Resolutions

Resolutions - you either love them or hate them. Many hopeful people make (and inevitably break) resolutions every single new year. Others, perhaps more pessimistic, believe resolutions are a waste of time and don't even bother. What about you? Is it wise or foolish to resolve to do things each year? The famous pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards evidently thought so and he made 70 resolutions (over a period of two years) that he reviewed every week.

Here are three of his that just might help stir up some resolutions of your own:

Resolved, Never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions (sin), however unsuccessful I may be.

Resolved, Never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.

Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month, and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better.

No Worship Service December 26, 2010

Due to the weather we will not have our worship service today. Please be safe, enjoy the snow, and take time to praise the Lord in the warmth of your own homes!

"God As A Fetus"

“God became a man. While the creatures of earth walked unaware, Divinity arrived. Heaven opened herself and placed her most precious one in a human womb. The Omnipotent, in one instant, made himself breakable. He who had been spirit became pierceable. He who was larger than the universe became an embryo. And he who sustains the world with a word chose to be dependent upon the nourishment of a young girl. God as a fetus. Holiness sleeping in a womb. The creator of life being created. God was given eyebrows, elbows, two kidneys, and a spleen. He stretched against the walls and floated in the amniotic fluids of his mother. God had come near.” – Max Lucado

God With Us

One of my favorite descriptions of Christmas:

“It is here, in the thing that happened at the first Christmas, that the profoundest and most unfathomable depths of the Christian revelation lie: The Word became flesh; God became man; the divine Son became a Jew; the Almighty appeared on earth as a helpless human baby, unable to do more than lie and stare and wriggle and make noises, needing to be fed and changed and taught to talk like any other child. And there is no illusion or deception in this: the babyhood of the Son of God was a reality. The more you think about it, the more staggering it gets. Nothing in fiction is so fantastic as is this truth of the Incarnation. The Christian message rests upon the staggering fact that the child in the manger was – God.” -JI Packer Knowing God

A Hole In Our Holiness

Kevin DeYoung has written a penetrating article about the absence of holiness among so many professing Christians today. I urge you all to read it (maybe twice) and then have a moment of self-evaluation alone with God. Here's how he begins:

"I have a growing concern that younger evangelicals do not take seriously the Bible’s call to personal holiness. We are too at peace with worldliness in our homes, too at ease with sin in our lives, too content with spiritual immaturity in our churches."

Click here to read the rest of it.

Preparing For Sunday

November 14, 2010

Songs we will sing:
Your Love O Lord
How Can I Keep From Singing
Glorious & Mighty
Jesus Paid It All
Your Name

Sermon:
Acts 7:54-60. Not long after Stephen was given the responsibility to help care for some widows he was brutally murdered. This Sunday we will see why he was murdered and what we can learn from this man's brief (but lasting) example of living and dying for Jesus Christ.

Preparing For Sunday

November 7, 2010

Songs we will sing:
We Exalt You
Beautiful One
Come Thou Fount
Arise My Soul Arise
All I Owe
Behold The Lamb (Communion Song)

Sermon:
Acts 6:1-7. This Sunday we continue our Acts series by examining how the early church handled a potentially explosive internal conflict. Join us as we continue to learn how they solved this immediate threat to unity, and ultimately why the early church gained that now famous reputation of turning their world upside down.

Preparing For Sunday

October 17, 2010

Songs we will sing:
Holy Is The Lord
Your Name
What A Savior
Amazing Grace
How Deep The Father's Love

Sermon:
Acts 4:1-13. After spending a night in jail, Peter and John appear before the Sanhedrin. These are the same men who condemned Jesus to death. They had all night to think about it, and now the moment has arrived. How will they react? What will they say? One word describes Peter's response: BOLD. Join us this Sunday as we continue our Acts sermon series Upside Down.

Do I Give God Leftovers?

Does God get my leftovers? It is a haunting question. I've been thinking about this ever since hearing another pastor preach about it last week and reading about it in Crazy Love. We all know what leftovers are. Some people give their best to their work... or hobbies... or the football game the night before (or some other event). Then Sunday morning rolls around and they drag themselves to church and give God leftovers. So sad. So heartbreaking. And yet it happens all the time.

Here is what Francis Chan wrote about it:

"For years I gave God leftovers and felt no shame. It's easy to fill ourselves up with other things and then give God whatever is left. God gets a scrap or two only because we feel guilty for giving Him nothing. A mumbled three minute prayer at the end of the day, when we are already half asleep. Two crumpled-up dollar bills thrown as an afterthought into the church's fund for the poor. Fetch, God!"

