The Shalom House

Yesterday was just awesome. Matt Lusk did an great job on the Sunday School lesson. I had the opportunity of leading the 1st – 5th grade worship, and I really enjoyed it. I believe the kids did too. And then we had a great turnout for our Sunday School social after church. To hear Mrs. Riddle talk about the Shalom house, I am ready for us a class and church to get involved with that ministry as soon as possible.

The Shalom House is a home for women that have completed some rehab and gives them an opportunity to stay there for a while. Instead of after rehab going right back to where they came from. Sandra Major got up and shared her testimony of where God has brought her since she has been at Shalom…..there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. God has really showed up in her life and it is awesome to here her tell it. There is just something about a truly repentive heart and a broken spirit…….I’m tearing up now just thinking about it. We serve an awesome God.

I am really looking forward to us getting involved over there and I can’t wait to see what God is doing to do next in the lives of us who trust and love Him.

Have a Blessed Day!!!

Weekend

Real brief this morning. I hope everyone has a great weekend and enjoy the worship in the house of the Lord this Sunday.

5 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. 6 Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. 7 Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! Run from evil!
Prov 3:5-7 (MSG)

Have a Blessed Weekend!!!

Stained Glass Masquerade

This months Home Life magazine features Mark Hall with Casting Crowns. I have seen these guys in concert and they are the awesome. They really have a servants heart. On top of his recordings and concerts he remains the youth minister at Eagles Landing First Baptist near Atlanta. The thing that impressed me reading about him was that in a youth group of 400 every week he says a lot of kids don't have a clue who he is. They don't promote the group. Mark says "your in the 8th grade, your failing math, your face is breaking out, your parents are fighting - you don't want to hear about Casting Crowns".

Mark believes we need "a walking around friendship with God". Mark sums it up this way: "We're just not desperate for God. Satan's Goal is to interrupt my fellowship with God. When he does that, I stop being who God created me to be."

If we want to be the church to the world around us, we have to get serious about our personal walks with Christ. According to Mark, "You can say what you think, but you'll live what you believe."

One of Casting Crowns songs entitled Stained Glass Masquerade is so true of our church's today, take a look at these lyrics:

"Stained Glass Masquerade"
Is there anyone that fails, Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small
Cause when I take a look around Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover That I don't belong
So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them
Are we happy plastic people Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain On our stained glass masquerade

Have a Blessed Day!!!

What's In Your Hole?

I have a friend in Spartanburg who is for the lack of better terms...crazy. His name is James Stukes and he lives life to the fullest. Anyway he called me yesterday and wanted to tell me a story. He thought it might be blog-worthy, so here we go.

He and his wife were in Belks over the weekend and this random guy just walked up to them and gave them a washer. A flat metal washer. James said whats this all about. And the guy proceeded to tell them that the washer he held represented us. And just like the washer has a hole in it, so do we. God made all of us with a hole and there is only one thing we can put in this hole that will complete us in the eyes of God. He went on to tell him how some people try to put everything under the sun from money, booze, etc. They only give temporary satisfaction, but that the real filler is Jesus Christ. The hole in our lives is designed especially for Jesus and he wanted to know if the hole in James was filled with Jesus.

This guy went on to tell James to put the washer on his key ring to remind him everyday that there are all kind of different things trying to fill this hole, but it was designed specifically for Jesus.

What a simple way to share our faith. Are you willing to give this a try? I think at the local hardware store you can get 100 flat washers for around 50 cents. Everyone can afford this and you just put a few in your pocket everyday and when you feel led just reach in your pocket and present someone with a washer. It really is that easy. God will give you the words. And so what if someone thinks you are crazy. You may be planting a seed that will lead to that person finding Jesus. Nothing holds someones attention better than something they can touch while you talk to them.

Has Jesus filled the hole in your life this morning or are you still trying to stuff it with temporary fillers? If He has, will take a step out of the box and buy some washers and use this simple illustration to share the love of Jesus?

Have a Blessed Day!!!

Prayer

I really am pressed for time this morning, so I wanted to use a prayer that we studied yesterday in Sunday School. It is written by Paul in the book of Ephesians.



14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. 20 Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, 21 to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
Eph 3:14-21 (NASB)



Have a Blessed Day!!!

A Little Late

Running way behind this morning. I have only a minute to talk to you this morning, but I got an interesting comment that further reminds us how easy it is to get caught up in our own little worlds. Check out what "Biscuit Farmer" said last night.

