February 17 First Baptist Church Revival - Milan, Tennessee
February 23 Belmore Baptist Men's Conference - Belmore, Al.
March 7-8 Trinity Baptist Young@Heart Retreat - Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
April 7-10 Eastside Baptist Revival - Jasper, Al.
May 5-8 Wilsonville Baptist Revival, Wilsonville, Al.
June 21 Shocco Springs Deacon Retreat - Talladega, Al.
October 28 Morgan Baptist Associational Meeting - Morgan, Al.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Paying Attention
Hebrews 10:24-25
One of the first things to get my attention in the first grade at Cotaco Elementary was a little blond-haired girl named Tammy. She was six years old. She was missing her two front teeth...and she rode the same bus as me. I thought she was the prettiest thing I had ever seen. She got my attention. I got on the bus every morning hoping she had saved me a seat. She’s one of the reasons I started wearing my dad’s cologne - English Leather. But evidently that’s a common thing. When my daughter Alyssa was in preschool she had such an effect on one of the little boys that, according to his mother, he started taking baths without being made to.
I remember when Crystal got my attention - and by the way, she still does. I was working with her sister at a bank in Hartselle and Crystal came in to see her sister. And when she did, I saw her. She was fifteen. I was nineteen. I remember thinking, “wow.” We didn’t start dating till three years later – but I remember making sure I was around whenever she visited her sister. She had my attention.
Whatever gets your attention will direct your life. I don’t remember my mother ever having to make me get on the bus in the first grade. I wanted to because I knew my little toothless friend had a seat saved for me.
Whatever has your attention will drive you. It will push you. You’ll do whatever you have to for the thing or for the person that has your attention. Whether it is your job, your children, your family, your hobbies, your interests, your church, or your relationship with God.
It's important for me to think about what has my attention. In this brief blog let me mention just a few things in ministry that get my attention. It's important for my church to know such things because the attention of the pastor often becomes the attention of the church he pastors. I have a real and definite conviction about making sure that I preach the Bible as the sole authority for our life. The greatest question we can ask when we face a difficult circumstance is, “What does the Bible say?” So, needless to say – the Bible has my attention.
Also, the simple Gospel message is important to me. I have a real conviction that the Gospel should be clear in our messages whether it is a song or sermon. The Bible is clear that the “Gospel is God’s power that saves.” Something amazing happens when the Gospel is presented clearly and with convictions. So, again – the Gospel has my attention.
Also, reaching the unsaved and unconcerned is a priority of mine. I see no reason why every event connected to the church shouldn’t be an evangelistic event. Everything from a preschool egg hunt to a Christmas communion service to a breakfast just for men. If something is happening at church, it should be perfectly normal and expected that we present the Gospel in some way. So, also – evangelism has my attention.
But most of all, Jesus has my attention. I really believe Jesus changes people. I believe Jesus makes a real and lasting difference in people’s lives who trust Him to save and forgive them. His birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and second coming is the only message we have. Everything we do as a church is built on one message – one person. Jesus. Jesus has my attention.
All that being said, I don’t believe we have to be boring to be Biblical. I believe we have every reason to be the happiest and most content people in the world. I believe our worship should be filled with anticipation and joy. I believe God speaks through His word - and we should listen as if we are the only one He’s speaking to. I believe we should be passionate about what we do as believers and as Christian leaders. I believe if we’re going to do something we should do it well or don’t do it at all. And we should do it to the glory of God. So, those things have my attention. Those are the things that drive me as a preacher. And, chances are those are the things that are defining the church I pastor.
In my last blog I talked about the word Intention. I said good intentions without effort, hard work, some early mornings and late nights are nothing more than good ideas. Many of us spend our life intending to do more for God. But too few of us ever do.
This week we are thinking about Attention. Whatever has our attention will guide us, shape us, and to some extent control us. That being said, what is guiding me, shaping me, and controlling me? Wouldn’t it be great if we gave the Word of God such attention? MM
One of the first things to get my attention in the first grade at Cotaco Elementary was a little blond-haired girl named Tammy. She was six years old. She was missing her two front teeth...and she rode the same bus as me. I thought she was the prettiest thing I had ever seen. She got my attention. I got on the bus every morning hoping she had saved me a seat. She’s one of the reasons I started wearing my dad’s cologne - English Leather. But evidently that’s a common thing. When my daughter Alyssa was in preschool she had such an effect on one of the little boys that, according to his mother, he started taking baths without being made to.
