Message For March 27, Resurrection Sunday: He Is Risen!

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Good Friday Morning to you, family and friends of BBT.  Yeah, I know, we talked about that, but it’s still a good Friday morning.  We get to rejoice in what the Lord did!  Last week we talked about what happened at the cross.  This week we’re going to talk about the fact that He didn’t stay there!  Neither did He stay in the grave.  He is risen!

We were also surprised and delighted that Edith was able to be back with us after her fall.  She even played for us.  We had a good discussion in Sunday school about how we should respond when people come to us for help.  We’ll be following that up with some practical solutions.

I hope you’ll join us for our Resurrection Day celebration this Sunday.  I’ll be sharing with you from 1 Corinthians 15:1-14 about why the resurrection of Jesus is such an important part of the gospel story.  We’ll talk about how we know it really happened.  After the service we’ll share a light dinner.

See you there!

I’m not sure about all the details, but we heard last night that Clark got hurt and went into the hospital.  Please keep him in your prayers.  We will know more by tomorrow.

In His love,

Larry

Message for March 20: What Happened Friday?

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Blessings to you, family and friends of BBT.  I think this is my favorite time of the year.  It really defines who we are.  Without what Jesus did at the cross, nothing else matters.  If he hadn’t gotten out of that grave, nothing would matter.  But He did die, and He did arise, and we have this eternal hope.  Let us always be ready to share it during this season.

Last week it was wonderful to see how God pulled everything together in the service.  We don’t really do that well at coordinating.  We feel delighted if we just remember to do everything we’re asked, get it there, and it all works!  But God knew all of the parts and He fit them together.  It was good to see Richard back with us.  We have several people out though having a rough time.  Watch the Praise and Prayer Requests page for updates, and remember especially Kimmi, Edith, Debra, and Lupe.  Pray for them and let them know you love them.

In preparation for Resurrection Sunday, I want to share with you next week some things about the crucifixion.  What happened at the cross?  Why was it so important?  What did Jesus’ death accomplish?  How might the circumstances surrounding His death reveal that to us?  Read Matthew, 27:33-54.  But first I’m going to answer the question with which I titled the message.  What happened Friday?  The answer might surprise you.

See you there!

In His love

Larry

Message for February 21: The New Commandment

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Blessings to you, family and friends of BBT.  I’m looking forward to next Sunday.  I’m excited about what God is going to do!  Last week we had several children with us!  That’s a good thing and I hope it happens more often.  It was good to see so many of our regular members back with us too.  Priscilla reminded us that we just need to have as faith as a tiny mustard seed, which he handed out on little valentine cards.  Pastor David taught us that we will go through times of testing from God.  Even Jesus did!

I can hardly wait to share with you next Sunday.  When you see the reference, you might think, “Haven’t we already talked about that?”  You’re right.  Several times.  But that’s what’s so wonderful about God’s word.  You can read the same passage all your life; then one day something springs out that you never saw before.

It was like that for me this week.  I wasn’t even looking for the verse, but I did a word search because I couldn’t remember where to find what I was looking for, and there it was!

34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”  (John 13:34-35 NASB)

The part I never paid much attention to before was right up front, “A new commandment.”  Now how can it be a new commandment when He has already said that to love God with everything you are and to love your neighbor is yourself sums up everything in His law? (Matt 22:37-40)  Come find out!

During the Sunday School Craig is going to show us another way we can share Jesus with others, so don’t miss this Sunday!

In His love,

Larry

Message for January 31: A Man’s Place

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Blessings to you, family and friends of BBT.  It’s our 5th Sunday this month and I hope you’ll come and join us, even though you’ll have to listen to me.

Last week we were encouraged by Priscilla and Pastor David to live a life of trust and confidence in the Lord.  We also had a visitor, Craig Blackburn, from Dallas Theological Seminary who would like to work with us for a season as part of his training.  He is going to give his testimony this Sunday.  We’re excited to have him with us and we look forward to the possibility of having more students join us in the future.

A couple of weeks ago, I mentioned that there was a passage I was originally planning to speak on that I really didn’t want to tackle.  Well, I think the Lord really wants me to do it, so here I go.  Our text will be from Ephesians 5:22-33.  Now women, before you bring your rocks and rotten tomatoes, let me point something out to you.  Out of the 11 verses in this passage, roughly 3 and a half say anything to the wife.  The rest is all on the husband.  I don’t claim to be an expert om marital relations.  🙂  But I do think I’ve learned a few things, and the Word of God is the best teacher of all.  Come and let’s examine it together.

