100th Post

I said I wouldn't do it, but I couldn't resist. I noticed today that I've posted 99 times on this blog since it began in September. So even though I'm technically posting only at WordPress right now, I'm posting the 100th post here today! Since I began keeping track of visits and visitors (Don't worry I don't know who you are, just where) on December 22nd I've had about 80 unique visitors from 7 different countries, 17 different states from Cali to Florida to Maine and almost 600 page views. That is very small compared to many blogs, but I can't help but get a bit excited. Now if you'd just comment more we could actually have discussions like the interesting one going on down the page a ways under "What Kid's Shows do You Wish Would Just Go Away." Noelle, if you ever come back and read again, I'm calling you to publicly repent of Dora. Turn!

Which Blog Do You Like?

I am extremely hesitant to do this b/c I've already been blogging on blogger and everyone who reads already knows and is used to this site. BUT, I've created a sort of "mirror blog" with Wordpress. I LOVE their templates and it just looks better. So, for about a week, everything I post will be on Wordpress. I've already imported all the posts from this blog to that one.

So for the next few days I will allow open comments without registering, putting your e-mail in, whatever. You can feel free to post anonymously, I'll never know who you are. All you have to do is say which you like better. There is a word verification to prevent spam comments. It's all very easy. I NEED your feedback as to which blog format you like better. This or the wordpress one. The name is exactly the same except instead of .blogspot.com it is .wordpress.com.

Anyway, here is the link, but comment here on this post.

Creek Dunkin

In the old days at Little Mountain there wasn't a baptistry. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's a pool of water in the church for baptizing people. So if you need to be baptized, there isn't anywhere inside the church to do so. There was a creek where a zoo sits today near the church, and baptisms were performed in the creek. Here's a photo of the creek, and the baptisms from our booklet, "History of Little Mountain Baptist Church." Sometimes we long for the "old days," but I have a feeling the creek got a little cold in the winter. I like my water warm! But it sure makes for a very cool photo.

Podcast Episode III

This is from today's sermon "I Will Cheerfully Give This Year."  It's the third message from the series "I Will Not Waste My Life This Year."  Many Christians believe in a doctrine of money that says, "Money is private.  It's my business.  It's not the business of my church."  It's a sort of separation of church and finances.  In 2 Corinthians Paul shatters that notion saying that money is in fact a very potent resource when used in the right way.  More than that, giving is very much a spiritual matter of the heart.  Click on the title to download the message or go to the sidebar and click the link to go to the Sermon Cloud website to listen or download.

Winter Weather

If the weather takes a turn for the worse today and tonight you may check the closings/delays at WSPA 7. In addition I will post here to reflect any decisions that are made in regards to our worship services. The roads are supposed to be slick and the temperature is not set to rise above freezing until noon tomorrow. A decisions will be made late tonight or early morning. Thanks.

What Kid's Shows Do You Wish Would Just Go Away?

I'm getting home from work and there's some kid's shows that Kate absolutely loves. I know I liked some very annoying things as a child, but this got me thinking about which shows I REALLY wish would just go away forever. Here's my top 5 in no specific order:

1. Dora the Explorer (On right now. If only Dora never talked it may be decent. Plus in light of our immigration issues the Spanish is quite annoying also).

2. Diego the male counterpart to Dora (See above on Dora).

3. Barney (Very popular among kid's show bashers, but deservedly so)

4. Wow Wow Wubzy (What is this? Japanese invasion. I just don't understand)

5. Teletubbies (Possibly the most pointless show ever. It teaches nothing, they say nothing, and they are very strange and scary little creatures)

This is my top 5. I could keep going. The shows are just very bad these days. It says something that Mr. Rogers is still on television, and that Sesame Street is still kicking. Some shows have staying power. Others are trendy and faddish. If kids are still watching Dora in 10 years I'll be surprised. I'll also hope I have no little kids! What are your top 5?

