Living on a Promise

This is an unusual morning. I am not preaching this morning because I am going to Children's Church and speak to about 80 children. I have been looking forward to this for about 4 weeks now and have been preparing to dress up like Simeon and share with the kids how he might havefelt when he got to see the baby Jesus. You know the Bible doesn't share a whole lot about Simeon. There is no doubt that in regards to some issues of his life we are kept in the dark. However, what we are told about Simeon is significant!

What I think is the most moving part of the story in Luke 2 is that Simeon was a man who lived on a promise. Simeon felt that God had promised him that he would not die until he had seen "the Christ." When you stop and think about it, that allowed Simeon to live every day with a certain anticipation. You know, anticipation is a good thing and it makes each day more exciting when you live with a sense of anticipation. Simeon knew that God would not mislead or deceive him so each day that stretched before him he looked for the fulfillment of God's promise.

Isn't it beautiful to think about how God fulfilled that promise. Simeon who had waited and waited and waited didn't just get a glimpse of The Christ from a distance. But rather Simeon (the one who had devoted his life to this promise) was blessed to get to hold the baby Jesus and look down into those sweet eyes and see the one who would take away the sins of the world.

Let's please remember that God has filled our lives with beautiful promises. These promises are to be a blessing to us. So with that in mind let me encourage you to keep them in your thoughts. Let me encourage you to live with a sense of anticipation. And finally, let me encourage you to rejoice when the awaited promise is fulfilled. For some strange reason I just think your life will be more exciting, fulfilling and blessed!

Will

Thank You WRFD Listeners

Today is both a happy and sad day for me. I am happy because God is blessing CultureCheck with syndication in January. And I am also sad today because this is the last week we will broadcast on WRFD in Columbus, Ohio. The WRFD family has been such a special blessing for me over the last year. The listeners and callers of WRFD are indeed very special. You will never know the difference you have made in my life over the last year. I can't tell you how much fun you made each Saturday for me.

I would also like to take a minute to thank Dan Craig. He has been such an encourager. I appreciate his willingness to give this unexperienced pastor an opportunity to do live talk radio. Dan really does have a Barnabas spirit!

Also, Bob Burney has been a blessing. I try to listen to Bob each day. It is easy to see why he recieved the talk show host of the year award from Salem Communications. I can't tell you how much I have learned from listening to Bob! Thanks Bob for your encouragement and investment in me!

Even though I will not be on WRFD you will still be able to pick up CultureCheck. We are going to become a daily program on the USA Radio Network. If you cannot pick us up on a station near you, you will be able to stream us live on the USA Radio website. The time is still up in the air. As of now, it looks like we will be live each day from 1:00 to 2:00pm.

If you are a WRFD listener let me encourage you to drop me an email. I would love to put you on our electronic newsletter list. Also, please feel free to continue checking out this website.

Finally, even though we are concluding our time on WRFD I will never cease to be thankful for your impact on me. Thank you.

Trusting Christ!

Will

Happy Thanksgiving

This morning I spent a few moments listing all the blessings that I have to be thankful for. You know, that took quite a while! I hope you have a blessed day and that today your heart will be swelled with praise for the blessings of God in your life.

Will

Extreme Makeover

Do you remember the book "The Prayer of Jabez?" I remember how when that book first came out we would joke about the title. Actually, I can remember hearing a guy say that if this book had been written by the National Organization of Women it would be titled "The prayer of Jezebel." We all got a pretty good laugh out of that I'm sure.

Well, believe it or not Fortress Press is now releasing publication called "The Jezebel Letters." Fortress Press is the publishing house for the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America The goal of the book is to go back into time and transform Jezebel's image. Jezebel is getting an Extreme Makeover from being a tyrannical queen to a "powerful, literate royal woman."

Liberal, feminist theologians when confronted with the biblical account regarding a rebellious and idolatrous queen choose to rewrite the Biblical account and transform Jezebel's image into a strong, respectable, strong woman. It is sad that in our culture today people are rewriting scripture to fit our agenda's rather than allowing scripture to determine what our agenda should be. We need to quite trying to make the Bible fit our lifestyle and start making our lifestyles fit the Bible.

