Category Archives: Evangelism

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Living On Purpose – Day 1

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Sunday Evening Rewind!

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. -1 Peter 3:15

Today has been another wonderful Sunday in my life and in the life of the congregation that I am blessed with being a shepherd to. I really do love Sundays. I love getting up, getting ready, putting on my “Sunday Best”, going to church, singing the songs, praying the prayers, getting into the Scriptures and enjoying the smiles, hugs, loves and fellowship.

We began our service this morning with Baptism, which is always a very special time of remembering just what it means to be in relationship with God through Jesus. Our sins are forgiven, washed away and we are cleansed from all unrighteousness. What made it even more special this morning was that it was a Mom and her Son.

We then had a great time of worship and let me just say that I really enjoyed myself preaching this morning. I was so excited and fired up in a good way. I was a little discouraged at the end of the service to realize that we are still having sound issues with our videos, but I’m learning I’ve got to do what I can and then let that go.

One of the things that I have been missing on Sundays is getting to eat lunch and have some fellowship with our extended family. We have all gotten too busy, sick or just distracted from making that a priority. I like when our whole family is able to worship together, enjoy a meal together and just let Sunday be Sunday. The older I get, the more I appreciate the small things and realize they were big things.

This evening I had a great time at our Saluda Baptist Association Annual Meeting and got to spend some time before our worship time visiting with some of the ministry leaders from all across the upstate. It was great visiting with some ole friends and getting to make some new ones. The worship was inspirational and the message was challenging.

This morning we talked about BEING AN ON PURPOSE CHRISTIAN/CHURCH and how ENCOURAGING EVANGELISM is the first step in the right direction. To practice encouraging evangelism, we need to always be ready to give an answer to every person that might ask us about the hope that is in us. This week, I will try to bring us some challenge via video, blog and social media to help us to grow in this area of our life and living.

Thanks so much for being my family and my friends. I love you guys and pray that something I say or do is a blessing and encouragement to you! 👣

Blogroll, Discipleship, Evangelism, faith, forgiveness, God, Growing, life, love, Personal, purpose, Uncategorized

Get Honest And Get Free!

At first thought, I would love to tell you I am a perfect person. A person that always thinks good thoughts and always does the right thing. A person who has no enemies, commits no sins and gets it right, no matter the situation or circumstance. At first thought, I think this is what I would love to be able to tell you, but then after I think about it for a few minutes, I realize that would not be me at all.

While it is very true that I am not my mistakes, sins and failures, the reality is, they are a part of me, the part of me that is human. They are the part of my human experience, which is teaching me that I am a spiritual being getting to have a human experience. And while I am not proud of these things, the Spirit has taught me that God has used and is using all of these things to help shape me into who and what He created me to be. It is all part of His process!

The world we live in is a beautiful, mystical and amazing place, but it also a hard, ugly and mean place at the same time. It is in this place that there is a continual battle that wages, a battle we get caught up in and often distracted by.

Oh, we like to pretend that it doesn’t exist and we tend to ignore the obvious, but that does not change the reality that all of us are sinners that miss the mark, and we really do need to own that. A big part of accepting what God has done for us through Jesus is admitting the truth that we are sinners who miss the mark and don’t measure up.

“For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you. please.” -Galatians 5:17

Part of our saying that we BELIEVE is acknowledging our sinfulness, accepting it’s consequences and admitting that in our on limited human strength and power, we can do nothing to save ourselves and live the life we were created for. We don’t need to dwell on this part of our life and living, but we do need to be honest and real about it, because that is a vital part of our being able to allow Spirit to do His work in and through us.

Yes, we have messed up and we will mess up, but God loves us and has a plan to use it all for His glory and our blessing as we trust in Him. So own your stuff, admit and learn from your sins, mistakes and failures. Learn to yield to the SPIRIT and you will overcome the desires of the flesh that attempt to pull you off track and out of the will of God’s blessing.

It’s not easy, but it is possible and it’s the relationship you were created for…