September Reading

1. Showdown - Ted Dekker

2. Deadlock - James Scott Bell

3. The Spiritual Legacy of C. S. Lewis - Terry Glaspey

4. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader - C. S. Lewis

5. The Joy of Answered Prayer - D. L. Moody

6. Divergent - Veronica Roth

7. The Crisscross Shadow - Franklin W. Dixon

8. Fresh Faith - Jim Cymbala

9. Manalive - G. K. Chesterton

10. The Silver Chair - C. S. Lewis

11. The Last Battle - C. S. Lewis

Revival in Malta

Running Sunday morning through last night, Malta Baptist Church hosted a series of revival meetings.  Dr. Jim Turnbo, the Bowie Baptist Association Missionary, brought the messages in preaching, and Debbie Reed from First Baptist Church in Redwater, Texas led us in the singing of praises to our Lord.

Here's a few responses to the revival posted on FaceBook:

"The music and messages have been so great it just blesses me so much to feel the Holy Spirit moving as I did last night. Let's just praise the Lord!"

"I learned Sunday morning that I sometimes "fill up" on STUFF and then there is not enough room for God!!! Going to do my best to remedy that. Music and sermons have been great!!!"

"Simply put, it has been a blessing to be a part of, the nights I missed, I missed out!"

Each service was well attended, and God wove the different elements together beautifully.  People responded to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, and we were truly blessed.  I'm looking forward to how God continues to work in our lives!

August Reading

• Integrative Preaching - William H. Willimon
• The Red Pyramid - Rick Riordan
• Think - John Piper
• The Secret of Wildcat Swamp - Franklin W. Dixon

Think

Those who have visited me, or have been in my office, quickly make the following observation:  "You have a lot of books!"  I usually respond with something like, "Well, I used to have more."  Over the years I have given away, sold, or loaned (permanently it seems) many books.  On occasion, someone will ask, "Why do you read so much?"  I've even been asked, "Why do you read?"  Of course, I'm tempted to respond with, "Why don't you read (so much)?"

Obviously, reading a lot takes a lot of time, but I believe it is well worth the time, effort, and mental energy.  Why do I believe this is so?  In Matthew 22:37, Jesus, quoting Deuteronomy 6:5, states, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."  Jesus said that this is the greatest commandment.  The heart and soul are always being emphasized in the church, but when it comes to the part about the mind, it often receives little emphasis.  Even worse, learning and thinking is viewed as being suspect, and the pursuit of knowledge is rejected altogether.

I recently read a book by John Piper entitled Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God.  What Piper articulated in that book is something I also feel quite strongly about, both in my mind and deep down in my heart.  Here is one quote from the book which resonates within me:  "I have never been one of those who found the heart shrivel as God and His Word are known better.  Putting more knowledge in my head about God and His ways was like throwing wood in the furnace of my worship" (Think, 26).  That's it!  That is why I like to read so much.  Through reading and thinking, I'm keeping the fires of my mind and heart burning brightly to the glory of God.

This past Sunday, I preached from Matthew 5:13 about being salt in our world.  You know, as Christians we are to have  preserving and flavorful qualities about us as we seek to have an influence for Christ in this present darkness.  Reading, and then thinking about and evaluating what I've read, provides an avenue for loving God with my mind.  It aids me in renewing my mind and keeping it fresh.  It helps to prevent staleness and apathy in my thinking.  I don't want to get stuck in one of life's ruts.  I want to have some saltiness about me.

Of course, I never intend to be pedantic or prideful in the knowledge I have gained.  My desire is to use it for loving purposes and not arrogance.  I'm also well aware of Solomon's warning in Ecclesiastes 12:12: "The writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body."  Yes, indeed, it is wearying and tiresome, but it is worth the effort.  To not think, which is the alternative adopted by so many, is to me unbearable.  When it comes to God, His Word, His world, and His plan, ignorance is not bliss!

Cold Jolt!

When I was a teenager, I would spend a week of my summer break on a mission trip somewhere.  More times than not, that week would be spent in Helen, a quaint little German touristy village in the foothills of North Georgia.  In the midst of doing ministry (puppet shows, clowns, dramas, etc), the team would usually make its way down to the local grocer where that sweet nectar, Jolt Cola, could be bought.  Jolt Cola claims to have twice the caffeine content as a regular cup of coffee.  Now that may not sound like a whole lot compared to all the wacky drinks that are available today, but for us, it hit the spot--cold, refreshing, and it kept us awake.  In fact, late one night, Ms. Sandy Cliett threatened to remove all the Jolt in the house and ban us from buying anymore if we didn't quiet down and go to sleep.

Jared Pickard and I kept the bottle caps, and I'm sure if you look on Wesley Ryals' shelf, you may just see a Jolt cola bottle.  We had fun with it.  That bottle of cold Jolt kept us going.

Going to church is like that because it keeps me going.  Ever since I became a Christian at the age of twelve, I have loved being with my church family--whether that was in Milledgeville, Sparta, Fort Worth, Warthen, or Malta.  Jared Pickard and I used to sit on the back row (as teenagers mind you) and talk about "good old church life."  Well, that good old life is still going to this day.  I can't get enough!  The reason I can't get enough, I believe, is that all I can really have is a taste of what the reality will be like for all eternity in heaven.  And so, I want to be in corporate worship every time the doors are open.

