to be in every Christian a deep, settled fullness of the joy of Christ that no circumstance of life can dispel.  This comes as you allow the Holy Spirit to express Himself in your life.  One of the fruits of the Spirit is joy.  This joy is unlike any happiness that is produced by the world.  It fills you and permeates everything you do.

 

Jesus did not pray that you would merely be happy or even that you would escape grief.  He prayed that you would have the same joy as the Father had given Him: a divine joy, a joy that comes from a deep and unwavering relationship with the Father.  It is a joy that is grounded so firmly in a relationship with God that no change in circumstances could ever shake it.  This is the kind of joy that Christ is praying will be in you.

 

God bless,
Bro. Clint

 

I am a day late posting because I was out of town yesterday.  We had to take Whitley to Little Rock to have some blood work done.  I was not fond of the fact that I had to drive up there just for that, but I was really not looking forward to them sticking her.  Of course, they could not do it just once, not even two times, but it took three sticks before they finally hit the vein and got some blood.  As you would expect, each time that they missed, they dug around for a little bit, and I can tell you that there was a daddy in the room becoming increasingly upset with each missed attempt.

 

As I was reflecting on the day, my frustration was replaced with joy as I reflected on the fact that the work of Jesus upon the cross brought forgiveness of sins and eternal life once and for all.  There were not various attempts to determine the Lamb worthy to be slain- Jesus was the only one!  Jesus was not crucified and resurrected multiple times- one time completed the work!  Jesus is THE Way, THE Truth, and THE Life.  He is not one of several, but He is the only one.  I rejoice in the fact that my Lord is unique.

 

When we reflect on the uniqueness of Jesus, we must follow with obedience.  The disciples may have been slow learners in their time with Jesus, but we see that they recognized the authority of Jesus and always obeyed Him immediately (Mark 1:16-20; John 6:60, 66-68).  As God molds us into the children that He can use, our training will not depend on our intelligence, but on our obedience.  God will test and train  you until you respond quickly and willingly.  As you learn this habit, He will increasingly reveal Himself to you and use you for His glory.  It begins, though, with submission to God's authority.

 

In Him,

 

The previous church I pastored, there were a group of senior adults that loved Bible study.  They were lead by one particular man that would considered himself a Bible expert, and he loved to tell people what the Bible said- or at least what he thought the Bible said!  These senior adults would do just about anything this man wanted to keep from hurting his feelings, and they would have walked (slowly of course) over hot coals to go to a Bible study that he was leading.  While I could never fault someone for wanting to study the Bible, I have a problem when our study does not produce results.  None of these senior adults ever participated in visitation, they rarely served within the church, and I am fairly certain that they never shared their faith with anyone.

 

It is possible to memorize the entire Bible and be able to discuss all sorts of issues of biblical scholarship and yet fail to experience the truth found in its pages.  It is a subtle temptation to prefer the book to the Author.  A book will not confront you about your sin; the Author will.  Books can be ignored; it is much harder to avoid the Author when He is seeking a relationship with you.

 

The Pharisees in Jesus' day thought God would be pleased with their knowledge of His Word.  They could quote long, complicated passages of Scripture.  They loved to recite and study God's Law for hours on end.  Yet Jesus condemned them because, although they knew the Scriptures, they did not know God.  They were proud of their Bible knowledge, but they rejected the invitation to know God's Son.

 

Can you imagine yourself knowing all that God has promised to do in your life then turning to something else instead?  You may be tempted to turn to substitutes.  These substitutes are not necessarily bad things.  They might include serving in the church, doing good deeds, or reading Christian books.  No amount of Christian activity will ever replace your relationship with Jesus.  The Apostle Paul considered every "good" thing he had ever done to be "rubbish" when compared to the surpassing value of knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8).  Never become satisfied with religious activity rather than a personal, vibrant, and growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

In Him,

 

Yesterday was a great day together.  Bro. Wade did a great job, and I am reminded how fortunate I am to serve alongside him.

 

A favorite passage of my in the Bible is when the disciples were on the boat with Jesus, and they were caught in a fierce storm while Jesus was sleeping through the storm.  They were sure of their death, as the winds raged, the thunder rolled, and the rain poured.  This story reminds us that truth is a person, not a concept.  Jesus said He was the Truth (John 14:6).  You can never know the truth of your circumstances unless you have first heard from Jesus.  Since some of the disciples were fisherman, they had been in many storms before, but they knew that this one was the worst; death was imminent.  They had allowed their circumstances to convince them that the "truth" was their impending death, but they were wrong.  Truth was asleep in their boat!

 

The disciples trusted in their own expertise and wisdom, rather than recognizing that only Jesus knew the truth of their situation.  At times, our human knowledge in certain areas of life can blind us to our desperate need to hear a word from Truth.

 

When Jesus spoke, the disciples saw the real truth of their situation.  There was absolute calm.  The disciples had seen Jesus perform other miracles, but they had not yet witnessed His power over nature in such a dimension.  Often, we are like the disciples.  God may have recently demonstrated His power to us in a mighty way; we may have experienced many spiritual victories in the past.  Yet, when a new and frightening situation comes upon us, we, too, panic and say, "Lord save me.  I'm perishing!"  God will remind us of His provision, saying, "I can handle this situation, too, and you will know more of Me because of it."

 

Jesus rebuked the disciples for their lack of faith.  Have you become fearful instead of faithful?  If you have, prepare for the rebuke, for it will come.

 

God bless,
Bro. Clint

 

I hope that you had a great day celebrating the Resurrection yesterday.  I am still trying to cool down from the temperature in the sanctuary during the 11:00 service!

 

If you ever feel that you are so insignificant that God does not care about you or that He does not want to listen to your prayers, you will be encouraged by Romans 8:32: "He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"  This verse reminds us that God loves us unconditionally.  There was nothing so precious to Him that He would not give it up in order to provide for your salvation.  When the Father gave His precious Son to save you, He proved once for all that His love is boundless.

