Mother Earth?

An anonymous card was turned in on Sunday. The person (it looked like a lady's handwriting) said that she enjoys the sermons and the music, but wishes I would give more recognition to special holidays like Fathers Day & Mothers Day because, and I quote, "I have a heavenly Father and a MOTHER EARTH that I want TO PRAISE."

So I got to thinking and then remembered Isaiah 42:8 where God says.... "I am the LORD, that is My Name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images."

That settles it for me.

Sermon Series in the Last 24 Months...

Recent Sermon Series by the book or verse-by-verse

• Acts – Church Without Walls....
• Luke 15 – The Prodigal Son...
• Philippians – The Secret of Contentment....
• I Peter – Certain Faith in Uncertain Times...
• Numbers – In the Heat of the Desert...
• Revelation – Future Shock....
• Malachi – Our Awesome God & What He Expects of Us...
• Jonah – Running & Restoration...
• 2 Peter – Transformed by Truth...
• Ruth – Hanging Tough in Tough Times
  
  

You’ll notice that there is a pretty good balance between series based upon books from the New Testament AND the Old Testament. There are six from the NT and four from the OT. I prefer this style of teaching the best.


Recent Topical Series from selected passages

• A Clearer Picture of God
• Church & Family
• Eternal Realities
• Great Stories from the Bible
• Faith
• What the Bible Says about the Family
• The Greatest Commandment
• Connect
• Pursuing Spiritual Transformation
• Growing Up is Hard to Do
• Confronting Casual Christianity
  
  

Sometimes it’s important that a series be built around a specific topic using selected passages from throughout the Bible. Topical sermon series are determined by specific needs within our congregation, the level of interest in the particular subject, or area’s of weakness in the preaching calendar where a topic has not been adequately addressed. This is why I sometimes use the topical method.

Some 411

• Yesterday was a good day at church. Good things are happening at PCC. Attendance in the second service was higher than normal – a good thing to see.
  
  
• The morning message was the fourth (and final) part of the series based on the book of Ruth. It was an excellent journey and a lot of people rated this series very high.
  
  
• A lot of good reports have come in over the last four weeks too. Two people said to me yesterday how much they enjoy coming to PCC, specifically mentioning how much they enjoy actually learning what the Bible says.
  
  
• Facebook is usually buzzing with good comments about PCC. Always enjoy seeing that.
  
  
• Spent the last two days involved with a family funeral. I must say that I enjoyed seeing some relatives and kinfolk who I haven’t seen in many years – it was kind of fun to catch up.
  
  
• After the funeral today, we (mom, my sister Rhonda, Renae, and myself) went to the home of my grandmother to reminisce. She’s been gone for years – since about 1980. Her home is abandoned now and is barely standing; it must have been built 100 years ago. As I looked in through a broken window at the interior of the house, it brought back a flood of memories. I even found my initials inscribed (scored) on the chimney from the 1970s. We took a picture of ourselves standing in front of the place. Felt good to do that.
  
  
• Renae and I have made the decision to sell our house here in Pace. We are now upgrading everything to get it ready for showing. We own five acres off Berryhill Rd and would like to build there – an empty nest home. Last week I had a water meter installed in preparation for an eventual move.
  
  
• Recently on this blog I have written about Free Will, What it Means to be Chosen, and Predestination. I will resume on these topics again.
  
  
• Thinking about Ruth again – One pinch of God’s favor can beat fifty years of hard labor.
  
  
• Take care of what God has already given you, and He will be sure to take care of what is about to to give you.
  
  
• Forget about your past. Your future is spotless.
  
  
• Church styles and man's theologies change all the time. God’s purposes remain the same for every generation. Psalms 33:11
  
  
• You can impress people from a distance. But you can only influence them from up close.
  
  
• God considers the depth of your repentance, not the depth of your sin, when deciding how he uses you. See Isaiah 57:15
  
  
• When a church stalls in its growth, 99% of the time the causes are due to factors inside the church, not outside it.
  
  
• The US Government has spent $1 TRILLION on recovery (and bailouts to big business), and we STILL HAVE high unemployed. What if they'd given it as tax relief to small businesses instead? Just asking.
  
  
• Some people just want to belong so much... that they try too hard.
  
  
• Who we truly are eventually manifests itself. It may take time or stress or illness as the trigger, but what’s inside us tends to come out. Our character serves as the wellspring from which our behavior emerges.
  