I Don't Want to Die in the Desert

Sunday night I will be preaching from Deuteronomy 8.  Like so much in the OT it is a passage that rehearses scenes from Israel's past for the sake of warning them, reminding them, exhorting them, or encouraging them.  Here it functions as a warning.  They are finally poised to enter the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the desert.  An entire generation of people have been killed off by God for their sins (mostly grumbling, does God take grumbling more seriously than we do?).  Now the next generation is ready, and God reminds them by taking them back in time.  He shows them how he rescued them out of slavery in Egypt, how He led them through the wilderness, feeding them with manna and water from rocks.  And now they're ready to cross the Jordan to the land God promised, and God says remember my ways.  Remember how I've been faithful to you.  The tragedy was that the wilderness wandering wasn't supposed to have happened.  God never intended to keep them out there that long, to kill of the entire generation of the faithless.  It was supposed to be temporary on their way to something better.  But for all God had done, they forgot.  They grumbled, and complained, and were thankless in every way about the wilderness, and God got fed up and finally said, "Fine, you don't like it, then don't come into your new house I've been promising.  You can die in the back yard."  I'm scared at the number of times I find myself comparing with the unfaithful Israelites.  Always complaining about the station in life I'm in.  With every new gift, wishing it were more.  If we're not careful we'll find ourselves dying in the desert without entering into the blessings God has for us now.  I don't mean believers losing their salvation.  I mean missing the abundance that this life should be lived in.  The blessings we missed out on b/c we decided we knew better than God.  I don't want to die in the desert.

Pics of the 1st Snow of the Year

Here are some pictures from the snow I prayed for!

I Prayed for Snow

I know it's not very theological.  I'm not quite sure there's any spiritual reason for it.  But this morning when I heard there was a chance of a wintry mix (translated - we don't really know what form the precipitation will take) I prayed that the God who controls the weather would providentially bring snow to us.  And for a night, He did.  I've been looking out the window enjoying this rare treat all night.  Every 10 minutes or so I get up, walk to the window, turn the light on outside and watch it fall.  There's anticipation every time b/c these things usually last about 10 minutes here and then turn to cold rain or worse, ice.  I don't recall a Bible passage with a prayer like this.  I'm a pastor and I'm not sure this falls in the realm of "things we ought to pray for."  But I did nonetheless.  I actually prayed for about 6-12 inches.  It's not looking like that will happen, but you never know.  If I wake up and see it, I will not be surprised.  If I wake and it's just small patches of snow and sleet I will not be surprised.  Either way, God answered my prayer and for a night I will enjoy it.

When There is Never a Choir to Preach to

"Preaching to the choir," is a little phrase that means something like, "All the people you're trying to convince of something already agree with you." What happens when you're preaching, or talking/sharing/whatever you want to call it, and NOBODY agrees with you. What's more, what if you're preaching/talking/teaching/sharing God's Word and still NOBODY agrees with what you're saying?

Next time that happens, be encouraged, you aren't alone. You stand in a long line of people whom nobody listened to. 2 Things, then a link to Scripture that you SHOULD read. 1, if you find yourself in that position, you should remember YOU ARE NOT INFALLIBLE. God's Word is, but you aren't. SO, maybe it's not that the people don't agree with God's Word, but that you are preaching it in a way that contains error. Don't think you're above that. 2, maybe there isn't error in your presentation and the people listening really are stubborn and hard of heart. If that is the case, then read this Scripture passage from the call of the prophet Ezekiel. God knew the people wouldn't listen, that they were hard of heart, hearing, and rebellious. He told Ezekiel to preach anyway and God would show them that a "prophet has been among them."

So talk away, even if you have no choir.

Podcast Episode II

This is the 2nd in a series of messages entitled "I Will Not Waste My Life This Year."  It is episode II of the series, entitled, "I Will Gather With the Saints."  Click on the title to download it and play it on your computer.  Yet another interesting possibility to get messages out.