I've been in a spiritual slump lately. I've been lazy. I've been reading Leviticus the past few days and I realized that man...they had a hard time at getting washed clean from their sins. It was tough being a Christian then. I realized how easy it really is for us to just ask God for forgiveness and it is taken care of. Then we become so lazy we can't even say a prayer, read the Bible or help others in need. I need to step up and out of the box more often than I do. I want our class to reach out into the community and quit worrying about "self". Later man, just had to vent myself.
Signed,Biscuit Farmer

How true this is and how easy it is to fall into a slump. It is like marriage, it takes work and a lot of effort on our part. Thanks Biscuit for your honest insight. I too want to see our class and our church step it up a bunch. We can do it, after all the King of everything lives in us. And we all know that there is nothing He can't do. We just have to let Him.

A lot of people fall back on Jesus in times of need, but I think that is wrong. If you fall back then He is behind you, to be effective we should be falling forward......that would have us following Jesus. Think about it. Jesus should always be leading the way. Is He leading you or you leading Him?

Have a Blessed Day!!!

Change

I had a little extra time last night and I decided to play around with the blog. I changed the background and added a picture of the kids. Change is a good thing.....always. The problem we face with changing is that is not always comfortable. The book that I just read called The Barbarian Way has revolutionized the way I think. It really challenged me to lay down traditions and mindsets....particularly where church is concerned.


I was already out there and way outside the box, but now I can't even see the box. Gone are the days of mediocrity, we are called to do whatever it takes to reach people for the Kingdom. It is a necessity and a command from Jesus Himself. God never made any suggestions, He made commands. As children of God and followers of Jesus we are called to be so much more than what we are on Sunday's. It is time starting right now to engage the problems of traditions and archaic mindsets head on that have for way too long held church's back. I know a few out there are probably thinking I have lost it and I'm out of my mind.......you couldn't be more correct. I am 100% out of my mind and I am enlisting Barbarians who will stand with me. To once and for all be the people we are called to be. It won't be easy, in fact it will be hard, but it is what we are called to be. It only takes a few to make an impact.



I have not been transformed into a super christian or anything........just woke up. If you want to give it a try go today and buy the book. I know it is just the writings of just one man, but the simplicity of it will really make you think. Here is what it looks like



Have a Blessed Day!!!

Caught in the Act

Do you ever do anything in private that you wouldn't normally just walk up doing in front of strangers and/or friends? Yesterday I got caught doing something that I normally try to keep private, and since I don't have any pride, I figured I would share it with you guys this morning. I have a confession that will probably shock a lot of you, but for the sake of a not too bad parallation I am going to share it with you.


I am a nose picker! I know its a little gross....OK, maybe a lot gross, but I don't always have a tissue. Without getting into too much detail and for the sake of keeping this G rated, lets just agree that I have a problem. Normally I am confined to the auto pick. Meaning that I normally do this act while riding down the road. Hope everyone is still with me. Anyway yesterday I was sitting at a light and I was really caught up in the preachings of R.C. Spraul when I looked over to see some high school girls looking and laughing at me. I was busted. Overcome with shame all I could do was smile and wave and hope that I never see these people again, ever. I am forever branded as a nose-picker in their eyes.

This is no way who I am as a person, but for the brief encounter they will probably tell 20-30 of their friends about the bald guy digging for gold at a red light and have years of laughter over. Why couldn't I have been singing and raising my hands? But that is just it, we have such an impact everyday on a lot of people. Whether it is good or bad, our actions can and will affect people.

As children of the King our lives should at all times display this. Now, I don't think that being a nose picker has branded me as a devil child (like I said before...for the sake of a parallation, all other nose pickers can breathe a sigh of relief), but we do affect a lot of people with our actions and habits. Lets say you are out at a restaurant and order a beer with dinner or maybe you tell a dirty joke in mixed company. My point is simply this....we have an obligation to a higher calling when we are born again. The bible says in Phillipians 3:14 "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." And in Romans it reminds us of the importance of being that Christ-like example. 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way. 14 I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. Romans 14:13-14 (NASB)

So my question to you this morning are any of your so called private matters casting any stumbling blocks for others? Do you need a reality check on your impact on others. Our actions speak louder than words and because of this we need to be on our guard at all times.

Have a Blessed Day!!!

Revival

Last night was great again. The preacher was fantastic and I hate to see it come to a close. Revival is a great thing and I feel like everyone there was challenged and recharged. I told a man there last night that I walked in with feeling like a AAA battery, but left with the charge of a 12 volt. But revival is so much more than something we go to for a few days. It is actually something that we can experience daily and we should experience it daily. And I'll go a step further to say that it isn't until we have a revival in our soul that we can experience the righteousness and goodness that God has in store for us.

Websters defines it as follows:

Main Entry: re·viv·al Pronunciation: ri-'vI-v&lFunction: noun1 : an act or instance of reviving : the state of being revived : as a : renewed attention to or interest in something b : a new presentation or publication of something old c (1) : a period of renewed religious interest (2) : an often highly emotional evangelistic meeting or series of meetings2 : restoration of force, validity, or effect (as to a contract)



The need for renewed attention is daily and God reveals things to us today that we were not ready for yesterday. He is always drawing us closer to Him and showing us His wonders one at a time. This relationship we have with God is a journey and the more of Him we put into us the more of Him we receive.



