Holy is His Name!

Make songs to the Lord, O you saints of his, and give praise to his holy name.PSALM 30:4

~Hills of Life~

“If Jesus gives us a task or assigns us to a difficult season, every ounce of our experience is meant for our instruction and completion if only we'll let Him finish the work. I fear, however, that we are so attention-deficit that we settle for bearable when beauty is just around the corner.”

― Beth Moore

Change or Death?

The president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary says at least two-thirds of Southern Baptist youths are leaving the church between adolescence and adulthood.

In a speech at the seminary in Louisville, Ky., the Reverend R. Albert Mohler warned that the Southern Baptist Convention will die out unless that trend is reversed.

The problem, he said, is that many of today's young people have reduced Christianity to a vague belief that God just wants them "to do well, and to do right and to be happy." Mohler said Southern Baptists have an image problem, coming across as "cranky" instead of joyful.

But he added, "If we stand by the Scriptures, we are going to have to say hard things to a culture around us that will consider us backward, unloving, intolerant."

Short and Powerful!

I'm a Seed. I've been pushed into the ground, but I will rise up a tree." - David Crowder

Planning??

Some churches need to consult a PR person before they hand stuff up

~Time to Sale~

So the "Horse" is up for sale! It's been a great truck and still is however we are seeking something smaller. I am not really 100% sure I even want to sale it however I must try and see what happens. It's a great looking truck and runs good too. If it sales I am going to miss it :( It's in God's hands.

In His Grip,

-J

~Monday Morning Madness~

So another week starts and time to head to work... It seems I will be working most of this week beside the one day I will be home with the kiddos. It's always great to get more hours on the clock when I can. You never know what the day is going to bring at work.. The good the bad and Oh boy hang on days. Sometimes I just have to laugh at the day or as some people do cry at it. LOL I think if we can't laugh it how the day plays out we will end up crazy! oh wait I am already there. I guess that's why everything seems funny now-a-days. Oh well we live we learn now off to the Monday Morning Madness.

Lets not forget Jeremiah 29:11

In His Grip,

Pastor J

~Happy Easter~

Little David play on your harp
Hallelu, hallelu;
Little David play on your harp, hallelu
Little David play on your harp
Hallelu, hallelu;
Little David play on your harp, hallelu.

David was a shepherd boy
He killed Goliath and shouted for joy;
Joshua was the son of Nun
He never would quit till his work was done.

Little David play on your harp
Hallelu, hallelu;
Little David play on your harp, hallelu
Little David play on your harp
Hallelu, hallelu;
Little David play on your harp, hallelu.

It's Friday...

Easter Week Timeline

With Easter here I wanted to share a short timeline of Passion Week and what happe each day in the week. I am not going into too much detailed however if you so some studying in your Bible you will find this info...

Sunday -March 29Jesus' triumphant entrance into Jerusalem
Spends the night in Bethany

Monday -March 30Leaves Bethany
Curses the fig tree on the way into the city
Weeps over Jerusalem
Cleanses the temple for the second time in His ministry
Late in day, looks into the Temple, then leaves the city
Spends the night in Bethany

Tuesday -March 31Leaves Bethany
Finds the fig tree withered; teaches on faith
Possesses the temple and its precincts; confounds and pronounces woes upon His enemies
Leaves city; Olivet Discourse on way back to Bethany
Judas bargains with Sanhedrin to betray Jesus
Spends the night in Bethany

Wednesday -April 1Silent Day
No record in the Gospels, but much activity as Jesus prepares for Last Supper and as Judas and Sanhedrin prepare for Jesus' arrest
Remains in Bethany throughout the day, stays night there

Thursday -April 2Peter and John sent to make preparation for Passover meal
After sunset, eats meal with the twelve; washes disciples; Judas departs
Lord's Supper instituted
To Garden of Gethsemane; Jesus' agony
Betrayal by Judas; arrest by Sanhedrin
To house of High Priest as Sanhedrin is convened; Peter betrays Jesus