The writer of Hebrews exhorts, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near" (Hebrews 10:23-25 NASB).

It is absolutely crucial for Christians to get together for worship, instruction, encouragement, service, and fellowship.  A believer can't go solo; there are no "Lone Ranger" Christians.  Dr. David Allen, Dean of Theology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, says that you're either growing in Christ or you're drifting away; the passage of years don't mean anything.

If you go to one service a week, perhaps Sunday morning, then try going back on Sunday night.  If you already go Sunday morning and evening, then go on Wednesday night too.  If you say, "Well, I attend all those things," then stop just attending and get involved with ministry.  Try something new.  Get to know the other believers where you worship.  Let us consider how we can spur one another on to love and good deeds.

Will you be in church this Sunday?  How about a cold jolt for your life?!

July Reading

• The Last Olympian - Rick Riordan
• The Lost Hero - Rick Riordan
• Perelandra - C. S. Lewis
• Keys to Becoming an Effective Worship Leader - Tom Kraeuter
• The Son of Neptune - Rick Riordan
• VELCRO Church - Ken Hemphill and Mike James
• Taking Back the Good Book - Woodrow Kroll
• Jesus Manifesto - Leonard Sweet and Frank Viola
• How to Listen to God - Charles Stanley
• Ten Power Principles for Christian Service - Warren W. and David W. Wiersbe
• Worship - John MacArthur
• The Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne

Mollycoddle

That's my new favorite word.  I came across it while reading John MacArthur's Worship: The Ultimate Priority.  It was the first time I remember ever seeing the word.  Merriam-Webster defines the noun form of the word as "a pampered or effeminate man or boy."  In its verb form, as MacArthur uses it, it means "to treat with an excessive or absurd degree of indulgence and attention."

For example, MacArthur writes:
"God is glorified, first of all, when we trust Him without vacillating.  Our faith in Him should be implicit.  That doesn't mean we turn off our intellect or decline to think through the implications of what God has revealed; but it does mean that we must refuse to mollycoddle doubt or let it take root in our hearts...Faith is perhaps the most basic form of worship" (Worship, 175-176).

What doubts are you entertaining?  What sins are you indulging in and giving attention to?  Don't mollycoddle!

My friend and fellow pastor, Bryan Laramore, and I once talked about collecting a list of words we would begin using in our vocabularies.  I think mollycoddle just made my list.

June Reading

• I Am A Church Member - Thom Rainer
• Experiencing Spiritual Breakthroughs - Bruce H. Wilkinson
• It Couldn't Just Happen - Lawrence O. Richards
• The Hardy Boys: The Secret of the Lost Tunnel - Franklin W. Dixon
• The Hardy Boys: The Wailing Siren Mystery - Franklin W. Dixon
• The Power of Prayer - R. A. Torrey

Fiasco in Austin

"If they intend to keep pushing their extreme personal political agenda ahead of the interests of Texas families, I will not back off of my duty to fight on their behalf."  That was a comment by Texas Senator Wendy Davis, as quoted by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.  Sounds great, huh? Except for the fact that you could turn her own words back on her.  Is she pushing her extreme personal political agenda ahead of the interests of Texas families?  What about those living in her state who disagree with her?  Are they not Texans anymore?

Senator Davis opposed and filibustered a bill that would limit abortions to 20 weeks after conception.  Terminating a life at any point for whatever reason is always terrible.  Choosing to do so to a baby after 20 weeks is barbaric.  Bart Barber sent a Tweet to Senator Davis which said, "It takes a certain kind of person to fight against regulation of abortion in the aftermath of Kermit Gosnell."  Well said.

However, listen to what the Tarrant County Democratic Party chairwoman said after the fiasco in Austin.  Deborah Peoples said, "It was not that it was the right moment, it was actually the right thing to do."  Really?  The right thing to do?  Her sense of right and wrong is backwards.  Her next quote points that out.  Peoples said, "What Davis did was to provide a light in the darkness for many people who needed someone in Texas to speak out for them."  Anyone who has read the Bible, more specifically the New Testament, particularly the Gospel according to John, knows about the contrast of light and darkness.  Jesus is the light who shines into the darkness.  To suggest that Davis' actions is reminiscent of Jesus is indeed backwards.  Woe to those who call evil "good" and call good "evil."

If you're not aware of Tuesdays media circus, all you have to do is look it up. Sources abound the world over.  Governor Rick Perry said it well, "We will not allow the breakdown of decorum and decency to prevent us from doing what the people of this state hired us to do," calling for another session for the lawmakers in Austin.

Ordinary...Extraordinary

How wonderful it is to know Christ doesn't call perfect men.  It doesn't matter who you are or what you have done, Christ wants to come into your life.  He wants you!  He will save you and make you clean.

He'll use you, no matter what your talent might be.  God can use you if you will let Him.  Even if you feel like you have no talent, God can use you.

He won't have us all doing the same thing because we do not all have the same gift.

Jesus calls all sorts of people to follow Him: fishermen, doctors, tax collectors, mechanics, comedians, pilots, secretaries, administrators, teachers, masons, bankers, carpenters, landscapers, weathermen, farmers...ordinary men.  Jesus makes the ordinary extraordinary!