 

The apostle Paul concluded that if God would not spare His own Son in order to provide for our salvation, how would He not willingly give anything else at His disposal in order to care for us?  He sacrificed so much to give us eternal life that we can rest secure in the knowledge that He also wants to give us abundant life (John 10:10).

 

In light of what God did for us at the cross, should we not approach the throne of grace with confidence?  God's response to our prayers is not based upon our worthiness but upon His love and grace.  Our confidence in prayer comes not from who we are but who He is.  Nothing we could ask of Him could ever compare with the price He paid for us at the cross.

 

How wonderful to know that God loves us so much!  We can live with confidence and anticipation knowing that Almighty God is willing not only to give us eternal life, but also to help us experience it fully!

 

God bless,
Bro. Clint

 

As I was sitting in the service last night (which our students did a great job of leading), I was reflecting back on all the different songs I sang yesterday.  In the early service, we were singing some songs that many consider contemporary, but I noticed that one of them was copyrighted in 1999, meaning it is now in hymnals!  In the 11:00 service, we sang some familar hymns that have been around for many years.  Then, last night the youth praise band lead us in some songs that are very new and unfamiliar to many.  This gave me several thoughts:

 

1.  God is not limited to a certain expression of worship.  He deserves our praise and desires it, but His concern is not on the expression.  Many Christians have missed this because they think it is about the songs, and some "cutting-edge" churches are focusing upon the arts in their worship, but the most important element is our heart.  I am afraid that we often worship our preference, rather than the Lord.

 

2.  As we sing praise, we are also singing some deep theological truths.  Some of the newer songs (as well as some in the hymnal that really are not "new") are "7-11 songs": sing the same 7 words 11 times!  On the flip side, here is the chorus to a new song that we sang last night: "Savior, He can move the mountains, my God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save.  Forever, Author of salvation, He rose and conquered the grace, Jesus conquered the grave."  It does not get any better than that!

 

3.  We are still a long ways from how I imagine worship in Scripture, especially as I read the Psalms.  When David is calling the people to worship, it is not a quiet event!  He is calling them to use different instruments and there are times he uses words such as "shout" in his instructions.  There are other places in Scripture that speak to reverence in worship, but these cannot shadow the call to participate in worship with no personal reservation.

 

4.  Nothing replaces corporate worship.  While it is vital to have a personal time of worship with the Lord through a quiet time, we cannot neglect the time together in worship with other brothers and sisters in Christ.  When we worship together, I am reminded that I am not alone- there are others that are struggling with me, and there are others that are supportive of me.  The Christian life is intended to be lived in community, including a time of worship with other believers.

 

 

 

"Put it back the way you found it!"  Chances are you have heard this saying at some point in your life.  It was probably said by parents to you, and then you have said it to your children.  This rule applies to every situation in life, except one.  When it comes to our spiritual life, we should rarely put things back the way we found them.  Here are a few examples:

 

When Jesus saves us, He does not put us back the way He found us.  Think about where you were in your life when you finally took hold and believed in Jesus.  Compare that to where you are now.  It should be a totally different place! 

 

When we find Jesus, we should not put Him back where we found Him.  Chances are before you became a Christian, you did not hold Him as a high priority in your life.  You probably did not make an effort to read your Bible, go to church, go on missions, or tell others about Him.  That should all change once you become a Christ follower.  Do not leave Jesus where He was in your life; put Him at the top of your priority list where He should be.

 

When we find out our friends and family do not have Christ in their lives, we should not leave them where we found them.  I once saw a t-shirt that read, "Friends don't let friends go to hell."  That may be a little strong, but it is the truth.  We should be doing everything possible to tell our friends about the incredible life-changing thing that has happened to us and how they can experience it, too!  Tell them about Christ, show them Christ, and invite them to church where they hear about and see Christ in others.

 

We cannot leave our schools, workplaces, and community the way we found them.  There are so many hurting people all around us everyday.  We have the incredible opportunity of being used by God to lift them up and show them love and grace.  We are a light in a dark world, we are the difference makers in a world that is indifferent to so much.  We need to step it up.

 

In a world that constantly lets things "just go on as usual," we need to show people that "usual" is not the way it was meant to be.  There is hope, there is grace, there is love, and it is all found with Christ.

 

God bless,

 

Exodus 4:24 is a verse that has left me confused previously because the Lord meets with Moses and plans to kill him.  Moses has just received one of the greatest commissions in history.  He was to be God's instrument to deliver the nation of Israel and to guide it to the Promised Land.  He was to lead them to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.  God had selected him out of all of the human race, and now He is planning on killing Moses.  Why?

 

Moses had not obeyed all of God's commands himself, for he had never had his son circumcised.  This was a long-standing command from God that Moses had ignored.  God's response was to prepare to kill Moses.  Here was one of history's greatest men about to be put to death before ever performing the task God had set before Him.  Moses could not expect to blatantly ignore a command of God and still be used mightily in His divine work.  Had not Moses quickly responded in obedience, he would surely have lost his life.

 

Moses learned that God makes no exceptions for holiness.  When God sets forth a requirement of His people, He most certainly demands it of His leaders.  Henry Blackaby says, "God wanted to make Moses' life a highway of holiness through which He could bring redemption to millions of people."  God had to make some significant adjustments in the life of Moses before He would use him to lead His people.

 

Are you trying to serve God and yet ignore something He has told you to do?  Are you living your life as if God does not notice your disobedience?  Do you apply God's standards to yourself as rigorously as you apply them to others?

 

God bless,

 

P.S.  Please continue to pray for Chile and the earthquake relief work.  The team from Second Baptist in Russellville will be representing the Arkansas network this weekend through next week.  You can learn how to pray by visiting http://www.onlyask.blogspot.com/ and http://www.arethesnydersthereyet.blogspot.com/.

 

Yesterday was a good day together!  I believe that the spirit of revival continues in our church, and I pray that nothing hinders what God is doing.  Our Sunday School lesson yesterday was on divisions in the church.  The church in Corinth faced many difficulties because of divisions, and Paul addresses the reasons for their divisions:  misplaced loyalties, pride, and spiritual immaturity.  Unfortunately, these are still seen in the church today.