Friday -April 3The Trials of Jesus Christ
First trial, before Annas [nightime hours]; Annas is looking for an accusation, biding time till Sanhedrin is gathered at High Priestly villa
Second [and primary] trial before Sanhedrin, Jesus is condemned, misused
Third trial, immediately at dawn [meanwhile, Peter denies Jesus a third time; Jesus looks upon him]; the condemnation repeated, then Jesus taken to Romans
Fourth trial before Pilate [till "beginning at Galilee"]
Fifth trial before Herod [looks for miracle]
6th trial before Pilate
Jesus is scourged; the city cries, "Crucify Him or we will tell Rome!"
Jesus is finally turned over to be crucified
Jesus mocked (Roman soldiers); crown of thorns
Judas hangs himself
Jesus bears His cross to gate on north of city and is crucified around 9 am

Jesus' Seven Sayings from the Cross
"Father, forgive them..."
"Today...with me in paradise"
"Woman, behold thy son..." [darkness: noon – 3 pm]
"My God, My God..."
"I thirst"
"It is finished"
"Into Thy hands..."

The Death of the God-Man About 3 pm; veil torn, rocks rent; some graves opened and people rise [to mortality] and go into the city
Jesus' side pierced
Passover lambs slain in temple
Jesus buried by sundown

Saturday -April 4At the request of the Jewish leadership, Pilate grants a guard and sets a seal on the tomb of Jesus

Sunday -April 5Jesus Christ rises from the dead (before dawn) and makes five appearances on the day of His rising:
To Mary Magdalene [given a message to the disciples]
To the other women who come to the tomb [intending to complete the burial preparation of His body]
To two disciples on the Road to Emmaus
To Simon Peter [nowhere recorded, but alluded to in Luke 24:33–35 and 1 Corinthians 15:5]
To the astonished disciples [Thomas is absent]


In His Grip,
-Pastor J

It's Coming...

God expects from men something more than at such times, and that it were much to be wished for the credit of their religion as well as the satisfaction of their conscience that their Easter devotions would in some measure come up to their Easter dress.

It's coming and it's important not to get wrapped up into all the little bunnies and Easter eggs. It's more then the green grass and not about you! Easter is coming like it or not and I am excited to once again take a day to remember not just that He is alive but through Him I am alive today and without Him I am nothing. The Easter story ends not with a funeral but with a festival. It demands not our applause but our allegiance, not our compliments but our capitulation. So get ready it's coming.... Only a few more days, lets feast!

In His Grip,
-Pastor J

~Stay Out Of The Way~

The Call to Worship had just been pronounced starting Easter Sunday Morning service in an East Texas church. The choir started its processional, singing "Up from the Grave He Arose" as they marched in perfect step down the center aisle to the front of the church. The last lady was wearing shoes with very slender heels. Without a thought for her fancy heels, she marched toward the grating that covered that hot air register in the middle of the aisle. Suddenly the heel of one shoe sank into the hole in the register grate. In a flash she realized her predicament. Not wishing to hold up the whole processional, without missing a step, she slipped her foot out of her shoe and continued marching down the aisle. There wasn’t a hitch. The processional moved with clock-like precision. The first man after her spotted the situation and without losing a step, reached down and pulled up her shoe, but the entire grate came with it! Surprised, but still singing, the man kept on going down the aisle, holding in his hand the grate with the shoe attached. Everything still moved like clockwork. Still in tune and still in step, the next man in line stepped into the open register and disappeared from sight. The service took on a special meaning that Sunday, for just as the choir ended with "Allelujah! Christ arose!" a voice was heard under the church shouting, "I hope all of you are out of the way ’cause I’m coming out now!" The little girl closest to the aisle shouted, "Come on, Jesus! We’ll stay out of the way."

