Friday the 13th

Well, today is Friday the 13th. I don't pay any attention to it; I am not superstitious, or at least I don't try to be. (I do have a pair of "lucky" socks) (not really)

So, what do you think? Are you influenced by Friday the 13th at all? Any stories to share?

Still Hope for Bell's?

My sister just called and read me an article out of the Owasso Reporter saying that there will be a meeting in Owasso regarding the possibility of moving Bell's Amusement Park to Owasso in the future!!! I couldn't find the story in the online edition of the paper, but we'll need to keep up on this one!

[HT: Pam Goodell]

Sermon Server Problems

If any of you are interested, the place that hosts my online sermons is in the midst of upgrading software and all my sermons are currently unavailable. On their website they say:

Service Unavailable

We are currently upgrading server software and it might take a while. Do not be alarmed, we will be back in a short while.

I'll let you know when they are back on line. Thanks for your patience.

Ma & Pa Kettle Explain Stimulus Package

Be sure and watch this and you can understand where all the money is really going.

Funerals, Deceit, & Heresy

I just returned from a graveside funeral for an old saint in our church. She died 2 days before she turned 92. She has been in very poor health in a nursing home for quite some time. But, of course, now she walks the streets of gold!

By all accounts, this is one of whom it can be said, "she was a faithful servant". She taught Sunday School for more than 50 years. She taught Royal Ambassadors and Girls in Action. She was an ardent supporter of Vacation Bible School.

Yet she carried a terrible, heart-breaking burden.

She had a grave-side service because her family's church would not allow her to have a church service in their facility. They did not use our church facility because they do not recognize us as a worthy church. The strange thing is, however, they asked our associate pastor to perform the service, knowing that it was going to be a Baptist service.

All of her children, somehow, are Jehovah Witnesses.

How can a woman, who served the church faithfully since salvation at age 9, have all of her children abandon the Truth to follow a cult full of half-truths and heresy? It is a good thing that you are not judged on the actions/faith of others.

At the proper moment, people were encouraged to speak on behalf of the departed. All, without fail, spoke of her devotion to God, and to her children. Yet all of her family members told her that they would see her again on "the Paradise Earth".

Boy! Have they been deceived! The JW teaching says that only 144,000 people will be born again and reside in Heaven. The rest of them will have resurrected bodies and live on a resurrected earth. It is entirely too bad that they don't understand Scripture. The Bible says that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us and that He will come and get us when it is all ready. (John 14:1-4) It doesn't say that some of us will be left behind on this earth. It says that those who believe in Him will abide with Him in Heaven.

As I stood there listening to the families ramble on about "Paradise Earth" over and over, I truly felt sorry for them. They missed it entirely. They have a hope, but it is a false hope. They don't know the true Jesus.

Sin is like that. It gives false hope. I would hope that the men who dreamed up Jehovah Witnesses didn't deceive intentionally, but it sure seems to be that way. Of course, the great deceiver got a hold of them in the first place. It comes from not knowing God and what God says.

Thoughts about Maryville, IL, and Life & Death

As a pastor, I have been thinking a lot about the events that took place in Maryville, IL. Pastor Winters was the same age as me and has two daughters, just like me. Obviously, his death will leave a void in more than just the pulpit.

I still don't understand the motive; I'm not sure anyone truly will. Such a violent death in front of so many witnesses is horrific. It has changed their lives forever as well.

I didn't know Fred Winters. In fact, I had never heard of him before. However, because of his faith in Jesus Christ, I will get to meet him one glorious day. I ache for his wife and children; for his parents, siblings, and extended family. He didn't get up that morning expecting it to be his last day on this earth.

I'm not sure whether he realized what that moment with the gunman would bring; that before noon, he'd be standing in Glory in the presence of Jesus. I'm sure that no one in the congregation thought that they'd be witnesses to murder in the sanctuary.

As I think about these things, I wonder how I would respond. Would I cower? Would I cringe? What would I say? Would I have time to say anything? Could this happen in my own church? How could I keep it from happening here? Could I keep it from happening here?

One thing is for sure: what that gunman meant for evil, God will use it for good. No, it doesn't seem "good" right now. While the family and the congregation grieves and faces life without Brother Fred, nothing seems good about it. But God promises that He will use all things for good, for those that love God and who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28)

I can't "see" the good right now. But I can imagine what God will do through this in the lives of the people who were present, in the life of the church, and in the life of those who have heard the Good News of Jesus since the incident happened.

Be sure to pray for his family, his church, and his church staff.

The video above explains Pastor Fred's heart and passion in life.

Are YOU ready to meet God, if today was your last day on earth? It could happen! What will you say to God when you die? What makes you think you are good enough to get into His Heaven? If you don't know what to say to God and you haven't watched the video yet, please take time to watch it. If you still don't know what to say to God, please email me.

