Are you ready for Jesus to come again?

In case you missed church this past Sunday, let me summarize four indisputable truths we covered concerning the second coming of Jesus. And here’s why I believe this doctrine is important to remember – it’s easy for Christians to grow weary as we live this life of faith. The promises of greater things to come can sometimes seem so distant we wonder if they’ll ever come true. When evil seems to be gaining an upper hand in our world, and while many of the cherished values we hold dear are now mocked and sin is celebrated, we can begin to question whether we’re on the right side of history or not. 

Friend, let me assure you that God is not aloof or indifferent to the situation. He hasn’t been caught off guard nor does He need to decide what to do. His plan has not failed, nor is He silent. Rather, His voice resounds clearly through His Word, urging us to take heart, for Christ has overcome the world, and pleading for us to keep holding unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. 

So, here are four indisputable truths about the second coming of Jesus that ought to fuel our faith as we keep walking in the way of the Lord. 

One – Jesus really is coming again! Let us not overlook or miss this truth. The Lord will keep His promise. He always has and always will. Throughout the gospels Jesus speaks matter-of-factly about His return. The Old Testament prophets foretell it. The New Testament writers anticipate it. Jesus reveals it in Revelation in no uncertain terms, including three times in the very last chapter of the Bible: “Behold, I am coming soon” (Rev. 22:7, 12, 20). Be encouraged, dear Christian! Jesus is coming again! 

Two – We don’t know when He will come, but we know it will be soon. In Matthew 24:36 Jesus says, “Concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” How foolish for people to speculate on dates and times of the end! When He comes it will be like a thief in the night. But we do know that the signs that point to Jesus’ return are unfolding before us. They are the beginning of birth pains (Matthew 24:8), meaning that the hour is drawing near. 

Three – Jesus’ coming means salvation for the righteous; and judgment for the wicked. In Matthew 25 we read of the final judgment: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne…and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats…Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of  the world.’…Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’…And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” When He comes, it will be for salvation and judgment. 

Four – Jesus’ coming means that we need to stay awake and be ready. The only way to be ready for that day is to know Jesus as Savior and Lord, faithfully obeying Him in doing the work He has called us to do. “Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes” (Matthew 24:46). Paul writes it this way: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession, who are zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14). 

The only question is: Are you ready for Jesus to come again? Don’t get caught on the wrong side of history. Walk in the way of the Lord, for He is faithful.

Teaching children to trust in Jesus for life

This week in Vacation Bible School the children are learning how to trust in Jesus for life. I’d say that’s a pretty important subject, wouldn’t you? In a messed up world where wrong seems right and right seems wrong, and where you don’t always know who to trust, we unapologetically want to anchor children to the solid rock of Christ Jesus.

And we are giving our absolute best effort to teach Jesus according to the Bible. We want the children to not only know who Jesus is, but to lead them to love, trust and obey Him here and now, even as they look forward to His promise of greater things yet to come. And hopefully, we are also demonstrating what living by faith in Jesus looks like.

Parents and grandparents, thank you for seeing the value of bringing your children to church. Thank you for entrusting them to us, if even for a few days of VBS. Your children are a delight, a joy, brimming with energy, excitement and potential. I want you to know how much we love them and care for them.

And if you’re not actively involved in church elsewhere, please know you are encouraged to come and join us for Sunday School every Sunday morning at 9:30, followed by our Worship Celebration at 10:45. We’ll also be starting Kids Klub back up on Wednesday nights in September, as well as Children’s Church and Children’s Choir.

The Bible tells us how important children were to Jesus, and our desire is to show that same love to your children. “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God,” Jesus said. “Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of a God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (Mark 10:14-16)

As a church, however, our time with your children is limited, and our influence in their lives is nothing compared to the influence in their homes. Parents and grandparents, I want to encourage you – plead with you – to raise your children in the ways of the Lord. If you’re already doing so, I applaud you! If not, now’s the perfect time to begin.

What in the world does that look like, you may be wondering? If you will, allow me to give a few brief thoughts, in classic three-point preaching outline.

First, start seeing the vision of what your family life would look like when Jesus rules your home. Where love for one another characterizes your relationships. Where respect and honor, encouragement and comfort, and mercy and grace flow freely. Where kindness, patience, joy, peace, faithfulness, gentleness, humility and forgiveness set the tone of your home. That’s a pretty compelling picture for any household!

