Make It Happen!

We have the opportunity to sit around and let the world go by or we can get up and make something happen. 

As everyone rushes into 2014 with there resolutions, I choose to change my way of operating. If I were a business, how could I be better at what I do? I'm going to focus on customer service. I'm going to be a better husband, father, friend. I'm going to be a better follower of Christ. 

Here is my list:

• I refuse to be negative. 
• I choose to be positive. 
• I refuse to allow others drive me. 
• I choose to be driven by the Holy Spirit.
• I refuse to allow Satan to control my thoughts. 
• I choose to dwell on the Scripture and Worship songs to praise Him. 

I look forward to the journey of 2014. 

I hope to see you along the way. 

Advent

Advent - The term is an anglicized version of the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming".

We celebrate Advent in the church to signify the "coming" of the Jesus, our Savior. We celebrate His coming in many ways, but one of my favorite ways is through the Advent wreath. Evergreen boughs are woven into a wreath and laid on a table. Three purple and one pink candles are placed in the evergreen around the perimeter. In the center of the wreath a white candle is placed, usually slightly larger than the other candles. 

Each Sunday leading up to Christmas a candle is lit with an explanation of the significance of that candle. The white (last) candle is lit on Christmas Eve during a special ceremony. 

• The first Advent candle is purple and is that of Hope. It reminds of the hope we have in Jesus. 
• The second Advent candle is the Peace candle which is also purple. Peace on earth is impossible without the love, grace, mercy and forgiveness of Jesus Christ. 
• The third Advent candle is that of Joy. The joy experienced by those shepherds and much less Mary and Joseph is represented by this pink candle. 
• The fourth Advent candle is again purple and represents Love. What else can be said? Scripture says God IS love. And He came as a baby to share His love. 
• The last candle is white and represents the purity and wonder of Jesus the Christ child. 

There are many ways to remember the real meaning of Christmas. The point is, remember the real reason. 

Jesus came to this world as an unassuming baby to the family of the most unlikely types. He came to offer a relationship between you and God. While He was fully God and fully man, He bridges the cavernous gap between us, sinners, and a perfect, Holy God.

As He offers this gift, accept His Christmas gift to you...forgiveness and eternal life. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, Merry Christmas! 

Once upon a time, it was Christmas

I remember growing up in the rural Bible belt of northeast Alabama. We celebrated holidays like most people. OK, not like some people, but we celebrated holidays. We usually didn't have snow on Christmas and I have seen Thanksgiving with green leaves. For several years, I would water-ski on New Years Day. That is part of living in the deep south. The little town I am from (Oxford, AL), and yes it was small then, as well as the town next door (Anniston, AL) had a Christmas Parade every year. All the local High School marching bands would play Christmas Carols in the parade and local businesses and churches would make floats that depicted the Christ child as the central theme. Thermos' full of coffee and pots of hot chocolate were always a big hit. Oxford cleaners would give you a cup for free! (Two if they liked you & they liked everyone.) 

Also in the parade, you would see at least 10-12 old cars that had been decorated to the hilt and had a blonde beauty riding in it or on it. Somewhere along the way, some Shriners would ride mini-bikes 'round and 'round in circles and zig-zags. People, yep, complete strangers would throw candy from the floats. There were usually at least one horse club riding horses along the route. Then, as if we were to be surprised, Santa and Mrs. Clause were at the end of the parade. It was a way of saying, "Christmas is coming soon!"

NOW...

The High School bands play Burl Ives medleys and the floats are encouraged to stay away from a "Too Religious" themes so as not to offend anyone. All occupants of cars in the parade must wear a seat belt or have an OSHA approved railing. Motorcycles and mini-bikes must maintain slow and direct paths and any throwing of candy is strictly prohibited. If animals are allowed in the parade, they must have bags attached to catch any waste products produced during said parade. 

I have heard it reported that some parades don't include Santa.  Hmm??

What happened? We have lost our sense of common sense. I don't ever remember hearing of someone dying from being hit in the head by peppermints. Horses poop! Watch your step. Mini-bikes with grown men are funny. Let 'em ride! Then, there is the issue that really matters. No matter how you slice it, it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Have fun! Celebrate! Rejoice!

Nativity scenes are part of Christmas. Baby Jesus is the reason for the season. 

MERRY CHRISTmas!

That's my girl!

Way back in the previous century, I met and married the most wonderful girl in the world. Lisa Ford became Lisa Pearce on February 02, 1985. Yep! That is Groundhog's Day. My life has been much better ever since.  To say I married up is an understatement! I have caused her more trouble than she has caused me no doubt. She has followed me all over the place and got involved in more than she bargained for. 