 

The church at Corinth had divided into subgroups:  Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and Christ.  They had taken their focus off of the Lord and placed it upon the leaders of the church.  This is how cults form today, and it is sad how many Christians drop out of church when a pastor that they like leaves.  The focus of our church must be the Lord and fulfilling His mission for us.  I do not want you to focus on me, Wade, or any other leader.

 

Pride puts your way over the needs of others.  I realize how prideful I am when I stand in line at the grocery store behind someone that takes a long time to check out.  I get to feeling like my time is more valuable than theirs and that they need to move out of my way!  I also face this when I am driving and a slow driver will not get out of the way!  Ok, enough confessing from me- you do the same thing.  We must remember that Jesus has called us to be servants.  Having the heart of a servant takes the focus off me and puts it on others.  Our eyes become open to opportunities to help other people.

 

Spiritual immaturity is still rampant today, and it has a lot to do with the church requiring little growth from its members.  I realize now that I was never discipled in my church growing up; it was not until I got to college that I began to mature as a child of God.  We get so exctied when someone makes a profession of faith (and we should be excited), but we fail them when all we expect from them is to walk the isle and get baptized.  It is vital that the church communicates with new Christians the importance of growing in their faith.  When we suffer difficulties in the church because of spiritual immaturity, the church should not be surprised.

 

We must guard against divisions within the church.  Are you focusing on the Lord or a leader?  Are you full of pride or service?  Are you growing spiritually?

 

God bless,

 

We had a great start to our revival services yesterday!   Bobby did a great job bringing God's Word to us, and I know that I was challenged.  He made one statement that continues to ring in my ears: "Until the sin is bitter, the Savior will never be sweet." 

 

My Old Testament readings the past couple of weeks have been from Leviticus.  It is a tough read, but it makes me so thankful for Jesus and His grace.  I know that I would have difficulty keeping all of the laws and regulations.  When the Lord gives the commands on how to carry out all the sacrifices, how everyone is supposed to dress and all of the other regulations, it is followed with the phrase, "I am the Lord your God."  When I read that this morning, it jumped off the page to me that the reason the Lord was giving all of these rules and expecting them to be followed was because He is Lord.

 

We know that God expects us to hate sin, and the reason is because He is Lord, and His standard is one of holiness.  I am afraid that we have become tolerant of sin.  When I hear of someone getting a divorce, there are times when it has little effect upon me.  When I hear of an unwed teenager becoming pregnant, I think how many others do the same.  When I hear people gossipping or using the tongue for other detrimental means, I often support it by listening.  I could go on an on about ways in which I tolerant sin.  I think that you could do the same.  How can this change?

 

First, our personal sin needs to become bitter.  There are some sins that we have become so familiar with that they are simply a part of us and we are not bothered by their presence.  "Until the sin is bitter, the Savior will never be sweet."  Spend some time in examination and confession.

 

Secondly, sin needs to become bitter to us as a body of Christ.  We do not need to reduce God's standard for His children.  We need to hold true to His Word and the consequences of sin.  We need to be willing to take difficult stands against sin. 

 

Thirdly, we need to remember grace.  When we think of Jesus and His death on the cross for our sins, we should be motivated to hate sin because of all that we have been given.  Also, as we take a stand against sin in our world, we need to remember that God died for even those involved in the "worst" sin.  No one is beyond God's grace.

 

I pray that we will all discover the sweetness of the Lord today.

 

In Him,

 

What a great day in the Lord's House yesterday!  The Williams Singers were amazing, there was evidence of God working in lives and offering His salvation, we had a great meal and fellowship together, and much more.  God is good!

 

I want to remind you to pray for revival this week.  We begin revival services Sunday morning, but I believe that we are in the midst of revival corporately.  God is using us in a great way, and there is a lot of excitement about what He is doing.  I believe that the greatest hindrance to revival is unconfessed sin.  Therefore, spend time this week searching your heart, asking God to reveal transgressions that are keeping you from experiencing the vibrant spiritual life He desires.

 

I received an email last week about terrorist groups in the church.  I think it is appropriate to share with you today:

 

 

 

I hope that you had a great Valentine's Day yesterday.  Jennifer and I enjoyed a night out Saturday without Addison, but luck has it that we still had wild children around us in the restaurant!  There were lots of couples out celebrating Valentine's Day, but I hope that we show love to our spouses daily, rather than just once a year.  I am thankful that God loves me all the time, even when I give Him plenty of reasons to not love me.  I do not know if we can fully comprehend God's love for us, but we can see a picture of it in the life of Hosea.

 

Hosea was a righteous man, but God told him to marry a sinful woman.  Hosea obeyed and took Gomer as his wife.  He cherished her and treated her with dignity and respect.  Never before had Gomer experienced this kind of love, but she soon grew dissatisfied.  She began giving her affections to other men.  She became so involved in adulterous pursuits that finally she abandoned Hosea altogether.  Other men used her until she had nothing left to give, then they sold her into slavery.  After this, God gave Hosea an amazing command: "Go and buy her back."  Despite the intense pain and hurt that Gomer had inflicted on him, God told Hosea to forgive her and to pay any price to bring her back into his home.

 

God's message is clear:  when we reject Him and turn our devotion elsewhere, our rejection carries the same pain as an adulterous betrayal.  After all God has done for us, it is incomprehensible that we should reject Him.  It is even harder to fathom that God could love us even after we have rejected, ignored, and disobeyed Him.  Yet God's love is completely different from ours.  His love follows us to the depths of our sunfulness until He has reclaimed us.  His love is undaunted when we run from Him, and He continues to pursue us.  What incredible love He has demonstrated to us!