Audio Resources

You may now access recordings of the last 3 Sermons from our church by clicking on the link under Podcast Links on the sidebar.  It is not an actual service recording but my feeble early attempts at podcasting. You can click on the message, the date is there with it, and it will take you to the page where you may download the sermon or play it in streaming media format.  I am constantly looking for better ways to get the messages out, but this seems to be a good one for now.  The blog will link to only the 3 most recent, but once you get to the page you can find links to the entire archive by clicking on the tiny "Little Mountain Baptist" link next to the message.  If you try this let me know how it works.

Quote of the Day

"Jesus is the (only) fire that burns up the very root of lust."  

This is from a classic book from a Puritan man named John Owen.  I've read it and it's a difficult read, but another pastor/blogger posted some of the quotes from this book, and this one reminded me why this book is so very important.  "Lust" means a very strong desire.  In itself it's not a sin, but it is the object of the desire that matters.  Sinful lusts, says Owen, can only be uprooted and burned by Jesus.  We may hammer away at the fruit of the sinful lusts all day long, but if the root is left intact the efforts are fruit-LESS so to speak.  It will continue to grow and grow.  

What powerful desires do you have that you continue to fight in your own strength?  You continue regularly to cut the top off, leaving the root in place.  The root has grown very deep, like an old tree in fertile, moist soil.  When you chop the top off, you feel as if the "weed" is gone, but within a very short period of time you find it's grown right back where it left off.  We must deal with the roots of the sins in our lives, and not simply the bad fruit.  Bad fruit comes from bad roots, which means essentially that this is a heart problem.  Heart problems can be dealt with in no other way than by Jesus' strength, power, and might.

When Our Church Was a Baby

A friend and our newest member Gregg sent me this photograph of when Little Mountain was a baby.  We still meet in the same building even though many things have been added since the time this was taken.  For those of you who've never seen the church, there are education wings on both sides and a vestibule and pillars in the front.  The steeple is still in use.  I love this picture and I am considering printing and making this available to our members.  Things like this remind us of all the people that went before us to make us who we are today.  Thanks Gregg

Learning to Accept Loss

One of the harder aspects of ministry is dealing with loss. Seeing those that you've grown to love in fellowship over time move on to be with the Lord. People you're used to seeing week after week. You know where they sit, who they ride with, you get to shake their hand, hug their neck, and greet them as they warmly greet you. The faithful who pass on are bittersweet losses. You know you'll miss their presence. You half expect to see them sitting in their same familiar place, and see the same sweet smile come over their face. You know that nobody can replace losses like that. At the same time you know that when they opened their eyes in eternity, what they saw is something we only imagine. It's glory and beauty that's unspeakable. It's communion with their savior, Jesus Christ. For that we hope even in sorrow. For that we can smile and cry at the very same time. Our church lost another beloved saint of God this morning in the passing of Lanese Jones. She was a staple at Little Mountain. At 93 years old she was faithful to be here more than men and women 3 times younger than she. And though she lived a long and fruitful life, we will miss her faithful presence here. She would be here early on Sunday morning, Sunday night if she could, and even Wednesday night we could almost always count on seeing her here with Ms. Crowe. She didn't get around like a 30 year old, but you can't match her kind of faithfulness. The longer I'm here, I find the more I miss those who move on. The funerals become harder even as I become more experienced at ministering at them. Part of the minister's job is to minister at the time of death. Doing that means learning to accept the loss. Putting myself into their shoes, even though I've been blessed to have lost very few of my own family. So you grieve when they grieve. But at the same time you trust that "he who promised is faithful." Faithful not to let a single child of His slip through the cracks. Those who trust in Him will close their eyes, but they will wake up in His presence. And one day we'll meet again, and when we do I look forward to saying hello to Ms. Jones, and Claude Camp, and James Staggs, along with the others I barely knew that went before me. We accept loss because we know it's not forever. We can learn to accept death because we know death has been defeated, even though it'll still claim all of us if Jesus doesn't come first. But we don't commit ourselves to death, but to life. Into His hands, our spirit goes, and the faithful God who saved us will one day raise us. That will be a party I will not want to miss.

