My heart is full of thanks toward our Lord for you, dear church, for all your efforts for our Easter services. I want to thank all who invited someone using Facebook or our Invitation Cards, to all who went door-to-door, our Greeters, our musicians and singers, our children's caregivers, and all those who parked at the Upward field Sunday in spite of the rain and it being muddy.
Also, thank you for your kind reception of Bro. Ed Lacy with your comments, prayers and offering. Thank you church!! We turn our attention to some upcoming events: The summer Mobile Mission will be July 2-9 with opportunities including VBS/Sports Camps, Construction, Puppets and service team. There is a sign up sheet in the Foyer and an information meeting on Sunday, April 10 after the morning service for anyone who may be interested going. For more information, contact Bro. Keith Beatty or Bro. Greg Wigley. We are hosting "Secret Church" on Friday, April 29 from 5:30 til 11:30 with David Platt teaching "A Global Gospel in a World of Religions." There is a book of notes that you will need that is $10 each. We need to know how many are coming so register at our web site by April 13. There is no charge if you don't want a book or you wish to share one as a couple. "First Steps" is our church's New member class and our first class will be on Sunday, April 10 after the morning service. We will have a free lunch and then share about our church. The meeting will last less than two hours. You may write me an email to let me know you are coming or sign up on the back of the "Connect Card" on Sundays. I know it is Spring Break but our Youth and Adults are having services at 6:10. I look forward to seeing you tonight as we continue in Philippians 1: 8-11.
It’s common wisdom that the question most likely to be asked in an interview is, “Tell me about yourself.”
But that’s not true.
The most common interview question happens before the interview even starts: “Did you find our office okay?” or “How was your commute?”
Be careful how you reply. Your answer will likely determine whether you’re hired. Most employers say they make up their mind about candidates based on the quality of their small talk, and one-third claim they know whether to hire someone within the first 90 seconds.
This is why, when I coach people about their careers, my most common advice is, “Just say yes.” Even if you were in a five-car pileup or saw a fight on the subway, your answer should be positive. “It was great. Your directions were helpful.”
More than Interviews
This isn’t just true for interviews. As colleagues, we should be known as people who say yes. “Do you have five minutes to talk through this problem with me?” Yes. “Could you help me with this project?” Yes. “Can I get your advice about something?” Yes.
Wouldn’t it be great if we, as Christians, were known by our colleagues as the most helpful people in our workplaces? After all, helping others is one way to love our neighbors. It should be a joy to say yes to those who need something we can give them.
For me, though, uttering yes is too often a burden, since one of my idols is efficiency. I want to be productive and finish as much work as possible, and other people are obstacles to that. Their problems are messy, and I fear getting roped into something that will end up taking more time than I anticipated.
I also too often assume my work is more urgent or important than theirs. Can’t they figure this out on their own?Do they not realize I have my own work to do, too?
Yes in Christ
On one of his missionary trips, Paul planned to visit Corinth twice—on his way to and from Macedonia. This was his plan, and the Corinthians heard about it. But then something happened, Paul changed his mind, and rumors started circulating that Paul’s heart was divided. He loved them and wanted to see them, but maybe not as much as he loved his own convenience.
Writing to them, though, Paul doesn’t hold back:
Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time? As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. (2 Cor. 1:17–20)
Our planning and preaching are not fickle; they are not double minded; they are unified; they are YES to you. We live for your good. We are for you and not against you. Our life and ministry is a resounding YES, YES, YES! Yes to your joy! Yes to your holiness! Yes to your faith and hope and love and peace and power! . . . My heart is not divided toward you because God’s heart is not divided toward you.
Spiritually, this means all of God’s promises for our good come to focus in his Son. He confirms them, secures them, and purchases them for all who belong to him (Gal. 3:14, 22; Eph. 3:6; Heb. 9:15; Rom. 15:8). Jesus is God’s yes to all who believe. He is for us, not against us (Rom. 8:31).
We should say yes to our colleagues because we want them to know we are for them, too. For their joy. For their holiness. For their faith and hope and love and peace and power. Even if they don’t know yet know Christ, we are for them because Christ was for us while we were still lost (Rom. 5:8). In a world where everyone is looking out for themselves, we want them to know that we want to serve them. And that starts with simply saying yes to helping them, sharing our possessions with them, or going the extra mile for them (Matt. 5:40–41).
