Luke's thoughts

Deacons on a mission

2009-07-19T14:13:00.002-05:00

It was great to participate with our deacons on Saturday, July 18th in the construction of a wheelchair ramp for a young lady in our community. This young lady has been in a need of a ramp for a while, and our deacons took this ministry on themselves. We built the ramp and set the posts in concrete on Saturday.

On saturday, July 25th, we will complete the project. What a joy it was to minister with those guys. If you would like to participate in this ministry, you may call the church office at 566.3600.

In Christ,

Luke

D.R. Presentation July 22nd

2009-07-19T14:11:00.002-05:00

You will want to make plans to attend the presentation from our mission team on July 22nd at 6:00 p.m. We will be celebrating all the things the Lord did through us in the Dominican. We look forward to seeing you that night.

In Christ,

Luke

Prayer Requests for the D.R.

2009-07-15T07:16:00.003-05:00

As we prepare for the team presentation July 22nd at 6 pm, I wanted to share with you some prayer requests. They are not listed in any particular order but are for your use during your time with God.

Pastor Salvador & family - Lead the church for God's glory
Translators - Dedicated college students who are committed to our Lord Jesus Christ
Ryan & Emily Buttes - IMB Missionaries in San Cristobal; been on the field for about three months & their 1st child is due in Nov.
20+ lives transformed - kids and adults who were saved; spiritual growth and maturity; join Bible study and church that teaches the Bible
Construction on new building - much work needs to be completed before they can meet there
City of San Cristobal - False religions are prevalent. Drugs, alcohol and prostitution are prevalent as well.

This list is not exhaustive, but it is one by which we can start. As new requests are given, I will post them here.

Thanks again for all of your support.

Back In Troy

2009-07-12T03:48:00.002-05:00

It is with mixed feelings that we are back in Troy. On one hand, we are glad to be back with our families and friends. We missed them immensely over this past week. It is amazing how different Ashleigh, Riley, and Kyleigh looked to me when I saw them in the airport yesterday. It was so great to spend time with Jennifer and the kids on the ride back from Atlanta.

On the other hand, we miss the people of the D.R. They are so open and receptive to you. They are willing to engage in conversation, well as long as you have a translator with you. They are a very warm people. The church, Iglesia Bautista Pena de Horeb (where we ministered during the week) has such a passion for our Lord Jesus Christ. They have a desire to see Him glorified, honored, and praised. They want to see their city, San Cristobal, won to Christ. It was a joy serving with them all week long.

God allowed us to accomplish many things for Him this week. We were able to complete our part of the construction project plus some extra duties. We received an offering for the project and with that offering they should be able to continue right along with the project. The pastor is hoping to begin having services there in December. We all can pray for them as they strive for this date.

The Vacation Bible School phase of the week was a great success. We touched many lives through VBS. We shared the gospel with elementary and high school age kids. There were even a few gentlemen who were in their 70s who attended a few days. I am not completely sure of the exact number of salvations, but it is around 30 people. God transformed these children's lives through His Word.

The prayer walking and saturation (door to door visitation) phase was a wonderful time witnessing the power of God. It was a great way to interact with the community and discover areas for potential ministry throughout the city. I know of two ladies who trusted in Christ as a result of this ministry.

One of these ladies is named Bilyesia. When we met her, we discovered she had burned her fourth and fifth fingers on her right hand while cooking one day. We asked her if she would allow one of our doctors to examine it, and she was willing to do that. Dr. Bish and some of our team went by her house for the examination, and he was able to provide some medical care to her. During this examination, we invited her to join us in worship on Friday evening at the church. She and one of her children attended worship and before worship began that evening. She trusted in Christ as her Lord and Savior. Our praise service began before the corporate praise service began.

There are so many more details that need to be given, and we will deliver a team report in the coming weeks. We need to once again thank you for praying and supporting us on this mission trip. We were your missionaries this week. May the Lord bless you as you continue to support missions in giving, going, and praying.