Don't Be A Cumberer Church!

Even after Googling it, I'm still not exactly sure what a "cumberer of the ground" is, but I don't want our church to be one, that's for sure! As usual, JC Ryle shoots it straight:

"Whenever a Church keeps back Christ crucified, or puts anything whatever in that foremost place which Christ crucified should always have, from that moment a Church ceases to be useful. Without Christ crucified in her pulpits, a Church is little better than a cumberer of the ground, a dead carcass, a well without water, a barren fig-tree, a sleeping watchman, a silent trumpet, a dumb witness, an ambassador without terms of peace, a messenger without tidings, a lighthouse without fire, a stumbling-block to weak believers, a comfort to infidels, a hot-bed for formalism, a joy to the devil, and an offence to God." JC Ryle

Crazy Love

Lately I've been reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It's a book that is encouraging, confrontational, delightful, bold, humble, and risky - all at the same time. I've decided to share some of his thoughts with you as I read it.

"There is an epidemic of spiritual amnesia going around, and none of us is immune. No matter how many fascinating details we learn about God's creation, no matter how many pictures we see of galaxies, and no matter how many sunsets we watch, we still forget."

Forget what? That God is glorious.

Preparing For Sunday

Sunday, September 19

Songs we will sing:
How Great Is Our God
God Of Wonders
By Thy Mercy
There Is A Fountain
Mighty To Save

Sermon:
Acts 1:1-11. This Sunday we will begin going through the book of Acts to see what it was about the early church that led to the accusation that they "turned the world upside down" (see Acts 17:6). Join us as we spend the next few month studying Acts to learn how the early church earned that now famous reputation.

Introducing Justin Nale

This Sunday our guest speaker will be Justin Nale. He is the pastor of Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church here in Rocky Mount. Justin is married to Crystal and they have two sons, Jonathan and Benjamin. It has been my absolute pleasure getting to know him over the past several years. I always enjoy spending time with Justin - whether it's sipping coffee and discussing theology, or sharing the responsibility of teaching at a local conference. Justin has already been a guest speaker at one of our men's breakfasts, and I'm delighted that he will fill the pulpit this Sunday. I know I'll be listening intently. He will be speaking on a topic that both he and I are passionate about - the local church.

Not A Smart Idea...

As a pastor, words fail me when I read about all the media craze surrounding one Florida pastor who is organizing a "burn the Koran" event for this Saturday (the anniversary of 9/11). So I'll let Kevin DeYoung speak for me: http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2010/09/09/burning-the-koran-and-shooting-yourself-in-the-foot/ (click to read)

Ears To Hear - Wrapped Up

This Sunday we will wrap up our Summer Series on Revelation 1-3 called Ears To Hear. I'll be concluding with 3 lessons that we can learn from examining all of these messages from Jesus to the seven churches in chapter 2-3. One thing has stood out each week as I preached through this series - Jesus is both obviously and openly passionate about His Church. Join us as we review these letters and rejoice again in His great love for His own.

Missions Sunday 2010

Introducing Randall Smith

This Sunday, August 8, Randall Smith will preach at our church. Randall is married to Jennifer, and they have one son, Jeremy. He's the associate pastor at Cornerstone Vineyard Church here in Rocky Mount, and a Lieutenant with the Sheriff's Office responsible for overseeing the Nash County jail. I'm encouraged by Randall's eagerness to preach God's Word, his willingness to humbly serve in any setting (I've witnessed some of his VBS skits first hand), his commitment to Jennifer and Jeremy, and his obvious passion for his local church. Cornerstone Church is blessed to have this man serving as an elder. And we are blessed to have him as a guest speaker.

Preparing For Sunday

Sunday, August 1

Songs we will sing:
Cannons
Lord Most High
What A Savior
Once Again
Mighty To Save
Jesus Thank You (our communion song)

Sermon:
Revelation 3:1-6. Ears to Hear: Sardis. Perhaps the worst thing a church could ever hear was the message that Jesus sent to this church. He said, "You are dead..." There is no good news for the Sardis Church, just a call to repent. Join us this Sunday as we humbly contemplate our Savior's warning to this church.

Preparing For Sunday

Sunday, July 18 @ Servant's Heart Fellowship

Songs we will sing:
O Worship The King
Everlasting God
Sweetly Broken
In Christ Alone
Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus

Sermon:
Revelation 2:12-17. Week four of our Ears to Hear series. Some in the church at Pergamum had compromised with the culture of this city. We have much to learn from this message to this church about church and culture. Join us this Sunday as we read what Jesus had to say about it.