 

God bless,

 

Yesterday was a great day in the Lord's House for worship!  I believe that God spoke to husbands and wives, moms and dads, and students in our service yesterday morning.  To see families at the altar together was amazing, but what I enjoyed the most was spending some time in prayer together last night.  As we mentioned the requests, they were numerous (and some were mentioned more than once because of poor hearing!).  I know that there were other needs not mentioned, as everyone has personal things that they are burdened with but do not want to make it public knowledge.  To hear the needs mentioned could have been overwhelming because of their number and the nature of the requests.

 

Paul writes in Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."  Don't be anxious!  Paul said there is nothing that should cause a child of God to worry.  He was well aware of things that cause anxiety.  His nation was occupied by a foreign army and ruled by corrupt leaders.  He was writing from prison, where he was being held as a result of false accusations.  He was separated from those he loved, his motives had been questioned, and he had been misrepresented.  Some were trying to undermine all that he had accomplished in starting churches.  He suffered physically and faced imminent execution.  Yet Paul said there would never be a crisis so troubling that God not bring peace in the midst of it!

 

God will not necessarily take your problems away, but He will carry the load for you.  He wants you to experience His peace, which is beyond human comprehension.  You will never fully understand how God could give you peace in some of the situations you face, but you do not have to understand it in order to experience it.  This peace is not just for those who "handle stress well"; it is for everyone!  You may know that God wants you to experience peace but wonder how this is possible, given what you are presently facing.  Yet, Scripture says to be anxious for nothing.  God's Word clearly indicates that there is nothing you can face that is too difficult, too troubling, or too fearful for God.  No matter what your circumstances are, turn your anxiety over to God and let His perfect peace guard your heart.

 

In Him,

 

Psalm 17:6 was part of my reading this morning.  It says, "I call on you, O Lord, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer." 

 

I can remember as a kid playing catch in the yard with my dad, going fish with him, and doing other things together.  I thought that was normal until I experienced other children that had fathers that never had time for them.  There were times when I would want to go do something and dad could not go at that time, and then I have found myself telling Addison "in a minute" or "later" when she wants me to do something but I am in the middle of something else.

 

We should take comfort in the fact that our Heavenly Father is never too busy for us.  David understood that when he penned this psalm of prayer.  God always has a million and one people calling for Him (I am sure it more than that really), and He has the activities of the whole world in view; however, He still has time to spend with us when we call out to Him. 

 

Scripture defines God as: omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient, mighty, strong, all sufficient, our Provider, I AM, our Banner, the Lord who Sanctifies, our Peace, our Righteousness, our Great Shepherd, the Lord Is There, the Lord of Hosts, the Most High, the God Who Sees, the Deliverer, Redeemer, our Shield, Everlasting God, Ancient of Days, and God our Rock.  He is all of these and much more, and when we call out to Him, He answers.

 

I want to challenge you to call out to the Lord today with your personal needs.  Also, the highest form of prayer is intercessory prayer, praying for others.  We have a lot of people in our church that have physical needs, others have emotional and spiritual needs.  Please pray for them as God lays them on your heart.  Remember, when we tell someone we will pray for them and we fail to do so, we have sinned.

 

Lastly pray for our church.  Wade and I covet your prayers, and I covet them for my family.  Please pray for the Family Weekend this weekend, please pray for our upcoming revival (pray for personal and corporate revival), pray for the new Young Couples Sunday School class, pray for the visits we will make for FAITH tomorrow night, pray for our Leadership Team as they meet tonight to look at long-term facility needs, pray for those that have been visiting with us that are considering church membership, and pray for other needs as the Lord lays them on your heart.  Pray specifically for lost people by name.

 

Have a great week and let's call on the Lord together.

 

In Him,

 

Wade and I are in Little Rock today and tomorrow for the State Evangelism Conference.  We heard six sermons today and three more are scheduled for in the morning, and I did not like a lot of what the guys said.  It was very convicting.  Our state convention is focusing on "Reaching Generation Now," a special emphasis on reaching youth and children.  It is alarming to hear that only 2 of 1000 teenagers today in the US are being reached with the Gospel.  I am glad that we are a church that is reaching children and youth.  Now, we are not reaching them as fast as we need to, but we are impacting the lives of students.  Much of that can be attributed to Wade and his workers, as well as our children's ministry volunteers.  They are on the front lines, and I am thankful for their service.

 

One of the speakers commented on the need for urgency.  It is easy to see that we need to do a better job taking the Gospel to all people, but it is another thing to realize the urgency that must exist.  We know that Jesus is coming back, but no one knows the time.  We need to be busy fulfilling the work that God has left us to do.

 

FAITH starts tomorrow night.  I pray that you will be involved in some area.  We need people to make visits, people to pray, and others to help with the meals.  This is the best evangelism tool that we have, and I believe that God will continue to bless our efforts.

 

God bless,

 

January 11, 2010 

I am just a few minutes from leading the funeral service for Ms. Sallie Lou Reddin, a lady of faith that lived to be 100 years old!  When I think of 100 years and all that she saw during her time on this earth, I simply think, "Wow!" 

 

We normally measure one's life in many ways.  The first is the number of years that one lives, and we feel like if they lived a long time that their life was full.  We can also look at one's accomplishments.  Some people do far more with a few years than many do with a large number.  A life worth celebrating is one who combines years and accomplishments.  We can also look at the circumstances under which an individual lived.  For someone to live 100 years, Ms. Sallie Lou saw a lot of changes take place.

 

Another measure exists which must not be forgotten.  Our most important measure is at the point of preparation for the life to come.  In fact, the best way to live this life is in preparation for the life to follow.  The best life is the one that chooses the only true foundation for life- Jesus Christ.  All other measures become insignificant by comparison.  Preparation for life beyond is a life-long process.  It is not a crash course in eternal survival occurring at the last minute.  Rather, it begins the moment one opens himself/herself to salvation through Jesus as Lord.  Preparation for life beyond continues all of one's days.

 

You are not guaranteed 100 years.  Matter of fact, you are not guaranteed tomorrow.  Are you prepared?

 

God bless,
Clint

What a great day yesterday in the Lord's house, and a great start to the new year in worship!  I felt that we truly worshipped yesterday, as people were responsive to the Lord's leading in their life.