So what are you putting in? Are you filling your tanks with the truth and righteousness that only God can provide or are you still looking elsewhere. God is there and He wants us to have a relationship with Him and to love Him, not because He needs us, but because He loves us.

Have a Great Weekend!!!

Apples

Tonight is the last night of camp meeting and I am going. Due to work on Tuesday and Family night last night I have yet to return since Monday night. I am going tonight and I can't wait. I am at a point right now where I need more Jesus. It seems that I can't get enough. I listen to different preachers all day on the radio, and I try reading books to help me better understand the mysteries of the bible. I read my bible as often as possible. I have turned into Maurice Locke (my dad). Let me explain: when I was still at home and as far back as I can remember any time I got in dad's car to ride with him anywhere we always listened to someone preaching. Now for a break dancing teen (by the way I was awesome) this was just not cool and I remember thinking that I would not subject my kids to the horrors of radio preaching. I wasn't even gonna make them go to church if they didn't want to. You ever heard the old saying "the apple doesn't fall far from the tree", well it appears that I dropped down and maybe bounced back up and reattached myself.

I'm not complaining because there are worse trees out there. I am really very lucky to have the dad and mom that I have. They taught us right from wrong, showed us the love of Jesus, and always set good examples. Looking back, me and Amy (sister) didn't always understand why we did this and that, but I am glad we did. It all makes sense now and I wouldn't change a thing. Mom and Dad....Thanks a bunch, you have given me a great blueprint for my life as a parent. I love you both.

What do look like as an apple this morning? Some of you may not have been as lucky as I was, being brought up in church and been subject to the love by great parents. But the true tree we fall from is rooted in Heaven and all signs point to us getting back there and reattaching ourselves to Him. That is the goal of every believer and it a great place to be. So no matter of your upbringing or your past know that our Heavenly Father is calling to each of us to come to Him and reattach ourselves. We are His children and it is so much more than religion it is a relationship.

Have a Blessed Day!!!

Rejoice

This is the day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice in it and be glad. This familiar verse; from I think the Psalms, is a great way to start everyday. It is a simple statement, but for most it is almost too simple. Why is it that we complicate the easy? Of course God makes everyday but our joy is too often affected by outside factors that really don't matter. Shrug off everything but Jesus today and truly rejoice and be glad that you are one of the chosen, relish in the fact that you will spend eternity in Heaven, and begin to realize that you can make a difference. God resides in you and through Him all things are possible. Are you living it or just going through the motions. Be a difference maker starting today.

Have a Blessed Day!!!

Camp Meeting

Last night Matt Wurst and I attended a good ole fashion camp meeting. Man it was awesome. I remember growing up at Barkers Creek and we used to put a tent up on some property near the church and a few years even on the church property. It was hot, the mosquitoes were bad, but the preaching and singing were always good.

Over the years a few things have changed. They now have it in the sanctuary at Chiquola Baptist Church in Honea Path so the heat and the bugs are no more. But praise the Lord the singing and preaching are still there. Total Praise Quartet is handling the singing this year and they are awesome. One of the singers, Stephen Jewell just happens to be a plumber that I call on and last night was the first time I had heard him and the group sing. They really are good.

Dr. Herb Reavis is doing the preaching and he brings a very powerful message with a lot of feeling. The man can preach. Last night he preached on 1 Corinthians 15: 51-58. Here it is for you to take a look at.

51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable , and we will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Cor 15:51-58 (NASB)

He talked about the second coming and how we will be called up to meet Jesus in the air and that we will be transformed, but also very sadly about the ones left behind. He used a parallation that I want to share. In vs. 55 he addressed the sting of death in a way that was very unique. He painted a picture of a dad and a son riding down a country road and a bumble bee flew in the window. The bee landed on the dad and stung him. The bee left the dads arm and was buzzing all around the little boy and he was freaking out. The dad leaned over and showed him the stinger in his arm and told his son that the bee had broke his stinger off and left it here, all he can do is fly around and aggravate you. He could no longer sting him. Now jump back in time 2000 years and this is exactly what happened on the cross. The devil stuck his stinger in our saviour and broke it off and then Jesus defeated death and the all the devil can do is buzz around and annoy us. That ole serpent holds no power at all over any of us in Christ Jesus. We are victorious and have been made more than conquerors. We win and we will be called up in an instant to meet Him and receive our reward. What a blessed day that will be........Are you ready? If you have any reservations get it right before you click off of this page. Jesus waits on you and He wants to be your everything. Just do it. And if you are in driving distance to Honea Path, SC, come to Chiquola Baptist Church and see first hand what God is doing. The music starts at 6:45pm. The camp meeting will run through Thursday night.