Polycarp's Prayer

Polycarp was martyred in 155 or 156AD. He was the bishop of Smyrna and a very bold witness for Christ, faithfully proclaiming his faith right up to his death. His bravery was incredible, as were his final words - this prayer uttered right before he was brutally murdered:

"O Lord God Almighty, the Father of Your beloved and blessed Son Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the knowledge of You, the God of angels and powers and of all creation and of the whole race of the righteous, who live in Your presence; I thank You because You have granted me this day and hour, that I might receive a portion amongst the number of martyrs in the cup of Your Christ unto resurrection of eternal life, both of soul and of body, in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit.

May I be received among these in Your presence this day, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, as You did prepare and reveal it beforehand, and have accomplished it, You that are the faithful and true God. For this cause, yea and for all things, I praise You, I bless You, I glorify You, through the eternal and heavenly High-priest, Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, through Whom, with Him and the Holy Spirit, be glory both now and ever and for the ages to come. Amen."

Sunday Quotes!

Today I preached on Christ's message to the Ephesian church (Revelation 2:1-7). Here are the sermon quotes:

“They had yielded to the temptation, ever present to Christians, to put all their emphasis on sound teaching. In the process they lost love, without which all else is nothing.” Leon Morris

“Christ’s warning to Ephesus is just as appropriate to us today. Our own church’s light will be extinguished if we stubbornly persevere in our refusal to love Christ. The church has no light without love. Only when its love burns can its light shine. Many churches today have ceased truly to exist. Their building may remain intact, their ministers minister and their congregations congregate, but their lamp-stand has been removed. No glimmer of light radiates from it. It has not light because it has no love. Let us heed this warning before it is too late.” John Stott

“The cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough to it for its sparks to fall on us.” John Stott

Preparing For Sunday

Sunday, July 4 @ Servant's Heart Fellowship

Songs we will sing:
Here I Am To Worship
Oh For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
Join All The Glorious Names
You Are Everlasting God
Jesus Paid It All
There You Were (Communion Song)

Sermon:
Revelation 2:1-7. This is week two in our series Ears To Hear - seven churches, seven messages, one Lord. We will examine our Savior's message to the church at Ephesus, a commendable church with one major flaw - they had lost their love. Join us to find out what Jesus thinks about this (hint - He's not OK with it)!

Ears To Hear - Summer Sermon Series

Ears To Hear - Seven churches, seven messages, one Lord.

Our Summer Sermon Series from Revelation 1-3
June 27 -Series Intro: Christ’s Message to Seven Churches (chapter 1)
July 4 - The Message to Ephesus (2:1-7)
July 11 - The Message to Smyrna (2:8-11)
July 18 - The Message to Pergamum (2:12-17)
July 25 - The Message to Thyatira (2:18-29)
August 1 - The Message to Sardis (3:1-6)
August 22 - The Message to Philadelphia (3:7-13)
August 29 - The Message to Laodicea (3:14-22)

Preparing For Sunday

Sunday, June 20 @ Servant's Heart Fellowship

Songs we will sing
Cannons
Indescribable
Mighty To Save
Grace Flows Down
Before The Throne Of God Above
Sermon
Ephesians 6:1-4. A Father's Day message. If you're thinking that it won't apply to you because you aren't a father, guess again, this sermon is really about our Father in heaven!

Preparing For Sunday

Sunday, June 13 @ Servant's Heart Fellowship:

Songs we will sing

Hosanna (a new song we introduced Palm Sunday)

Open The Eyes Of My Heart

Praise To The Lord The Almighty (a great hymn)

Once Again

I Stand Amazed

Sermon

Luke 7:36-50. I'll be preaching about lessons we can learn from Simon's dinner table. Several things happened at dinner - Simon behaved poorly as a host, a sinful woman interrupted the meal, and Jesus used the occasion to take Simon to school for a lesson on forgiveness. We will end our worship service with Communion.

Sermons You Need To Hear

As many of you know, I listen to quite a few sermons (always hoping to improve my own, of course!). Occasionally I recommend some of these to you. Here's a strong one recently preached by my friend Brandon Powell over at Christ Baptist Church in Wilson. His sermon was on Psalm 1, and he was very effective at describing what it means to "delight" in the law of God. Add to that his obvious gratefulness for our Savior, and this sermon should find its way onto your own personal "sermons you need to hear" list.