 

Yesterday also included the weigh-in for the Men's Health Challenge.  15 of us are participating, and I am glad that I weighed last since the scales probably needed a break after calculating me!  This is going to be a fun time.

 

While everyone participating is going to have a fun time, and although I am going to win big, there is an issue at the core of this challenge:  discipline.  I was going to do something about my weight before the challenge was started because of the lack of discipline I was displaying.  I do not know where the thought developed that preachers, especially Baptist preachers, had to be round.  Think about it- how many skinny preachers do you know?  Probably very few.  The reason is because of a lack of discipline.  We are good at making excuses on not having time to exercise and having to eat at fellowships, but those are weak excuses.  I believe that personal health and spiritual health have a lot to do with each other, and I plan on being healthier over the next few months.  My motivation is not to show up all of the other guys but to model a life of discipline.

 

Weight may not be a problem for you (and you would be in a small percentage of Americans), but there may be other areas in which you need to display discipline.  It could be having a daily quiet time and prayer, it could include managing your temper, it could include discipline in handling your finances, and the list could go on and on.  I want to challenge you to look in your life and see where you need to model discipline.

 

God bless,

 

I hope that you had a great Christmas.  I am finding that I am having a hard time getting back in the groove of working this morning (and proof of that is that it is actually 12:30 in the afternoon as I type!).  I talked to a former student in my youth ministry a few weeks ago, and I was sharing about our Christmas plans and the excitement around our house.  His response was something along the lines of "That is weird because you used to be such a Scrooge!"  Although I would have liked to have grabbed him through the phone and shook him, he was right.  Now, though, I enjoy the Christmas season.

 

I think that the change in my attitude is attributed to 3 things.  First, Jennifer loves Christmas and decorating for Christmas.  When we were dating, it drove her crazy that I did not put up a Christmas tree.  I was never at my house on Christmas, so I didn't see the need to put up a tree.  I know that the Lord laughs each year to know that I now have 3 Christmas trees in our house, and I am sure that the baby will have one next year, and there is even talk of getting another one for our bedroom (which you know that we really need!).

 

Having Addison also changed my attitude at Christmas.  Their is nothing like the innocence of a child, and when I watch her and listen to her pray, I understand why Jesus said that we should approach Him as a child.  Teaching Addison the real meaning of Christmas, watching her learn various parts of the Christmas story, and then anticipating the arrival of Santa increase the level of joy around my house on Christmas. 

 

While Jennifer and Addison played huge roles in the change in my life from Scrooge, the main reason I give to my enjoyment of Christmas has to do with preaching messages with a Christmas theme.  It can be very difficult to come up with messages for special times of the year, most notably holidays.  We have all had the same Sunday School lessons year after year that provide little new insight on the Christmas story, and I was used to that when I was in youth ministry.  I taught the lessons and was ready for the next quarter's material.  When I started pastoring, though, I found that I had to go deeper in the Christmas story, rather than just doing the "normal" sermons.  This caused me to look at the Christmas stories from the perspective of each participant and to look at all of the Old Testament prophecies fulfilled with the birth of Christ.  My level of Christmas joy was raised because I fell into love with the Christmas story.

 

How about you?  You may be reading this and glad that Christmas is over, and while I am ready for a normal routine and schedule, I hate to see the passing of the only time all year that we focus on the birth of our Savior and Lord.  Before the tree is down and all the decorations put up, maybe you need to fall back into love with the story of a baby born of a virgin coming to die for your sin.

 

In Him,

 

I read an article last week from a psychologist that stated that yelling is the new spanking.  His point was that parents who attempt to use time out and other means (which he deemed ineffective) often find themselves yelling at their kids in anger when their discipline does not work.  I understand the frustration that comes when kids (as well as adults) do not cooperate, and raising your voice and shouting some stuff to them seems to get a response that is better than nothing.

 

I believe that Scripture speaks against such action.  We talk often of the need to have purity in speech, and probably just about everyone reading this does not make vulgar speech a routine part of their life.  We are less aware, though, of the problems that our speech cause when we lash out at someone in anger or speak down to someone.

 

Proverbs 10:19 states, "The one who controls his lips is wise."  Psalm 141:3: "Lord, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips."  I think the psalmist is on to something here.  Wouldn't it be great to have a guard on our mouth!

 

The story is told of a doctor, while writing out a prescription, asked a woman to stick out her tongue.  When he had finished writing the prescription, she said to him, "But doctor, you never even looked at my tongue."  The doctor replied, "It wasn't necessary.  I just wanted to keep you quiet while I wrote the prescription."  Admist the humor of this, don't miss the point- words are important, but don't overdo them.

 

A wise person has a disciplined tongue.  Many need to learn this, for, like the tongue in old shoes, our tongue is often the last thing to be worn out.  If a discipline tongue is your need, ask God to help you, for an undisciplined tongue is an unloving tongue.

 

Merry Christmas,

 

I often wonder what God would send to us if He could write us a letter today.  I received the following email last week that I believe is similar to what the Lord would tell us today.  I hope that you are challenged by it.

 

 

I think that everyone in attendance at the Lottie Moon Dessert Auction had a great time last night.  I know that I did, and I have enjoyed the $100 pie that I got!  I figure that this will become an annual affair.  We raised over $1200 last night, so we are inching closer toward our goal of $7500.

 

I have been sharing with you the importance of International Missions.  It became personal to me while on the trip to Chile to begin our work among the Mapuche.  I love to hear how God is working because of our willingness to go and give.  I want to share a story that I received last week from Baptist Press highlighting the work of God through Southern Baptists:

 

 

I hope that you had a great Thanksgiving, and I am sure that you are beginning to gear up for Christmas.  Some of you may even be full swing in the Christmas mode.  It is easy in this time to get so tired that you just want to forget about all of the parties and family gatherings and just have some "R & R."  We have all been there.  All of us may have also experienced the time when we were exhausted from all of the service and ministry in which we have been involved.  Many pastors experience burnout and give up on the ministry altogether.

