The Real Evangelism Conference was great, I bought the CD's of the messages if you want a taste. I will loan them out, for a small fee. I promise you will be blessed, encouraged, challenged, all those things God desires to do in us so He can work through us.
But it started raining Thursday night and hasn't quit since then. It rained and has been so dreary. I will say this, "It's great sleeping weather."
We surprised me Dad on Saturday night for his 65th birthday, and we did a good job, even the grandkids kept quiet. He didn't know anything or suspect anything. We had about 60 or so people there, family but also many of his friends. One of the most special parts of the evening was when we allowed them to share stories, etc... about Dad. I was amazed at how many of them talked about the impact for Christ that he had on them and their families. It was very special. I pray that I have that kind of impact on others lives for the cause of Christ. I am so thankful to God for giving me and example like Tim Madaris, but even more than that I'm thankful that he is my Dad. I love you, Daddy!
We are at Melissa's parents house now, and it's still raining. We will be here through Friday or Saturday on vacation before coming home to Florida. Have a Jesus filled week.
Serving Him,
Pastor Mike
Monday, March 16, 2009
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Real Evanglism Conference 09
I am in SC/NC for the Bailey Smith Real Evangelism Conference at FBC Indian Trail, NC. Here is the preaching line-up. I can't wait!
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH INdIAN TRAIL
MaRCH 11TH - MaRCH 13TH 2009
WEDNESDAY – March 11th
6:30 pm LTC Steve Russell, Bailey Smith
Music Mike Speck Trio, The Greenes
THURSDAY – March 12th
10:00 am Rick Scarbrough, Mike Whitson
1:45 pm Junior Hill, Bob Pitman
6:30 pm Bob Pitman, Johnny Hunt
Music Mike Speck Trio , Greater Vision
FRIDAY – March 13th
10:00 am Rick Coram, Junior Hill
1:45 pm Rick Coram, Stephen Rummage
6:30 pm Herb Reavis, Ergun Caner
Music Mike Speck Trio, The Triumphant Quartet
www.fbcit.org
732 Indian Trail - Fairview Road • Indian Trail, NC 28079 • (704) 882-1005
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH INdIAN TRAIL
MaRCH 11TH - MaRCH 13TH 2009
WEDNESDAY – March 11th
6:30 pm LTC Steve Russell, Bailey Smith
Music Mike Speck Trio, The Greenes
THURSDAY – March 12th
10:00 am Rick Scarbrough, Mike Whitson
1:45 pm Junior Hill, Bob Pitman
6:30 pm Bob Pitman, Johnny Hunt
Music Mike Speck Trio , Greater Vision
FRIDAY – March 13th
10:00 am Rick Coram, Junior Hill
1:45 pm Rick Coram, Stephen Rummage
6:30 pm Herb Reavis, Ergun Caner
Music Mike Speck Trio, The Triumphant Quartet
www.fbcit.org
732 Indian Trail - Fairview Road • Indian Trail, NC 28079 • (704) 882-1005
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Introduction to Proverbs- The Message
"Many people thing that what's written in the Bible has mostly to do with getting people into heaven-getting right with God, saving their eternal souls. It does have to do with that, of course, but not mostly. It's just as concerned with living on earth-living well, living in robust sanity. In our Scriptures, heaven is not the primary concern, to which earth is a tag-along afterthought. "On earth as it is in heaven" is Jesus' prayer.
Wisdom is the biblical term for this on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven everyday living. Wisdom is the art of living skillfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves. It has virtually nothing to do with mere information or knowledge. A college degree is no proof of wisdom. Nor is wisdom primarily concerned with keeping us out of moral mud puddles, although it does have a profound moral effect on us.
Wisdom has to do with becoming skillful in honoring our parents and raising our children, handling our money and conducting our sexual lives, going to work and exercising leadership, using words well and treating friends kindly, eating and drinking healthily, cultivating emotions within ourselves and attitudes towards others that make for peace. Threaded through all these items is the insistence that the way we think of and respond to God is the most practical thing we do. In matters of everyday practicality, nothing, absolutely nothing, takes precedence over God.
Proverbs concentrates on these concerns more than any other book in the Bible. Attention to the here and now is everywhere present in the thousand-plus pages of the Bible. Proverbs distills it all into riveting images and sound bites that keep us connected with holy obedience to the ordinary."
(I did this post, especially, for those of you who are taking my challenge to read through the book of Proverbs once a month throughout 2009. God bless you.)
Wisdom is the biblical term for this on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven everyday living. Wisdom is the art of living skillfully in whatever actual conditions we find ourselves. It has virtually nothing to do with mere information or knowledge. A college degree is no proof of wisdom. Nor is wisdom primarily concerned with keeping us out of moral mud puddles, although it does have a profound moral effect on us.