Download it here: http://www.christbc.com/sermons.html (Brandon's is at the top of the sermon list)

Pentecost Sunday

This Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. No doubt about it, this was certainly an exciting day in church history. Picture it if you can: the gathering of believers... the sound like a mighty rushing wind... the appearance of fire resting upon them... the filling of the Holy Spirit... the overflow of praise in multiple languages... the bewilderment of the crowd... and the instantaneous growth of the early church from 120 to 3000 after Peter's first sermon. What a day! Although not the "greatest day" in history - that esteemed honor belongs exclusively to Resurrection Sunday - it's definitely up there with the best of of them!

How do the events of that day affect us as believers today? Join us as we consider this and celebrate this exciting holy day at Servant's Heart Fellowship.

"How To Pray Badly"

It's no secret that Christians often struggle with prayer - especially when they feel like God is not listening. When this does happen (and it will) it is always good to do a self evaluation. Here's a helpful tool: Tim Challies has written an article called "How to Pray Badly" that lists 6 reasons why our prayers may seem to go unanswered by God.
1. selfish motives
2. turning away from Scripture
3. unforgiving hearts
4. family discord
5. unconfessed sin
6. doubt

Read the whole article: www.challies.com/christian-living/how-to-pray-badly

Happy Earth Day...

Most of you know that I'm not the most "environmentally conscious" guy on the planet (I use Styrofoam cups with absolutely no guilt). It's not that I don't care about pollution... or rain forests... or whales... or recycling. It's just that I care about a lot of other things much more. And what I really don't care about is the hype that so often goes along with celebrating Earth Day. However, Kevin Deyoung wrote a great Earth Day article that I can fully agree with. It's definitely worth reading.

Check it out: here

Introducing Jim Upchurch

Our church has graciously arranged for Autumn and I to spend a long weekend in Myrtle Beach. We are so grateful, and eager to enjoy this gift! And while I'll certainly miss preaching at our church, I'm very excited about the guy who will take my place behind the pulpit of Servant's Heart Fellowship this Sunday: my good friend Jim Upchurch (seen above with his son Isaiah).

Jim is married to Rachel and they have two young children, Isaiah and Jana. I've known Jim for a couple of years, and have been honored to partner with him in several local events including a marriage conference, a parenting conference, and the recent God Revealed conference. He is a very encouraging friend, a humble man, and his passion for God is both obvious and contagious.

Resurrection Sunday

This Sunday we will once again celebrate the glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ. At the empty tomb that morning the angel said to the women, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

Question for you to consider as you prepare for this celebration: Why must Jesus be turned over to sinful men, be crucified, and rise from the dead? Why must He do these things? Find out Sunday.

"GOD REVEALED" CONFERENCE

Jason and I are very honored to partner with friends to provide this area (Wilson/Rocky Mount) conference on the glorious attributes of our God. Here is the schedule:

Sunday, March 21 6:30 p.m. @ Mt. Hermon Baptist Church
(5556 Bend of the River Road, Rocky Mount)
God has Revealed Himself: Exploring the Knowability of God
Pastor Justin Childers of Christ Baptist Church

Monday, March 22 6:30-8:30 p.m. @ Christ Baptist Church
(New Hope Elementary School 4826 Packhouse Road, Wilson)
God Revealed as Sovereign: Exploring the Supremacy of God
Pastor Jim Upchurch of Red Oak Baptist Church
God Revealed as Triune: Exploring the Nature of God
Pastor Justin Nale of Mt. Hermon Baptist Church

Tuesday, March 23 6:30-8:30 p.m. @ Mt. Hermon Baptist Church
(5556 Bend of the River Road, Rocky Mount)
God Revealed as Holy: Exploring the Perfection of God
Pastor Jason Gault of Nashville Baptist Church
God Revealed as Just: Exploring the Wrath of God
Pastor Jonathan Brooks of Christ Baptist Church

Wednesday, March 24 6:30 p.m. @ Christ Baptist Church
New Hope Elementary School 4826 Packhouse Road, Wilson
God Revealed as Love: Exploring the Kindness of God
Pastor Dan Rolfe of Servant's Heart Fellowship
Q & A Session

The Prodigal Son

This Sunday at SHF we will look at a parable that has been called "a flawless piece of art" and "the finest short story in literature." This parable even inspired the masterpiece painting (seen above) by the famous artist Rembrandt. But, even more importantly, the parable of the "Prodigal Son" contains the most astonishing message of sheer mercy and forgiveness to be found in any of the parables of Jesus Christ. I can hardly wait to preach it!