  
• Will be writing as much as possible this week.
  
  

Brokenesness

What does it mean to be “broken by God?” Brokenness is not only something God DOES to us, but it also a PLACE we find ourselves in. There are two primary places of brokenness.

First, brokenness can be the result of SIN. We mess up our lives through sin and self-willed behavior. Then we begin reaping the consequences of those choices. i.e., My life is broken and it leads to a brokenness of spirit in which I am ready to repent before God.

Second, brokenness can be the result of SURRENDER. That is, we have submitted ourselves to the purposes of God and the mighty dealings of God so much so that we are now experiencing pain; the pain of self-less-ness, submission, death to self, and being misunderstood by others.

Both can result in transformation. On one hand you might pray, “Lord, please forgive me.” Or you might pray, “Lord, give me the strength to stay the course.”

What are your thoughts or experiences with this topic of brokenness?

9:00 PM Sunday

Just got home a few minutes ago. It has been a very long day. There won't be a Sunday Mind Dump tonight. Will post something tomorrow.... after the funeral.

Retaining Wall & Crape Myrtle Trees

This is the retaining wall I have been working on. Finished it today. Now I have to back-fill it with dirt and lift the existing plants to the new elevation. See the Crape Mrytle trees lining the driveway? I planted them ten years ago and it was one of the best things I did at our house; they provide us with much needed shade at the hottest part of the day. Our vehicals thank us every day.

What I Blog About... and Why

I use this blog to mainly communicate five subject matters:

(1) Personal information. Most of this information is totally useless, but some people find it interesting. Sometimes it is humorous. It rates high on the response list because people like to know what is going on with their pastor and I’m glad to share. Sometimes I am probably too transparent. In fact, there have been several times that I have posted a blog and then have removed it because it was too transparent, too revealing, or inflammatory. For me, it is very important to be authentic – but sometimes I go too far. Just chalk it up to me being a regular guy.

(2) PCC related topics. This includes upcoming events, past events, or current events. Sometimes I’ll talk about new initiatives, structural or staff changes, or special events. It’s another way of communicating what going on at PCC; something we don’t always have time to do on Sunday mornings. This blog is an important communication tool about PCC and I wish more people would take advantage of the communiqué’s found here.

(3) Leadership Principles. For me personally, as well as vocationally, leadership is a big issue. It is a gift that comes from God. Pastors and other church leaders must learn to be better (and more effective) as leaders. Exercising leadership is not easy, but it must be done. I write about this topic often, even though most people don’t find it to be of much interest. But for the people who do have an interest in leadership principles, thes blogs are very helpful.

(4) Devotionals. These are short, Biblically based insights from God’s Word. This area seems to generates the fewest comments. I suppose the Sunday sermon, small groups, and personal Bible study habits meets the need more than my devotionals do.

(5). Doctrinal teachings. Okay. This is another area that I am very passionate about. I have more to teach than I am able to address on Sunday mornings, so this blog gives me an outlet to talk about other (and just as equally important) doctrinal matters. Whether you know it or not, doctrine is very, very important. It’s important to God, and it’s important to a local church in order to maintain spiritual health and to resist false teachers. As the senior pastor of PCC I am responsible for teaching doctrine. I am also charged with exposing false doctrine. Strangely enough, blogs on doctrine seem to be only of marginal interest to members at PCC (generating only a few comments), but generating a lot of hate mail from others who do not attend PCC. I use this blog as a platform to teach members of PCC - not those people who don't. If you are a member of PCC, you should take a deep interest doctrine. It’s that important.

Pensacola Beach Today & Oil Spill

This is my wife trying to get run over by heavy machinery on Pensacola Beach. We went there after work today to watch the oil cleanup. Click each picture for an enlarged view, then backspace to return to this blog.

Sunday Mind Dump - Father's Day - June 20, 2010

• We had a very good day. I love speaking to a packed house. Attendance was about normal, even though there were a lot of new faces and visitors. A lot of our regular members were away on summer travel, etc, so that the influx of guests for Father’s Day didn’t take us over the top.
  
  
• We introduced two new songs in the second set. They were moving and meaningful, as well as well-done. I think I seen some people crying during the song service. At least two people walked forward to get tissue to take back to their chairs. It’s good to belong to a church where the services are so moving that people are moved to tears. This is clearly a GOD THING.
  