When No Is Necessary
Sometimes, however, we have to say no. In fact, even when Paul told the Corinthians he was for them, he still said no to changing his new travel plans.
But there’s a secret to saying no without leaving a sting. My sister-in-law discovered it when she, as a foster parent to six boys and an adoptive mom to my nephew, was reading a book on how to raise children from hard places. Such kids, the book says, always hear no in their families of origin. “No, there is no one to pick you up.” “No, you can’t have that.”
The book recommends that, when saying no, you can still say yes. Confused? I was, too. But then I started to try it.
The other day, someone from my church asked me to do something for an upcoming event. It would’ve required me to leave my office for more than two hours, which I couldn’t do. But instead of simply saying no, I said, “I really want to say yes since I always want to help you out and this would be such fun, but I won’t be able to get away from the office for that long this week.”
I really want to say yes, but I’m afraid I have to say no.
That was the book’s advice. And it worked. She replied, “Absolutely! Understood!”
To me, saying yes seemed inauthentic at first. But I found this was true only because my default over the years shifted at some point from yes to no, and I had to retrain myself—which I’m still doing. The more I remember that all of God’s promises are yes in Christ and that God is for me, the more willing and able I am to say yes to my colleagues. It’s not too hard, and it’s very powerful.
Let me start this post with two caveats. First, I’m an older adult (55), but I’m still years away from retirement. Ten years from now, I might think differently than I do now, though I doubt it. Second, I’m not arguing that we need to change everything. I’m not talking about compromising the gospel here. There is much good we can learn from older generations, and each generation needs the others. Nevertheless, here are some reasons we older folks in church need to be willing to change.
What we do as believers is not about us in the first place. Nor is it about young people, either, by the way. It’s about honoring God in such a way that others might want to follow Him. Our preferences we tend to defend don’t matter as much when we get that point right.
Change may be uncomfortable, but we know it’s not always bad. We didn’t always have a clock . . . or a car . . . or a computer . . . or robotic instruments used in surgery. If we’re honest, we know that some change actually promotes good, including in the church. I’m glad, for example, that we can use technology to reach people we wouldn’t have opportunity to reach twenty years ago.
Few changes are actually as painful as we think they’re going to be. Quite often, what we project will happen when the change occurs is not whatactually happens. Once we get through the seeming “trauma” of change, the new routine is often okay.
Our legacy depends on it. Let me be frank: if many churches don’t change, they are going to die. The problem is that nobody thinks it’s going to happen on his or her watch – but my generation will likely see tens of thousands of churches close. To allow a congregation to die just because we like things the way they are is nothing less than unchristian selfishness.
Our children and grandchildren need our example. They don’t know it yet, but the young people calling for change now will be old themselves some day. We need to model for them today how to navigate change well for the sake of the gospel.
An unwillingness to change reveals our idolatries. That’s a tough word, I know. But, anything not mandated by Scripture that we are unwilling to change for God’s glory is an idol. That’s a problem.
The nations need us to sacrifice. If we don’t reach young people, we’ll someday have no pool out of which to send the next generation of pastors and missionaries. To reach those next generations, we must be willing to change without compromising the gospel.
If you’re an older reader, I really do get it. The older I get, the less I like change. On the other hand, I also more intensely recognize the urgency to reach people as I get older. We get only one shot at this work, and I don’t want my preferences (and, sometimes, my stubbornness) to hinder the work of the gospel.
I can tolerate change if people are reached and lives are transformed. Accept and rejoice with the change, even. It’s really that simple.
We move to what is often called "Holy Week" as we begin Sunday with the Celebration of Palm Sunday. We will be celebrating through the Lord's Supper Sunday morning. There is no better way to celebrate "The Killing of Jesus" than with this time of celebrating the Sacrifice and the Blood.
Our text will be when Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples in Luke 22: 14-23.
Then we will be gathering for the most important event of our church year as we have three Easter Weekend Services on Good Friday, Saturday and Resurrection Sunday.
People will come if we will invite them. So, get your "Invitation Cards" and pass them out to everyone you see. You can even mail them. Then come as many times as you can next week to go door-to-door in our community inviting them. Jesus said, "Go" ... so we are going.