Repent Or You Will Perish!

What does the title of this post make you think of? An angry white haired Bible-thumping preacher with a scowl upon his face as he slams his fist on the pulpit? Or maybe a tie-dyed street preacher with long hair holding a cardboard sign with these words written on it? Perhaps an uptight and obnoxiously clean cut Bible college student who seems to know a lot more about "original languages" than he does about loving his neighbors?

All good guesses, but not who I'm thinking about! This Sunday we will take at look at the famous guy in Scripture who really said this, and we'll consider what he meant by it.

Want a hint? Luke 13:1-5.

I Found A Good Thing 17 Years Ago!

"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." (Proverbs 18:22). Seventeen years ago today Autumn and I exchanged sacred marriage vows before God. I intend to spend the rest of my life keeping those vows and "rejoicing in the wife of my youth" (Proverbs 5:18). Not going to be a problem... I'm crazy about her! And it only gets better as the years go by.

Beautiful Feet!

This minister sure has style! I laughed when I saw this because I used to wear these exact shoes - but with a black leather jacket and a long mullet! As the Scriptures say, "As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” (Romans 10:15)

Get Ready For Some Valentine's Day Snuggling!

It isn't often that pastors mention "Bible reading" and "snuggling" in the same sentence... but here is some great Valentine's Day advice from Pastor Kevin Deyoung:

"Sunday is Valentine’s Day: a holiday for Hallmark and flower shops to make money, an occasion for single people to feel miserable, a snare for the negligent husband, a celebration of rampant sensuality, and a common grace reminder for husbands and wives to delight in each other. It’s all in what you make of it. If you are married, I suggest snuggling up with your spouse and reading Song of Solomon’s eight chapters, the romantic jumper cables of the Bible."

Read the rest of his outstanding romantic advice for husbands here.

Sunday Quotes!

It's astonishing to me that Bishop JC Ryle, who died 110 years ago, wrote these words. When I read them, they sound like they could have been written yesterday. What insights this man had about the Church!

“There is a generation of professing Christians now-a-days, who seem to know nothing of caring for their neighbors, and are completely swallowed up in the concerns of number one--that is, their own and their family's. They eat, and drink, and sleep, and dress, and work, and earn money, and spend money, year after year; and whether others are happy or miserable, well or ill, converted or unconverted, traveling towards heaven or toward hell, appear to be questions about which they are supremely indifferent. Can this be right?”

“The vast majority of professing Christians, whether rich or poor, seem possessed with a devil of detestable selfishness, and do not know the luxury of doing good. They can argue by the hour about baptism, and the Lord's supper, and the forms of worship, and the union of Church and State, and such-like dry-bone questions. But all this time they seem to care nothing for their neighbors.”

Generous Christianity

Generosity should be an attribute of every Christian. And I'm not just talking about money here. I'm talking about a generous way of life. Why should we be generous? It's rather simple. God has been very generous to us. Think about it, the gospel is the most generous news you'll ever hear! God graciously and generously crushed His Son for us so that we could be forgiven. And that is not all. He also graciously and generously gave us His Spirit to be our Helper in this life. Furthermore, He has graciously and generously secured our future where we will forever be in His Presence. Perhaps "generous" might be an understatement.

This Sunday at SHF we will begin to explore Generous Christianity together. Join us!

January 31 Worship Service Canceled

**CANCELED WORSHIP SERVICE**

Due to the snow, sleet, and ice our Worship Service for Sunday, January 31st has been canceled. Instead, please stay home, drink hot chocolate, and consider listening to one of our recent online sermons! Be safe and make sure you look out your window and remember this verse:

Isaiah 1:18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."

Water For People In Haiti

One of the most basic needs during this crisis is water. Something I know I take for granted every time I turn on our kitchen faucet. Please prayerfully consider helping this ministry get water to Haiti by clicking here.

"Collision" - An Athiest & Christian Debate

ATHEIST AUTHOR… Christopher Hitchens

&

CHRISTIAN PASTOR… Douglas Wilson

Debating… “Is Christianity Good for the World?”

Movie Screening:
Thursday, February 4th @ 7:00pm
Mount Hermon Missionary Baptist Church
5556 Bend of the River Rd.
Rocky Mount, NC 27803

Free to the Public

Call (252) 904-9751


(Thanks Jason!)