In His Grip,

-Pastor J

~Wake Up~

"The church that can’t worship must be entertained. And leaders who can’t lead a church to worship must provide the entertainment." -Tozer

Sad but true.. I see so many times a pastor try to entertain the members of a church so he can get some loughs and some smiles. So the members will have that feel good mood and life is fun all the time with Jesus. Come to our church and we will make you lollipops and give your a good story. I am sorry but they are wrong. I want to be part of a church that's about truth, love, passion, and letting the Holiness of God fulfil your life and in order for that to happen we have to be humbled at the face of Christ and in truth that sometimes hurts. Christ is not all about the white snow and the butterflies we feel from our bellies. I think larger churches have to watch out for this weekly not to turn into a place of entertainment rather then a place of real worship and honor. I have to say there are many churches out there that have big time pastors and have 1,000's of members weekly who give the best show out there and are all about how much can we spend on the newest light show or biggest projector screen. Ever hear about the church who gave a car away to one of the "lucky" church member one Sunday. I think even in smaller churches seem to have issues of this unwanted entertainment by leaders and pastors. I once was a part of a church where the pastor was so wrapped up into the people liking him, instead of Truth he would use the word "Sex" more then "Jesus" in a sermon. How about the well known pastor who leads that large church many of us know that rather sing songs like "Highway to Hell" or see how many eyes he can get open by saying 4 letter words. This is all sad but things we are facing daily in today's churches. I say this not to scare one away but for us to open our ears and eyes to what happening within our churches and to hold strong onto HIS WORD. and remember these words from Tozer. This past few weeks Pastor Andy from NPCC has been doing a sermon set on "Christian" and "What is a Christian?" He has be asking a lot of questions I think we as the people have to ask ourselves. How are we going to portray what it is to be a Christian. I think he hits it home in many points.

I hate listening to the news and if your know anything about me you will know I am not one to go on and on about the Govt and the state in which we live. I am not one for politics and if you really know me you may know I don't vote. Yeah Yeah.... I know I can hear it in your heads and may even have fewer readers by this time. But again I am not getting into all that at this time but maybe one day when I have have nothing better to say I will give you the long pointless reasons I wish not to take part in voting. But anyway I do think we have to keep our eyes open in whats happening daily within our Govt. and hold onto the Word of God and (the belt of Truth) in these times. Okay I will get off my soap box for now and end this longing to be dreadful post. For the next few weeks I will be writing about some lighter side of things and talking about the living and breathing church. I have said a lot about the dying church over the past few weeks however It's time to embark into life and those that are standing on the call and leading people to growing realtionship with Christ. And see you thought I was all dooms day on the Church....But frsit we come to the great story of Easter

"God's not Dead, He's surely alive. He's living on the inside. Roaring like a lion...."

In His Grip,

-Pastor J

~Being Sick~

Yeah I know it's been awhile from the last time I posted... It's not that I have been lazy it's been crazy around here. From life happening, work, church, ministry, children, paying bills, and all the other stuff that takes up ones life. However the biggest reason for the lack of post is me being sick for over 3 weeks now. At first I was thinking I might of gotten food poison and there may be some kind of truth behind all of it however days later I was not any better and it seemed after fighting with this sickness for weeks I went to the Doctor.... Or in other terms made to go to the doctor. Here is the updated posted on my facebook soon after returning from the doctors.

"So here is the update.... Debbie made me go to the doctor this afternoon and I spent all afternoon at the doctors office. I was given a breathing treatment as I was told I had breathing issues. It didn't really work and just made me feel sicker. The doctor didn't give my sickness a name however I am told I have fluid in my lungs but it's not pneumonia at least right now. I now have 3 strong meds. If I am not much better by Monday I am to return to the doctor (oh joy) I am tired and my head hurts. I am to rest over the weekend and do zippo (what fun). And with all that I am now poor as poor can be. But hey at least the Doctor can have steak tonight."

SO where does that put me today.... Well I am still on lots of meds and slowly healing day by day. I can't really say I feel all that hot. It seems everyone in the house has gotten sick and I think Debbie is the last to go. My days are currently spent sleeping and watching the kids. Oh well I will keep it short and get back to me resting. Once I am back to 100% I will get back to my daily post. I want to thank my readers support and prayers from over this past month of sickness. God is good!

In His Grip,

-Pastor J