YOU could be a winner!

Everyone gets a chance to win a free $239 calfskin leather ESV Bible! Check it by clicking here.

Tragedy in Maryville

Please pray for the First Baptist Church family of Maryville, Ill. Today, during their early service, a gunman entered the building and murdered their pastor, Dr. Fred Winters.

This is taken directly from their church website:

A Message About Today’s Loss

Today, a little after our 8:15 service began, a man entered First Baptist Church and fired several gunshots at our Senior Pastor, Dr Fred Winters.

Please pray for Dr. Winter’s family, our two brave members who were injured when they stopped the assailant, for the assailant himself and his family, and for our church members as they deal with this tragic loss.

In this day, where uncertainty seems to abound creating an environment in which people are vulnerable in doing things they might not do otherwise, one thing is certain, we, as human beings need a foundation upon which we can live our lives. We at First Baptist Maryville, along with other Christian believers, share this conviction: that foundation is God’s Word. In the pages of the Book we call the Bible, we find the pathway for peace, hope, and a quality of living life despite what circumstances we find ourselves in.

To those who believe in the power of prayer, we covet your prayers right now.

A Trillion here, a trillion there...

We hear about a trillion dollars, but I think I don't really know what that means.

Follow this link and it will amaze and overwhelm you...

[HT: Matt Harmless]

Looking back: Cote d'Ivoire

Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire 2002

We moved to Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) in October 2000. It was less than a year after a coup d'etat. Political unrest was evident, but life was pretty good there. There was electricity nearly 24/7, running water, and delivery pizza! We lived about 200 ft. from the ocean, well, the smelly lagoon, really. We operated the regional guesthouse for West Africa. While we had some definite hardships (armed robbers with machine guns), we desparately miss Abidjan. We left for furlough (STAS) in August 2002 and a civil war began in September. We felt a release from our position, so we started looking elsewhere. We were disappointed the leadership at that time wouldn't work with us to stay in West Africa, but God provided a new opportunity on a new continent.

Some of my favorite things that I miss about the Ivory Coast are:

1. Chez Abou's Lebanese restaurant! There are many, many nights that "Chez Abou's" is the answer to the question, "what do you want for supper?"
2. The warm French croissants were to die for.
3. Grand Bassam beach is only about 45 minutes away. The Grand Bassamoise Hotel had the perfect pool.
4. Portifino Pizza. Hussein thought my name was Charlie. When I ordered pizza for delivery, I simply told them "chez Americaine" (the American's house)]
5. The rain forest was just outside Abidjan, to the North. The trees were as big as houses.
6. I knew all the guys at Hamburger House. And all the guys knew me, too!
7. Ivory Coast has termite mounds as big as buildings. They are HUGE!
8. Some of the sweetest, best tasting fresh pineapple is to be had in Cote d'Ivoire.
9. We had some of the prettiest little Rain Lillies that bloomed right at the start of rainy season.
10. Most of all, from all the places in West Africa, I miss the people. I miss Amadou, Ibrahim, Lamine, Abdou, the waiters at Snack Almadies, Rudy and the rest of the teachers at the Baobab Center, Samuel, Pascal, Seraphim, Selah, Santos, Mamadou, and perhaps, most of all, Adja. She and her husband named their firstborn after me.
    

Many evenings around our table, we talk about Africa. My younger was born there. West Africa has changed us forever. We still aren't "over" it. It was hard. It was fun. It was beautiful. We learned so much about God and about ourselves. We miss Africa.

Emily and Audrey with the Rain Lillies.

Ever wonder what it is like to be sushi?

It was supposed to be a "dance"

I think this speaks for itself...

Oklahoma's First Baptist Church

Click on image to enlarge

On US Hwy 69, just south of the Muskogee Turnpike Overpass, there is a sign placed by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma Historical Commission. I have passed by it for years, never stopping to see what it was about. Recently, the Historical Commission had the sign refurbished and, since I had my camera with me, I decided to stop and see what it was all about.

Evidently, in 1832, a few folks got together and planted the first Baptist Church in Oklahoma. Click on the plaque to enlarge and read the inscription. This is located right here in Wagoner County!

Pretty cool stuff. By the way, Oklahoma didn't become a state until 1907.

Spring is in the Air!

Yesterday, we broke the old high temperature record of 79 in 1996 with a whopping 81 degrees! Today, however, it is a different story. By 6 am this morning, it was 26 degrees.

However, we do have a bit of spring-like things going on. Here are a couple of pictures of the quince blooming in our yard. You can click to enlarge.

Fun at the Formal

Daughter and Dad

A moment to smile!