Next, be intentional about how to make this vision come to life. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul writes: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Could you say that to your children? You need to be an intentional follower of Jesus yourself if you want your children to follow Jesus. That will then mean at least teaching them the word of Christ – how to walk in faith and obedience to the Lord, loving the Lord wholeheartedly, loving one another, worshiping and serving in the local church, seeking to reach the lost with the gospel of Christ Jesus and making disciples of all nations. For starters, anyway.

Third, pray and believe. By pray, I mean, pray without ceasing. Don’t ever quit praying. Pray for your children, and pray with your children. And believe that God will do the part that only God can do – the work of making them into new creations in Christ and transforming them more and more into His image. In other words, you be diligent to do what you’re supposed to do, and trust God for the results.

We live in perilous times. We need an anchor to keep our souls “steadfast and sure while the billows roll.” For this, we have Jesus – for life. 

Walking in the Way at VBS

You remember going to Vacation Bible School, don’t you? VBS seems to be one of those childhood experiences that most of us recall with fondness. I bet some of you could go back 50, 60 or 70 years and pull out some snapshots of friends, craft projects, memory verses or Bible songs that have found a home in your heart all this time.

For me it’s been more than 35 years since my early VBS days at Trimble Bible Church, but it sure doesn’t seem like it.

This coming week we will host VBS at the First Baptist Church. And my prayer is that your children and/or grandchildren will have such a joyful experience that it will lodge in their hearts and minds for the rest of their lives. 

Our theme this year is “Journey off the Map,” where our aim is to lead children to know that Jesus is our ultimate Guide and life and can be trusted to take us into the uncharted territories of obedience to God. The journey begins this Sunday, July 19, and runs through Thursday, July 23, from 6:00-9:00 each evening. All children who have just finished Pre-K up through those who have just finished 6^th grade are invited to come. 

I don’t have to tell you that times aren’t what they used to be. I’m not just talking about the fact that today’s country music shouldn’t even qualify as country music. 

Let’s face it. Your children and/or grandchildren are growing up in a world that’s completely foreign to the one in which most of us were raised. Our culture now has a different set of values, different priorities, different languages, different technologies, different social demographics, different educational systems, different governmental influence, and a different definition of marriage and family. It’s just not the same. 

Change can be good or bad, and there have been some of both. But one of my big concerns for the younger generation is that many of the cultural lines between right and wrong have not only been blurred – they’ve been erased. 

There are myriad voices speaking enticingly into their headphones every day trying to lure them away from the path you’ve taught them to walk, and those voices are getting louder and louder every day. Our children face pressures and temptations and opportunities to sin that you and I would never have even known existed. We have unwittingly made it easy for immorality to flourish, and have created a culture where doing so doesn’t seem so bad. 

Can I tell you that we as a church are praying for your children? Personally, I’m not ashamed to say that I’m praying that God will save your children from the way of sin and death. I’m praying that they will put their faith wholeheartedly in Jesus – in His death on the cross for the forgiveness of their sins and in His victorious resurrection from the dead. I’m praying that they will know Him, worship Him and follow Him as Lord and King of their lives. 

I’m praying that they will love Him more than anyone or anything else. I’m praying that they will choose to keep obeying His Word no matter what the cost. I’m praying that their lives will shine brightly with the holiness and light of Christ Jesus as a witness for all the world to see, and that God will use them to advance the work of His Kingdom in their homes, their schools, their neighborhoods, communities and world. 

I’m praying that the words of Isaiah 30:21 which they’ll learn in VBS next week will be one of the snapshots they’ll keep hidden in their hearts for the rest of their lives: “And whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: This is the way. Walk in it.”

Good News of Great Joy for All the People

No, the announcement of the Savior’s birth did not come first to the religious elite in the hallowed halls of Jerusalem, nor to the political powers in Rome, and not even to the CNN News Room in Atlanta, but to common, poor shepherds in the fields outside of the little town of Bethlehem as they kept watch over the flocks by night.

Lowly, powerless, insignificant, nameless shepherds. Hardly the movers and shakers of their day. Shepherds who were accustomed to facing all kinds of fears and bearing the stigma and shame of high society. How often do you suppose these shepherds may have wondered if God noticed them at all? If He really cared for them? Or if He even existed? Life certainly wasn’t blowing them any kisses.

Yet on that night with the brilliant light of God’s glory shining about them, and with the joy they discovered when they found the baby lying in the manger, every question was answered and every doubt and fear erased. This message of good news of great joy is indeed for all the people. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11). And even these shepherds recognized their great significance in the eyes of heaven.