On February 10, 1989, Heather Rena Pearce was brought into this world in Montgomery, Al. Later on, December 28, 1994 to be exact, Holly Nicole Pearce graced us with her presence. I have always been proud of all my girls. They are certainly their own persons. They have their distinct traits and I would not have it any other way. They both make me and their mom so proud. They are good girls to have around. I miss them very much now that they are out on their own. 

While we are clear that I love both girls (and my wife), let me talk about Heather a minute. She is on the downhill side of Nursing School (graduates in May 2014). Like her Dad, she has an interest in Emergency Nursing, but who knows where she will end up. While I am proud of her for that, her latest accomplishment has me giddy. 

Check this out: 

On Monday November 19, 2013, we will attend the EAGLES concert in Birmingham, AL together!!

Did you hear me? The EAGLES concert! 

I knew she would grow up and be somebody. 

Who's Heritage?

Tomorrow, Wednesday October 30, 2013, we will bury my aunt. My fraternal grandmother gave birth to ten children. As of right now, there is one left. I have one aunt left from that side of the family. I have the privilege to participate in Aunt Bessie's funeral. I cannot do justice to her life with the few words I may say. However it does make me pause and think about the fact that we are losing a generation within our family. One could argue that we have already lost them. Every family goes through this. We are not the first and I do not entertain the thought that we are. But, I do stop and think about the memories that we  have as a family that we would not have had had we not gathered together at regular intervals to stay connected. Family Reunions are becoming a lost art. 

I think about the many times we gathered at the lake to hang out for the day. Not only were there many death defying acts performed by young people on skis, sleds and tubes; there were recipes and traditions passed down to others. Of course we ate way too much food and immediately got back in the water. Yep! You guessed it. We all lived. I can beat that. Someone brought potato salad sat it on the table and we ate on it all afternoon. That's right. No one died; not even once did we get food poisoning! Amazing! 

Now as we all get older, my generation is not near as good at holding reunions as our parents. I think it is still important. I have cousins on the other side of the family that I could not pick out of a line up. (Not that I would need to.) We just don't seem to make it a priority. I am as guilty as any one. We are losing the traditions that were passed down to us. Part of that was recipes and tall tales, but it was also how to be a good person and help a friend.  It was the importance of a lifetime relationship with Christ and being in a church. 

              So, when was the last family reunion you went to?

                                                  Maybe you are the one to organize the next one. 

I sure wish someone could make dressing like my Aunt Bessie. 

A few things I remember from family reunions:

• Edsel rubbed pepper on Jimmie's tea glass. He couldn't understand how the food kept burning his mouth even as he drank.
• Larry & Mike were on a sled behind the boat and were "SLUNG" out around the boat. They fell off and when they surfaced, they could touch the boat dock. WOW!
• At least a hundred people learned to water ski. 
• Keep your arms straight and bend your knees. 
• This is a hard one - If you fall...let go of the rope!
• Some of us boys would climb to the top of pine trees and lean it over to grab the next one. Since we were only about 30 feet off the ground, it was perfectly safe. 
• The 45 foot drop of the water fall made a great "Jumping off point".
• Yes, there are snakes in that lake. 
• A grill going all day smells SO good!
• Swim fins can improve your ability to stay afloat. I can swim!
• Even in the summer heat and at the lake...the older men wore dress pants. Why?
• Since the cabin was so rural, we had a party line until 1982. Ask you parents what a party line is.  
• Lots of GREAT food. 
• Lots of tall tales. 
• Lots of skinned knees. 
• Lots of love!

Ruth 1:16-17: ¹⁶ But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. ¹⁷ Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

Where are you?

I recently preached a sermon from Acts 19: 1-7. When Paul asked the question, "Which baptism did you receive?" It made me think. We are all on a journey. A spiritual journey. Are you simply acquainted with the name of Jesus? Do you know Jesus as your LORD? How you answer depends on where you are on your journey. 

Saturday, April 11, 1970 at 13:13 CST, Apollo 13 lifted off from Cape Canaveral in FL. Little did they know that they would be faced with a whole chest full of life & death decisions over the next few days. Before reaching the moons orbit, an explosion damaged part of their life support system. Unheard of decisions were made by doing never performed procedures on the spacecraft during their flight. Brilliant people at NASA and the crew on board created a solution where it seemed that there was no solution. The problem was there all along. They did not create the problem. It was a flawed component. It was going to be a problem until they fixed it. The problem was they didn't know they needed to fix until 56 hours into the flight. That’s when the oxygen tank exploded.

Think with me a moment. When we are born we are flawed. We are sinners by nature. We start out thinking all is good. Then one day an explosion happens and rocks our world. We realize that we have a problem. As a sinner, we cannot deserve to go to heaven. But Praise God, He has devised a plan that is so off the charts; we could have never even imagined it. His very own Son will take our place. Jesus will take all the punishment we deserve and allow us to spend our eternity at the throne of God the Father.