Serving Him with you,

Luke

3rd day in the D.R.

2009-07-07T17:45:00.005-05:00

It has been a great day of ministry. VBS went very well today. This morning there were about 90 kids. This afternoon there were over 100 kids. The gospel presentation was delivered this afternoon, and God saved 7 kids and one mother. Praise the Lord. The ladies are doing a wonderful job teaching these children.

The construction went well today. The pipes are almost complete for the bathrooms. All of the blocks have been delivered for the walls around the bathroom. The men worked extremely hard today moving blocks, debris, and other materials. The Lord has blessed us with strength and good health. Thank you for praying for our strength.

We have been having devotions each evening and sharing from the day. It has been a joy listening to how God is working in each person´s life.

You can pray for continued strength for the guys as they complete the construction projects. You can also pray for the ladies as they teach kids about the love of Jesus Christ. We look forward to sharing with you in more detail when we return.

Serving the Lord with you.

2nd day in D.R

2009-07-06T18:25:00.001-05:00

It has been a great ministry day. The concrete roof is completed. We are preparing to work on bathrooms and erecting a block wall around the bathrooms on Tuesday. It was hard work but very rewarding. We did a lot of prep work today for the bathrooms. We moved a lot of debris and hopefully tomorrow we will remove the debris from the site. Our guys are holding up real well.

The ladies conducted VBS twice today. This morning they had 53 kids and this afternoon they had 75 kids. They said that everything went extremely well. We are praying for opportunities to go into their homes later in the week to talk with their families.

We would request you pray for our strength, and the salvation of many souls.

May the Lord bless you all.

We are here!

2009-07-05T14:00:00.002-05:00

Good Afternoon,

We arrived at the hotel last night around 11:00 so you can imagine how tired everyone was. The hotel is very nice. It even has AC!!! Thank you Lord for the AC! It is pretty warm and humid here.

We had a chance to meet with Rodney and Sharon Coleman, IMB Missionaries, this morning. They shared their vision for the D.R. They have a passion to start many churches in the southern part of the country which is where we are located. It was a joy to see our missionaries serving the Lord Jesus Christ.

After breakfast, we drove by the construction site. They have completed quite a lot of work so far. They are ready for us to pour the concrete roof on Monday. We may be finished with our construction task by Tuesday, and we are praying about opportunities for the rest of the week.

After the construction site visit, we went to worship with the church. It was a joy to worship with our Dominican brothers and sisters. There is a young lady (probably 10 or so) who was leading the songs. One could tell she loves the Lord as she sings. There was a visiting pastor from CA who preached, and he shared from Acts 1:8 and 8:4-8.

After worship, we went on a prayer walk of the community and also distributed information concerning worship tonight and VBS during the week. Our team was divided up with two Dominicans, a translator, and us. God blessed us as we met people in the community. Our lunch was at the pastor's house. It was great food.

Everyone is back at the hotel resting for this evening. We will be leading in worship this evening. We will sing some songs, the puppeteers will lead, Nicole will sing a solo, David Bish will do a testimony, and I will preach. On Monday, we begin construction and VBS.

Thanks for your prayers and keep checking the blog.

One more day until the D.R.

2009-07-03T07:15:00.002-05:00

The day is almost here for us to depart to the D.R. It seems as if just yesterday we began the preparations for this mission adventure, but yet it has been many months. The Lord has been very good to us to bring us to this point.

The trailer is almost packed. The ministry items have been collected. Thanks to everyone who provided the ministry items for VBS and the IMB Missionaries. You truly are a part of this mission even though you are not able to go with us.

Jennifer, the kids, and I are about to depart for GA. She and the kids will be in GA for this next week visiting family and friends while I am in the D.R. I will meet the team at the airport in Atlanta on Saturday morning. I would ask you to pray for them and their safety in travel. Of course, Jennifer would appreciate your prayers as she travels with three small kids.

Keep checking the blog over the next week for additional updates.