Friend, no matter how lowly or insignificant you feel, or how shamefully others may treat you, how common, poor, powerless, hopeless or helpless you feel, this message of salvation through Jesus Christ the Lord is still good news of great joy for all people. You are of such great worth in the eyes of heaven that Jesus came to give His life for you. The depth of God’s love for you is demonstrated at the cross, where mercy flows freely and grace abounds richly to all who believe.

Let me invite you to come and hear the First Baptist Church choir reprise “The Song of Christmas” this coming Sunday night, Dec. 28, at 6:00. We presented this musical this past Sunday, and if you heard it I think you’ll attest that it’s worth hearing again and worth inviting a friend to come with you. All are welcome and encouraged to come.

10 reasons to rest assured that I'm officially in the Christmas spirit

Just in case you’re still wondering whether or not I’m a Scrooge, here’s a Top Ten list of reasons to rest assured that I’m officially in the Christmas spirit, whatever that means, exactly.

1. I wish people “Merry Christmas,” rather than Happy Holidays. If you want to say Happy Holidays, that’s fine with me. I take no offense. Just don’t take offense at me wishing you a Merry Christmas, either. And if your store chooses to eliminate the word Christmas from its vocabulary and advertising campaign in in the name of political correctness, then don’t be surprised if I do my shopping elsewhere. Which probably isn’t a big deal to you anyway since I don’t really do much shopping. So there.

2. I have a Christmas decoration in my office at church. As a matter of fact, it’s Santa Claus in a black leather jacket, dark sunglasses, jeans and boots riding a big red motorcycle. And when you start the engine he rocks out to “Born to Be Wild.”

3. We have a Christmas tree up at our house with all the ornaments we’ve accumulated over the past 21 years, and then some. And there’s a star on top. Not like the exploding trees they have on display at the Festival of Trees. What’s up with that anyway? Somebody needs to explain to me the concept of why the tops of all the trees look like somebody blew something up.

4. Gifts. When it comes to giving and receiving gifts, mostly receiving, I’m still like a kid at…well, Christmas.

5. The Nutcracker. The family and I went to the Sangamon Auditorium this past weekend to watch a fine performance of people ballet dancing. The sets and costumes were pretty impressive. It was weird, too, which is a compliment because the story takes place as a dream, and dreams are weird, so it was a good weird, I guess.

6. I look forward to family gatherings. We truly are blessed by God with good relationships on both sides of the family. Christmas gives us a chance to get together and enjoy our time, of which we never have enough.

7. Christmas cookies, puppy chow (the snack mix, not the dog food), white chocolate covered pretzels, cherry cheesecake, pecan pie, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, ice cream, bacon.

8. The scenes of Christmas decorating the town. Lights and nativity displays in tasteful moderation. Not the huge inflatable Santa in your front yard or the reindeer stable thing, but nicely decorated homes illuminating the neighborhoods. Unless the outdoor snow globe is your thing, then it’s cool with me, too.

9. I’m singing in the choir for the Petersburg First Baptist Church’s Christmas cantata this coming Sunday morning at 10:45. I have to because my wife is the choir director. It’s called “The Song of Christmas,” and I would love for you to come, too, and we’ll share in the Christmas spirit together.

10. Being reminded that the message of Christmas is Jesus. That He is the light of the world and the hope of the nations, who came preaching good news to the poor, binding up the brokenhearted, proclaiming liberty to the captives, announcing the year of the Lord’s favor, and comforting all who mourn. He came radiating the glory of God. He came abounding with the love of God for mankind. He came to seek and to save the lost by dying in our place on the cross, then rising in victory over sin and death and hell forever. He came as a baby born to a virgin girl named Mary in the little town of Bethlehem, but will one day come again on the clouds of heaven in power and great glory as the mighty King of kings. O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!

Demolishing Hostility, Making Peace Possible

I am tempted to write about the race relations problem plaguing America. But it’s Christmas. Can’t we just all get along?

One of the most significant things Jesus came to earth to accomplish involved some demolition. Jesus destroyed the dividing wall of hostility between Jews and Gentiles. He broke down the barrier and made the two one. He brought peace by reconciling both races to God through Himself on the cross, thereby killing the hostility.

It is no small miracle that in the church belonging to Jesus you will find all shades and hues of skin tone. “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight.” Remember that song? Jesus truly does love all the little children of the world. And He showed it by dying on the cross for every race under the sun.