Be blessed to be a blessing,

Larry

Message for January 17: Why Doesn’t God Answer My Prayer?

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Blessings to you, family and friends of BBT.  It is our honor to share with you again this weekend, and I’m looking forward to it.

Last week was great!  It was so good to have Shelly back with us!  We were encouraged by Priscilla to trust in God even when we don’t understand what is happening, and Pastor David spoke of God’s grace and judgment from the parable of the fig tree.  Some other very special things happened during the service.  I can’t wait to see what God will do in this new year!

This week I was on a completely different path, about to speak on one of those passages many of us would rather not, when I think God redirected me.  Some day I’ll come back to that.  I don’t know if I like the new direction any better though, because it asks a question that we maybe more than most have had to struggle with.  I will tell you that God is teaching me in this as well.

So many of us have prayed either for ourselves or for others whom we love.  We read God’s promises in the scripture, but they don’t seem to be true.  How is it that He can say, “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it,” (John 14:14) but then seemingly turn a deaf ear to our most heartfelt pleas?  Why doesn’t God answer our prayers?

If you are hurting right now, nothing I have to say is going to help much.  Sometimes it even rings hollow to me.  But still it remains the truth.  We will have a better understanding if we consider the context of these verses we like to quote.  The one above is a good place to start.  Read verses 12-15.  Jesus is not making an unqualified statement.  I hope that by the end of the message we all will see why it is that we sometimes don’t get what we think we should, and how our prayers can be answered.

Come join us!

In His Love

Larry & Linda

Message for December 20: Happy Holidays!

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Hello BBT family and friends!  I have the honor of sharing with you again this Sunday, and I’m always excited to see what God will show us in His Word.  We had a wonderful celebration last week.  Pastor David read the Christmas story as is our tradition and challenged us to hear its message.  We especially appreciate the good people of The Heights Baptist Church who provided the food and gifts.  Special thanks also goes out to Diana Stevens who again made the elaborate Christmas baskets for everyone this year full of all kinds of good things.

This week I want to wish you happy holidays.  Are you wondering what’s going on?  Now even ministers aren’t saying “merry Christmas?”  Well before you ask me to step down, come and hear the message.

Do you know what people are saying to you when they say “happy holidays”?  I’ll bet in most cases they don’t either.  Maybe they’re just doing what they are told.  Maybe they really want to be “inclusive.”  But what they are really saying is “happy holy days.”  And you know what?  I am just going to say “thank you” from now on and maybe wish them the same, because I plan to do just that.  Every day should be a holy day.  Every day belongs to God.  Every day should be devoted to serving Him.

We have chosen to celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25.  The date is probably months off, but that’s not really the point.  I don’t think it matters that much to Him as long as we honor Him in what we do.  We can get into some big fights over days.  People are very attached to their traditions and the memories that have been built around them.  I don’t think they are fights worth having.  What I do hope for is that however or if we celebrate Christmas, we conduct ourselves in a way that pleases the One it’s supposed to be about.

So let’s have a look at holy days.  There were a lot of them in the old testament.  We won’t have time to really examine them closely, but when you see the symbolism in them and how they relate to the life and purpose of Jesus, it will bless you.  We were given no special days under the new covenant, but we were given this admonition.

One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. (Romans 14:5 NASB)

Worship the Lord in special ways on special days if you are moved to do so.  Permit your brothers and sisters the freedom to do as their own conscience dictates.  Let’s all have happy holidays!

Come join us on Sunday!

Oh, and merry Christmas!  🙂

With love

Larry

Message for November 27: Blessed Are the Peacemakers

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Happy Thanksgiving to all the family and friends of BBT.  I hope you’ll all be enjoying your own family and friends tomorrow and taking a moment to reflect on all that God has done.  We had a small group at church last Sunday.  Of course we always want more to come, but we were sorry so many missed our guest speaker for Sunday school.  Be sure and listen to the podcasts.

This week I want to share something with you that I’ve been thinking about for a while.  You might have heard about the brouhaha over the new Starbucks cups.  I was disturbed and disappointed by the way some folks reacted to it.  There are definitely times when Christians need to stand up for their believes.  We should resist being pushed out of the public square by the same kind of bigotry that we are often accused of having.  But we need to be careful.

Every year there’s a fuss over one company or another eliminating Christmas from their places of business.  It is sad.  It’s also perfectly reasonable for us to decide to take our dollars to places that don’t do it.  But when we become militant and belligerent about it, I think we’ve forgotten to take Jesus into those very places we want Him to be.

Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9)  We are rightfully disturbed by the things that are happening around us.  We’re supposed to turn the other cheek, but our faces are getting soar and we’re ready to start slapping back.  Someone moves a hand and we launch a preemptive strike.  What we end up doing is reinforcing the negative image that many people already have about what a Christian is.  As we enter another Christmas season, let us prayerfully consider what we do and strive for peace whenever possible.

Come join us as we study God’s word together.  Have a grateful Thanksgiving.  We’ll see you Sunday!

In His love,

Larry

Message for November 15: Ready to Rumble!

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This Sunday is our Thanksgiving celebration.  It’s a little early this year, but it’ll be just as good!  I’m looking forward to seeing everyone there.  I want to thank you all for your prayers for Linda and I on Sunday and throughout the week.  We’re feeling better and can’t wait to share with you from what God has given to us.

I’m going to speak from Ephesians 6:10-17.  I covered the same passage almost exactly three years ago also on a Thanksgiving dinner day.  It just fits so well with what Linda is going to talk about that it seems like a perfect fit.  She’s going to talk about fighting “the good fight.”  So if you’re going to go to battle, you’re going to need some armor.  Let’s look again at how Paul uses the armor of a Roman soldier to describe how we are to prepare ourselves for the spiritual battles we face every day.

Join us on Sunday.  Come hungry and bring a friend!

Larry

Message for October 18: The Free Gift that Costs You Everything

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Blessings, friends and family of BBT.  It was so good to see you last Sunday!  We had some folks back with us that we hadn’t seen in a while.  The church is missing parts when you’re not there.  We were still missing others though.  I’m looking forward to the day when we are all able to gather again.

Linda gave us a little refresher on how we can share our faith, reminding us that we’re here to make disciples and that’s where it starts.  Pastor David spoke on the importance of our motivations.  God is looking at our hearts.  We can do all the right things for all the wrong reasons.  We should be doing them out of love for God.

Last week I was reading a book about Christians around the world who are living their faith in the face of extreme persecution.  It started me thinking about what it really means to follow Jesus.  We have it pretty easy here in America, at least so far.  But even here we may be called upon to die for our faith like those people in Oregon who were shot to death for saying they were Christians.  The truth is that the call on all of us is the same.  Jesus said this in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 16.

24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. 25 For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? 27 “For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and ‘will then repay every man according to his deeds.’”

Salvation is a free gift (Eph 2:8-10.)  The thief on the cross who believed at the last moment is hanging out in Heaven with the likes of the apostle Paul.  None of us can earn it.  None of us deserve it.  Yet when we accept it, we are making a choice that changes our lives.  Jesus has called us all to a life of sacrifice.  We don’t live for ourselves anymore.  We live for Him.  We die to ourselves that we might have life eternally.  this is what it means to follow Him.

I hope you’ll join us this Sunday.  Pray for each other.  Pray for us.  And let God use you to be an answer to prayer.

Be blessed to be a blessing,

Larry

Message for September 27: A Real Whodunit

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Blessings friends and family of BBT.  I pray this finds you well and fully engaged in the ministry that God has called you to.  We do all have one.

Last Sunday we had a small crowd.  If you weren’t able to make it do check out the podcasts.  Linda continued her lesson on transforming ourselves and our guest Might Justice taught us to see Jesus for who he really is and put our trust in Him.

Next week, Debra is going to share with us during the Sunday school time her story and the things God has put on her heart.  This is something we hope to see more of.  Each of us should be continually growing and learning, sharing what we learn for the good of the whole body.  I’m looking forward to hearing from her.

My text will be from 2 Samuel, chapter 24.  Last week I was looking through my old blog entries and found something I wrote about it several hears ago.  Since then I have not been able to get it out of my mind.  It’s a troubling story and one I’d really rather not address at any greater depth.  Yet every time I ask the Lord what I should speak on, I keep coming back to that chapter.

So there we will go, and we’ll answer as best we can the mysteries it contains.  Along the way we’ll learn some valuable lessons about the nature of God and man, the consequences of sin at a personal and national level, and the willingness of God to forgive if we will only ask.  Come join us!

I spoke with Pastor David on Sunday morning.  He was hoping to be back starting next month.  I know we’ll all be glad to have him back.  Keep praying for him and for all of those who have made requests.  And don’t forget, God just might plan for you to be an answer to prayer yourself.  Like Linda shared with us, be still and listen for His voice.

With His love,

Larry