It is going to be a great week and I am so excited to be sharing this week with you. Let's invite every family member, friend and neighbor to come and worship our Savior who died, was buried but rose again.
He is the only way and we all joyfully proclaim it.
Sunday night I continue the series of messages on "Worship: The Passion of God for God" with this message "God's Spiritual Air Force" based out of II Chronicles 20.
Pray for this Sunday as I have the opportunity to give a devotion to the vendors at the Home and Garden Show at the Agri Business Center at 9:30 a.m. Honored to represent our Lord and the Rainsville First Family.
Easter Weekend is next week and we are believing God for this to be a wonderful weekend for the Rainsville First Family, but more importantly the Rainsville and Sand Mountain community.
We are having three services for Easter Weekend Outreach.
Friday, March 25 - 6:30 - This is "Good Friday" and a great time to invite friends and family to come to church with you. Evangelist Ed Lacy will be preaching that night.
Saturday, March 26 - 6:30 - Yes, Saturday night church...but it's Easter weekend. Let's give God the entire weekend to invite family and friends to be in church with us. Ed Lacy will be preaching that night, too.
Then Easter Sunday I will be preaching the 10:15 service. Again, invite friends and family to come to Sunday School with you and get to meet some of the great people in your class.
Plus, we are going to have special outreaches into the community.
What are we doing? Going door-to-door passing out "Invitation Cards". If someone wants to talk, we engage them. If not, that is fine. If not one is home, we leave the card.
When are we doing this? Monday, March 21; Tuesday, March 22; Wednesday, March 23; Thursday, March 24.
We will meet at 5:15 for prayer and then hit the streets til 7:00 or so.
There are posters in the hallway outside the office to sign up on the night you can come.
The "Invitation Cards" are ready for you to pick up and give to family, friends, and whoever you may come in contact with. We have 5,000 - so let's use everyone to reach people for Christ.
Plus use the web site page here to invite friends. Use Facebook to invite friends.
People will come if they are invited. So, let's invite them.
The the most important thing you can do is to pray. Pray for boldness to invite people, for those we invite to have a desire to come, and then for Bro. Ed, Bro, Keith and myself as we lead the services.
The final frontier of biological research is still the enigmatic human brain. And at the cutting edge of recent study has been this phenomenon we call “habits.” One important finding has been what researchers and popularizers call “keystone habits” — simple, but catalytic new routines that inspire other fresh patterns of behavior.
Take, for example, the habit of drinking more water daily. A little intentionality here might lead to making better food choices, and may even help inspire exercise. For some, quitting smoking is a keystone habit that starts a domino effect of good lifestyle changes. For others, simply forming the habit of putting on running shoes in the morning leads to walking for exercise, then light jogging, and eventually to becoming a full-fledged regular runner.
Find the right keystone, and you could unleash a string of good habits in your life.
Keystone for Christians?
While I cannot commend one keystone habit that will make the difference for every believer, I do want to speak up on behalf of one weekly habit that is utterly essential to any healthy, life-giving, joy-producing Christian walk: corporate worship. And it is all too often neglected, or taken very lightly, in our day of disembodiment and in our proclivity for being noncommittal. In fact, I do not think it is too strong to call corporate worship the single most important habit of the Christian life.
We may think it’s a new temptation today to play fast and loose with corporate worship, but the book of Hebrews gives another impression. Actually, speaking of habits,Hebrews 10:24–25 is the only use of the word “habit” in our English translations of the New Testament.
Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. (Hebrews 10:24–25)
By clearly delineating a bad habit that we must not develop — “neglecting to meet together” — Hebrews is also making clear what good habit we should cultivate, and feed:meeting together. Today’s temptation to underestimate the importance of the weekly assembly is as old as the church itself. And yet, the great irony is that the habit of meeting together with Christ’s people to worship him is utterly crucial for the Christian life.
But why? What is it about corporate worship that would lead us to think so highly of this as a habit to make — and to suspect for some that this may indeed be the keystone habit they desperately need for life-change?
Why Corporate Worship Is Critical
The reason corporate worship may be the single most important Christian habit, and our greatest weapon in the fight for joy, is because like no other single habit, corporate worship combines all three essential principles of God’s ongoing supply of grace for the Christian life: hearing his voice (in his word), having his ear (in prayer), and belonging to his body (in the fellowship of the church).