I remember when Crystal got my attention - and by the way, she still does. I was working with her sister at a bank in Hartselle and Crystal came in to see her sister. And when she did, I saw her. She was fifteen. I was nineteen. I remember thinking, “wow.” We didn’t start dating till three years later – but I remember making sure I was around whenever she visited her sister. She had my attention.
Whatever gets your attention will direct your life. I don’t remember my mother ever having to make me get on the bus in the first grade. I wanted to because I knew my little toothless friend had a seat saved for me.
Whatever has your attention will drive you. It will push you. You’ll do whatever you have to for the thing or for the person that has your attention. Whether it is your job, your children, your family, your hobbies, your interests, your church, or your relationship with God.
It's important for me to think about what has my attention. In this brief blog let me mention just a few things in ministry that get my attention. It's important for my church to know such things because the attention of the pastor often becomes the attention of the church he pastors. I have a real and definite conviction about making sure that I preach the Bible as the sole authority for our life. The greatest question we can ask when we face a difficult circumstance is, “What does the Bible say?” So, needless to say – the Bible has my attention.
Also, the simple Gospel message is important to me. I have a real conviction that the Gospel should be clear in our messages whether it is a song or sermon. The Bible is clear that the “Gospel is God’s power that saves.” Something amazing happens when the Gospel is presented clearly and with convictions. So, again – the Gospel has my attention.
Also, reaching the unsaved and unconcerned is a priority of mine. I see no reason why every event connected to the church shouldn’t be an evangelistic event. Everything from a preschool egg hunt to a Christmas communion service to a breakfast just for men. If something is happening at church, it should be perfectly normal and expected that we present the Gospel in some way. So, also – evangelism has my attention.
But most of all, Jesus has my attention. I really believe Jesus changes people. I believe Jesus makes a real and lasting difference in people’s lives who trust Him to save and forgive them. His birth, life, death, burial, resurrection, and second coming is the only message we have. Everything we do as a church is built on one message – one person. Jesus. Jesus has my attention.
All that being said, I don’t believe we have to be boring to be Biblical. I believe we have every reason to be the happiest and most content people in the world. I believe our worship should be filled with anticipation and joy. I believe God speaks through His word - and we should listen as if we are the only one He’s speaking to. I believe we should be passionate about what we do as believers and as Christian leaders. I believe if we’re going to do something we should do it well or don’t do it at all. And we should do it to the glory of God. So, those things have my attention. Those are the things that drive me as a preacher. And, chances are those are the things that are defining the church I pastor.
In my last blog I talked about the word Intention. I said good intentions without effort, hard work, some early mornings and late nights are nothing more than good ideas. Many of us spend our life intending to do more for God. But too few of us ever do.
This week we are thinking about Attention. Whatever has our attention will guide us, shape us, and to some extent control us. That being said, what is guiding me, shaping me, and controlling me? Wouldn’t it be great if we gave the Word of God such attention? MM
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Good Intentions
Proverbs 3:5-6
Most of us have good intentions… We intend to lose some of the weight we gained over the holidays. We intend to pay down the credit cards for the charges we made while buying Christmas. We intend to do better and be better in the coming year. A couple of years ago, in January, I had good intentions of improving myself in every way I could. I printed off the slogan, "Do Better" including the scripture Philippians 3:14. I placed my printed off slogans everywhere...in my car, on my desk, on the mirror, etc. I had really good intentions of doing better and being better. But by February of that year my slogan had become something like, "Hang in there!" Can you relate? It's much easier to hang on than do better.
Intentions… Preachers have preached for years that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. That sounds a little harsh but it’s true. Your doctor might tell you the road to obesity is paved with good intentions. Your banker might tell you the road to bankruptcy is paved with good intentions. Your marriage counselor might tell you the road to divorce is paved with good intentions. Your high school teacher might tell you the road to failure is paved with good intentions. Truth is, we simply don’t go where we want to go with good intentions alone.
As well intended as most of us are, without work, effort, sacrifice, paying attention to details, sometimes doing things no one else will do, late nights and early mornings – our good intentions are nothing more than good ideas. Intending to do something…and actually doing something are miles apart.
