Thursday, July 29, 2010

Communion Hymn

I encourage you to listen to this song.


Communion Hymn

Ready....set.......GO!!

This Sunday, August 1st, is our official launch day of New Covenant Baptist Church! We have been training our Core Group since May 23rd and now we are going to start taking members. We are a Southern Baptist Church and we are looking forward to planting other churches in the future and actively being on mission for the Lord!

You can go to the churches website for more details.

www.ncbconeonta.org

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Final Day of State Side Impact Missions

Today missionaries went out for the last day to the streets of New Orleans to share the Gospel. Pray that others will come and water the seeds we have planted and that God would bring the increase. I am very thankful for all the churches that came along side our ministry to share the Gospel. It was hard work!

We do not share some cheap message of easy believism, we urge people to repent. Our goal was to give a personal warning to each person we could. This warning is because we have all broken God's law and justly deserve His wrath. Then we urged them to repent of their sins and trust Christ.

Many rejected Christ. Pray God will be merciful and give them another opportunity. Some received the message. Pray that it was good soil!

Pray for souls! Only God can save!!

How to Love One Another: Affirm, Share, and Serve

From Justin Taylor's Blog

Most of us are familiar with the “one another” commands of the New Testament. In the study guide for
Gospel in Life: Grace Changes Everything
, Tim Keller offers a helpful taxonomy under the categories of affirming one another, sharing with one another, and serving one another. These form, he says, “nine ‘community-building practices’—specific behaviors that build Christian community.” For a more detailed unpacking of each point, see pp. 58-71.

Affirm

1. Affirm one another’s strengths, abilities, and gifts.

Romans 12:10: “Honor one another”
James 5:9: “Don’t grumble against each other”
Romans 12:3-8: Confirm the gifts of one another

2. Affirm one another’s equal importance in Christ.

Romans 15:7: “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you”
1 Corinthians 12:25: “Have equal concern for each other”
1 Peter 5:5: “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another”
James 2:1: “Don’t show favoritism”

3. Affirm one another through visible affection.

Romans 16:16: “Greet one another with a holy kiss”
James 1:19: “Be quick to listen, slow to speak”
Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind and compassionate to one another”
1 Thessalonians 3:12: “[May] your love increase and overflow for each other”

Share

4. Share one another’s space, goods, and time.

Romans 12:10: “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love”
1 Peter 4:9: “Offer hospitality to one another”
Galatians 6:10: “As we have opportunity, let us do good”

5. Share one another’s needs and problems.

Galatians 6:2: “Carry each other’s burdens”
1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Encourage one another”
Hebrews 3:13: “Encourage one another daily”

6. Share one another’s beliefs, thinking, and spirituality.

Colossians 3:16: “Teach and admonish one another”
Ephesians 5:19: “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs”
Romans 12:16: “Live in harmony with one another”
1 Corinthians 1:10: “Agree with one another”


Serve

7. Serve one another through accountability.

James 5:16: “Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other”
Romans 15:14: “Instruct one another”
Ephesians 4:25: “Speak truthfully”

8. Serve one another through forgiveness and reconciliation.

Ephesians 4:2: “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love”
Colossians 3:13: “Forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another”
Galatians 5:25: Don’t provoke or envy one another
James 4:11: “Do not slander one another”
Matthew 5:23-24; 18:15: Reestablish broken relationships with one another

9. Serve one another’s interests rather than our own.

Hebrews 10:24: “spur one another on toward love and good deeds”
Romans 15:1-2: Don’t please yourself but please others
Galatians 5:13: “Serve one another”

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Day 3 Week 2 Impact New Orleans

Mission teams are like children, they all have different personalities. This team is doing great, they really are out of their comfort zone. God is stretching them beyond anyplace they've ever been. God is working and honoring His Word. We've been able to do some ministry with families that are struggling. Some are single parent homes, some are out of work and on the verge of loosing their homes. In both cases, they are holding on to the hope they have in Christ. Local churches are reaching out to help and encourage those that are faithful.

We have this one afternoon and one morning project left. I'll preach tonight to the mission team at 7:30 PM. Pray for them to be broken for the lost. I know that until you realize the awful wrath of God and the finality of the judgement, you'll never have a true zeal to share the Gospel.

God is working and we are honored to serve Him. Pray that this last full day will be glorious! Not by man's standard but by God's. That we would glorify Him.

Do you want to get well? Part 2

OUR EXCUSES DO NOT STOP JESUS FROM WORKING IN OUR LIVES
Jesus asked this man, “Do you want to get well?” I’m thinking “YES!! Get me out of this nasty place, and I’ll move on!” But he made an excuse, “I can’t…people keep breaking line.” Breaking line!! That is a 3rd grade excuse, but here we see a grown man making the excuse. I think, after a little while, I could inch over, and when the water stirred, I’d finally get in and be healed,. . . if I really believed it would work.