The Bible doesn't need an Extreme Makeover. We do!

Will

Thankfulness

In just a few moments our family will leave our home to go and participate in a servant evangelism project at church. Our church (Hickory Grove Baptist Church) has taken on the responsibility of providing Thanksgiving Dinners for 75-100 families in our community. Today from 11am to 1pm we are going to pass out these dinners. That is why the radio program is pre-recorded today!

This morning I have been thanking the Lord for all the blessings He has provided for me and my family. You know, it has felt good to be in a Thankful frame of mind. Too many times we find ourselves so distracted and frustrated by life that we forget to give thanks. Let me enourage you to spend some time today recognizing those things you are thankful for and expressing that thanks to God. Most likely, you will have a Great Day!

Please pray for us today as we go and share Christ's love with others. Pray that needs would be met and that lives would be changed.

In Him

Will

Character, Conviction and Courage

Tonight I watched the memorial service for Dr. Adrian Rogers the former pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis and former President of the Southern Baptist Convention. What struck me about the service this evening was that those who spoke didn't spend much time talking about his accomplishments. They didn't focus on the fact that he was a three time president of the Southern Baptist Convention or that he pastored the 29,000 member Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis.

What was so meaningful was how they focused on the kind of man he was. Everyone spoke of his Character and integrity. They spoke about him being a man of strong convictions in regards to God's Word and God's Purpose for his life. And they spoke about his courage. Dr. Rogers was willing to take strong stands even when it wasn't popular. It is interesting that while his life was surrounded with accomplishments and success what people remember the most is what type of person he was.

It made me re-evaluate some things and ask myself a couple of questions. What am I focusing on? The accomplishments of life or on what kind of person I am? I want to be a person of Character, Conviction and Courage. I need to focus on what kind of person God wants me to be and trust God to provide the rest.

Desperate for God

I have already told you that I am reading a book about being hungry for God. The book is called "The God Chasers" and it was written by Tommy Tenney. I have really enjoyed the book and have felt challenged by every chapter I have read. Mr. Tenney wrote "Satan's ploy has been to keep us so full of junk that we're not hungry for God, and it has worked magnificently for centuries."

You know the truth is most of us keep our lives so full of junk and amusements of the flesh that we don't know what it is to be spiritually hungry. Hungry people are desperate people and I can't help but wonder how desperate we are for God. Do our actions show that we are desperate for God?

You know in our churches on most Sunday's we are polite and well behaved. On most Sunday's we don't seem to be a desperate people in search of God's transforming power. For just a moment think with me about people who were desperate in the New Testament. What about the woman with the issue of blood. In desperation she worked her way through a crowd just to reach out and touch the hem Christ's garment. Everyone that comes to my mind in the New Testament who forgot their manners and in desperation reached out to Jesus received a blessing from Him.

We need that same kind of desperation among Christians today? What would happen in our lives, families and society if Christians became obsessed with God and desperate for His power in our lives. I believe if this happened it would unleash a revival movement that would renew our lives and our society.

Be honest....are you desperate for anything? Are you desperate for God? Or are you full on junk that keeps you from being desperate enough for God that you would do whatever it takes to reach out to Him.

Just a thought!

Will

A Great Preacher and Pastor

This morning has been a very emotional morning. I just learned a little while ago that Dr. Adrian Rogers the Pastor Emeritus of Bellvue Baptist Church passed away early this morning. Dr. Rogers has had a very special place in my life and in my ministry. I will never forget the first time I heard Dr. Rogers speak. I was absolutely enamored to watch how God used him in the pulpit. To this day, I have had the privilege of hearing many preachers but I have never heard a finer preacher than Dr. Adrian Rogers.

I loved him so much not only for his preaching skills but also for his love for pastors. Even though he pastored a very large church he took time to invest in other pastors. Dr. Rogers was a great encourager who loved to love on shepherds. The influence of Dr. Rogers will be felt until Christ returns through the many lives he touched with his remarkable life.

He will be missed greatly but our loss is indeed Heaven's gain!