May the Lord bless you as you serve Him in your ministry spot.

The Day of Prayer

2009-07-02T09:30:00.003-05:00

The day of prayer has arrived for the Dominican Republic Mission Trip. We have asked the team to focus in prayer today for this next week as we prepare for the mission trip. We would request each and every believer to pray with us today.

We have taken Ephesians 6:10-17 as our passage of Scripture for today. We understand that we are in the midst of Spiritual Warfare. We are resting and trusting in the strength of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the one who will transform lives.

Thank you for your prayers.

One day closer to the D.R.

2009-07-01T10:25:00.003-05:00

It is just around the corner. We are excited about what God has in store for us as we go on this adventure with Him. I would like to encourage you all to join the team in prayer tomorrow (Thursday, July 2) as we set aside a day to pray and seek the Lord Jesus Christ's face.

Our prayers are: He would be glorified, souls would be saved, believers would be strengthened, and He would call people to full time missions. We are grateful to Him for the opportunity to go and serve Him. We are grateful to you for supporting us as we depart for the D.R.

In Christ,

Luke

Dominican is a few days away...

2009-06-30T10:21:00.002-05:00

In a few days, there will be 23 people going to the Dominican Republic from FBC Troy for a mission trip. The dates are July 4-11. Our projects for the week include: Vacation Bible School (twice a day) for four days, constructing the 2nd floor of a church building, prayer walks, leading in worship, and evangelism.

The group consists of 9 high school and college students and 14 adults. It is going to be a wonderful week of ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ. We request you pray for us as we will be away from our families. Our prayer is the Lord will be glorified through our efforts, and souls will be saved by the Lord Jesus Christ.

I will try to update the blog as often as possible about the trip.

In Christ,

Luke

Importance of the Law

2009-06-24T15:05:00.002-05:00

"The divine Spirit wounds before he heals, he kills before he makes alive. We usually draw a distinction between law-work and gospel-work; but law-work is the work of the Spirit of God, is so far a true gospel-work that it is a frequent preliminary to joy and peace of the gospel. The law is the needle which draws after it the silken thread of blessing, and you cannot get the thread into the stuff without the needle: men do not receive the liberty wherewith Christ makes them free till, first of all, they have felt bondage within their own spirit driving them to cry for liberty to the great Emancipator, the Lord Jesus Christ. This sense or spirit of bondage works for our salvation by leading us to cry for mercy." Charles Spurgeon Law and Gospel

What a great description of the importance of the law. It does not save, but it clarifies to sinners that their sin is against the holy God. The law defines for the sinner the reason he/she needs salvation.

House Churches in Iran

2009-06-24T13:51:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmUxJb0mE6o&feature=player_embedded

A great article by Dr. Akins

2009-04-22T12:38:00.000-05:00

You all need to read this article.

http://betweenthetimes.com/2009/04/16/akin-axioms-for-a-great-commission-resurgence/

Great Article

2009-04-15T16:21:00.000-05:00

You should take the time to read this article.

http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=articledisplay&var1=ArtRead&var2=1018&var3=issuedisplay&var4=IssRead&var5=104

Men Praying

2009-04-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

What a great morning it was at FBC Troy today! We had men praying for our country, families in financial crisis, leaders throughout our country, and revival in Bible proclaiming churches.

What a privilege to participate with Godly men petitioning the Lord Jesus Christ to do a great work in our lives. The change we prayed for this morning does not begin in our country. It begins in each man who follows the Lord Jesus Christ. Our prayer is that He will change us and make us more like Himself.

I hope you will join in prayer today for churches who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ to be revived.

Luke

Cool video

2008-12-18T15:49:00.001-06:00

Penn discusses the gift of a Bible

2008-12-18T11:58:00.000-06:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM

Upside Down

2008-12-17T15:44:00.001-06:00

Upside Down from Pace Hartfield on Vimeo.