Some people reading this may be making excuses as to why you do not get well spiritually. You are too busy, you are to tired, you’ve already done that, you are to young, you are to old, you just can’t. Whatever the excuse, God doesn’t back up and say, “Oh yeah. That’s right. I forgot about your situation. Just hang around and when you get a chance, come to me.” No friend God is passionate that His children get well. He is able to present you blameless before the Father and He is going to sanctify you.

Regardless of where you are in your Christian journey, you need to get well. We all have areas of our lives that need to be fined tuned and tweaked. Some of you may be spiritually stressed because you know you are being a fake. You know that you should be more faithful, but you can’t get over yourself and your fears. It is stressful being a fake. We’ve all done that, and you can admit it if you are honest. You may realize that you are more than sick; you may realize that you are dead. You are spiritually paralyzed. You may realize your sinfulness and that you have never been a child of God. If that is your case, you should repent and believe the Gospel. Trust Christ, my friend, and He will make you well. He is the only one Who can present you to God and you be able to stand and not melt like wax in a blazing furnace. You need saving…you need to get well.

So how can we apply what we have learned to our lives? Here are a couple of things.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO ANSWER THE PRIMARY QUESTION FOR THE DAY…”DO YOU WANT TO GET WELL?”
Jesus asked this question over 2000 years ago and He is asking it again to you today. “Do you want to get well?” You may like where you are and are not going to budge. You would rather worship in your tradition than to worship in Spirit and in truth. You would be happy to stay sick as long as you continue to get your way.

Regardless of where you are in your Christian life, you need to ask yourself this question. It doesn’t matter if you are closer to God than you have ever been, you still need to be healthier as a Christian. Build yourself up in the most Holy faith (Jude 20). I pray that you will ask the Lord to search your heart and see if there is any wicked way in you (Psalms 139:22). This will lead you to a deeper repentance and trust in the Lord to make you well by faith! I beg of you, please do not leave reading this article without honestly evaluating your spiritual condition. It may be your last opportunity to get well.

YOU MUST ALLOW JESUS TO BE A PART OF THE CHANGE PROCESS
If you keep going in the same direction, you will not get any better. We all need Divine intervention. Remember, nothing is too big or too small for God. The Lord desires to help His children be completely well. We must not rely on ourselves but upon Him to make us well. It is Christ who redeemed us and makes us well. He nurses us back to health with daily spiritual training. If we will submit our lives to the Lord we can become spiritually healthy. The biggest factor is allowing Christ to part of that process and not attempting this on our own. There is no need to put confidence in yourself; our confidence is in the Gospel and the power of Christ to transform us. It is a work of His grace!

Traveling as an itinerant preacher, I hear almost weekly from someone sharing with me about an area in their life where they desire prayer. Most of the time, it is a person trying to “do something” to make themselves better, and they haven’t fully submitted their lives unto the Lord. God seems to be allowing their spiritual sickness to occur so that they can learn that He is the only One on whom they can rely. He is the same Christ who made the lame man well at the pool of Bethesda who will make us well today. We need to cry out to the Lord and ask Him to heal us; He is the only One who can.

Monday, July 26, 2010

Do you want to get well? Part 1

by: Eric Hixon

I do not know if you have ever looked at the account of the miracle at the Pool of Bethesda. However, if you haven’t, I encourage you to read it now.


"2Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. 5One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

7"Sir," the invalid replied, "I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me."

8Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 9At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked."

John 5:2-9 (NKJV)

I have never been to the Holy Land but always wished I could. Maybe one day the Lord will allow that, but, until then, I can Google. When you see the pictures of this pool you can see its potential beauty with its 5 porches surrounding it. But then you realize this was a place of sickness. The unsanitary conditions alone make you cringe, and then you think of all the disease. It is enough to make you want to make me go bathe in hand sanitizer gel.
Why did the Lord give us this miracle? The Scriptures teach that if all the miracles that Jesus had done in His three years of public ministry were recorded that all the books in the world couldn’t contain them (John 21:25). I have thought about how this can apply to us today. Here are some things we can learn from this miracle.

OUR APPARENT COMFORT MAY KEEP US SICK
The Scriptures tell us this man had been in this condition a long time—38 years. More than likely, he had been at this pool for a long time as well. I think that this man had made himself as comfortable as possible. Even around all that sickness, he had himself a life and possibly even a daily routine. Perhaps he had made friends with others at the pool. The point is, he made himself comfortable around such a sick place.

Maybe you are pretty comfortable in your life. Perhaps where you are right now you are not exactly happy with the condition of the world, but you have found your place in it and are comfortable. Just like this man, unless some changes are made, you are headed toward a much greater sickness. We are not called to go with the flow and adjust to our cultural conditions. Maybe the guy at the pool was afraid of risking. If he became well, he would need to leave. Maybe all his friends were there. Maybe he did not have family to whom he could return, or perhaps he didn’t know where they were? I do not know what your fears are; however, you do, and God does. I do know this, you can get so comfortable that it keeps you sick.