Will

Peace Loving Religion?

It is very early on Tuesday morning. I just got back a little while ago from the University of Kentucky vs Lipscomb University men's basketball game. Unfortunately, the game was much closer than I like. I can't help it.....I love a blowout whenever the Cats are playing!

As I was checking my email this evening I ran across an email I was sent by a dear friend a few weeks ago and I wanted to share it with you. Take a look at these multiple choice questions.


Do you remember?

1. 1968 Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by a. Superman b. Jay Leno c. Harry Potter d. a Muslim male extremist between the ages of 17 and 40

2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by a. Olga Corbett b. Sitting Bull c. Arnold Schwarzenegger d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by: a. Lost Norwegians b. Elvis c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

4. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by: a. John Dillinger b. The King of Sweden c. The Boy Scouts d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

5. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by: a. A pizza delivery boy b. Pee Wee Herman c. Geraldo Rivera d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

6. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by: a. The Smurfs b. Davy Jones c. The Little Mermaid d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

7. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a US Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by: a. Captain Kidd b. Charles Lindberg c. Mother Teresa d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

8. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by: a. Scooby Doo b. The Tooth Fairy c. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

9. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by: a. Richard Simmons b. Grandma Moses c. Michael Jordan d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

10. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by: a. Mr. Rogers b. Hillary Clinton, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems c. The World Wrestling Federation d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

11. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers and of the remaini! ng two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by: a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd b. The Supreme Court of Florida c. Mr. Bean d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

12. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against: a. Enron b. The Lutheran Church c. The NFL d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

13. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by: a. Bonnie and Clyde b. Captain Kangaroo c. Billy Graham d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

Prince Charles has come to America to lecture us about our intolerance towards Islam. Prince Charles is wanting to set the record straight and promote Islam as a peace loving religion. One thing this email accomplished is that is reminds us that the fruit of Islam is violence and terror. It just appears to me that track record of peace is just a myth.

Will

Hungry for God?

Recently I have been reading a book about revival and God's desire to reclaim the church. I have really enjoyed reading the book and found that it has coincided nicely with the sermon series I am preaching through the book of Acts. The more that I am preparing messages and the more I am reading of this book, the more dissatisfied I am becoming with my own walk with the Lord. I am convinced that God wants so much more and I feel like I am missing out on so much that God wants to do in my life.

This experience has left me asking the question "Why do we miss out?" The writer of the book suggests that the reason we miss out on so much is because we don't really have a hunger for God. Bro. Tenney says "hunger means you're dissatisfied with the way it has been because it forced you to live without Him in His fullness." As I think about what he wrote it has made me think that perhaps too many Christians are satisfied with life and feel like they already have everything they need.

I have come to believe that if the church is going to see a strong movement of God then believers are going to have to become hungry for God. And in order for us to become hungry for God we are going to have to discover our need for Him! We have to become dissatisfied with that which is currently satisfying us.

What do you think?

Are you hungry for God?

Just a thought!

Will

Alive and Well

I woke up this morning so disappointed to read that Prop 73 was passed by voters in California yesterday. I can't believe that the voters of California perpetrated such a huge assault on the family and more specifically on parents. It is so scary to think of how parents in our culture are losing more and more of their parental rights. And it is especially scary to think that under-aged children can get an abortion now in California without having their parents notified.

"In his U.S. Supreme Court opinion upholding the rights of parents to be involved in their daughter's decision on abortion, Justice Anthony Kennedy said, 'It would deny all dignity to the family to say that the State cannot take this reasonable step in regulating its health professions to ensure that, in most cases, a young woman will receive guidance and understanding from a parent.' Well, it can certainly be said now that "another wedge has been driven between young pregnant girls and their parents.

Last night, parents and families all over the country lost out to the powerful interests of Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry, which for too long has led children into abortions without the counsel and loving care of their parents. You know, the evangelical right over the last few years have flexed their muscles and have relished in political victories. I hope that we will also allow this latest vote in California to be a wake up call! Hopefully, we will be reminded that Satan is alive and well and therefore, we the church need to really focus on being salt and light.

Will