In corporate worship, we hear from God, in the pastor’s call to worship, in the reading of Scripture, in the faithful preaching of the gospel, in the words of institution at the Table, in the commission to be lights in the world. In corporate worship, we respond to God in prayer, in confession, in singing, in thanksgiving, in recitation, in petitions, in taking the elements in faith. And in corporate worship, we do it all together.
“God didn’t make us to live as solitary individuals. Neglecting corporate worship sows seeds of unbelief in our soul.”
God didn’t make us to live and worship as solitary individuals. Personal Bible meditation and prayer are glorious gifts and essential, not to be neglected or taken for granted. And they are appointed by God as rhythms for personal communion with him that thrive only in the context of regular communal communion with him.
Make It a Habit
Settle it now. Make it a habit. Corporate worship is too important to revisit each weekend and wrestle, Will I go this weekend, or sit this one out? If you leave it open-ended, as so many do, excuse after excuse will keep you from the storehouses of grace God loves to open in corporate worship. Over time your soul will become dry and shallow because of it. Neglecting to meet together will soon sow and nourish seeds of unbelief in your soul.
Decide now, and begin putting it as a pattern into your life, not to revisit the decision each weekend, and not to bow out on community group (or whatever other regular corporate gatherings are vital in the structure of your local church) because of lame, myopic excuses. Of course, unusual circumstances will arise, when you’re out of town, or at the hospital with a new baby, or something else manifestly restricting. But the sad truth is we are far too prone to give ourselves a pass on meeting together, when we really should have made it a habit ahead of time, entertaining only the rarest of exceptions.
Make it a habit. Corporate worship is too important to revisit each weekend and wrestle, “Will I go this Sunday?”
And just to be sure, the reason to make corporate worship a habit is not to check the box on perfect attendance, and not because corporate worship alone is enough to fully power the Christian life, and not because mere attendance in worship will save your soul. This is not a call for legalistic going-through-the-motions. The hope is not just to show up and be a shell.
Rather, this is a summons to harness the power of habit to rescue our souls from empty excuses that keep us from spiritual riches and increasing joy. Negligence and chronic minimizing of the importance of corporate worship reveal something unhealthy and scary in our souls. Let’s resist it with fresh resolve.
For our deep and enduring joy, there is simply no replacement for corporate worship.
I am beginning a new, but short sermon series this Sunday "Killing Jesus" based on Luke's writings on the death and resurrection of Jesus.
This Sunday - "Who Killed Jesus? God Did" based on Luke 9:22, 43-45, 51-56; 13:31-35; and 18:31.
March 20 - Celebrating the Killing of Jesus through the Celebration of the Lord's Supper
March 27 (Easter) - "Who Killed Jesus? I Did...But"
There are at least eight different passages in Luke where Jesus refers and announces his death:Luke 5:35;
9:22, 43-45, 51-56; 12:50; 13: 31-35; 17:25 and 18:31.
Then Luke 9:51 through 19:44 has no parallel in any other
Gospel where Luke shares how Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem with "his face set" for the death that would occur there. Almost half of Luke is about the last
six months of Jesus' life and all focused toward Jerusalem.
This Sunday we will talk about how the death of Jesus was not an accident and He was not a victim.
Then this Sunday night we continue our series "Worship: The Passion of God for God" with this message "Worship 24/7/365/Eternity."
I am grateful God has called me to be your preacher and pastor. Pray for me as I study, pray, prepare for what God has for you.
Love you. See you Sunday, the Lord willing. Don't forget time change this Sunday...Spring Forward. You lose an hour of sleep so move the clocks forward.
Easter Weekend is less than three weeks away and we are believing God for this to be a wonderful weekend for the Rainsville First Family, but more importantly the Rainsville and Sand Mountain community.
We are having three services for Easter Weekend Outreach.
Friday, March 25 - 6:30 - This is "Good Friday" and a great time to invite friends and family to come to church with you. Evangelist Ed Lacy will be preaching that night.
Saturday, March 26 - 6:30 - Yes, Saturday night church...but it's Easter weekend. Let's give God the entire weekend to invite family and friends to be in church with us. Ed Lacy will be preaching that night, too.