Ask yourself some tough questions and evaluate whether you are spiritually comfortable? Are you satisfied with where you are in your spiritual growth? Do you know why you do what you do? Do you know for sure that you are doing God’s Work, God’s Way? How do you know? If it is not based on God’s Word, you may be a victim of a satanic delusion. Have you fallen into a trap of man’s tradition that has lead you to believe that what you are is doing is approved by God? Be very careful of getting comfortable. I do not know many soldiers that are in a battle that are comfortable.

Day 2 Week 2 Impact New Orleans

We are rejoicing this morning in the Lord! Some of the families began the day with family worship times and prayer. It is wonderful to see fathers leading their families to serve together. Please pray for them as they serve the Lord today.

We are sending teams to 11 different mission sites around the city. From service projects to witnessing locations, we are looking forward to seeing what the Lord will do today! Thanks for your prayers!!

This is a short post but the day is already started and I am looking forward to going on the mission field. More updates coming soon!

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Day 1 Week Two Impact New Orleans

Just finished preaching at two churches and God's Word convicted some and there were a few that seemed to repent and truly trust Christ as Savior. Much brokenness and a great deal of encouragement to the church there. Pray for them as they literally minister to the world on their doorstep. Gang members, homeless, prostitutes, and drug dealers abound, but God is able to save the worst of sinners.

I preached the Word of God and God changed lives. Oh I pray that our churches would go to the streets and invite people in to hear the Gospel. I love ministering the Word to a non-religious group! They do not attempt to disguise themselves, they will openly tell you what they believe. They seem to be open to the truth and you can see God's Word effecting them. Pray for souls!!




140 Missionaries have arrived. I preach, equip, train, beginning tonight at 7:00 PM. Much grace is needed, the task is more than we can do on our own. We need to be fully submitted to the Lord. The battle is His!! Pray!!!

HOPE

Our prayer is that God would bring a lasting revival to our nation. The Churches in North America do a lot in the name of evangelism and worship; the question is, though, “Do people really want lasting revival?” Almost every time I will hear a resounding, “YES!” But how much are we willing to pay for it? I’m not talking about money, friend;...I’m talking about our lives. I honestly believe that anything less than giving our lives for service to our King will not do.

Where does our very best go? What do we do with our time, resources, our prayers? For many, Christianity is just part of their lives. When honestly evaluated, they find that it is more about morals than missions. What we must be reminded of constantly is the fact that we are not our own. God has created us for His glory, and we must take a close look at our lives to see if we are striving to give God our very best. If God answered all your prayers for the past 30 days, would it change the world. . . or just your world? This reveals our hearts, doesn’t it?

M.U.D. Ministries partners with hundreds of people that are members of local churches each year that come and give of their time and energy to serve others in the name of Jesus. We spend a lot of time preparing and praying because we are faced with the calling to “go and make disciples,” and it is becoming increasingly difficult in our culture to do that. There are some who literally act as if they have salvation coming to them. As if because we are Americans, we deserve it. God help us! Break our hearts Lord that we would repent of this kind of spiritual arrogance. If we do not repent and do God’s work, God’s way, we will reap what we sow. I pray you will glorify God by being obedient to His Word!

The only hope that our country has is Jesus! He is more than what we need; He is all we have. Many people look at the past as if it offers no relevant value. This is especially so in this generation of tolerance and technology. Even among many who say they are Christians, there is a subtle rejection of historic Christianity, at the expense of remaining relevant and following shallow, trendy fads. I assure you, God will never say He is pleased with that. What will please God? What will offer hope to this nation that is in utter disarray? I believe that we must repent and humbly turn our lives away from self and turn it to Christ. Obey God’s Word, and you will live. Reject His Word and settle for a wasted life. Jesus Christ is our only hope!

Right now, I ask you to pray and ask God how you can be involved in His work. Some are called to go, some are called to give, some are called to give and go. You do your best!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Missions 24/7

I was reminded today that missions are 24/7 for True Christians. I was sharing the Gospel with a few people outside the local Post Office today. It was a good opportunity and I love to talk about Christ and the hope we have in Him. I'm getting ready to head back to New Orleans. The missions are just as much in Oneonta, AL as they are in New Orleans.

I'm headed to the mission field everytime I wake up. Whether in my home or thousands of miles away, I'm on mission with God! Pray for those who say they love Jesus but never talk about Him outside the church building walls. Pray for their salvation.

Next stop, New Orleans!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Day 5 Impact New Orleans

This is the last day for this group of missionaries to serve the Lord in New Orleans through Impact. We have had a tremendous week and I think more people have shared the Gospel than ever before. We have had missionaries from Ohio, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Tennessee serving with us this week! I am proud of each individual and of the churches for preparing their people for missions. The teams will serve till 4 PM this afternoon and then have a celebration service at 7:30 PM. This will be a time when we get some actual idea of how many people actually were witnessed to over the week.

