Hold It Up to the Light!

I stopped by a discount store last week to get a new pair of sunglasses.  I accidentally dropped my old sunglasses down a stairwell - they were “totaled.”

When I pulled out a twenty dollar bill, the clerk held it up to the light and examined it front and back.  Trying to be witty, I said, “I’m a pretty honest guy.” She replied all too seriously, “You can’t be too careful.  There are a lot of counterfeits out there.”

There really are a lot of counterfeits out there.  The U.S. Treasury Department has taken proactive steps to minimize the potential for fraudulent characters to produce and circulate counterfeit currency.  One of the ways merchants check for counterfeit bills is to look for a watermark that is visible on both the front and back of all bills larger than $2 when it is held up to the light.

This Sunday we begin a new series entitled, Living Proof….a series to encourage us in our journey toward Easter.   The first message is about “Ripping the Cover Off of Frauds” from Ephesians 5:6-18. 

In this text Paul instructs believers to be wary of religious scams and to “Rip the cover off those frauds and see how attractive they look in the light of Christ” (Ephesians 5:13 MSG).

Here is yet another good reason to live by the book:  The teachings of Christ provide light to help us detect and avoid counterfeits that throw us off course.

I am looking forward to a great day of worship this Sunday as we are challenged to examine life in the light of Christ.

Do You Remember Your Baptism?

“I was saved on June 26, 1975 at 1:30 a.m. at the Colonial Apartments on Laguna Beach near Panama City, Florida… I was baptized on July 6, 1975 with Mark Smith, Brandon Smith and Mike Tiller by Rev. Tommy Reaves at the creek behind Donald Lloyd’s house.” These are the words I wrote as a fifteen year old in the front of my KJV Scofield Reference Bible, Red Letter Edition.

After making my commitment to Christ and being baptized, my grandmother encouraged me to write the date of those significant events in the front of my Bible so I would never forget them. 

I don’t believe that everyone has to remember the time, date, and location of their conversion and baptism to be considered a genuine Christian, but for me, remembering my baptism has helped me to confirm and reaffirm my faith during some pretty tough times.  There’s an old gospel song that says, “I can tell you the time, I can tell you the place, where the Lord saved me by his wonderful grace.”

Do you remember your baptism?  As followers of Jesus who learn and live out Christ’s teaching in a Baptist community of faith, being baptized is pretty important…not to “seal the deal” but to confirm and launch us into a life of grace and growth.

This Sunday, as we conclude our series of sermons Living by the Book, we are asking, “Do You Remember Your Baptism?” as we examine scriptural teachings and general Baptist beliefs about “believer’s baptism by immersion.”  To prepare for Sunday, I encourage you to read Matthew 3:13-17 and I Corinthians 11:23-28.

We plan to celebrate baptism in the Midmorning Service and to share the Lord’s Supper in both of our worship services.  Teams will be going out on Sunday afternoon to share the Lord’s Supper with those who are homebound and those who live in retirement communities.

I am looking forward to a great day of worship this Sunday as we continue learning to be “doers of the word.”  I hope you will be here with an open heart, an open mind, and an open Bible.

Could You Use a Little Home Improvement?

It’s springtime!  Daylight hours are longer.  Yellow bells, azaleas, and dogwoods are about to bloom.  This time of year, many folks engage in a little spring cleaning. But maybe your home needs more than a little cleaning.  Maybe you are ready for a little home improvement.

And by home improvement, I mean “home” improvement. There is a difference in a house and a home.  A house is made of bricks and mortar.  A home is constructed with faith and love.  Both, however, require upkeep and maintenance.

We live in a culture that emphasizes the size of the house rather than the quality of the home.  But as followers of Jesus, we are in the home-building business.

This Sunday in Bible study, we are looking at the importance of Family.  In worship, I will be talking about “The Most Trusted Name in Home Improvement.”  When it comes to marriage and family, we need to make sure we are living by the book.  To prepare for this Sunday, I encourage you to read Genesis 2:18-25 and Ephesians 5:21-33.

We also look forward to sharing moments of Parent/Child Dedication with three families in each of our worship services this Sunday.