 

In the midst of a season of giving of ourselves and things, I read the statement from Henry Blackaby today that says, "If you find that Christianity exhausts you, draining you of your energy, then you are practicing religion rather than enjoying a relationship."  I think that Blackaby is on to something.  Jesus said that a relationship with Him would bring rest to your soul.  Your walk with the Lord will not make you weary; it will invigorate you, restore your strength, and energize your life.

 

Hard work or lack of sleep can make you tired, but your energy can usually be restored with a good night of sleep.  However, there is a deeper fatigue that goes beyond physical tiredness.  There is an emotional exhaustion that comes from experiencing heavy burdens and draining crises.  There is a tiredness deep within your soul that comes from carrying the weight of the needs of others.  You can go on a vacation, but your soul will not be restored.  This condition can only be solved by finding rest in Christ.

 

Some zealous Christians want to do all they can to serve Christ, and they exhaust themselves in the process.  It was to these that Jesus extended His invitation to go to Him and learn from Him: "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."  Jesus spent most of His earthly ministry surrounded by needy multitudes.  He faced relentless opposition, He often prayed throughout the night, and He rarely had any privacy; yet He always received the rest and strength that came from His Father.  It was not that Jesus did not work but that He knew the path to spiritual rest.

 

Are you weary?  Go to Jesus and let Him give you His rest.  His rest will restore your soul as nothing else can.

 

In Him,

 

When temptation enters our hearts and minds, we either deal with it and gain mastery over it, or it eventually leads us to sinful actions.  The time between the initial temptation and the chosen response is critical.  Much hangs in the balance.

 

Cain knew that God was displeased with him but pleased with Abel.  Feelings of jealous anger crept into Cain's heart, and thoughts of murder pervaded his mind.  As Cain considered what to do, God's Word came to him.  "If you do well, will you not be accepted?  And if you do not do well, sin lies at your door.  And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."  God sends Cain a warning that sin was waiting to overtake him.  Now was not the time to treat temptation lightly, not the time to assume sin would never cause any harm.  Now was the time to master the sin and renounce it before it overcame him.  Tragically, Cain did not master his sin; instead, sin overtook him and destroyed his life.

 

Temptations come at unexpected moments.  Sinful thoughts may cross your mind; selfish feelings may begin to invade your heart.  The promptings of the Holy Spirit will warn you that God is not pleased with the direction your thoughts and feelings are taking you.  At that moment of conviction, you must master the sin that crouches at the door of your life.  Sin destroys.  Sin brings death.  Sin is not something to toy with or take lightly.  God's Word to you is the same warning He gave Cain: master the sin at the door of your life before it brings its inevitable and disastrous consequences.  Heed His caution, and you will avoid unnecessary hardship for yourself and others.

 

God bless,
Bro. Clint

 

I attended the Veteran's Day ceremony at the courthouse last Wednesday.  It was a simple service that was attended by many veterans.  It was a regular time, until they played "taps" and raised the flag.  Watching those veterans get still and salute the flag was different than any other time I had seen the flag raised.  I am thankful for those that have served, as well as those that continue to serve, our country.

 

The terrorist attack at Fort Hood gives us another reminder we live in a time of danger.  There were 51 causalities with 13 killed.  This murderer was an Islamic terrorist.  He yelled as he started to mow down our unarmed soldiers, "Allah is great."  Our president came to the mike with great concern there would be a backlash against Islam.  I listened to other pundits say not to rush to judgment.  "Major Nidal Hasan had various problems.  He had been harassed for his Muslim faith.  The pressures of being a psychiatrist working with traumatized soldiers had been too great for him.  His faith had him conflicted about going to the war.  He just could not deal with it all."

 

Let me say without prejudice, Hasan was an Islamic terrorist.  The act he did was unjustified.  His purpose was to strike fear in the hearts of the people around him.  Hasan's understanding of his faith had justified his actions, whatever other underlying reasons were there.  Jihad in Islam is the defense of the Islamic faith.  Most of us as Christians and U.S. citizens do not understand the war with Islamic terrorists.  From our worldview, we want people to find life and enjoy freedom.  This Islamic worldview holds us as American citizens as infidels, and according to their understanding, it does Allah a favor for us to be killed.  This is why a terrorist can become a cold-blooded murderer, put bombs on their children, and live their lives training for bloodshed.  It is the way they find salvation, bring praise to Allah, and gain honor as a human being.

 

Again, I am reminded of how much debt of gratitude we owe our Veterans.  Men and women who are pushed into harm's way today are facing uncertain politics and an enemy who runs without detection behind them.  If the war on terrorism is won, it will be because of their great sacrifice.

 

As a Christian, we must be reminded we are in spiritual warfare.  Our enemy comes to steal, kill, and destroy.  The battle plan for us is to pick up the cross and follow after Jesus.  Our weapons are God's Word and His Spirit.  Our peace comes from the promises of prayer.  The greatest thing we need to remember as we think on this attack: Jesus is coming again.  We win!!!

 

God bless,
Bro. Clint

 

I promised last week to try and be better and post something today, so here it goes!  The past few weeks have been pretty wild for all of us.  God has worked in our midst and we still have LOTS of work to do.  Deer season starts Saturday (unless you have a child and got to start early this past weekend), so that adds another activity for many.  The holidays are right around the corner, so you can count on having some shopping days thrown into the mix.  I want to share with you something that I read today that I believe was a word to me from the Lord and something that you may need, too.  It is based on Isaiah 40:31, "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

 

"At times you may feel so worn out and stressed that you are not sure you can take another step.  You may seem to spend all your time running from crisis to crisis and to be constantly giving your time and energy to others.  Your Lord wants to renew your strength and enable you to enjoy the abundant life He intends for you.  The key is to wait upon Him to do so.

 

Our generation does not enjoy waiting.  We rush through our lives without stopping to evaluate our activities.  Part of God's restorative process is to slow us down and make us listen to Him.  As we wait on Him, God will remind us of our utter dependence upon His strength.  When we slow down and seek His will, He will reveal His plans.