These individuals were not seeking numbers, they were seeking souls. the only way to win a soul is to share the Gospel. Some people do not want to hear this message but God has commanded us to share the Gospel. It was a aroma of life unto life for many and for some, death unto death. However, we were triumphant in our battle because we served for our King.

Impact Missions is a band of soldiers who are called by God to obey His every command. We are in a war! It is a war for truth and for souls. We are unique soldiers in that we are not called to war to kill....but to save. There is room for more soldiers, we are praying that God would stir you to serve in this battle. If not with us, with another Gon-honoring ministry. I do pray for workers for the fields, they are white for harvest!!

Sunday, another band of Soldiers will come in and go to battle along side us. Pray for them and keep checking for updates!!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Day 4 Impact New Orleans

After a much needed half day's rest, the team will go back to their ministry sites this morning. Please pray for them as the heat is a draining factor. We are going to some indoor areas to try to help with that and minister to thise seeking shelter from the heat. I know that God will give them opportunity to witness and that hundreds will have heard the Gospel before the week is out.

Pleae pray for the teams as they go and share the Gospel today. More updates coming soon!!!!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Day 3 Impact New Orleans

This will be the 3rd day on the mission field. The Gospel has been making an impact both on New Orleans and on the missionaries. I have been blessed to be able to preach the past 3 nights and God seems to be blessing His Word! The focus has been placing our confidence in the Gospel, not our ability. It is amaIng to see how this is increasing the missionaries faith and stirring them to do more for our Lord. Only God could do what has been done so far this week, we take NONE of the glory.

Today is a half day of ministry projects then they get to take the afternoon off to refresh and take in a few sites. I have a sneaking suspicion that even then, these Brothers and Sisters will be sharing the Gospel!! Please continue to pray for us all as we serve our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!!

More updates coming soon.....

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Day 2 Impact New Orleans

We have began our 2nd day on the mission field here in New Orleans. The majority of the mission team has already shared the Gospel multiple times and are out now sharing. Pray for God to convict and save the lost through our efforts. I'm glad to work along side these missionaries. They are committed to boldly sharing the good news of Christ and serving sacrificially. One young man said,"This is not a photo op. This is for God's Glory!"

Pray for more men like him to be drawn out into service for King Jesus! I'm headed back out to the streets in the next few minutes to witness. Pray for souls!!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Day 1 Impact New Orleans

New Orleans is off to a strong start! God seems to genuinely be stirring this group for service. We are launching out to 15 different ministry sites today to share the Gospel. The only hope is that God will, in mercy, save souls through our efforts.

Last night I preached on "What is the Gospel?" Today we take the message of Christ to this city. Please pray for us.....

More updates soon!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Impact New Orleans

After a year of praying, preparing, and training, we will mobilize more than 300 people for missions over the next 2 weeks in New Orleans!

M.U.D. Minsitries has built relationships with these local churches and pastors over the past several years that have allowed us to have the opportunity to serve along side them. Our ministries desire is not to be a flash in the pan, but to partner with churches that want to do God's Work, God's Way. We will be focused on serving and sharing the Gospel in over 15 different communities during our time in New Orleans.

I met with several Pastors earlier this year, and God is using some of these men in great ways. Of course, it is hard to see it from their position, it is easy for them to get discouraged. According to one pastor, "You do not see a lot of people responding but when a person does get saved...they are faithful." I met former drug dealers and prostitutes that had been converted on the streets of New Orleans. One former prostitute had been actively serving in her local church for over 15 years. She says that since she trusted Christ she has never been the same!

I understand that Jesus never saved anyone that He didn't change!!

Please take full advantage of this opportunity to pray for our mission team specifically. Each group has been trained in Biblical Evangelism and we will not use manipulative tactics to get numbers. Our confidence is rooted in the Gospel! We will share with over 1500 people over the next two weeks. Pray that they see their sin as exceedingly sinful and that the Holy Spirit would convict them and they would repent and trust Christ!! Christ is all they have!!

I will be preaching nightly and will be in a few churches that are planted in the Lower 9th Ward. This was the hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina. Many homes are still in rubble and people are desperate. Pray that they will be desperate for Christ and that they will trust Him before it's eternally too late!!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Family Worship

The Word of God clearly implies that God deserves to be worshipped daily. In order to do that, we must worship Him in our own homes as individuals and families. I realize that there is no direct commandment in scripture to have family worship, however; it is clearly practiced and taught throughout the Bible.

You can go as far back as Genesis 18:17-19,

"The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice, so that the LORD may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.”

A little later we also read, "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates." (Deuteronomy 6:6-9 ESV)

It doesn't take a lot of thinking to realize that training our children in the way of God means much more than a trip to church a couple times a week. As a parent, I have first hand experience with this. I can honestly say, that my family worship times are a blessing. It is a blessing to see my children learn about the things of God. It is wonderful to see them worshipping the Lord together in our home.

I encourage you to begin today, if you haven't already, leading your family in worship in your home. I can give you this promise....you will never regret it!

