Have you ever felt like God doesn't care what you are going through? Does it sometimes seem like He's a million miles away when you're having problems? Have you ever wanted to pray, "God, I'm serving you faithfully, and yet you still don't seem to be showing up in my life?"
Chances are, if you've been a Christian for very long, you've experienced times when God just seemed to be running late. I heard a country song one time that suggested that "God must be busy," and that was the reason He wasn't coming through. And although I have no doubt that God is very busy, I want you to know that He's never too busy to help you out in your times of trouble. The only thing we have to understand is this: His timing is seldom what we're expecting or hoping for; but it's always perfect.
This Sunday at EFBC, we'll look at John 11 as we wrap up this three-part series called Alternate Plans. The message this week is entitled When God Seems Late, and hopefully you'll find comfort in learning that many people in the Bible had to wait on God just like we do. I'm so excited to preach this message on Sunday, and I hope you'll plan on being here!
If you're down, depressed, and feeling like there's no hope for your situation, I've got some good news for you today: The best is yet to come, and you ain't seen nothin' yet!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Friday, May 06, 2011
Alternate Plans
Hope everyone's having a great Friday. If not, take heart, because Sunday's on the way! Are you as excited about worship this weekend at EFBC as I am? I can't wait to meet together with my church family and see what God has in store for us! I hope you're still praying BIG prayers!
It has been such a blessing this week to see how folks in our church have responded to the needs associated with the tornado disaster. We've had much given including money, food and supplies, and manpower. It was awesome this past Sunday to have the opportunity to help out a precious 90-year-old sister in Christ. Our team from EFBC worked tirelessly transforming what was a disaster area back into something resembling normalcy. I hope we were a blessing to her, but I know this experience was definitely a blessing to me and everyone who participated.
Now, as we look forward to Sunday, let me encourage everyone to be praying. Pray for a mighty move of the Spirit. Pray that God will use me to bring a powerful message. Pray for lives to be changed. And most of all, pray that we'll make much of Jesus. He's what it's all about, anyway!
This Sunday we'll continue the series we started last week called Alternate Plans. The message is entitled From Bad To Worse, and we'll be looking at Genesis 39-40. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like things couldn't get any worse? And then, somehow, things got worse. You may be going through something like that right at this very moment. This Sunday we're going to look at a guy who understood all too well what it meant to go from bad to worse. I hope you'll plan on being here.
Also, don't forget that this Sunday is Mother's Day, and we'll be recognizing all the mother's that are in attendance. And remember, there's no evening service on Mother's Day.
Our God is an awesome God! Come to worship this Sunday morning like you really believe that! And come to worship this Sunday like you really believe that the best is yet to come and that we ain't seen nothin' yet!
It has been such a blessing this week to see how folks in our church have responded to the needs associated with the tornado disaster. We've had much given including money, food and supplies, and manpower. It was awesome this past Sunday to have the opportunity to help out a precious 90-year-old sister in Christ. Our team from EFBC worked tirelessly transforming what was a disaster area back into something resembling normalcy. I hope we were a blessing to her, but I know this experience was definitely a blessing to me and everyone who participated.
Now, as we look forward to Sunday, let me encourage everyone to be praying. Pray for a mighty move of the Spirit. Pray that God will use me to bring a powerful message. Pray for lives to be changed. And most of all, pray that we'll make much of Jesus. He's what it's all about, anyway!
This Sunday we'll continue the series we started last week called Alternate Plans. The message is entitled From Bad To Worse, and we'll be looking at Genesis 39-40. Have you ever been in a situation where you felt like things couldn't get any worse? And then, somehow, things got worse. You may be going through something like that right at this very moment. This Sunday we're going to look at a guy who understood all too well what it meant to go from bad to worse. I hope you'll plan on being here.
Also, don't forget that this Sunday is Mother's Day, and we'll be recognizing all the mother's that are in attendance. And remember, there's no evening service on Mother's Day.
Our God is an awesome God! Come to worship this Sunday morning like you really believe that! And come to worship this Sunday like you really believe that the best is yet to come and that we ain't seen nothin' yet!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
About Sunday
Hope everyone's doing well tonight. This past week has been historic for the state of Alabama, and unfortunately not in a good way. The response from our church has been phenomenal...including donations and people volunteering to work on the front lines.