What Exactly is a Blog and Why Do It?

A blog is a shortened form of 2 words, web and log, or weblog.  There is no standard kind of blog, so that we could say a blog has "such and such" content.  In some cases it is like an online journal. A diary of sorts that people on the internet can read.  People usually blog about things that are interesting or important to them.  There are family blogs where the blogger posts about their family, including pictures and anecdotes and insights as a parent/child/etc.  There are strictly religious blogs where people post about nothing else.  This blog is an eclectic blog.  That just means that it is a mixture of topics that I find interesting, helpful, inspiring, etc.  I'm the author and so what I find to be all of the above mentioned things is my particular preference. Sometimes I'll write about Christianity, the Bible, God, Jesus, etc.  Other times it will be about family.  Still others are cultural, and maybe once in a blue moon political. 

Anyone with an internet connection and a limited amount of know-how can create a blog.  It's really very easy.  It gives you an opportunity to communicate to a diverse group of people about the topics that matter to you.  I would encourage you to give it a try.  If you find it's not your thing then you don't have to continue.  I personally make it an aspect of discipline.  I force myself to post my thoughts on a regular basis.  Sometimes in hind sight I wish there were things I didn't post, but thankfully I can go back and delete it!  Blogging is VERY popular these days, and if you can think of something interesting to you, there will be a blog about it.

It is a form of expression.  It is comforting.  It is a release, and a relaxing part of my day.  I look forward to logging on and posting, and then checking to see how many people were there any given day.  If you stop by regularly and I don't know you leave me a comment.  I would love to meet you.  Blessings and happy blogging.

"Christ Plays in 10,000 Places"

"As Kingfishers Catch Fire, Dragonflies Draw Flame," by Gerard Manley Hopkins

As kingfishers catch fire, dragonflies dráw fláme;
As tumbled over rim in roundy wells
Stones ring; like each tucked string tells, each hung bell's
Bow swung finds tongue to fling out broad its name;
Each mortal thing does one thing and the same:
Deals out that being indoors each one dwells;
Selves--goes itself; myself it speaks and spells,
Crying Whát I do is me: for that I came.
Í say móre: the just man justices;
Kéeps gráce: thát keeps all his goings graces;
Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is--
Chríst--for Christ plays in ten thousand places,
Lovely in limbs, and lovely in eyes not his
To the Father through the features of men's faces.
(bold and italics mine)

Read the whole thing, but look deeply at the end, what I've put in bold and italics. This is one of my favorite poems period. When God looks at you, believer in Christ, remember who He sees. He sees Christ in you. Christ's righteousness, His beauty, His "playing" within you. God, may our acts be in agreement with who we are in Jesus ("Acts in God's eye what in God's eye he is--Christ").

A Mother's Prayer

How many times did my mom rescue me when I was a child?
How many times did she rescue me when I was a stupid teenager?
How many time has she rescued me as a poor, stupid, sinful, rebellious man?
What prayers kept me alive when I was a child? A teen? A man?
What prayers kept me strong when I was weak?
What prayers should she pray now?

They Said It...

Check out a few new articles on the sidebar under, "They Said it. Things from People Much Smarter than Me." I recommend reading 3 out of 3 of the articles. If you only have time for one, read "Legalism," by Ed Stetzer. It will stretch your thinking I believe, or confirm what you already knew, or at least make you mad!

When is it Time to Move On?