Monday, July 12, 2010

He Forgot He Was a Wanted Man

by Brad Williams

Brad is the Pastor of New Covenant Baptist in Albertville, AL. This is from his latest newsletter. Enjoy!!


I want to tell you the true story of a man named Victor Houston. His real name is actually Frank Dryman. In 1951, Frank, freshly bounced out of the Navy for mental issues, car-jacked an unfortunate café owner named Clarence Pellet. Frank ordered Clarence to get out of the car, then shot him in the back six times as he attempted to comply. Frank Dryman murdered Clarence Pellet.



Frank narrowly avoided the death penalty for his crime, and he wound up getting parole after spending just shy of twenty years behind bars. But Frank did not like checking in with his parole officer, so he skipped town and settled in Arizona. That’s where he remained for forty years. He got married. He had children. He built himself a life. He was, apparently, a good citizen of his local community. Frank forgot that he was a wanted man. Frank forgot that he was a murderer. He even applied for his Navy benefits from the VA. He tried to become a new man named Victor Houston, and he believed that this would be enough to cleanse him of his guilt.



Almost sixty years after Frank killed Clarence, Clarence’s grandson tracked him down and ruined Frank’s illusion. Frank was promptly arrested and put back into prison, and he will most likely die there. The court was not impressed that Frank had lived a good life after skipping bail. He was a parole violator and murderer to them, and now he will spend what little time he has left on earth behind bars.



Frank says that he forgot that he was a wanted man. He said, “I never thought I was a parole violator. I was Victor Houston. I never looked over my shoulder, I just forgot about it…to be honest, I didn't even remember the victim's name.” But Clarence’s family did not forgot. More than a dozen members of the family showed up for his parole hearing to testify of the carnage Frank caused by killing Clarence Pellet.



There is a parable here for us, a parable of the danger of forgetting our guilt before God for our very real, very terrible crimes against His Majesty. Men, convinced that they can make up for wickedness by good works, are displeased that God would hold them to account for sins committed in the past, sins the sinner himself may not even remember. Frank said this of Clarence’s grandson’s quest to see him put back behind bars, “I think it was so wrong he spent so much money getting me here. I feel it is unfair.” Does that sound like a man aware of the heinousness of his crimes?



It is the natural inclination of the sinful heart to downplay the seriousness of its sin. It is our tendency to forget that we are guilty sinners, and except for grace, we would be undone. May the Lord reveal to us how sinful we are that we may own up to our guilt and receive the forgiveness He offers.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

The High Cost of Appeasement

This is a post I did a couple years back. I pray that it will be useful to you.


In his sermon, Sinner’s in the Hands of an Angry God, Jonathan Edwards preached that God was not going to be tolerant of sin. He reminded his audience that God desired holiness and obedience to His Word. The enemy of our souls is doing all that he can to bring death and destruction to all of God’s Creation. We some time do not look at the subtle attacks of the enemy. We see the devastation that a person who is without Christ is headed for but some have forgotten that Satan is still trying to kill the Christians as well. He knows that he cannot have our soul so he tries to make us ineffective in our Christian witness.

On February 20th, Bernard Lewis discussed Iran’s active pursuit of weapons of mass destruction. But even without WMD’s, Lewis noted, Iran is still extremely dangerous. Adolf Hitler, he reminded his audience, never had weapons of mass destruction. And look at what that man accomplished with his non-nuclear arsenal.

While many churches try to appease members by preaching that God is love and He is tolerant to sin, the Bible speaks volumes on His righteous judgment and His wrath. Yes, God is love, but many think that is all He is. Jesus’ message was actually the opposite of appeasement, he actually told His followers that following Him would entail a higher risk of direct confrontation, which would erupt into some form of conflict.

John 15:20, Jesus said, “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecute Me, they will persecute you…”
We are by nature, not prone to want to have conflict. It is not in our mind in America that Christianint causes people to hate us. Especially in the south, where everyone has some form of Bible knowledge. Around the turn of the last century, many churches began to be more relevant in their message in order to “grow” their churches. They begin to use methods that would make people feel at ease in there services and many of the messages focus on life enhancement and not the Gospel. It has resulted in the development of thousands of false converts who never truly repented of their sins and believed the Gospel. They never heard the Gospel and their motive for salvation was not based on a clear understanding of sin, God, or Jesus Christ. Were in not for those men who have continued to stand and preach the truth despite how much the world hates it, we would be in worse trouble than we currently are.

While preachers and polititions set around and talk about unity and economic growth solutions, many are being jard out of their spiritual slumber. I truly pray that it is not to late, that they have woken up in time to go forth and herald the truth. The enemy has already killed millions and there are millions of other souls at stake. Satan wants to annihilate all of God’s creation. We must ask God to send us a nation shaking spiritual revival. There is absolutely no room for surrender or compromise. Many will hate us and turn against us because they will love this world more than they love God but we must charge into this world with the love of God in truth!