His blood is equally effective to cleanse the sins and stains of children from China as it is for the children of Chile and Chad and Chattanooga. The mercy and grace of Christ is just as full and free to folks in Finland as it is to folks in Florence and Frankfurt and Fort Wayne. In His love God pursues people from Paris just as passionately as He pursues people from Pakistan and Paraguay and Petersburg.

The book of Revelation in the Bible describes a scene the apostle John witnesses in heaven. “After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10).

It’s a beautiful picture of the nations from every corner of the earth gladly singing for joy and praising our one and only Savior and God, because He has destroyed the walls of hostility and made peace possible through Himself.

Friend, may I suggest that if you don’t really care for people of other nationalities or skin colors while you’re on this planet, you probably won’t enjoy heaven much at all. Let me go a step further and say that there is absolutely no place in the heart of a follower of Jesus to harbor hatred or prejudice against people from other races. And on top of that, I’d be questioning my own experience of God’s salvation if I’m not willing to extend that salvation to someone else because they’re not my same color, don’t speak my language or don’t come from my side of the tracks.

We’re all in the same boat no matter what we look like. We are human beings, each one fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of God. Each one who has sinned against our Maker and is deserving of His wrath. Yet, each one who is loved deeply by the Almighty and offered the same gift of salvation from death and hell by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus on the cross. And each one who must repent of his sin and receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the Christmas Truce of 1914. Five months into World War I, on Christmas Eve, many German and British troops began singing Christmas carols to each other across the lines. As Christmas Day’s first light began to shine, some German troops came out of their trenches unarmed, drew near the Allied lines across no-man’s land, and called out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ languages. The Allied soldiers hesitantly emerged as well and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged gifts of cigarettes and plum pudding and sang carols and songs together.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to see the hostility on the streets of Los Angeles, New York City and Ferguson demolished this Christmas? Aren’t all things possible with God?

Scrooged and Un-scrooged

I feel like a Scrooge. So sue me if I don’t really want to listen to Christmas songs on the radio 24/7 from now until Christmas Day. Forgive me if my desire to watch another Christmas special on TV hasn’t yet peaked, and may not register much above “eh.” And banish me to the island of misfit toys if I don’t give to every charity and bell-ringing organization in the world asking for my money.

I’m not against Christmas. I think the whole “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” thing was a pretty good idea. I mean, that is the reason we have Christmas in the first place, isn’t it? If it weren’t for Jesus there would be no Christmas. I think we ought to celebrate what happened when Jesus came from heaven to earth every single day by rejoicing in His grace and living for His glory.

I am, however, against too much Christmas. Commercial Christmas, that is. And remakes of beloved Christmas carols such as “O Holy Night” that sound like something out of an 80’s long-haired rock band. And sappy Hallmark-ish Christmas-y movies. And Christmas pageants and productions that glorify Santa but snub the Savior.

If we really want to capture “The Christmas Spirit” we need to seek the Christ whose Spirit fills our hearts with peace and joy and hope and goodness and kindness and love for one another. We need to think about the reason Jesus came in the first place, which was to bring salvation to mankind, because otherwise we’d be sunk dead in our sins with no hope of ever finding peace with God.

But Jesus offered His sinless life for us on the cross that we might be forgiven and made righteous in Him. This is the depth of God’s love for you, dear friend, that even while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. And not only did He come to save us from death and hell, but also to give abundant and everlasting life to whosoever believeth in Him. I think I remember reading that in a Book somewhere. Maybe you have, too.

Truly it is an amazing story. May I suggest that spending some quiet time reading through the first few chapters of Matthew and Luke in the Bible and allowing the story to captivate your heart might just lead you to the most joyous Christmas you’ve ever experienced?

Invest a few moments imaging yourself in the role of Mary or Joseph. What emotions must have engulfed Mary’s spirit when the angel came announcing such a mysterious, miraculous message? Why was she the one chosen by God to carry the King of kings in her womb and give birth to the Author of Life? How can this be, she wondered? No wonder she burst forth in song, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior” (Luke 1:46-47).

And how did Joseph even begin to process what happened in his dreams? Could the long-awaited Messiah really be coming? Are the sacred prophecies truly beginning to unfold before my very eyes? Is my sweet Mary really to be the mother of my Savior? Which would make me His earthly father…? How shall I raise the Son of God?