Casting Crowns Video for Christmas

2008-12-16T16:41:00.001-06:00

A great video from Casting Crowns preparing us for Christmas and reminding us of the hope of Christmas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7670CXvPX0&eurl=http://blogs.lifeway.com/blog/edstetzer/&feature=player_embedded

A Helpful Tool for studying the Bible

2008-12-16T09:33:00.000-06:00

I believe this article will be helpful for anyone who is interested in studying God's Word.

http://albertmohler.com/blog.php

The Gospel Coalition

2008-12-10T14:15:00.000-06:00

A great video clip explaining the importance of this coalition for making sure the gospel is preached.

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/resources/video/introduction_to_the_gospel_coalition

The Family

2008-12-09T16:58:00.001-06:00

Big Kiss!

2008-12-09T16:56:00.000-06:00

Go DAWGS!

2008-12-09T16:55:00.000-06:00

Future WNBA Star

2008-12-09T16:54:00.000-06:00

It should not surprise us.

2008-12-08T11:34:00.000-06:00

Another attack on the Bible and its teachings which should not surprise us at all.

http://albertmohler.com/blog.php

You might want to place more thought in purchasing Newsweek.

Men Praying

2008-11-04T08:09:00.000-06:00

It was wonderful this morning to pray with about fifty men. We prayed for our country and our families. It is a wonderful opportunity to have men together collectively on their knees before the Lord Jesus Christ. I look forward to us making this prayer time a more regular event. I encourage you to pray for our families and the country.

In Christ,

Luke

Judgment Houses

2008-11-02T15:18:00.000-06:00

Russell Moore provides a good article concerning evangelism and judgment houses.

http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=29246

Article concerning life or death

2008-10-28T14:53:00.000-05:00

You all need to read this article and send it to as many people as possible.

http://randyalcorn.blogspot.com/2008/10/im-not-voting-for-man-im-voting-for.html.

Article about voting

2008-10-24T22:06:00.000-05:00

This article by John Piper on voting is well worth your time to read it.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2008/3347_Let_Christians_Vote_As_Though_They_Were_Not_Voting/

Kyleigh is healed!

2008-10-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Jennifer, Kyleigh, and I traveled to Birmingham on Friday, October 17th for her one year exam with Dr. Romp. Kyleigh had an EKG and everything was normal. Dr. Romp believes she has outgrown her condition. We know that God has brought the healing. She no longer will receive any medication for the heart. The Lord is great, and He has answered constant prayers for her. Thank you all for your faithfulness in praying for her. We bring glory to the Lord for His healing.

An Article that everyone must read!

2008-10-15T11:05:00.001-05:00

You all should take the time to read this article.

http://albertmohler.com/blog_read.php?id=2630

Outreach

2008-10-06T16:27:00.000-05:00

What a joy it was to see the number of participants in outreach on October 5th. May the Lord receive the glory and honor. It was a privilege to join you all in the service of our Lord.

The Father is the only one who knows what type of an impact that was made in the lives of the people we ministered to on October 5th. My prayer is that you will continue to be a part of this ministry and encourage others to participate as well.

Serving the Lord together,

Luke

First Three Weeks

2008-09-25T15:39:00.000-05:00

The first three weeks have been great. The Lord has allowed us the opportunity to meet a lot of people and share our vision for the ministry. It is exciting to see what the Lord has in store for all of us.

We are provided with so many opportunities to proclaim the gospel everyday. God places people in our paths at work, at school, in our neighborhoods, etc. We are living in the midst of a great mission field.

I want to encourage you to involve yourself in the various mission and outreach opportunities which will be provided over the next few weeks. We will have the opportunity to impact a great number of people with the gospel over the coming days, weeks, and months. I hope you will partner with me in prayer to seek the Lord's heart as we seek to serve Him.

To God be the glory!!

Serving with you,

Luke

Spiritual Parenting

2008-07-15T11:50:00.002-05:00

What a great article!

http://sharperiron.org/2008/07/14/leaving-a-legacy-for-the-next-generation-foundations-of-spiritual-parenting/#more-2768

What are we teaching in church?