Many, however, who work during the week have felt helpless not being able to go and do something. We've had an overwhelming number of people wanting to go tomorrow and work in the affected areas. Therefore, we've decided to postpone the deacon's meeting, and call off evening services tomorrow to allow our people an opportunity to minister. This is what being the church is all about.
If you still have donations to give, you can bring them with you to church in the morning. Then, after the service, we'll break for lunch and everyone who can, meet back at 12:30 (time may be adjusted depending on what time we dismiss). If you can't be back that quickly, but still would like to help out, we'll have a contact person you can call to find out where we're working.
Sorry I didn't get out a Sunday Preview email this week, but with everything going on I just haven't had the time. Tomorrow morning we'll begin a new series of messages entitled Alternate Plans. Tomorrow's sermon is When Your Dreams Are Shattered, and I promise you, I wrote this sermon before the storms that came through on Wednesday. In fact, I sent Star the bulletin outline on Tuesday, having no idea at the time the depths of the devastation our county and state would experience the next day. But God just works things out that way sometimes. The scripture we'll be looking at is 1 Samuel 21 and 22.
I can't wait to meet with my church family tomorrow. We've seen a lot of bad this week, but we've also seen a lot of good as people have responded. But never forget that the best is yet to come, and we ain't seen nothin' yet!
Many, however, who work during the week have felt helpless not being able to go and do something. We've had an overwhelming number of people wanting to go tomorrow and work in the affected areas. Therefore, we've decided to postpone the deacon's meeting, and call off evening services tomorrow to allow our people an opportunity to minister. This is what being the church is all about.
If you still have donations to give, you can bring them with you to church in the morning. Then, after the service, we'll break for lunch and everyone who can, meet back at 12:30 (time may be adjusted depending on what time we dismiss). If you can't be back that quickly, but still would like to help out, we'll have a contact person you can call to find out where we're working.
Sorry I didn't get out a Sunday Preview email this week, but with everything going on I just haven't had the time. Tomorrow morning we'll begin a new series of messages entitled Alternate Plans. Tomorrow's sermon is When Your Dreams Are Shattered, and I promise you, I wrote this sermon before the storms that came through on Wednesday. In fact, I sent Star the bulletin outline on Tuesday, having no idea at the time the depths of the devastation our county and state would experience the next day. But God just works things out that way sometimes. The scripture we'll be looking at is 1 Samuel 21 and 22.
I can't wait to meet with my church family tomorrow. We've seen a lot of bad this week, but we've also seen a lot of good as people have responded. But never forget that the best is yet to come, and we ain't seen nothin' yet!
Friday, April 22, 2011
Will The Sun Stand Still?
Last Sunday at EFBC, we talked about how Joshua prayed an audacious prayer, asking God to make the sun stand still...and God answered his prayer! On Monday, just 24 hours after preaching that message, I read this quote from Francis Chan: "If we never pray audacious prayers, how can He answer them?" Could it be that the reason we don't see even greater, more miraculous things than we've already seen, is because our prayers aren't audacious enough?
This week, I've been praying HUGE prayers for this Sunday at EFBC! I'm praying that we'll see "sun stand still" kind of miracles right here at the end of Gate 8 Road. I hope you're praying those kind of BIG prayers, as well. If you haven't already, let me ask you to please start praying right now for Easter at EFBC.
We'll begin the day with a sunrise service at 6 a.m. That will be followed by Sunday School and morning worship, both at their regular times. There will be no Sunday night service this week.
At the 10 o'clock service, I'll be preaching a sermon entitled The Best News. In case you're wondering, this will be a straightforward gospel message taken from the resurrection chapter...1 Corinthians 15. I'm praying for a packed out church building, and I'm praying for a multitude to be saved!
Besides praying, however, I'm also inviting people. I hope you are, too! This may be the best opportunity you have all year long to get your family and/or friends to attend a church service. Do your best to GET THEM HERE!!!
One more thing I wanted to mention this morning: If you or your family haven't yet had your picture made for our self-published church directory, we'll be doing that one more time this Sunday. This will be your last chance to be a part of this, so please help us make this directory complete.
Christ is risen, He's still answering audacious prayers, and He's coming again! The best is yet to come, and you ain't seen nothin' yet!
This week, I've been praying HUGE prayers for this Sunday at EFBC! I'm praying that we'll see "sun stand still" kind of miracles right here at the end of Gate 8 Road. I hope you're praying those kind of BIG prayers, as well. If you haven't already, let me ask you to please start praying right now for Easter at EFBC.