You see, those astronauts needed a radical plan to save their lives. As you know, the plan worked and all three returned home safely form their extravagant, exciting journey. 

Jesus is our radical plan. Not just Jesus; but the risen and alive Jesus. He is our rescuer. When the world is exploding around you, He is the one to turn to.

So you are on a journey. It’s called life. The question is where are you on this journey? Are you with Jesus? Or are you lost in an exploding world? 

·         If you are not a follower of Jesus Christ –

o   You need to be on a journey that leads you to Him.

·         If you are a follower of Jesus Christ –

o   You need to be on a journey that leads you closer to Him.

Matter of the Heart

Well, I have joined the ranks of millions of Americans who have a stent in one of my coronary (heart) arteries. I did not have a heart attack, but I did have symptoms that deserved attention. 

For over 30 years as a paramedic and as a nurse I have told others about how to take care of themselves.  I have talked to groups and individuals about risk factors and healthy lifestyles. I have taught more CPR classes than I can remember. (I met my wife at one.) I know about heart disease! 

NO, I do not eat like I should and I don"t exercise like I should. But I do try to do decent with my choices. OK, I am going to do better now. 

For the record, I do not like the word blockage. It indicates, well, blockage; as in no passage. My coronary artery was not "blocked", it was "restricted". Yes, there is sarcasm in that analogy. The term blockage is used to describe restrictions as well. All to say, they found that my Left Anterior Descending artery had a restriction of about 80 - 90% about half way down. (About where the "3" is in the diagram.) They were able to place a stent in the artery to open it and restore unrestricted blood flow to my heart.  Thank you Dr. Stanley! 

So, where did all this start? Actually, it probably started in 1929 (or before). My father was born in 1929 and much of my cardiac issues are inherited. Dad had heart disease for many years. It's genetically passed down. Lucky me! OK, not what you wanted to know. I actually began noticing back in April 2013 that when I walked my dog I occasionally would have some shortness of breath. It was not like I was out of shape, I am, but this was different and I knew it. As it was only occasional, I blew it off. Then the shortness of breath got more frequent and was being accompanied by chest pain. Red Flag! So, I made an appointment with Dr. Larry Wade, my internist, and we discussed it over my NORMAL EKG. However, with my family history and symptoms, he referred me to Dr. Stanley; a Cardiologist. A plan was made and carried out and now I am good to go. 

I say all that to connect a metaphor. You know, God does things to allow His presence to be known in our lives. He places people in our lives with messages. He speaks to us directly. He allows us to hear sermons and songs to impact our hearts. He does all this and sometimes, frankly, it falls on deaf ears, so to speak. I have seen Him even increase the volume of His message to me and I still ignored it. Just like my shortness of breath escalated to shortness of breath with chest pain before I did anything about it. God wants us to be in-tune with Him so that we act on His guidance immediately. When the Holy Spirit speaks, we should respond to that "still small voice" without having to be yelled at, metaphorically speaking. 

It really is a matter of the heart. God wants a relationship with us through His Son Jesus. And, any way you look at it, a healthy relationship is a matter of the heart. Give your heart to Jesus. Maybe this writing is God's way of speaking to you. Respond to His guidance with your whole heart. 

Luke 10:27 (NIV)
²⁷ He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Girls?!

Cute, but responsible!

So, I have two daughters. I am not disillusioned that they are perfect. I do believe they are good kids. I do allow them to learn from their mistakes. I am not the perfect parent. I do love my girls unconditionally. I will (still) correct them when they are out of line. (Always will) They do things that I disagree with. (Always will) My wife and I have tried to teach them right from wrong. (Always will)

With all that being said, I am NOT the perfect parent and my kids are NOT perfect kids. 

Now hear my story. 

When I go out into the world on a daily basis I see young girls, young ladies and grown women who evidently do not own a mirror. I do not mean to imply that they are unattractive. I don't mean they forgot their make up. I'm not even referring that they are mismatched with their colors. (All of the above does apply at times. Especially at Walmart...Yet I digress.) 

My point you ask? My point is they are not making clothes with enough fabric. 

I am appalled at how scantily clad some of these girls are. It is embarrassing. 

Girls, If you want the boys to look at you, it is working. However, they are looking at you in an unhealthy way. Boys are automatically attracted to girls. You do not need to entice them with your lack of clothing. It leaves an impression, but it probably is not the impression you want. 

Girls, women...There are some things that only your husband needs to see. COVER UP! 

Parents...involve yourself with your daughters wardrobe. Say no to the skimpy fashions. Just because "Hollywood" wears it does not make it right. Just Say NO! 

Girls...Your reputation can be tarnished forever with a simple rumor. No facts required. Your attire can start that rumor. My advice... Dress the part. Dress the part of a respectful young lady who has her act together. Dress like the women of respect and power. (How many women CEO's do you see in skimpy outfits?) 