The lights and the decorations and the trees and the sounds of the season are great (as are the gifts!), don’t get me wrong. And, yes, I even give some extra money to the Salvation Army. But in the midst of all the tinsel and garland let’s not forget the incredible story of our Savior who came from heaven to earth, to a little village called Bethlehem, then on to the hill called Calvary, then who rose up from the grave, appeared among men and ascended back into heaven where He is now seated at the right hand of His Father in glory, and will one day soon come again to receive those whose trust is in Him for salvation.

That’s a Christmas worth celebrating! Okay, I’m un-scrooged now.

Thanksgiving

Of all the rich blessings that come from the grace of God, the greatest is the gift of salvation. I’m grateful for every good and perfect gift that comes down from our Father in heaven, but the abundant, eternal life He gives in Christ Jesus far outshines them all.

Have you thanked God for your salvation today? 

Or have you even received His gift of everlasting life yet?

Sometimes in passing thought I wonder where I’d be without Him. What would my life be like if Jesus had not have called me to believe in Him? What if I had flat out rejected His sacrifice on the cross for the forgiveness of all my sin? What if I had despised His mercy and grace and the promise of heaven?

Maybe I could get by in this world. Go to work, make some money, try to hold a family together. Maybe even make an effort to do some good for others, coach my kid’s baseball team, give some money to the food pantry or the Red Cross once in a while. I could feel pretty good about myself. Be a good, productive citizen. But what assurance for better things to come would I really have to look forward to?

Or perhaps I’d be the guy who couldn’t hold down a job. Maybe I’d be the alcoholic who lived in secret shame, or the homeless man who lost his house and whose wife kicked him out to the street for gambling all our money away. Maybe you’d be reading about me on in the police blotter for abusing kids or holding up a gas station.

It is sobering and saddening to think about living without the life and hope of Jesus. You just can’t find the kind of meaning and fulfillment in life apart from Him. You can’t find the kind of strength or help you need to make it without Him. It’s foolish to even try. There’s just no other way. All other roads will ultimately lead to emptiness, frustration, disappointment, regret and death. 

Friend, if you have not yet come to Jesus for eternal salvation, then I have some good news for you. Today can be a brand new day, the beginning of a brand new life. The Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

That’s got your name written all over it. You are immeasurably loved by the Almighty Maker of heaven and earth, the King of kings and Lord of Lords. But because our sins have separated us from Him, we deserve His wrath rather than His mercy. And no amount of good deeds could ever earn any of us favor with a holy and righteous God.

Jesus, however, is God’s perfect provision for our sin: “But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved…” (Ephesians 2:4-5). This is the amazing grace that is greater than our sin! Jesus took our sin upon Himself on the cross that we might die to sin and live for righteousness.

In the words of the famous hymn: “And when I think that God, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; that on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.”

So what do we have to do in order to receive this forgiveness for sin and the assurance of everlasting life? Repent of sin and believe in Jesus. That’s it. You can call upon the name of the Lord right now, receiving Him as your Savior and Lord.

And you’ll agree with me that of all the blessings that come from the gracious hand of God, the greatest of all is the gift of salvation in Jesus. “Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul. Thank you, Lord, for making me whole. Thank you, Lord, for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free.”

Our Transparent Community Thanksgiving Service

In the name of transparency, I want to let you know exactly what’s in store for you if you vote with your feet to attend this year’s Community Thanksgiving Service.

That line is intended to speak in contrast to the current White House administration which promised to be the most transparent this nation has ever seen. As it has played out however, they’ve been doing nothing but covering up, misleading, deceiving, distancing, backpedaling and eating their empty promises. When South Carolina Congressman Joe Wilson rudely interrupted the President’s joint session speech to Congress in 2009 yelling out, “You lie!” at least he was telling the truth.

In the news this past week (not the main stream lap dog news media, mind you), videos have surfaced unveiling some telling footage featuring one of the major advisors to the Affordable Care Act. The infamous consultant is Jonathan Gruber, MIT professor and Obamacare architect, who was paid $400,000 through contracts with the Department of Health and Human Services in 2009, in addition to other state contracts of $1.6 million to help design the health law.

You need to look up some of the videos to get the full impact of Gruber’s arrogance and condescension, but here are a couple of lines. “Lack of transparency is a huge political advantage,” he said at the University of Pennsylvania in 2013. “And basically, call it the stupidity of the American voter or whatever, but basically that was really, really critical for the thing to pass.”