The Internet Monk has a very honest piece up about ministry and the temptation to quit here. One of the comments makes mention of how we need to surround ministers with encouragement.  That would certainly take the edge off of some of the criticism.  I've seen personal friends in despair during ministry and I don't know if they even wanted encouragement to push on.  Instead they desired permission to give up.  I tend to agree with IMonk that some should not push on but move on and vice versa that sometimes that is the sinful thing to do.  I was encouraged last week by the famous pastor W.A. Criswell that a change of scenery is most definitely NOT the clear solution to a pastor's desire to move on.  Patience may or may not pay off, but we'll certainly never know if we walk away when the opposition gets tough.  When do ministers shake the dust off their boots and when do they dig in for the long haul?  I do not know the answer to the question.

Peter Ruckman

I am listening to a man named Peter Ruckman's latest I suppose "Bible Study."  So far it's not been any Bible teaching and instead it one long promotion of his Bible Baptist Bookstore where you can have the distinction of getting books that "debunk" all those who don't believe the KJV is the one true and perfect Bible.  All of these bookstores will "not dare to sell or carry" these books.  Is it because they are scared as he seems to say?  I say probably not.  More than likely they're untruthful, and in fact are blatantly false.  Written with a total disregard for the truth. Maybe I'm wrong, but this kind of stuff scares me.  It is illogical, irrational, and divisive.  I have never seen such vitriol and hatred being preached by supposed Christians.  He just said "the hidden baloney of the baloney factories!"  That's one to remember.  The angel of the Lord related directly all the people of the world before the OT and before Jesus came on the scene says Ruckman.  I can't waste anymore time on this sad and scary radio show.  

UPDATE:  Upon further reflection, Ruckman is correct.  Book stores are scared.  Very scared, of Peter Ruckman.  He is a very scary person.  I think I had a nightmare about him last night.  I will call it a "Ruckmare."  I hope I have no more.

Dressed for a Million

If I were to appear before an audience of a million people to, let's just say....preach.  And as I prepare my sermon, polish every sentence, study it, and then study it some more, I find that the time has arrived for me to step out onto the stage to deliver the message.  So as I'm getting dressed I pull out my oldest, holiest, dirtiest blue jeans.  My comfortable white t-shirt with stained underarms and a hole near the belly button.  My bedroom slippers.  And my old UPS American Eagle fitted hat.  I then walk out onto the stage to preach.  What happens?  Instant loss of credibility.

When you're speaking in front of any group of people in a public setting, you do not want your appearance to distract from the message, causing you to miss out on the opportunity to preach.  That horrid little outfit may work if I'm practicing my sermon for my wife, but not for a public delivery.

I try to blog as if a million readers were reading it.  I don't dress it up lazily and sloppy.  I make every effort to make it pleasing to the eye.  It's not the best designed website ever, but I try to at the least post regularly, post relevantly, and post reverently (alliteration!).  The truth is there are no where near a million people who read my blog on a regular basis.  I will not tell you how many but I will say I know.  

If you visit my blog on a regular basis or even if it's your first time, I want to say thank you for stopping by.  Thank you for whatever little piece of my writing you read.  Thank you for humoring a rural pastor with the absolutely astounding technology capabilities to actually be read by millions.  One day it may reach higher numbers.  For now, faithful readers, I pray you will continue to find many things worth your time and keep coming.  I will continue to dress for a million.  You continue to listen.  Maybe we'll accomplish something here?

Time for Another Goodbye

This past Sunday our Music Minister of 7 years announced his resignation effective January 27th. Jay, we will miss you here at Little Mountain along with Brenda and Miranda.  Over the past 10, wow almost 11 months, I have enjoyed working alongside Jay.  He has helped me in more ways than I can count to understand Little Mountain, and how it works.  He's seen and done a lot in his time here, and I can say I will miss walking out those doors each Sunday and making our way (slowly during the hip troubles) up onto the stage.  Jay is gifted as a singer and song leader.  He is a man of prayer, and sometimes as we pray and seek the Lord He leads us to new places.  Wherever he leads Jay I pray it will be a fruitful journey with renewed service to God.  Pray that God would lead Jay and his family exactly where God would have them go.  And pray for our church that God would bring in exactly who He wants, and what we need (they go hand in hand).