The idea that the Christian life is going to be safe and full of wonderful prosperity and ease, is like telling people that a rabid pit bull is a nice pet. However, we know that being obedient to Christ is a life that is full of abundant peace and joy. Some Christians have been duped into believing that “carrying your cross” means doing without a vehicle for a few days. Friend, this Christian life is full of trials and sometime pure misery. To think that God is going to somehow spare you from this when He didn’t spare His own Son or His Apostles. Where did anyone get that idea anyway? It is not a short war, it is a lifetime!!!

Satan doesn’t play by the rules, he has made no treaty. John 10:10 says, “The enemy only comes to steal, kill, and destroy…” I just look at what millions of people stand for around this world that think they are doing right and it is leading them straight to hell. I pray that America will wake up from its long, deluded slumber. It will take some time to regain the lost ground but together we can win. It will be a difficult battlefield and some will not make it through. I truly believe that if Christians will join together and speak the truth of God’s Word, many that the enemy wants to perish will not. Many will be saved! As Ray Comfort said when speaking of the church, “We are not some Christian cruise ship, we are a battleship, and we are stationed at the very jaws of hell!”

Some have asked me, “Could we have avoided this?” I honestly do not know the answer to that. Regardless, we are in a situation and the only response is to be faithful to the Word of God. Never back down, never be silent, never stop sharing the Gospel! Refuse to give any ground to the enemy! We are more that conquers through Christ Jesus our Lord!!!!!!


Grace and Peace,
Eric

Friday, July 9, 2010

Impact Fort Payne

This is the last day for Impact Fort Payne. Saturday everyone will return to his or her home. I cannot say enough how thankful I am to the Lord for these missionaries that came to share the Gospel in this area. We have had several that have had the opportunity to share the Gospel with people who seemed to make a genuine profession of faith! Some of them have even came to the evening services.

God richly blessed us this week and we have seen that the Gospel does impact the entire county! Please pray that the seeds we have planted will take root and grow to bear much fruit for our Lord.

We must bid our friends in Fort Payne, AL, farewell for now. God does not call us to get comfortable, He calls us to "go and make disciples." That is what M.U.D. Ministries is all about,
"making disciples."
We move on to New Orleans, LA, where we will partner with over 15 churches to share the Gospel in their community. I will be preaching there each night and in two churches in the Lower 9th Ward on July 25th. Please pray for souls!!

We truly love each of our partners and appreciate your intercessory prayer!!

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Marriage Realities (Part 1)

I will be doing s few articles on marriage and family over the next few weeks. i pray that God will use it to strengthen your marriage and protect it from the attacks of the enemy.

Each person should recognize that their marriage commitment is to the Lord FIRST and to your spouse SECOND. There are many things that the enemy uses to attack marriages so we must be "innocent as a dove and wise as a serpent" in defending our marriage against these attacks. I believe that the key to maintaining a solid foundation in marriage is for both husband and wife to cultivate and maintain a solid, deep, and mutual relationship with Christ and make a commitment to be obedient to God's Word.
Here are a few things that I know will help this journey:

Focus on YOUR HEART, not your outward appearance.

Our heart is much more important than the way we "present" ourselves to our peers. People can look good on the outside and on the inside be falling apart. I can't help but to think of those in Hollywood that people literally try to imitate and how we read everyday of their marital collapse and moral debauchery. Proverbs 31:30,"Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."

Spend time growing in your love for God's Word and for the times you are with Him. This will strengthen your heart and be good for your soul. All of our efforts should not go into what we "appear" to be but on growing in godliness. This will be an opportunity for your marriage to mature and be strengthened.


Focus on who your husband/wife REALLY IS, not on who you want them to be.

There are so many marriages that stumble because the husband and wife do not know each other. No one is perfect, and we can't expect them to be and have any chance at experiencing the reality of a strong marriage. Strong godly marriages are not made between two perfect people but between two sinners who trust Christ to guide them. Just as there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), we should not have a spirit of condemnation toward our spouses because they do not meet all of our expectations. Chunk that idea of having a "perfect marriage" and learn to love the spouse that you have. Husbands, we must live with our wives "with understanding" (1 Peter 3:7) and patience. Just as God is preparing us for Christ, we must love our spouses without always focusing on their faults. I promise, you are messed up, too. Thank God that he uses messed up people for His glory!



Focus on LOVING your husband/wife not on how much you have in common.

My advice to couples I've counseled is to "love your wife" and to "love your husband." Ephesians and Titus deal with so much of this thought that it is obviously something of which we need to be reminded. No two people are the same, especially husbands and wives. What did you expect? God uses those differences to help us become more like Christ. If our focus is directed toward self, you will never see the absolute joy of being in that marriage relationship.

The UnComfort Zone

It is always a unique thing to see people coming into a mission project. Some are very focused on the mission at hand, some are excited, some are tired, some are just..well...goofy. (that is meant in a good way) Regardless, it is always a little uncomfortable that first day. All kind of interaction with people that you have never seen and do not know. Tons of information getting dumped on you. New sites and people at every corner. Everyone always seems to be a little tense not matter what they try to act like.