And this: “This [Affordable Care Act] was written in a tortured way to make sure CBO did not score the mandate as taxes. If CBO scored the mandate as taxes, the bill dies.” If I had more space, there’s plenty more material indicting the administration’s intentionally dishonest approach. But you get the idea. You’re not stupid.

Now that’s what I call true transparency. This has been quite a revealing behind-the-scenes look at what many of the leading liberal elitists really think, but are usually careful to not say publicly. Yet they’re not even blushing as they brush this news aside.

Nancy Pelosi (should I even waste the ink on her comments?) has touted Gruber’s work in helping craft the healthcare plan. After his comments have gone public however, Pelosi now claims she doesn’t even know who he is, nor did he help write the bill.

Seriously, you can look all this stuff up. Not on the main stream news, however.

And President Obama himself is, of course, distancing himself from Gruber, calling him “some advisor who never worked on our staff.” Just some advisor, huh? Records show Gruber has visited the White House more than a dozen times, with one of the meetings in the Oval Office with Pres. Obama, which Gruber bragged about on a PBS “Frontline” interview in 2012, as they ironed out the bill.

The healthcare fiasco is just one of many news items which make it seem to me like we’re just not getting the whole story. Think IRS scandal, Benghazi, Fast and Furious, Immigration issues, birth certificate (oh, I forgot, that one’s been settled, right?).

So when it comes to transparency you may not get it from Washington, but you will get it here without the spin. The Community Thanksgiving Service to be held this Sunday, Nov. 23, at 7:00 p.m. at the Petersburg First Baptist Church will be a worship and thanksgiving celebration to the Lord Almighty. We will sing praise songs and hymns. We will pray. We will read the Bible. There will be a gospel-centered message. We will receive an offering. We will offer a mix of healthy and unhealthy snacks after the service.

I’m not lying. Pastors from at least seven churches are planning to be there, and I hope you are, too. We think you’re smart enough to make a good decision and join us!

Thanking God

 It’s a good day to be alive in Petersburg, IL! If you were able to get up and out of bed this morning, eat a decent meal or two or three today, take a hot shower, wear some warm clothes, go to work or school or enjoy retirement, then I hope you’ll agree with me.

God’s “common grace” abounds as He delights to show His favor to mankind. The blessings of everyday things we often take for granted are truly gifts from the hand of God, intended to lead us to praise and thank Him, and ultimately to lead us to the greatest gift of all – eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Have you thanked God lately for the home you live in? “Wait a minute,” you say. “God didn’t give me that home. I worked hard to earn enough money to buy it!”

But who do you think gave you the ability to earn wealth? Who providentially opened the door for the job you have? Who wired your mind and crafted your hands to be able to learn your trade or succeed in your profession? Who instills within the heart of man the desire to research, accomplish and teach? Who gives man the responsibility to care for his family, his community and his world, and impresses upon him the willingness to strive for the good of his fellow man?

In just two weeks many of us will be sitting around tables full of food with our families in warm homes, maybe cheering on a favorite football team or watching a spectacular parade in New York City. We’ll know that we’re supposed to be thankful, but will we address our gratitude to the proper Source? Here’s where many miss the message.

I want to offer a very practical way of helping you express your thanks where the thanks is truly due. Rather than saying, “I’m thankful for my family. I’m thankful for my friends. I’m thankful for my health,” or whatever else it is, turn your attention to the Giver of such blessings. Perhaps say it like this with gratitude from your heart, “God, thank You for the blessing of my family. Thank You, Lord, for my faithful friends. Father in heaven, I give You thanks for the health You’ve given me.”

And while we’re on the subject, why not give God thanks for the freedoms we have in this nation, and for the men and women in uniform who have put their lives on the line for us? The Lord has surely been gracious to us in America.

Thank You, Father, for the blessings and opportunities and freedoms You’ve given us. And thank You for all those who have sacrificed so much for this nation, and for those serving even now to protect us from the evil schemes of our enemies and to promote the greater good throughout the world. Please cover them with Your strong hand of protection. Provide for their physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Remind them of Your presence and Your promises as they call upon Your name. Bless their families at home with Your peace that passes all understanding, given freely to those who pray to You with thanksgiving. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Friend, may I suggest even now, for the next two weeks and beyond, that you ask God to continue to cultivate within you a heart of gratitude to Him? Take note of the everyday blessings of life, and give thanks to God for them all. Choose gratitude rather than grumbling, complaining and whining. Count your many blessings and see what God has done! It’s a good day to be alive!