 

Biblically, waiting on the Lord is never passive; it is always active.  Waiting requires us to cease our own pursuits and give God our complete attention.  We may have to give up some of the activities we have allowed to inundate our lives.  We may need to take an entire day to sit quietly before the Lord.  If we ask Him, God will show us the resources He has provided to help with the work we have been attempting on our own.  God may address feelings of guilt that have motivated us to do things that He has not asked us to do.  Jesus carried more responsibility that you do.  More people needed Him than will ever need you.  Yet He was never overwhelmed or inadequate for the task.  Now Christ offers to guide you so that you will fulfill your heavenly Father's will and gain the strength necessary for each day."

 

May we find comfort and peace today that we serve a Lord that calls us to come to Him for rest!

 

In Him,

 

What a great week last week!  The trip to Chile and the crusade have left me pretty much brain dead; therefore, I am taking a break from posting this week.  Wade and I will be attending the Arkansas Baptist State Convention.  I will try to be better next week!

 

 

What a great start to our crusade yesterday with 8 professions of faith!  God is doing a great work in our midst.

 

A quick update on Brent Newton:  The doctor told Pat and Vickie this morning that he is "better today than this time yesterday."  He has a long road of recovery ahead of him, so please be praying for Brent, Shawnee, Pat, and Vickie.  The doctor explained the risk of infection and how most burn victims have one or more infections.  Pat told the doctor that in addition to healing, he would be praying that there be no infection.  He has also asked us as a church to pray for no infection.

 

As Pat was talking, I was reminded of Jesus teaching us that we can pray boldly to God.  Asking God that there be no infections following an infection-prone injury is bold praying.  Asking God to save the person you have talked to about Jesus numerous times is bold praying.  Asking God to heal the addict or alcoholic is bold praying.  Asking God to work in any situation that looks hopeless or praying for results that do not make sense is bold praying.

 

Have you been holding back in your prayer life?  Have you been afraid to pray boldly because you do not believe your prayer could be answered?  Find joy today in the fact that God answers bold prayers!

 

What bold praying do you need to do today?

 

 

Please check the "Chile Trip Update" on the website, for that is about all I have to say.  I have had a blast in Chile, but I still have not stopped praying for and thinking about the crusade.  We sold just short of 300 tickets, so there should be lots of unchurched people at the steak night.  However, don't wait until then.  Work hard to get the people to church Sunday at either 8:30 or 11:00.

 

Have a great week and I look forward to seeing you Sunday (if not before!)

 

God bless,

 

I'm sitting here, thinking about how the top of this page says that it will be updated with a "thought" from me each week, and I am wondering what thought I am supposed to share.  With the trip to Chile coming up soon, and the crusade following shortly after, I have a lot of thoughts running through my head!

 

The one thing that I keep thinking, though, is the sobering thought that we may be the only people in the world that ever take the Gospel to the Mapuche in Chile.  I do not think that there is anyway that I can imagine what I am going to see when we tour the area and meet with the Mapuche leaders, but I know that in the forefront of my mind will be the fact that we are surrounded by lostness.  The worst part of it is the fact that these people do not know the condition they are in because no one has ever told them about Jesus.

 

When I think of the condition of the Mapuche, I also think about the fact that there are many people in Calhoun County in the same condition- lost and do not know it.  You and I may be the only people in the world to ever tell them about Jesus.  That is another sobering thought.

 

I firmly believe that God is going to use our church over the next two weeks to make an impact on the Kingdom.  I pray that you are on board and doing your part so that less people will go to hell and more people will go to heaven.

 

We will leave for Chile Thursday afternoon about 5:30 and will be in Chile about 6:30 Friday morning.  I will update the "Chile Trip Updates" as soon as possible and as often as possible.  Please check it daily and pray for us.

 

Lastly, please continue to buy the steak dinner tickets for the unchurched that you know.  Remember- this may be the only contact they have with the Lord.

 

God bless,
Bro. Clint

 

We are 20 days from the beginning of our crusade, and I leave for Chile in 10 days.  I trust that you are praying for both of these kingdom opportunities before us.  I firmly believe that God's kingdom is going to be advanced through our efforts over the next few weeks.

We have been spending a lot of time encouraging you to pray for lost and unchurched people that you know.  Please continue to do that, but I want to encourage you to pray, too, for the weak Christians that you know.  Christians do not live in isolation.  When we sin, there are repercussions throughout the Christian community.  When a brother or sister suffers, we are affected.

 

It was impossible for Paul to remain unmoved while there were believers in Corinth who were spiritually weak.  When he learned that false teachers had caused Christians in Corinth to stumble in their faith, Paul burned with indignation.  Paul told the church members at Corinth to rejoice when a church member rejoices and weep when a fellow member weeps.  We depend on one another, and this influences everything we do.  We must do everything with our fellow Christian in mind.

 

It's possible to become so preoccupied with your own spiritual journey that you do not get involved in your church.  You can become so focused on what God is doing in your own country that you are oblivious to the suffering and persecution that your fellow Christians face in countries around the world.  If other believers around you are rejoicing or hurting, and you are unaffected, you have become desensitized to the people of God.

 

Ask God to place a burden on your heart for fellow believers.  Make yourself aware of their needs.  Pray for them and adjust your life to God's activity in their lives.

 

In Him,

 

When we hear the word "confession," we often think of going into a booth and telling our deepest and darkest sins to someone.  We have gotten that image from the Catholics and to our demise, we have neglected confession.  As we continue during our season of prayer for our crusade, I want you to consider confession.

 

Confession is God's provision to clear obstacles that hinder our relationship with God and with others.  Confession is not just for those who do not mind admitting their faults.  It is a command, given to every Christian.  James advised that whne we sin, it is important for us to confess not only to God, but also to our fellow Christians.  There is a tremendous freedom that comes as we openly acknowledge the sinfulness of our actions to others. 