How many of us can look back at a list of things we intended to do but never
did? Maybe it was losing weight…Or maybe it was not gaining it back. Maybe it was spending time with our children. Maybe it was writing a letter we needed to write or making that phone call or sending an email. Maybe it was an apology. Maybe it was forgiveness we intended to give. We meant to but we never did. Maybe it was reading our Bible more… praying more… or getting closer to God. Good intentions are nothing more than good ideas if we don’t do what we intend to do.
For well over twenty years, Proverbs 3:5-6 have been my life verses. I have enjoyed them, embraced them, battled with them, at times ignored them....but over the course of all these years, I have found these verses to be wonderful promises, a great comfort, and a source of strength and help. Years ago, when I first read these verses and believed these words were from God just for me,...and I was convinced if I would do my part, God would do His. My part was to trust Him with all my heart…and lean not on my own understanding… To acknowledge Him in all my ways and He would direct my paths. My life, so far, is living proof of these simple verses.
Trusting God has been the greatest adventure of my life. Look at verse 6. Build a fence right down the middle of it. One side of that fence is yours and the other side is God’s. You stay on your side and do your job, and God will stay on His side and do His job. You can’t do His job and He can’t do yours.
Do more than intend to trust the Lord. Trust Him. And he will direct you. Michael
Most of us have good intentions… We intend to lose some of the weight we gained over the holidays. We intend to pay down the credit cards for the charges we made while buying Christmas. We intend to do better and be better in the coming year. A couple of years ago, in January, I had good intentions of improving myself in every way I could. I printed off the slogan, "Do Better" including the scripture Philippians 3:14. I placed my printed off slogans everywhere...in my car, on my desk, on the mirror, etc. I had really good intentions of doing better and being better. But by February of that year my slogan had become something like, "Hang in there!" Can you relate? It's much easier to hang on than do better.
Intentions… Preachers have preached for years that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions. That sounds a little harsh but it’s true. Your doctor might tell you the road to obesity is paved with good intentions. Your banker might tell you the road to bankruptcy is paved with good intentions. Your marriage counselor might tell you the road to divorce is paved with good intentions. Your high school teacher might tell you the road to failure is paved with good intentions. Truth is, we simply don’t go where we want to go with good intentions alone.
As well intended as most of us are, without work, effort, sacrifice, paying attention to details, sometimes doing things no one else will do, late nights and early mornings – our good intentions are nothing more than good ideas. Intending to do something…and actually doing something are miles apart.
How many of us can look back at a list of things we intended to do but never
did? Maybe it was losing weight…Or maybe it was not gaining it back. Maybe it was spending time with our children. Maybe it was writing a letter we needed to write or making that phone call or sending an email. Maybe it was an apology. Maybe it was forgiveness we intended to give. We meant to but we never did. Maybe it was reading our Bible more… praying more… or getting closer to God. Good intentions are nothing more than good ideas if we don’t do what we intend to do.
For well over twenty years, Proverbs 3:5-6 have been my life verses. I have enjoyed them, embraced them, battled with them, at times ignored them....but over the course of all these years, I have found these verses to be wonderful promises, a great comfort, and a source of strength and help. Years ago, when I first read these verses and believed these words were from God just for me,...and I was convinced if I would do my part, God would do His. My part was to trust Him with all my heart…and lean not on my own understanding… To acknowledge Him in all my ways and He would direct my paths. My life, so far, is living proof of these simple verses.
Trusting God has been the greatest adventure of my life. Look at verse 6. Build a fence right down the middle of it. One side of that fence is yours and the other side is God’s. You stay on your side and do your job, and God will stay on His side and do His job. You can’t do His job and He can’t do yours.
Do more than intend to trust the Lord. Trust Him. And he will direct you. Michael
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Preaching Dates 2012
January 21 Men's Night @ Belmore Baptist, Mooresville, Al.
January 28 Men's Night @ Walker Baptist Assoc., Jasper, Al.
February 11 TRUE Couples Night @ Florence First Assembly, Florence, Al.
March 17-18 TRUE Couples Night and Revival Day @ First Baptist, Richland, NC
April 27-28 Revival @ East Highland Baptist, Athens, Al.