There is something about being uncomfortable that God uses. Something that happens to us when we stepp out of our norm so we can serve God for His glory. God uses these times to push us to be what we would have never been on our own. It is a time when we are forced to have faith. Faith that the Lord will help us in this situation. Faith that will give us strength to make an impact on a community that is not our own. Faith that prayerfully we realize is not from us, but is a gift from God.

Pray that these Soldiers will be used for God's glory this week. Pray that in this uncomfortable time, God will stretch them beyond themselves to the place where they are useful for Him. There is no doubt that Fort Payne and Dekalb County Alabama has already been impacted by these men and women of God. I am thankful for them!!

Monday, July 5, 2010

Ready or Not...HERE WE COME!!

by: Eric Hixon

In only a few hours, between 120 and 140 Short-Term Missionaries will converge on Fort Payne, AL. To my knowledge, this is a first for this area. We will be sharing the gospel with hundreds of people and doing some light construction work for a few select individuals. This project will go through Friday!

We need you to pray for God's mercy and grace on each missionary. Pray that we all of the work that has gone into coordinating this project will be helpful. Shawn Doss, my National and International Ministry Coordinator has put countless hours into this mission project. We will now trust the Lord to guide us as we serve Him this week.

Each day, please pray that God will open doors for the Gospel to be shared and for hearts to be opened. Each missionary has been studying and training to share the Gospel Biblically and take advantage of every opportunity God offers to them. I doubt that Dekalb County, AL has every seen such a missions event in their own County. Please pray for souls!

Every evening, I will be preaching, training, and equipping these missionaries to do the task that the lord has set before them. I need your prayers as well. This week will be busy and Shawn and I will be going non-stop most of the week. I'll try to keep updating as I go along! Thank you for your prayers!

I have also attatched a link below to a newspaper articel done by the Times Journal, a local Dekalb County newspaper.

The Times-Journal

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Elan Kagen and Partial Birth-Abortion

from Justin Taylor's Blog

Here is an eye-opening article at National Review Online, written by Shannen Coffin on Supreme Court nominee (and undoubtedly future Justice) Elena Kagan and her crucial role in coming up with (dishonest) language to defend partial-birth abortion.

In judicial rulings on partial-birth abortion, one of the most important documents was produced by a “select panel” of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). The Supreme Court used this document as a key example of medical opinion on partial-birth abortion, as it said that partial-birth abortion “may be the best or most appropriate procedure in a particular circumstance to save the life or preserve the health of a woman.” This language was used extensively in defeating partial-birth-abortion bans.

But in point of fact, the select panel of the AOG actually wrote in their initial draft that they “could identify no circumstances under which this procedure . . . would be the only option to save the life or preserve the health of the woman.”

Mr. Coffin writes:

Upon receiving the task force’s draft statement, Kagan noted in another internal memorandum [PDF] that the draft ACOG formulation “would be a disaster — not the less so (in fact, the more so) because ACOG continues to oppose the legislation.” Any expression of doubt by a leading medical body about the efficacy of the procedure would severely undermine the case against the ban.

So Miss Kagan sought to solve the problem.

Her notes, produced by the White House to the Senate Judiciary Committee, show that she herself drafted the critical language hedging ACOG’s position. On a document [PDF] captioned “Suggested Options” — which she apparently faxed to the legislative director at ACOG — Kagan proposed that ACOG include the following language: “An intact D&X [the medical term for the procedure], however, may be the best or most appropriate procedure in a particular circumstance to save the life or preserve the health of a woman.”

Kagan’s language was copied verbatim by the ACOG executive board into its final statement, where it then became one of the greatest evidentiary hurdles faced by Justice Department lawyers (of whom I was one) in defending the federal ban. (Kagan’s role was never disclosed to the courts.) The judicial battles that followed led to two Supreme Court opinions, several trials, and countless felled trees. Now we learn that language purporting to be the judgment of an independent body of medical experts devoted to the care and treatment of pregnant women and their children was, in the end, nothing more than the political scrawling of a White House appointee.

Yuval Levin writes:

What’s described in these memos is easily the most serious and flagrant violation of the boundary between scientific expertise and politics I have ever encountered. A White House official formulating a substantive policy position for a supposedly impartial physicians’ group, and a position at odds with what that group’s own policy committee had actually concluded? You have to wonder where all the defenders of science—those intrepid guardians of the freedom of inquiry who throughout the Bush years wailed about the supposed politicization of scientific research and expertise—are now. If the Bush White House (in which I served as a domestic policy staffer) had ever done anything even close to this it would have been declared a monumental scandal, and rightly so.

Apparently scientific integrity only matters as long as it doesn’t somehow infringe on abortion. That, of course, was always the lesson of the stem-cell debate in the Bush years anyhow. But clearly it started earlier. It’s good to know where Kagan’s priorities are. Let’s hope senators are paying attention.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

The Gospel at a Grocery Store

From Justin Taylor's Blog.....