Our society has said it's OK to dress like you want, tattoo like you want, pierce like you want. Consider the ramifications of 20 years later. You will age. Hopefully you will mature. Most of the "older" men and women I have talked to who tatted and pierced in their younger years, say they wished they had thought through this a little more. Most say they would not do it again. 

Back to the clothes... Be modest in your dress. Be careful with your revealings. There are many "cute outfits" that are respectful and modest. 

I have told my girls on more than one occasion, "Either pull up your pants or pull down your shirt. I don't want to see your belly button." 

Fortunately, my wife handled most of that before we got to the check out.  Thanks Lisa! 

If you claim to be a follower of Christ, glorify Him with your appearance. 

I feel better now that I got that off my chest. 

1 Timothy 2:9-10 (NIV) 

⁹ I also want women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, ¹⁰ but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

I'm gonna save the world!

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I had the idea of being a paramedic from a relatively early age. When I actually was enrolled in the Paramedic Program at the local Junior College, I was ecstatic! I was actually here. All the psychics that walked by me probably heard my mind saying, “I am doing this. WOW! I am gonna save the world!” 

At this time in history, Alabama had a three level Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) system. The EMT – I or EMT Basic was the first step. Looking back, EMT Basic was a very in-depth first aid course. Nothing fancy so I guess that is why they call it Basic, huh. I was in a class with about 15 others from various backgrounds. Some were members of Volunteer Fire Departments; some were from industrial safety teams; some were part of Volunteer Rescue Squads, but none of them were planning for this to be a “profession”. I was in this class to do one thing; become a paramedic. After all, I’m gonna save the world. I do look back and recall the faces of those in that classroom and other than the instructor who did make his living as a paramedic at that time and for many years after that, only a couple of us went on to vocational EMS. Remember, during this era, most EMS in Alabama (all over rural America for that matter) was operated by volunteer groups. I realized that if I were going to go “pro”, my opportunities would be somewhat limited. Relocating would be a real possibility. So for now, I would be satisfied (barely) to work with a local volunteer rescue squad and gain experience while I continued the educational process. 

I completed the Basic class and immediately enrolled in the second phase of EMT training. EMT – II or Intermediate taught students to place advanced airways, interpret EKG’s, defibrillate, cardiovert and start IV’s. Of course this is all on top of what you’ve learned in Basic. While Basic class was pretty straight forward, Intermediate was more scenario driven. When a new skill was introduced, we would train using manikins and equipment to work through various patient scenarios. In fact we would spend hours practicing with each other. Our class was very committed to being the best we could be. While I was never in the military, I relate this experience to be similar to a group of soldiers working together as a team to accomplish a task. We wanted to “master” the skills before us. After all, I’m gonna save the world. 

After completion of Intermediate, I was enrolled in the third level of EMT; paramedic, oh yeah! All of the above continued and the world of pharmacology was introduced. We were now administering medications in those scenarios / training sessions. Cool, huh?! Of course, along with classroom time, we were also doing clinical rotations in various areas of the hospital. Emergency Department, Respiratory Therapy, Pediatrics, Labor & Delivery, Lab, Operating Room, Pathology / Morgue all saw Paramedic students on a regular basis. We were held on a pretty short leash most of the time. You see, paramedic students can be rambunctious; combine that with the fact that many of these people (who were to be our teachers) were not really sure why we were even there. 

There have always been some “turf” issues between nurses and paramedics. Now that I am both, I am not really sure I understand this turf war. I mean there are some individuals who make it their place to dislike the other group, but why? Theoretically we are trying to achieve the same goal; on the same team; one pre-hospital, one in hospital. What’s the deal?! Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, turf wars have created problems for paramedic students since there have been paramedic students. A student shows up and is assigned to a nurse who doesn't like paramedics (forget that she doesn't even know what a paramedic does) and there is not always a lot of “education” going on. The paramedic student usually has to make it his or her mission to gain knowledge during a clinical rotation. Be assertive. Want it! 

Here is where we have a problem. You see, when my group was in the program, we wanted nothing more than to be good. Great even. When my paramedic class took the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) we were determined that the nurses and even doctors in the class were not going to outdo us. We studied and practiced and drilled to make sure we knew everything there was to know about the material. We formed study groups to meet outside of class time to hone our skills and advance our knowledge. (ACLS was hard back then.) When the course was over, everyone in our class had “aced” the whole thing. The medical director for the course was astonished. He was very proud as well. He was also the medical director for our paramedic program. Today – many students would be happy if you just handed them their license. They are not motivated to make the rotation a learning experience. They are content to make the minimum grade to pass the course. While there are some excellent students in the field, it is sad to say that many are not attempting to achieve excellence.