  
  
• I love it when a lot of unchurched and irreligious types are in the house. There are there because God has drawn them, their hearts are open and receptive, and the Word always finds its target like a well-aimed arrow.
  
  
• We unpacked some great truths from Ruth chapter 3 today. Had a lot of fun with Ruth going to the threshing floor in the middle of the night to “uncover Boaz’s feet.” As I looked across the congregation I could tell that people were riveted to the story… to God’s Word… which is always a good thing.
  
  
• I have received a lot of positive feedback from the Ruth series.
  
  
• Today we talked about finding the fingerprint of God in our lives. Even when it seems like God is not there, He is. We are always under His gaze. And if we look hard enough, we can see traces of His handiwork in our circumstances.
  
  
• In the first service, I saw a guy standing in the back who I did not recognize. He just stood there for the entire sermon. I was a little freaked out and it distracted me for a while. I thought, “What is he doing just standing there?” At some point I relaxed and figured he was looking for someone who was already seated. Besides, I knew our security personnel could handle him if they needed to.
  
  
• Yesterday evening (Saturday) Renae and I went for a boat ride with Robert & Joyce Hughes on their pontoon boat. We put Blackwater River at 4:30 PM. Boated our way to downtown Milton, docked at the boardwalk, and walked up to a restaurant called Blackwater Bistro and had a nice dinner together. After dinner we took a leisurely ride upstream. It was very nice. But then we got caught in a squall. I mean a squall! It started raining, lightening, and blowing. The wind must have been 40 mph because it was driving the rain horizontal. We raced back to Milton and tied off on the dock near the bridge. Then we hid under the bridge for an hour & ½ shivering in the rain to escape the lightening. I thought Lightening was striking all around and the thunder was very loud. I thought I was going to meet Jesus any minute. Then we started telling each other stories of lightening strikes we have seen, or other electrocution incidents. It only added to the drama. It was quite an experience…. and a lot of fun, actually.
  
  
• I am still not eating sugar. This is not a fast. It is a new way of living. I have lost fifteen pounds, sleep better, and my food cravings are under control. The VOLUME at which most Americans eat sugar is actually POISON. Read the labels; avoid white processed foods, and all sweetened beverages. You’ll be the better for it.
  
  
• I would like to lose ten more pounds. This would much healthier for me.
  
  
• It’s time to me to make another visit to the doctor for a general check up. I haven’t been in about four years. Need to have my blood pressure and cholesterol checked.
  
  
• Back to church-related matters. Did you know that a lot of people attend PCC who would NEVER set foot in another church? While I recognize that we are not a perfect church (and we don’t do things like other churches do), what we ARE doing WORKS for a lot of people. i.e., They come to church and experience God-honoring vertically-focused worship (that is well done), and they hear a clear, concise message from God’s Word. Then there is the amazing fellowship that takes place among our church family. No one is pressured to do cart-wheels, somersaults, or emote in front of a room full of strangers. No one has to pledge their allegiance to a set of denominational creeds or confessions of faith. Rather, they hear God’s Word and it either takes hold (is grafted) or either it does not. Our church is full of people who are mature believers, growing believers, new believers, and not-yet believers (seekers). What’s not to like about that?
  
  
• Today I talked about the difference between being a person of faith and a religious person. Big difference.
  
  
• Carole Bryant said this on Facebook about today’s service: "Great service today, who ever said the Bible was boring is crazy we were glued to our chairs. Talked to a lady today that came last week for the first time, she said she wasn't going to come but felt something was drawing her to come. When she got to church and heard the message, she said that message was for her, she also said PCC is a very comfortable place to be."
  
  
• God’s plan for our lives are much greater than OUR plans for our lives. Wait until you hear Ruth chapter 4.
  
  
• God is not looking for our advice. He is looking for our submission and availability.
  
  
• Jesus didn’t die on the cross to simply establish a behavior modification program. He died in order to bring the dead back to life. You know, so sinners could inherit eternal life.
  
  
• The book of Ruth is mainly about the woman Ruth, but is told primarily from Naomi’s point of view. I’m loving this story and especially like seeing how God moved in their circumstances.
  
  

Whow!

PCC is such an awesome church. The people in it are even more amazing! I wish I could tell you everything; but words evade me.