May 6 Revival Morning @ First Baptist, Blountsville, Al.
May 6-9 Revival (p.m. only) @ Stowers Hill Baptist, Attalla, Al.
July 30-August 1 Revival @ Spring Hill Baptist, Cullman, Al.
August 19-22 Revival @ Farmstead Baptist, Jasper, Al.
September 27 @ Moulton Baptist Senior Adult Dinner, Moulton, Al.
September 30-October 3 Revival @ Peniel Baptist, Palatka, Florida
October 4-6 @ Trinity Baptist Adult Retreat in Gulf Shores, Al.
November 4-7 Revival @ First Baptist Church, Winchester, Tennessee
January 28 Men's Night @ Walker Baptist Assoc., Jasper, Al.
February 11 TRUE Couples Night @ Florence First Assembly, Florence, Al.
March 17-18 TRUE Couples Night and Revival Day @ First Baptist, Richland, NC
April 27-28 Revival @ East Highland Baptist, Athens, Al.
May 6 Revival Morning @ First Baptist, Blountsville, Al.
May 6-9 Revival (p.m. only) @ Stowers Hill Baptist, Attalla, Al.
July 30-August 1 Revival @ Spring Hill Baptist, Cullman, Al.
August 19-22 Revival @ Farmstead Baptist, Jasper, Al.
September 27 @ Moulton Baptist Senior Adult Dinner, Moulton, Al.
September 30-October 3 Revival @ Peniel Baptist, Palatka, Florida
October 4-6 @ Trinity Baptist Adult Retreat in Gulf Shores, Al.
November 4-7 Revival @ First Baptist Church, Winchester, Tennessee
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Forever and Ever Amen
Randy Travis has had a rough year. Twice, so far, in 2012 he has been found drunk and charged with DWI. Just last night, near his home in Texas, he was discovered by a passing motorist. He was laying in the middle of the road...drunk, half dressed, and combative to the police who came. I hated to hear the story on the morning news...and hated to see the pictures. He’s a country music icon with a string of number one records...but over the past few years he has had quite a bit of success singing Gospel music. One of my favorite Gospel songs he sang was “Three Wooden Crosses.” Great song, great message, great voice.
The temptation is to write him off as a has-been. A drunk. A phony Christian. A dud. The temptation is to make fun of his pictures on the news and in the papers. Most of us who don’t sin “really bad” sins, tend to make fun of those who do. We like to find easy targets and then take turns taking shots. Many of us in the Christian community who have enjoyed his Gospel songs over the past few years will write Mr. Travis off as being hopeless. But maybe there are enough of us who will remember there were times when we should have been written off as well – but we weren’t. Someone prayed for us. Someone believed there was something in us worth saving. Someone looked beyond our faults and saw our needs – and told us about Jesus, and grace, and forgiveness.
I’m not condoning Randy Travis’ drunken driving. I’m not even suggesting he’s a Christian. But I am saying he has potential. He is a person who has influence. Imagine if God worked in his heart and turned his life around. Imagine him on national television this coming year talking about all God brought him through. Imagine him giving a testimony of God’s saving and changing grace for all the world to hear and see...
I’m glad people didn’t give up on me. I’m glad people prayed for me. I’m glad my mother and my Sunday School teacher saw something in me no one else saw. I’m glad I turned to God and experienced His saving grace. I’m glad I have the promise of eternal life that will last forever and ever...amen.
Pray for Randy Travis. God has a way of taking what was meant for bad and using it for good.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
What Happens After We Die
1 Tim 5:24-25 “Some men's sins are clearly evident, preceding them to judgment, but those of some men follow later.” NKJV
This is not a theological summary of what happens to us when we die...in regard to Heaven, eternal life, judgment, etc. It is a common sense piece to remind us that, after we’re gone, life will go on. And if we’ve done things we’re ashamed of, our family members will be the ones who suffer the most.
Most guys carry a little emergency money in the back corner of their wallet. It’s money that their wives don’t know about. Men keep money like that for emergencies such as finding a good deal on a new gun....or knife...or driver... When we die our wives will go through our wallets and find our secret stash. Sadly, they’ll spend it at places like Bath and Body or Victioria’s Secret.