Our blessing and prayers go out to the Laytons.  We love you.

Participational or Parasitic?

Reflections on the message tonight.  I read today in 1 Chronicles 13-16 about how David led Israel frequently into times of corporate worship.  Of course once there, it was the Levites who led, but David called "all of Israel" together many times to worship and celebrate God.  It got me thinking along several lines, but especially about our times of corporate worship.  The people participated in worshiping God.  They not only gathered to listen, but gathered to contribute as well.  Corporate prayer, confession of sins, repentance, praise, thanksgiving, rehearsing great events from the past.  All these came together for a joyous time of worship.  Our music minister gave a nice acronym for what our corporate worship priorities should be.  J.O.Y. -- Jesus, Others, Yourself in that order.  We usually go Ourself, Jesus, Others.  A bit out of whack.  

I presented a handout of the difference between participating in worship and coming along for the show.  The 1st is the Biblical model.  The 2nd is the Parasitical model.  A parasite comes along and sucks the life blood out of the host.  It contributes nothing to the health of the host.  It only takes, and in some cases gives diseases.  Like a tick with Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.  It's the same of Church Parasites.  They come only for what they can eat and they will suck and drain the life out of the host church.  Every church has parasites.  The question is how many?  

I will make the handout available here on the blog tomorrow or Friday.  I think I can upload downloadable files.  Check it out if you see it.  Oh, and don't be a parasite!

New Year, New Look

I've adjusted the look of the blog for a fresh look for the new year.  I realize the new look is much less colorful, but it's minimal and if any word could describe my design tastes it is minimal.  I like the shades of black and grays that permeate the site.  The only ugly thing on the blog is the green from the links to the "They Said It" on the sidebar.  I don't know how to change it.  I'll keep trying though.  If you comment, which few do!, let me know how you like the changes.

RESOLVED to Read

Yes Little Mountain folks I know I've proposed one big resolution this New Year, BUT, I've got some personal growth resolutions as well and one of those is to read more, more widely, and more deeply.  Many people say with great passion and zeal (more heat than light!) that all we need to read is the Bible.  The greatest pastors and theologians in church history would probably beg to differ but you don't care about that do you?  There's more reasons than "Famous people say so."  I won't attempt to give them to you now except to say this;  the Bible is PRIMARY.  If you read all else and leave that out you will end the year emptier than it began.  With that as a starting point, reading has so many advantages that we need to consider.  1st, reading widely broadens your perspective.  We have a tendency to read only those things that we like, or alongside that, things that are like us.  A broader perspective will only better you to have a wider range of opportunities to converse, minister to, and relate to more people.  We can assume from the letters of Paul that he read widely, though the OT was primary.  2nd, reading sharpens your mind.  Let's be blunt, TV and movies make your brain cells wimpy over time.  We typically watch those things not to interact critically with them but to escape into their world.  Reading exercises those brain cells, making them stronger and more focused.  Consider it weight training for the mind.  3rd, reading is pleasurable.  I know, you read a lot in school and it was always boring stuff.  So now read NOT boring stuff.  Read things that interest you first and you'll find pleasure there (NOTHING is wrong with pleasure).  As you become more experienced you will find that things that were formerly boring are less so.  You will find an enjoyment there that is different qualitatively than watching entertainment.  Last, reading will help you develop a love for God that includes the mind.  The more you're exposed to (with some amount of wise caution) the more there is to appreciate about God.  You will learn from science a greater appreciation for the power and logic of God.  As you read art and classics, you will gain a greater appreciation for the creativity of God.  As you read Theology you will certainly broaden your understanding of the God you suppose you worship (though it will never be perfect).  In short, this very incomplete list gives you 4 starting points or reasons why to set a goal to read more this year.  My goal?  Now it's 40 books.  That isn't nearly enough but as it's my first attempt to set a reading goal it is a healthy starting point.  How about your thoughts?