Before you lose heart in the EMS field alone, I believe that you could transfer those same attributes to most any fields of study. Nursing, plumbers, pilots, engineers and yes even doctors. Scary isn’t it? Why are people dumbing down such valuable professions? I believe it relates back to the decline of the nuclear family unit. When you are not expected to follow rules at home, you assume you don’t have to follow rules anywhere. When you are not expected to do your best at home, you assume you don’t have to do your best anywhere. Mom and Dad are both working two jobs to pay for the house and the cars and the club membership and little Timmy is left to grow up with his own set of values. Values he obtains from his friends that are in the same situation and what he gleans from the World Wide Web. Or it could be that little Timmy is the child in a single parent home where Dad decided that having a family at 17 was cramping his style, so now Mom is attempting to do the best she can and has little time to do the extras of parenting that can have such a positive impact on children. Extras like helping with homework and reading to the child or going on trips to the museum or just holding the child when the storms of life occur. 

It is statistically proven (if you will accept the data) that when the family started declining in the 60’s, so did the expectations of people and employers and educational institutions. It has caught up with us folks. We are living in a world where many people want everything handed to them. Earning it is not an option. Why should they work for something? The world owes them their desires. Yes, that is sarcasm! One family psychologist wrote of the “Entitlement Generation”. Young people today (2010) have been told all their life they are wonderful, great, talented… even if they are not. 

What is the answer? A long hard road of rebuilding the importance of family values would be a great start. Turning our dependence on the Creator God and following his rules is where it all has to begin. That means parents need to be parents! Parents that are willing to make sacrifices for the sake of their children. Parents that are willing to demand certain expectations from their children. 

Me? I had a drug problem when I was a kid. My mom and dad drug me to church. They drug me to school when I didn't want to go. They drug me to the teacher to admit that I had stolen Lego’s from the class room; and to take the consequences that went along with it. Make a difference in the lives of those around you. Demand excellence from yourself. It’s catching.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Help is on the Way!

When you get called to a shooting or a stabbing, you get out of the ambulance on guard. We teach new recruits to always be on alert, but the truth is, sometimes you get out of the truck a little relaxed. 

The call came in as a general medical call. No details; just need an ambulance. So, we get out of the truck relaxed and not expecting any excitement. I was on the curb side and was getting the medic box out of the side door of our 1980 Ford E 350 van high top ambulance. Just as I turned, with the big tackle box in my hand, toward the house I saw him. An extremely large man stepped out onto the front porch with a shot-gun in his hand. I heard an extremely loud BOOM! just as my partner yelled, “GUN!!” I found myself standing next to him on the driver side of the ambulance. Did you catch that? In a flash, I was transported through time and space from one side of the ambulance to the other. 

The real story was told by the dirt on my pants and shirt and the disturbed ground on both sides of the truck. So, if anyone ever asks, “can you crawl under a van in a hurry, while it’s running?” The answer is, “Sure you can.” You may want to add the fact that a man with a gun will make the trip much faster. 

This brings up another point. If you are in the business of helping others, you would expect to be treated with respect and kindness. Sometimes that is true, but many times you are met with hostility and anger. What a concept?! Call someone to help you and then scream obscenities at them. That makes everything go smoother!

The point is people who go into EMS or nursing or similar fields would have an expectation of being safe on most days at work. This may be true MOST days. The problem is that you don’t know which days are safe days and which days are not safe days. The times in which we live are trying and uncertain for us all. Anyone who gets in their car and drives out of the driveway is placed at risk. You are placed at risk by the others on the road with you. You are placed at risk by those who decide to throw objects off bridges or takes shots at cars on the road. You are placed at risk by the fact that you could pass out at the wheel and wreck your car. The most disturbing thing about working in public safety is you are expected to run into situations that everyone else is running away from. 

The people who cause the chaos like that mentioned above are often times intentional with their acts. Occasionally, it is an accident. The dilemma public safety workers face is who is who. You see, many times, in a given situation it is not immediately clear as to who the bad guys are. You must (should) always be alert. The bad guys may act like your friend to mislead you. You don’t have to be a police officer to intimidate or threaten someone. A paramedic in the home of a drug dealer or user can cause a lot of anxiety. As I write this, I think about those in “the business”. I urge you to be careful. Make sure you go home at the end of your shift. Be vigilant about your safety and the safety of those around you. I also think of the citizens of our country who call on the public safety professionals for assistance. In most cases they are working as hard as they can to rectify the situation. Be patient. Be calm. Be respectful. Take a deep breath and let them do their job. They are good at what they do. 

Some of you are thinking of a situation where a police officer or paramedic has abused the privilege of the badge. I know it happens, but it happens very rarely. The reality is that 99% of the men and women in public safety are dedicated to doing their very best. 

If I had my way, I would award a medal to all who put on a badge. Any badge. My hat is off to you ladies and gentlemen. 

Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
1 Peter 2:17 (NIV)

Pray for those public servants in your area. 

Are People Jealous of You?

On Sunday nights, I have been preaching though the book of Acts. {The Acts of the Apostles.} I have found a new love for this text. It shows how God has used ordinary people to do extraordinary tasks. People were healed. People were saved. People were restored. All of this happened because ordinary people chose to trust and follow God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

This week (June 2) I will be in Acts, Chapter 5. It states in verse 17 that the Sadducees were filled with jealousy. The Community leaders were jealous of the Christians for their faith and their involvement in great things happening in the lives of citizens.  This made me stop and think, are people jealous of my faith? More important, do people even notice my faith in Jesus Christ? 

Read the book of Acts. Yes, all of it. See how God used ordinary people to spread the Gospel across the world. It  is a good book to read with kids, especially boys, as it has stories of miracles, traveling journeys, shipwrecks, snake bites and people thrown in prison. (Good ol' boy stuff!) How cool would it be to see your child pretending to be Paul instead of the latest "super hero"? Best of all it shows how great our God is!

So break out the Bible and read!

Ask yourself the question, "Is God using me?"

He will if you give Him permission. 

Here am I. Send me. Isaiah 6:8

Join us Sunday nights at 6:00 p.m. for  

The Gathering 

First Baptist @ McClellan. 

851 Morton Rd. Anniston, AL 36205

(256) 847-0230

Follow us on Twitter @AFBCMcClellan 

The Beginning has Begun

Worship Leaders at The Gathering

WELL!

We had our first installment of The Gathering. We had almost 60 people here Sunday night. That was a great response for our first service. I want to thank all that came in support of this new ministry. I know, for some, this is not their cup of tea. However, to come in support of the new endeavor, means a lot. 

We began by talking about the new beginning the disciples had to make by spreading the Gospel without a physical Jesus in there presence (Acts 1). That was compared to new beginnings that we all  face in life. New jobs. New relationships. New families. New school. All of these are destined for failure if not begun and maintained with a relationship with God through His Son Jesus. 

This week, May 12, we will move into the second chapter of Acts and talk about the Holy Spirit. An interesting subject to say the least. Tongues, fire, wind, conversions, salvation...Good conversation pieces! 

The Gospel will be spread, even if God has to do it Himself, but He prefers for us to join Him on this journey. In Acts 2, we find that as people gathered together, the Holy Spirit showed up and did some amazing things in the lives of the people there that day. The results of that day are still being talked about today. So, I figure if everyone else is talking about the day of Pentecost over 2,000 years ago, we may as well join in the conversation. I hope to see you this Sunday night. 

Please join us this week at Anniston's First Baptist Church at McClellan and Worship with us. We start at 6:00 p.m. and will have coffee, cold drinks, snacks and a relaxed atmosphere to praise God and hear some great music. See ya there! or here. Now I'm confused. 

The Gathering

Praise God!

When we decided to do a Sunday evening service (The Gathering)  with a different style from our Sunday morning service, the whole purpose was and is to share the Gospel with people that did not choose to worship in the style that we have in the morning service. That being said, I want to be on record that the Sunday morning style at Anniston's FBC at McClellan is not "wrong". It is different from what some people prefer. Having said that, the Sunday night format is not "wrong". It's just different from Sunday morning. 

So many "church words" get misused in today's society. Even in the church, some people use words out of context. Often times it because they have had a bad experience. One that comes to mind is "seven-eleven songs". They refer to song that repeat the same seven words or phrases eleven times (so to speak). There are some of those songs out there. The truth is, there are very few of those songs in popular music sets today. Another idea is that all "new songs" are loud and fast. There are some of those out there as well. However, there are many soft, slow, ballad like songs that lead us to Worship God. While we are at this juncture, Even fast and loud songs can and do lead some to Worship God.  Another myth, is that "the young people have forgotten the hymns of old. Not so. What they have done is begun singing them with a guitar instead of a piano only and picked up the tempo a bit. Same song. Same tune. Same message. 

What if we moved past the "Worship Wars" mentality. What if we respect each others wishes to Worship differently. I use the NIV; you use the KJV. OK. One sings from a screen; Another uses a hymnal. Fantastic! This one uses a piano only; they use a keyboard, guitar and drums. Praise God! 

That is what is all about. 

Praise God!

Various types of instrumentation is mentioned throughout Scripture. 

HOW we praise Him is not as important as THAT we praise Him. 

"Praise Him. Praise Him, all ye little children.

God is Love. God is Love. "

Our Sunday evening Worship will have older hymns as well as some new music. We will have some "contemporary music" (don't like that word either) and some soft piano led songs. There will be some with a bluegrass flair and some with a rock beat. However the music is presented, the purpose is to lift the name of Jesus and Praise His name! Also the message (sermon) presented will be to call people to a closer walk with our Lord and make people aware of their need for a Savior. 