Have a Blessed Day!!!

The Barbarian Way

Good Morning all. I hope you had a great weekend and if you traveled last week I hope all returned safe.

This morning I want to talk a minute about a new book I'm reading. It is really changing the way I view my walk with God. It is by a pretty radical preacher of the Mosiac Church out in LA by the name of Erwin Raphael McManus. The title of the book is called The Barbarian Way, Unleash The Untamed Faith Within. It has really challenged me to think about my own views on how we (as a church) have become very complacent. He talks about the early pioneers of our faith and how they were completely sold out and did whatever it takes. They were Barbarians in their faith.

I am nearly half way through it and I highly recommend it. It will truly change the way you think about our commitment when we really decide to follow Jesus. Here is the link to the Amazon website to check it out.

Have a Blessed Day!!!

A Fathers Love

This morning I wanted to share something with y'all who may not read Perry Nobles blog. This post from last Friday (after his first child was born) really spoke to me and I wanted to share it with you. Hope Perry doesn't mind and I hope you enjoy it.
OK…a few thoughts on this Friday

So far I have changed every diaper that Charisse has demolished!!! AND I haven’t minded at all…I want her to be clean…that is how God feels about cleaning us up, He actually became sin for us! (II Corinthians 5:21)

All I want to do is hold her…be close to her…and freeze those moments. God has those same desires, for His children to be close to Him! He sent Jesus to die on a cross NOT just so that we go to heaven…but to have an ongoing relationship with us!!!

Charisse does not completely understand all of the good things that I want to do for her…she never will, and I think we have no idea what wonderful things God has in mind. (Matthew 7:11)

There is NOTHING I would not do for her–NOTHING! That is how God feels about blessing His kids! (Psalm 2:8)

In cleaning her up I have had to put her in uncomfortable situations…but only because I love her and want her to be clean. That is why God takes us through uncomfortable situations. We don’t understand…but it is all for our own good. (Romans 8:28)

There is NOTHING that Charisse could do to make me stop loving her–that is how God feels about His children. (Romans 8:38-39)

Charisse has not worked for my love, she was born. that’s it–we do not work for the love of God. He just radically loves us!!! (John 3:3, John 3:16)

Thanks Perry for the parallations and for all you guys are doing over at Newspring. Y'all have a great weekend.

Have a Blessed Day!!!

Proverbs

My grandfather "Papa Locke" used to read a proverb every day. He would say there are 31 books and that is one for every day of the month. Some months you may have to read an extra chapter at the end. I remember thinking when I was younger why you read the same thing over and over each month. But now I get it. It seems that every time I read God's word that I get something new from it. It comes alive and deals with me exactly where I'm at.

I wanted to share chapter 2 with you from yesterday, and if you are looking for a place to start reading the Bible........start with Proverbs, it is chocked full of life-lessons.

The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security
1 My son, if you will receive my words And treasure my commandments within you, 2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; 3 For if you cry for discernment, Lift your voice for understanding; 4 If you seek her as silver And search for her as for hidden treasures; 5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD And discover the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. 7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk in integrity, 8 Guarding the paths of justice, And He preserves the way of His godly ones. 9 Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course. 10 For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; 11 Discretion will guard you, Understanding will watch over you, 12 To deliver you from the way of evil, From the man who speaks perverse things; 13 From those who leave the paths of uprightness To walk in the ways of darkness; 14 Who delight in doing evil And rejoice in the perversity of evil; 15 Whose paths are crooked, And who are devious in their ways; 16 To deliver you from the strange woman, From the adulteress who flatters with her words; 17 That leaves the companion of her youth And forgets the covenant of her God; 18 For her house sinks down to death And her tracks lead to the dead ; 19 None who go to her return again, Nor do they reach the paths of life. 20 So you will walk in the way of good men And keep to the paths of the righteous. 21 For the upright will live in the land And the blameless will remain in it; 22 But the wicked will be cut off from the land And the treacherous will be uprooted from it.
Prov 2:1-22 (NASB)



Have a Blessed Day!!!

Freedom

Last night we went to the Freedom Celebration at Beech Springs and it was awesome. We went with the Matt Wurst family and we had a great time. It is good just to hang out with like-minded people and celebrate not only the freedoms we have in this country, but more importantly the freedom that we have in Jesus. It was good to hear Brandon singing, God has really gifted him with a beautiful voice, and Eric and Gena Boggs are doing some great things over at Beech Springs.

As we celebrate this Wednesday our independence, let us not forget the men and women who took a giant leap of faith in the year 1492 to seek a land where they could worship the way they wanted to. The God that lead them to this country is still leading today and I believe that He has His hand on our country and has blessed us. Let us not forget and take anything for granted.

Have a Blessed Day!!!