It’s Friday, Sunday’s coming! We will finish our Why Series with the question, “Why do I still doubt?” If you struggle with doubt make sure you are here on Sunday morning to find out how to overcome.
Last week we discussed, “Why Am I Here? Why Do I Exist? Why Did God Create Me?” You can listen to the sermon online HERE.
Next Wednesday we will begin a study on Jesus’ sermon on the mount. I studied the first message today. It is going to be a good study. Do not miss it.
I am excited to announce that we have hired a new youth pastor. James and Deann Saxton, will be joining our staff in a couple of weeks. They are living in Baytown and will be moving to Nederland to build our youth ministry. Please pray for God’s blessing on them and our young people. We are looking forward to great things in the future of our church. They will be with us Sunday, June 8th. James will be ministering in the evening service. We will be having a fellowship after service on the 8th so that you can get to know them.
This Memorial Day we had some friends over for a BBQ. After dinner, my friend and I went to Wal-Mart to 
pick up a Slip and Slide. I remember my days as a kid on a slip and slide, no childhood is complete unless you have had one. We brought it home and set it up for the kids to have fun.
I was amazed as I watched these kids go time after time. Slip, Slide, start over. Slip, slide, start over. Josh, our 14 year old had a great time and I had a great time watching him. The fact of the slip and slide is that the bigger you are the harder it is on the body. Josh is 5’10” and 200 plus pounds. It was hard for him to slip, slide and start over so much, but he did anyway.
As I was watching these kids slide down this water toy, I couldn’t help but think of how this is alot like our Christian life. Slip, slide and start over. We often fail, falter and disappoint God. We have things that we trip over in life and things that we struggle with. For the child of God there are times when we slip and slide but do not feel like starting over. The tendency is to walk through shame and believe that if we slip and slide there is no starting over. With God, however, He wants us to come to Him after we slip and He gives us a brand-new start.
A slip and slide is used in such a way that you always slip and fall forward. In our spiritual lives that is the way it ought to be. As Maxwell said, “We must fail forward.” Proverbs 24:16, “For a righteous man may fall seven times And rise again…” Remember, if you fall keep getting up and try again. Strive to keep getting up until you don’t fall anymore.
I jumped out of bed in a flash…my heart pounding. It was Men’s Breakfast morning and I was late. It started at 6:00am, I woke up at 5:55am. I hurriedly got dressed and raced out the door and drove to Cowboy Red’s. As we drove a little fast, I received a lecture from Josh, our 14 year old. T
he subject of his lecture dealt with the fact that he would be in charge of the alarm clock from then on. I relayed the information to him that the alarm clock went off but you cannot do anything about hitting the snooze button 6 times.
As we await the return of Christ, the alarm is going off, but many people are hitting the snooze button. They are trying to get a little more living in before Jesus comes. Trying to have a little more pleasure, a little more money, a little more fun. They keep hitting the snooze button. In essence, they are going to sleep late when Christ comes. It is like the parable of ten virgins. Many people are sleeping and do not have enough oil in their lamps.
The hour is late and there are no guarantees on how long we have on this earth. Are we alert and awake; ready for Christ to return? Or do we keep hitting the snooze button and run the risk of over-sleeping?
The other morning when Hannah woke up, I went in the room to get her out of the crib. She had her 
eyes closed as she laid on her back, with a grin on her face and said, “I pooey.” That is Hannahese for ” I pretty”.
Some might say she is conceited or arrogant, I would say that she is affirmed by her loving parents; that she is pretty and she is a princess to her dad. Children need affirmation and love. They need to know that they are wanted and that our thoughts are good toward them. This is necessary for their healthy development when it is balanced with necessary correction as well.
I also believe that it is a picture of what every child of God needs. Often we view God as an angry God who cannot be pleased. We tend to think that when we mess up he notices right away but never notices when we do good. It is quite the contrary. The fact is that God gives us the benefit of the doubt and thinks good toward us always.
Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
God’s thoughts toward us are good thoughts. He wants us as His children and He affirms us through His Word. Yes, there are times He has to correct us, but it is always in love and with the best of intentions. God thinks you are “pooey”.
On Sunday mornings we have been in a series called WHY? The Common Questions of the Christian Life. On Sunday we addressed the topic, “If God is a Loving God, Why is there so much suffering in the world?” If you are grappling with this question, this message might benefit you.
Check it out here:
As I was driving down the road today, I was reminiscing about my 6th grade year. It was my passage from elementary to junior high and I was on the road to having become a man. Sixth grade was the year that I had to make a crucial decision in my life. Band or Wood Shop. A sixth grader should never have to make a decision like that. Does band nerd mean anything to you? Wood shop was more manly but I had this dream of being a drummer. I wanted to play drums. It was a passion. I decided on band, and I would become a band nerd.
You see, the only cool people in the band were the percussionists and maybe the saxophonists. So I thought I would be at least one of the cool ones. My dreams were dashed on the rocks when my dad and I met with the band director. It seems that every sixth grade boy wanted to play the drums. It was too late to back out and my dad was there to help me make the decision. Well, actually it was all his decision. The band director, Mr. Dempsey, had an opening for me to play the bass clarinet. He might as well have said tuba. This was a massive instrument. The price was right, free, and that was music to my dad’s ears. “My son, will play the bass clarinet.” Oh thanks dad! Yes, I still bear a small grudge over having to become a band nerd and never being able to learn to play drums.
For my sixth grade year I bore the pain of this let-down. Every day I was reminded of the decision that I had to play this ridiculous instrument. I was out of place…it was not my pursuit and passion. Is any one felling sorry for me yet? I have scars over this. Actually, the reason I hated the bass clarinet was because I had to carry it home every day. A mile and a half…lugging a 4 foot case that weighed 25 pounds. My hands hurt, I had blisters from carrying this every day. It was a burden I had to bear. I whined, I cried and no one cared!
Until one day, my dad, came home with a luggage dolly and a couple of bungee cords. He showed me how to load the dolly and now all I had to do was pull the dolly to and from school. My burden was lifted! Thanks dad, I do remember your gesture to make things right, From then on, it was easier to tote that old bass clarinet…my burden was lifted.
In life we have similar burdens. It might not be a bass clarinet but it could be wounds from the past. Broken marriages, abuses and hurts. Maybe your burden is financial woes, or a sickness. Maybe it is a wayward child or spouse that you worry about. You can carry that load and let it be a grudge for you to bear. You can hold the weight of the world on your shoulder and be shackled day after day. But there is a Father who has provided for you a “luggage dolly” to help carry your baggage. Peter said, “Cast your cares on him for He cares for you.” Jesus said, “Come unto me, all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
Jesus is our luggage dolly and I encourage you to cast your cares on Him. He will help lighten your load!
Many may already know that Steven Curtis Chapman, the award winning Christian artist, lost his youngest daughter in a tragic accident. You can read about it here.
Here is a quote about the accident, “Steven Curtis Chapman’s youngest child died Wednesday afternoon after being struck by a car driven by her teenage brother in the driveway of the family’s Williamson County home.”
Please pray for this family that God’s comfort might be extended to them. Pray especially for the teenage brother. I can’t even imagine what he is going through.
Life of a Pastor Blog 