And, I hate to tell you, but after you die someone else will get your stuff. Fellas, a few months after you’re gone some other guy will be driving your truck, shooting your gun, and riding your atv. Within a year after you’re gone ladies, everything you spent hours at the mall looking for will be sold at a yard sale or donated to charity.
We should live our lives in such a way that when we’re dead and gone our families won’t find out any secret information that would cause them to blush or be ashamed they were related to us. We should live our lives faithful to God, faithful in our marriages, and faithful to our children. Because one day we’ll be gone...and people will talk about what they remember about us. And if we have any deep, dark secrets, after we’re gone, they won’t be secrets any more.
Joe Paterno is dead and they’ve taken his statue down. “Joe-Pa”... as he was affectionately known, can’t do a thing about it. He can’t defend himself. Can’t go back and do what he should have down. He should have told someone what he knew. He should have called the police, the college officials, somebody...anybody! But he didn’t. Sandusky is going to jail, Paterno’s statue is going in the closet, and Penn State isn’t going to a bowl game anytime soon. It is a sad visible proverb that we all can learn from. If we live with secrets, when we die, our families will have to live with the memory. Joe Paterno is dead and they’ve taken his statue down.
Like a country song I heard a few weeks ago that said, “Johnny Cash is dead and his house burned down.” That song summed up the sad reality of life and death. You live – You die – and One day your house burns down. Folks, one day we’ll all die and people will remember us for the way we lived. That’s what happens after we die.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
What Did Dan Cathy Say?
What Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy said to Biblical Reporter, published July 2, when asked about the company’s support for traditional marriage and opposition to gay marriage......
“Well, guilty as charged. We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that. We operate as a family business ... our restaurants are typically led by families – some are single. We want to do anything we possibly can to strengthen families. We are very much committed to that ... We intend to stay the course. We know that it might not be popular with everyone, but thank the Lord, we live in a country where we can share our values and operate on biblical principles.” ----
On the Ken Coleman radio program June 16:
“As it relates to society in general, I think we are inviting God’s judgment on our nation when we shake our fist at him and say, ‘We know better than you as to what constitutes a marriage. I pray God’s mercy on our generation that has such a prideful, arrogant attitude to think that we would have the audacity to try to redefine what marriage is all about.” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
.....The problem is not so much what Dan Cathy said, but what people assume he meant....what people think he said....and what people are quoting him as saying. Being a public speaker myself, I know the value of choosing my words wisely. A one minute lapse in judgment when speaking publicly can result in a barrage of “he said”... “she said he said”...”they said he said”...and once the cat is out of the bag regarding what I supposedly meant when I said what I said, the tsunami of hate, judgment, and stereotyping is coming in full force.
Take this week for instance. If I make the statement this week that I love Chik-fil-A, suddenly I have offended thousands because, not only do I love Chik-fil-A, I also hate the gay community. Just for the record, I love Zaxbys too and I have no idea where they stand on anything political.
Please give Dan Cathy a break. He was asked...for goodness sake. If you ask me my opinion about a particular hot topic, please don’t be offended if my answer is based on what the Bible says. That’s what I do for a living. I preach and teach the Bible. I am constantly seeking to give biblical answers to life’s problems. Dan Cathy is a Christian. He is a businessman who is a Christian...a businessman who owns one of the most successful businesses in the country. Evidently some people are interested in what this chicken salesman thinks about marriage. I wonder if anyone ever asked Colonel Sanders what he thought about such things. Which reminds me...I guess I better ‘fess up. I also like Kentucky Fried Chicken...along with Zaxbys and Chik-fil-A.
I am with Billy Graham on this. He said this week, “Each generation faces different issues and challenges, but our standard must always be measured by God’s word.” I am afraid the real issue this week has nothing to do with Dan Cathy or Chik-fil-A. My guess is it has a lot to do with what the Bible says...about everything.
The Bible is an old book and it seems the older it gets the less people agree with what it says. This week in particular we may not like what it says about marriage. But don’t forget what it says about God’s love. He so loved the world so much that he gave His only son to take away our sin. God loves the world....saints and sinners alike. And He will help, guide, forgive, and save anyone who asks.
Well it’s about dinner time. What will it be? Zaxbys, Chik-fil-A, or Kentucky Fried? Neither...I’m craving a burrito. MM
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