Join us on Sunday evenings at Anniston's First Baptist Church at McClellan. 

We will begin at 6:00 p.m. Arrive a bit early and get your coffee and snacks. 

Then sit back, or stand up as we Worship the One True God. 

I am excited to see how God moves among us as we call out to Him and Praise His name. 

I am looking forward to people coming to know Him as Savior. 

I am praying for God to prepare the way for us to seek Him as a person, as a church, as a community. 

Join me as I pray for The Gathering. 

The Gathering

follow us on Twitter:  @AFBCMcClellan

A New Beginning

Recently, I have been reading in Acts. Did you know it is called "Acts" because  it records the ACTS of the Apostles? Did you know that it is a follow up letter written by Luke? So, The Gospel According to Luke is letter 1 and The Acts of the Apostles is letter 2. Luke takes us to the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. Acts picks up after the resurrection and Jesus talks to His disciples. SO, there is a little overlap, but not much.

Now that Jesus is physically gone, what are the disciples to do? He was their driving force and motivation. How are they to proceed without Him? Well, I am glad you asked. 

Jesus himself talked to the disciples & apostles, 

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵ For John baptized with water,but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” ⁶ Then they gathered around him and asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Acts 1:4-8 

Jesus was telling them that they had to make a new beginning. Start over so to speak. They were to carry on sharing the Gospel without Him physically present. That is nothing new for us. Jesus has never been here with us. How in the world would they do this? 

WHAT?!

Not trying to mislead you, but Jesus was with the disciples and he is with us! What He was telling them and us is that we must do things a little different. Share the Gospel with an emphasis on faith. Share Jesus based on what he has done in your life, not by putting him on display in a physical sense. 

Everyday, we have the opportunity to make a new beginning. 

Start your new day with Jesus. 

Everywhere you go, take Him with you. 

Share Him with those you meet. 

You can read more on this matter in the #1 Best Seller, The Holy Bible.

TRUST

I had the privilege to preach today (3-17). It always humbles me to stand before the church and to think that they are looking to me for spiritual leadership. God has truly blessed me and I never take it lightly. How did I get here?! Of all the people God could use; why me? 

You probably find yourself in similar situations. Maybe not preaching a sermon, but God places you in a situation that you become His spokesperson. Maybe a co-worker ask a question about church or the Bible. Maybe a friend or neighbor wants to have coffee to discuss their hard times. How do you respond? Do you prayerfully respond to glorify God? To do so you need to have some knowledge of Scripture. God's Word tells us in Psalm 119:11 "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Later, in the New Testament in the book of 1 Peter 3:15 we are instructed to "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." 

I challenge you to read God's Word (the Bible) everyday!

Question #1. Do you speak on His behalf? (Or do you keep quiet.)

Question #2. Do you do justice to His Word when you speak? (Have you hidden His Word in your heart?)

I pray that you have many opportunities to share His Word and I pray that you respond boldly to glorify Him. Remember that God has a way of using unlikely people to do BIG things! 

• Adam & Eve did exactly what they were told not to do. 
• Moses had a speech impediment. 
• David was just a kid when he killed Goliath. 
• Jonah didn't go the right way the first time. 
• Mary was a teenager when Jesus was born.
• Peter denied Jesus. (3 times!)

There is no excuse to not speak up on His  behalf. Ask God to place the words in your mouth. 

I challenge you to TRUST God to use you!

The Bible

The History Channel aired the first installment of The Bible last night. I had been excited to see how they would do with accuracy to Scripture. I have already heard some critics speak of the fact that they skipped a few memorable moments. Think about the Bible; it would take forever to do the whole thing! At any rate, I was impressed they stayed pretty accurate to what God's Word has to say. OK, the angels "slaying" the offenders  in Sodom was a little theatrical, but I don't know that that is NOT how it happened. I'm old, but I was not there personally; how about you? 

What I do know, is that it opens the door for us tho have conversations about what we watched on TV without blushing. When you find yourself in conversation with co-workers, talk about the Bible. What a concept. Another thing that this mini-series does is open our eyes that the life these people lived was hard. Did you see the wind blowing when Moses was in that tent? WOW! That is real life for someone in the dessert wilderness. Oftentimes we minimalize the reality of the people in the Bible. Put yourself in their shoes (sandals). Life was hard and dirty. They were hungry and thirsty. It was a real time with real people that suffered the strains of living a life without the comforts of modern luxuries. Most of what we consider basic necessities were not even invented or thought of in those days. 