Then Easter Sunday I will be preaching the 10:15 service. Again, invite friends and family to come to Sunday School with you and get to meet some of the great people in your class.
Plus, we are going to have special outreaches into the community.
What are we doing? Going door-to-door passing out "Invitation Cards". If someone wants to talk, we engage them. If not, that is fine. If not one is home, we leave the card.
When are we doing this? Monday, March 21; Tuesday, March 22; Wednesday, March 23; Thursday, March 24.
We will meet at 5:15 for prayer and then hit the streets til 7:00 or so.
There are posters in the hallway outside the office to sign up on the night you can come.
The "Invitation Cards" are ready for you to pick up and give to family, friends, and whoever you may come in contact with. We have 5,000 - so let's use everyone to reach people for Christ.
Plus use the web site page here to invite friends. Use Facebook to invite friends.
People will come if they are invited. So, let's invite them.
The the most important thing you can do is to pray. Pray for boldness to invite people, for those we invite to have a desire to come, and then for Bro. Ed, Bro, Keith and myself as we lead the services.
Two weeks ago I shared with you that I felt the Lord leading me to preach a message "A Mighty Move of God." I will be doing that this Sunday. This is a message God gave me over 20 years ago and I have not preached it in over 15 years. But as I was reading Luke, the Lord reminded me of this and I believe this message is a "word" for Rainsville First. God has resurrected it in my heart and I am excited.
It is obvious God is moving in our fellowship and it is spilling over into our community.
I can't wait to share this word with you Sunday morning.
Don't forget our first prayer meeting is this Sunday at 8:00 in the Auditorium, if you can join us.
Then Sunday night I am beginning a new series of messages "Worship: Passion of God for God."
I believe the number one priority of God is worship. It is not evangelism, missions, church, prayer, Bible study, but worship.
Worship is also the number one priority of man. As we will see this Sunday night, it is the reason we were made.
So if this is the passion of God, then it should be our passion....a passion for God.
During this series, we will look at the theme of worship and then turn to praise. There is a difference between worship and praise and I will share with you one of the greatest truths I have ever learned about that difference. We will also examine what God likes in praise and seek for our hearts to be obedient to Him in giving Him the praise He likes.
Easter Weekend Services is three weeks away. Plan to be a part of Good Friday and Saturday night services at 6:30 with Evangelist Ed Lacy preaching and then I will preach Resurrection Sunday service at 10:15.
Love you and thank God for the privilege of being your "preacher."
I am still rejoicing over the Spirit of God that was present so strongly this past Sunday in our "Call to Pray" service. Thank you for the positive comments about the service dedicated to prayer.
Jesus said, "My house shall be called a house of prayer..." Matthew 21:13
This "kicks-off" some new focus on prayer. Prayer is not another program we do; it is our very life. Prayer speaks of our dependence of God. This church is not our church, it belongs to Jesus. We can not function in our power, energy and wisdom, we must have God's mind and Spirit. Prayer reveals our heart toward God.
This Sunday we will begin a time of corporate prayer at 8:00 AM in the Auditorium. We will pray together until 8:15 when the praise team begins their rehearsal time. At 8:15, persons may walk around the Auditorium praying over every chair, going to your Sunday School room praying over the seats or continuing to have a small group prayer time. I am so excited about our prayer time.
Also, next week we will begin publishing a prayer guide each Wednesday. This prayer focus will not only give you an updated list of prayer concerns of church members but will rotate special prayer focus on our government leaders, spiritual leaders and missions. These guides will be located in the Large Fellowship Hall, outside the gym, and in the Auditorium where the teaching notes are located each week.
This Sunday begins our annual "Week of Prayer for North American Missions" and also kicks off our Annie Armstrong Easter Offering. Our goal is $5,000. There will be prayer guides and offering envelopes in the Sunday bulletin or you can see it online here.
Closing thanks......to Whitney Wigley and every member who made our Upward Basketball season so successful. It has been a tremendous outreach and I am so grateful for every person who served in any capacity.
...to Whitney Traylor and all the leaders who led 32 children (Grade 4-6) this weekend in a special D-Now Weekend. Thanks Whitney for your leadership.
Pray for our Sunday School leaders who are going to Sunday School Spring Training Leadership Conference this Saturday at Clements Baptist Church, Athens. We have about 20 going.