 

If confession does not come out of repentance, it is merely admission, and not true confession.  It is important to confess your sins specifically and not hide behind generalities.  It is one thing to pray, "O Lord, forgive my sin."  It's quite another to identify your sin specifically in painful honesty.  Whenever possible, confession ought to be made directly to those whom your sin has hurt.  Confession is not a sign of weakness; it is evidence of your refusal to allow sin to remain in your life.

 

Significantly, James linked confession with prayer.  Your prayers will be hindered if you hold on to unconfessed sin.  When James promised that the "effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much," he did so in the context of confession.  If you wish to have a powerful prayer life, you must regularly confess your sin.  Only when there are no obstacles separating you from God and others will your prayers be effective.  A desire to please Him will compel you to confess your sin and rid yourself of its oppressive burden.

 

I hope that you will join me in deep confession as we pray for God to work in our midst.

 

In Him,

 

Praise the Lord for another great day yesterday!  We had several guests with us, and it was evident to me that God is working in our midst.  Business meeting reminded me of how thankful I am to be a part of a church that conducts itself in a God-honoring way and accomplishes business that has an impact on the Kingdom.

 

As we enjoy spiritual victories in our personal lives and in our church, and as we prepare for God to work during our crusade, it is easy to get the "big head" and think that we have achieved something.  One of the dangers of the Christian life is to take credit for what God does.  This was the Assyrians' problem.  They were a weak nation until God chose to bless them in order to use them as an instrument to punish the Israelites.  However, the more God blessed them, the more confident they became in their own strength.  When the farmers had good crops, they credited their farming skills rather than God.  When their army won a victory, their generals took the credit.  When the nation experienced prosperity, the Assyrians attributed it to their military and political might. 

 

To quote Henry Blackaby again, "It is sometimes easier to handle poverty or weakness than wealth or strength.  Poverty causes us to recognize our need for God.  Prosperity persuades us that we no longer require Him.  Scripture holds several examples of those who assumed they were self-sufficient, only to realize their dire poverty.  Samson was the strongest person alive, but he forgot that his strength came from God.  Once God removed his strength, Samson was reduced to a pitiful slave.  Saul was the first king of Israel; yet when God removed His Spirit from this proud monarch, he became a paranoid, petty man, seeking counsel from the occult.  Be careful how you handle the success God gives you!"

 

As you enjoy God's blessings in your family, your business, or your ministry, keep in mind that you are an instrument in the hands of the Master.

 

God bless,

 

What a great day yesterday!  If you missed that service last night, you missed out on a blessing. 

 

Tomorrow begins our 40 Days of Prayer in preparation for our crusade.  I just looked at the list, and we have just about each of the days covered.  There are children, teenagers, and all ages of adults participating!  I cannot fully convey in my heart the expectation that I have for God to do a great work in our midst, and I firmly believe that He is going to do it.

 

There is a false notion that many believe which supports the idea that prayer gives a believer spiritual power.  What prayer does is align your life with God so that He chooses to demonstrate His power through you.  The purpose of prayer is not to convince God to change your circumstances but to prepare you to be involved in God's activity.

 

The fervent prayer of the people at Pentecost did not induce the Holy Spirit to come upon them.  Prayer brought them to a place where they were ready to participate in the mighty work God had already planned.  Jesus told His followers to remain in Jerusalem until the Spirit came upon them (Acts 1:4-5).  The disciples obeyed His command, waiting for God's next directive.  As they prayed, God adjusted their lives to what He intended to do next.  As they prayed, a unity developed among them.  For the first time, the dsiciples used Scripture as their guide in decision-making (Acts 1:15-26).  The day of Pentecost arrived, and the city of Jersualem filled with pilgrims from around the world.  When God released His Holy Spirit upon the disciples, He had already filled the city with messengers who would carry the gospel to every nation.  Prayer had prepared the disciples for their obedient response.

 

Prayer is designed to adjust you to God's will, not to adjust God to your will.  If God has not responded to what you are praying, you may need to adjust your praying to align with God's agenda.  Rather than focusing on what you would like to see happen, realize that God may be more concerned with what He wants to see happen in you.

 

Have a great week.

 

I hope that you had a great Labor Day.  I spent my day shopping with Jennifer and Addison.  Both of them needed clothes desperately, but I can hardly tolerate the constant looking and not getting something.  I think that I could have gone without them and brought back everything that they needed (now, it may not have matched!).  One of the highlights was when we were in a store without a dressing room and needed to see if something fit Addison.  We were just going to slip it over her clothes, but she did not want to try it on.  As Jennifer began to force the issue, Addison started hollering, "Don't touch me lady.  I don't want to try it on lady."  I could not help but laugh, and I expected someone to call the cops about a couple that was trying to kidnap a child!

 

I am glad that we have a God that doesn't look at us simply as a "lady" or a "man."  Rather, He knows us by name.  We are His children and He cares for us, even knowing the number of hairs on our head.  In our world, it's easy to feel that we are nothing more than an insignificant speck in the midst of a multitude.  Our world tends to depersonalize us, seeking to make us like everyone else, but God loves us in specific ways that are particular to us.

 

As Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem to fulfill His assignment on the cross, the multitudes gathered around Him in such numbers that the small man Zacchaeus could not see Jesus unless he climbed a tree.  Zacchaeus would have been satisfied simply to catch a glimpse of the great Teacher, but Jesus stopped, turned, and looked directly at him!  In that moment, Zacchaeus was oblivious to the crowd around him.  Thus began a special time with Jesus that radically changed his life.

 

Henry Blackaby says: "Jesus will relate to you in ways that are unique to you.  He knows your past; He knows what you will face in the future.  Because He knows everything about you, His word to you will perfectly fit the circumstances of your life.  You may be in a group of Christians who are listening to God's Word, and you may hear things from Him that no one else hears.  Don't become frustrated with others if they are not as excited about a truth from God as you are.  Don't be impatient with them if they are not implementing God's Word in their lives exactly as you are.  God will personalize His Word to you.  He will relate to each of your friends in a way that specifically meets their needs as well."

 

Listen today for the Word of God that is specifically for you, His child.

 

God bless,