Wisdom has to do with becoming skillful in honoring our parents and raising our children, handling our money and conducting our sexual lives, going to work and exercising leadership, using words well and treating friends kindly, eating and drinking healthily, cultivating emotions within ourselves and attitudes towards others that make for peace. Threaded through all these items is the insistence that the way we think of and respond to God is the most practical thing we do. In matters of everyday practicality, nothing, absolutely nothing, takes precedence over God.
Proverbs concentrates on these concerns more than any other book in the Bible. Attention to the here and now is everywhere present in the thousand-plus pages of the Bible. Proverbs distills it all into riveting images and sound bites that keep us connected with holy obedience to the ordinary."
(I did this post, especially, for those of you who are taking my challenge to read through the book of Proverbs once a month throughout 2009. God bless you.)
Monday, March 02, 2009
Acts 5:1-11
"Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire"
That is the title of the message I preached yesterday morning at HGBC. If you don't recognize the text, it's the story of Annanias and Sapphira and their lying to God. I want to share just a thought from yesterdays message. It is this, in the form of a question: "Why did they lie?"
The text tells us that Peter told them that they were not forced to sell what belonged to them. When they sold it, they were under no obligation to give any portion of the money they received to the church. When they gave money they were under no obligation to give it all. So, why did they lie and say they were giving it all when they were only giving some? Why, why why? Morgan's favorite word!
I believe the answer is this: they saw something that didn't belong to them that they wanted. What? They saw something they wanted, they coveted something that belonged to someone else. What did they want? They wanted the praise/attention being given to those who were giving "something" to the church. They wanted it for themselves. But what they couldn't see was the heart of those who had given already.
Take Barnabas for example. Barnabas wasn't his real name, it was his "after Christ" name. It was the name given to him by the disciples, not by his Momma. She had named him Joses/Joseph. Something changed with this man, after he met Jesus, that they gave him a new name. They called him Barnabas which means "Son of Encouragement." His heart was different. He sold some land, gave the money to the church, and he gave the GLORY to God. That's what A and S couldn't see. Barnabas was a reflector/deflector of God's glory. He wouldn't accept for himself what belonged to God.
A and S saw the recognition given to Barnabas and they wanted some of that for themselves. They came up with a plan, and set it into motion. They thought they could deceive the church, they thought they could deceive others, but they deceived themselves. God would not allow them to take what belonged to him. I Corinthians 10:31 says, "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
It's God's glory; the glory belongs to him not you and me. When we are praised or honored or recognized we should divert that attention to the only one who is worthy, namely the Lord Jesus. We should never do anything for our own recognition, we are servants and slaves of Jesus. A and S lost sight of that and it cost them their lives. Scripture tells us they "breathed their last." Severe consequences for severe sin. God help us to resist!
That is the title of the message I preached yesterday morning at HGBC. If you don't recognize the text, it's the story of Annanias and Sapphira and their lying to God. I want to share just a thought from yesterdays message. It is this, in the form of a question: "Why did they lie?"
The text tells us that Peter told them that they were not forced to sell what belonged to them. When they sold it, they were under no obligation to give any portion of the money they received to the church. When they gave money they were under no obligation to give it all. So, why did they lie and say they were giving it all when they were only giving some? Why, why why? Morgan's favorite word!
I believe the answer is this: they saw something that didn't belong to them that they wanted. What? They saw something they wanted, they coveted something that belonged to someone else. What did they want? They wanted the praise/attention being given to those who were giving "something" to the church. They wanted it for themselves. But what they couldn't see was the heart of those who had given already.
Take Barnabas for example. Barnabas wasn't his real name, it was his "after Christ" name. It was the name given to him by the disciples, not by his Momma. She had named him Joses/Joseph. Something changed with this man, after he met Jesus, that they gave him a new name. They called him Barnabas which means "Son of Encouragement." His heart was different. He sold some land, gave the money to the church, and he gave the GLORY to God. That's what A and S couldn't see. Barnabas was a reflector/deflector of God's glory. He wouldn't accept for himself what belonged to God.
A and S saw the recognition given to Barnabas and they wanted some of that for themselves. They came up with a plan, and set it into motion. They thought they could deceive the church, they thought they could deceive others, but they deceived themselves. God would not allow them to take what belonged to him. I Corinthians 10:31 says, "Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."
It's God's glory; the glory belongs to him not you and me. When we are praised or honored or recognized we should divert that attention to the only one who is worthy, namely the Lord Jesus. We should never do anything for our own recognition, we are servants and slaves of Jesus. A and S lost sight of that and it cost them their lives. Scripture tells us they "breathed their last." Severe consequences for severe sin. God help us to resist!
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