God provided for them (and He provides for us). When we look at these images that come to us from Hollywood, it should be a spark of interest, but we still need to look at Scripture for our theology. I plan to watch the series as much as possible, but return to God's Word for my real answers. I urge you to scrutinize the film; not to be critical or condescending, but to be a springboard for your curiosity into the Scripture. Be a student of His Word. Read the Bible and investigate your questions. Read the Scriptures to compare with the film. See if they get it right. There are many resources available online, at your local library, your church library, etc.  Just be careful that your resource is a respectable source. (Remember, the commercial on TV that says, "You can't put it on the internet if it's not true." is stated facetiously.) 

Have conversations with your friends and be willing to say "I don't know."  The fact that you are talking about the Bible is a good thing. It beats most water cooler talk. 

The Bible, as in God's Word, is correct. It is without error. It is God inspired. Read it. Study it. Live it!

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. But do this with gentleness and respect, 

1 Peter 3:15

Doctors go to School!

When I was in the Paramedic Program of Gadsden State Junior College in 1980 and 1981, we were fortunate to have several Emergency Physicians that participated in our education. They came to the classroom and lectured as well as stuck around and helped us improve our skills. When we did our clinical rotations in the hospital, they would allow us to shadow them as opposed to a nurse.  This was a sacrifice on their part I’m sure, but it made a huge difference in what kind of paramedics we became.  I can think of many times that they stuck their neck out for us, both during school and after, when we were working in the area.

Our paramedic class was obsessed with being the best. We wanted to have a reputation in the area as being one of the best (If not the best) paramedic classes…ever. So, John Blue, who was the primary instructor, course coordinator, assistant program director and chief bottle washer (whatever that means), made sure that we had the best of the best teachers. He did a wonderful job of leading us and instructing us on many topics, however he knew the importance of exposing us to the doctors that we would be working with as well. I have always appreciated John’s willingness to share the podium with others if it meant making us better.

I am sure that after this many years I would omit someone but I would like to say thank you to those physicians who gave of their time and knowledge to make our class as good as it was. John Moorehouse, Howard McVeigh, Jesse “Ace” Austin, Paul Tanaka, Paul Monahan, John Campbell, Rodney Snead, Joel Sullivan (and some I left out no doubt) all had a wonderful impact on my career and I’m sure others would agree. I look at some of the skills that I have today and can directly attribute it to what I learned from some of the guys mentioned above.

Thank you Doctors for your willingness to make us better.  

Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach,

Proverbs 22:17

Build a Wall!

As I sit and fine tune a sermon for this coming Sunday, I am overwhelmed with emotions. This Sunday (02-10-13) will mark a new point in my life and the life of my family. I will be preaching at Anniston's First Baptist Church at McClellan with what I hope to be a  long and fruitful tenure. I had the privilege to serve there from 2004 - 2008 as a bi-vocational Associate Pastor. Following the Lord's leading and an opportunity to do full-time vocational ministry, we moved to First Baptist Church of Summit, Mississippi. I have been there for the past five years as the Preschool & Children's Minister. It has been a great ride and I grew and learned a lot. The people of Summit (and surrounding area) have been wonderful to make us feel like part of the family; like we belong. Thank you to each one who has impacted our lives in such a positive way! 

Just today, I got a text from a mom who told me her child had accepted Christ this week. She wanted to thank me for ministering to him. I don't know what to say, except I couldn't do anything else. 

Now, I have an opportunity to be close to family (biological) and be a part of a wonderful church family that I have missed for five years. All I can say is "WOW! God is good." 

The sermon I am working on is from Nehemiah, chapter 3 where they are rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem. What  we find is a great example of God's instructions to "get to work" for all of us. The wall was built in 52 days. Yeah!! 52 days!! The only way that can happen, is with God. 

We are all capable of doing something. Pray. Write a note. Make a call. Lead a small group. Hey, go to seminary to begin a third career...I did. At any rate, pray for God to show you His plan! Then get busy doing what He calls you to do. 

OK. Maybe you are not called to build a wall, but you are called to do something. 

Just do it!

The rainfall

In Southwest Mississippi recently (January 2013), it rained at some point of the day everyday for almost two weeks. People, me, complained about the gloomy days. Whined about the weather. Spoke of cabin fever. Blah! blah! blah!

Then one day while I was pondering my activities of the day it hit me.

At the end of the year, our annual rainfall will most likely be within one inch of years past. Imagine that ! It has rained for nearly two weeks and it won't even tip the scales. Hmm!

You see, God has everything under control. So when you feel like you are in a hole with no way out. God is in control. When you feel like you are the best thing since sliced bread. God is in control.

Now if you think through what I just said, you see that if you are having a great time in life, it should come to no surprise that the future may hold a few bumps in the road. (I don't put much into that "Prosperity Gospel.) It also means that if you are having a bummer of a time, things are gonna get better.
I believe that God will and does bless me, but not because I deserve it.

The point is...if God can and will control the rainfall in Mississippi, then He will take care of His children!!

Praise the Lord!