We'll begin the day with a sunrise service at 6 a.m. That will be followed by Sunday School and morning worship, both at their regular times. There will be no Sunday night service this week.
At the 10 o'clock service, I'll be preaching a sermon entitled The Best News. In case you're wondering, this will be a straightforward gospel message taken from the resurrection chapter...1 Corinthians 15. I'm praying for a packed out church building, and I'm praying for a multitude to be saved!
Besides praying, however, I'm also inviting people. I hope you are, too! This may be the best opportunity you have all year long to get your family and/or friends to attend a church service. Do your best to GET THEM HERE!!!
One more thing I wanted to mention this morning: If you or your family haven't yet had your picture made for our self-published church directory, we'll be doing that one more time this Sunday. This will be your last chance to be a part of this, so please help us make this directory complete.
Christ is risen, He's still answering audacious prayers, and He's coming again! The best is yet to come, and you ain't seen nothin' yet!
Friday, April 15, 2011
Audacious Prayers
Have you ever prayed a prayer that was audacious? I was blown away recently by the audacity of a prayer that Joshua prayed. I've known this story for a long time, but when I got to really considering just what he asked for, I was kind of overwhelmed. When I saw the bigness of his request, and that God actually granted it, it made me realize just how small my prayers really are.
The sermon this Sunday is entitled Audacious Prayers, and we'll be looking at Joshua 10:6-14. If you're reading ahead, it would help if you go back and read all of chapter 9 and the first five verses of chapter 10 to get some important background information. Then, when you get into this week's text, pay careful attention to what Joshua prays for in verse 12. God's answer follows immediately in verse 13. It's one of the most audacious prayers ever prayed, and the result is one of the most amazing miracles the world has ever seen!
This Sunday is Palm Sunday. That means we're one week away from Easter. We've already talked about going fishing for Easter, and I'm praying that the results will be MIND BLOWING! I've made up my mind that I'm going to be praying audacious prayers for God to do something ASTOUNDING on resurrection day! I hope you'll join with me in asking God to do something HUGE right here at 1835 Gate 8 Road!
Let's face it, folks: We've already seen God doing incredible things here. We've seen a miracle take place with our Wednesday night ministries. We've seen more baptisms than this church has seen in decades. We've seen God doing more than we could have ever imagined. And yet, I have no doubt that He wants to do more! Second Peter says God's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Until we've seen every soul saved in this community, I believe God wants greater things for Eulaton First Baptist Church!
With Easter Sunday coming up, I'm asking you to join with me in praying audacious prayers. Pray that God will send so many people that we'll be busting at the seams! Pray that the seed of the gospel will find fertile ground in the hearts of the lost and that multitudes will be saved! Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like we've never seen before! And pray for God to do the impossible!
Church, I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it: The best is yet to come, and we ain't seen nothin' yet!
The sermon this Sunday is entitled Audacious Prayers, and we'll be looking at Joshua 10:6-14. If you're reading ahead, it would help if you go back and read all of chapter 9 and the first five verses of chapter 10 to get some important background information. Then, when you get into this week's text, pay careful attention to what Joshua prays for in verse 12. God's answer follows immediately in verse 13. It's one of the most audacious prayers ever prayed, and the result is one of the most amazing miracles the world has ever seen!
This Sunday is Palm Sunday. That means we're one week away from Easter. We've already talked about going fishing for Easter, and I'm praying that the results will be MIND BLOWING! I've made up my mind that I'm going to be praying audacious prayers for God to do something ASTOUNDING on resurrection day! I hope you'll join with me in asking God to do something HUGE right here at 1835 Gate 8 Road!
Let's face it, folks: We've already seen God doing incredible things here. We've seen a miracle take place with our Wednesday night ministries. We've seen more baptisms than this church has seen in decades. We've seen God doing more than we could have ever imagined. And yet, I have no doubt that He wants to do more! Second Peter says God's not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Until we've seen every soul saved in this community, I believe God wants greater things for Eulaton First Baptist Church!
With Easter Sunday coming up, I'm asking you to join with me in praying audacious prayers. Pray that God will send so many people that we'll be busting at the seams! Pray that the seed of the gospel will find fertile ground in the hearts of the lost and that multitudes will be saved! Pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit like we've never seen before! And pray for God to do the impossible!
Church, I've said it before and I'll keep on saying it: The best is yet to come, and we ain't seen nothin' yet!
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