Elyse Fitzpatrick helps us think through a situation of applying the person and work of Christ to sinful frustration at the checkout line of a grocery store. What I especially appreciate about this is how it helps us to think about all of Christ, and not just one aspect of his work.

Because of the incarnation, Jesus Christ knows exactly what it is to live in a sin-cursed world with people who break the rules . . . like me. I am a rule-breaker but He’s loved me and he’s experienced every trial I face. He’s with me. He sympathizes with my weakness (Hebrews 4:15).This understanding of His love in the face of my sin drains my anger at my rule-breaking neighbor. I can love her because I’ve been loved and I am just like her.

Because of His sinless life, I now have a perfect record of loving my neighbor. He perfectly loved rule-breakers. This record of perfect love for my rule-breaking neighbor is mine now; knowing this relieves my guilt. Even though I continue to fail to love, His record is mine.

Because of His substitutionary death, I am completely forgiven for my sin . . . even the sins that I seem to fall into at the slightest provocation. God has no wrath left for me because He poured it all out on His Son. He’s not disappointed or irritated. He welcomes me as a beloved daughter.

Because of His resurrection (and the justification it brings), I know that the power of sin in my life has been broken. Yes, I’ve failed again, but I can have the courage to continue to fight sin because I’m no longer a slave to it. This replaces despair with faith to wage war against my selfishness and pride.

Because of His ascension and reign, I know that this situation isn’t a mere chance happening. He’s orchestrated it so that I will remember Him and be blessed by the gospel again. He’s ruling over my life and interceding for me right now. I’m not a slave to chaos or chance. He’s my Sovereign King and I can rest in His loving plan today and rejoice in Him.

And, because of His promised return, I know that all the doubt, injustice and struggle will one day come to an end. This line in this grocery store and my plans for dinner isn’t all there is. There’s the great good news of the gospel. I can go home now and share with my family and guests how Jesus met me at the grocery store and we can rejoice together in His work on our behalf.
Amen!

For more along this line of thinking, see the book she co-authored with Dennis Johnson, Comforts from the Cross: Celebrating the Gospel One Day at a Time.

Friday, July 2, 2010

Avoid Assuming the Gospel

I encourage you to pick up a copy and read,
Marks of the Messenger: Knowing, Living, and Speaking the Gospel
(IVP, 2010), by J. Mack Stiles. He brings some tremendous insight concerning assuming the Gospel. It is reminding us: "Losing the Gospel doesn't happen all at once, it's much more like a four generation process."

The Gospel is accepted ---->

The Gospel is assumed ---->

The Gospel is confused ---->

The Gospel is lost.

How do you know if your church is beginning to assume the Gospel? The answer, Stiles says, is when you no longer hear the Gospel. He ask a series of questions that will assisit you in diagnosing your situation.

Was the Gospel in the sermon Sunday morning?

Could the uniinitated hear that sermon and come to real faith in Christ?

Do you hear the Gospel in people's prayers?

Does your fellowship encourage you to say the Gospel? And then is it more than just a memorized sketch? Sure, it may follow the form of "God, Man, Christ, Response," but is it in people's own words?

Furthermore, do you see it in their actions? Is the gospel lived out?

Is membership based on a true commitment to the Gospel or just because someone wants to join an organization--or may write and expose?

The healthy evangelist is asking the question and looking for answers so as to guard the Gospel. Here is a critical test.

**Could you have preached that sermon if Christ has not died on the cross?

**Could you have developed that leadership principle had Christ no been
crucified?


I'm not saying be impractical--the bible has much to say about being practical--but make sure that the practical is tied to the message of Jesus. Otherwise we are on the road to an assumption that will lose the Gospel.

(p.41)


I pray that the god of all grace will pour out that grace on us! So much so, that we will be men, women, and children of, by, and for the Gospel!!

Thursday, July 1, 2010

God's Great Grace

by: Justin Taylor

One of the beautiful things about the book of Ephesians is the way in which Paul celebrates God’s grace, power, might, wisdom, love, and glory.

Follow the adjectives and superlatives to see an example of worshipful pastoral theology in action.

We are saved “to the praise of God’s glorious grace” (Eph. 1:6)

Our redemption and forgiveness through the cross is “according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us” (Eph. 1:6-7).

We are called to know “the riches of [God's] glorious inheritance in the saints” and “the immeasurable greatness of his power . . . and his great might” (Eph. 1:18-19).

Because God is “rich in mercy” and because of his “great love” toward us, we were saved” (Eph. 2:4).

In the coming ages God will show us “the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus” (Eph. 2:7).

Paul preached to the Gentiles “the unsearchable riches of Christ” (Eph. 3:8).

Though the church “the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places” (Eph. 3:10).

Paul prays that “according to the riches of [God's] glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being” (Eph. 3:16).

One application for us is that we should notice how we speak of God’s love, wisdom, grace, etc. Do we feel, with Paul, how truly great God’s grace is?