Don’t forget that on March 27 we will be studying the meaning of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  We will end each service that day by celebrating the Lord’s Supper.  And our deacons will be serving the Lord’s Supper to our homebound members on Sunday afternoon.  We will celebrate baptism at the beginning of the midmorning service. If someone in your family has recently made a commitment to Christ and they are ready for baptism, contact one of our ministers or Elizabeth Smith in the pastor’s office to begin preparing for the baptism.

I look forward to seeing you this Sunday in Bible study and worship as we become better equipped to do a little home improvement.

How Many Clocks Are There at Your House?

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.   -Ecclesiastes 3:1

How many clocks are there at your house? I did a quick count at our house this morning and there are at least 19 clocks that have to be re-set this Saturday night at our house.  We have alarm clocks, wristwatches, microwave clocks, desktop clocks, wall clocks, and bathroom clocks.  We even have a clock on our coffee maker.  And I didn’t count the clocks on the desktop computer, my laptop, and our cell phones because they automatically re-set when the time changes.

I guess you could say that we love being aware of the time.  Daylight Savings Time allows us to maximize the daylight hours during the spring and summer.  My goal is to maximize all of my time…whether winter or summer, rain or shine…and live every moment for the Lord. 

Paul offers this reminder: See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil (Ephesians 5:15-16 NKJV).

Daylight Savings Time begins this Sunday, March 13.  Whether you choose to adjust your clocks at bedtime on Saturday evening, or you actually make the official adjustment at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday morning, don’t forget that this weekend marks the beginning of DST. 

During services this Sunday yawning is welcome and momentary dozing will be easily forgiven.  Extra bold coffee will be available in the atrium beginning at 7:45. Spring forward with us this Sunday as we gather to focus on Spiritual Gifts in worship and Bible study.

How many clocks did you say you have at your house?

The Offering: A Radical Act of Worship

One of the most radical things we can do in worship is present to God an offering.  When we bring our tithes and offerings into the storehouse, we are not only supporting the work of the kingdom with our finances, we are declaring to God, to ourselves, and to the world that our core life commitment is to our God.

Learning to prioritize and manage our earthly treasures is one of the most challenging disciplines of the Christian life. This Sunday is Stewardship Sunday.  During Bible study and worship, we will be taking a closer look at what the Bible teaches us about how to manage all of the resources entrusted to us.  To prepare for Sunday I encourage you to read Malachi 3:8-12 and Philippians 4:10-19.

Here’s my invitation to you: To focus on the offering as a radical act of worship, prepare for every member of the family to bring an offering to present at the conclusion of the service as a part of our response to God.  We will present our offerings as a part of our response to God at the conclusion of each of our worship services.

Speaking of stewardship, our First Baptist Family has done it again!  We have exceeded our goal for the Christmas Offering for World Missions.  Our goal was $100,000.  Last week our total was $97,200.  As of today, our total gifts are $105, 206.  Way to go!

I look forward to seeing you in Bible study and worship as we celebrate God’s extraordinary grace this Sunday.

Getting Ready for the Final Four

March Madness is just around the corner.  Basketball fans are getting excited about the upcoming NCAA tournament.  Sixty-five teams will begin the tournament but by championship weekend, only four teams will advance to the Final Four.

At FBC Pensacola, as March approaches, we are getting ready for the Final Four weeks of our Living by the Book series.  During each Sunday in March we will continue to focus on the same topic in Bible study and worship.  On March 6 we will observe Stewardship Sunday.  On March 13 we will highlight the importance of Spiritual Gifts.  On March 20 we will share in Parent/Child Dedication on Family Day.  Then on March 27 we will conclude our series by celebrating Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

I look forward to seeing you in worship and Bible study as we are challenged and equipped to be “doers of the word.”

Topics and Scriptures for March:

Mar 6              Let Me Tell You a Secret    

Malachi 3:8-12, Philippians 4:10-19          

Mar 13            A Gift from God  

I Corinthians 12:1-11, 12-27

           

Mar 20            The Most Trusted Name in Home Improvement
Genesis 2:18-25, Ephesians 5:21-33

Mar 27            Do You Remember Your Baptism?

Matthew 3:13-17, I Corinthians 11:23-28