2008-07-15T08:06:00.001-05:00

This article lays out a not so encouraging sign of what is or is not being taught in church.

http://www.bpnews.net/BPFirstPerson.asp?ID=28472

Independence Day

2008-07-02T15:34:00.000-05:00

What does it mean? For the USA, it means national freedom with many liberties. We are blessed to live in this country. We are allowed to pursue any objective. We are encouraged for the most part to be successful in whatever field we choose. We are granted many opportunities to make a difference in this great country. National freedom is wonderful, but it pales in comparison to spiritual freedom.

As proud as I am of this country and the freedom I have, I am more pleased to have eternal freedom in Christ. He is the one who has bought my spiritual freedom. He paid the ultimate price for mankind on the cross. He was willing to give His precious blood so that all humanity could experience His free gift of grace if they would trust in Him. We as believers may not always experience great times on this planet as a result of our faith, but we are assured that eternity with Christ is perfect.

As you celebrate Independence Day this Friday, I pray that you area able to celebrate spiritual freedom which comes from the Lord Jesus Christ.

God's Holiness

2008-06-17T15:52:00.000-05:00

This article is about a sermon that was preached at the Founders Ministries Breakfast at the Southern Baptist Convention. It is well worth your time to read it.

http://www.bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=28302

Preach God's Word

2008-05-20T09:44:00.000-05:00

I found this article on John MacArthur's website about preaching God's Word. It is a wonderful article.

http://www.gty.org/Resources/Articles/9888.

Christ: The Only Answer

2008-05-15T16:36:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will return to the book of Colossians. We are approaching the section of the book where Paul exposes the false teaching that is espoused in that community.

It is such a relevant study for us today, because of the influx and popularity of false teaching. It seems that everywhere you look or read a new false teaching is being promoted, but as you reflect on the newness of the teaching you realize it is the same false teaching, but it is couched with different terminology.

The false teaching which is most prevalent today is that Jesus is not the only way to heaven. This statement is diametrically opposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus states, "I am the way, the truth, and the life and no one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6). We as believers need to be prepared for false teaching, and the way we prepare ourselves is by being knowledgeable of the Truth.

May the Lord open our eyes to His Truth.

Heaven

2008-05-08T08:35:00.000-05:00

We were reminded last night in Revelation 21 and 22 about heaven. What a glorious place it is, and I cannot wait to dwell there. It is beautiful for a myriad of reasons which are listed in those two chapters, but we were reminded the greatest reason for its beauty is that God dwells there. As a result of His dwelling there, there is no need for a lamp, a light, or even the sun because He is the Light.

Those two passages constantly remind me of what the Apostle Paul told the Philippian church in Philippians 3:20 "our citizenship is in heaven." I pray that your citizenship is not here but is in heaven. If it is not, my prayer is that the Lord will bring conviction in your life and you recognize that you need Him as your Lord and Savior. The Lord has called you to receive Him and His forgiveness. If you would like to know more about His forgiveness, I would encourage you to contact me so that we can discuss it further.

Please continue to pray for all believers to be revived so that we may serve the great God.

Revival

2008-05-05T15:01:00.000-05:00

Our revival began yesterday (May 4). Dr. Jim Futral, Executive Director-Treasurer of Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, is preaching it. He has done a great job of encouraging the saints to focus on the Father.

Sunday evening, he preached on Psalm 23 and focused on verse 3; specifically, the phrase "He restores my soul." It was a wonderful principle to reflect on as God desires to restore our souls if we will allow Him. God desires to take our injured souls from whatever cause and restore them back to Himself. It was a great challenge and encouragement. My prayer is the Lord will be allowed to restore all of our souls as we seek to serve Him in our daily lives.

We have three more evenings of revival. I am praying that God's people will be revived so that we can enter the mission field He has prepared for us for the express purpose of sharing the gospel.

5th day in Moroleon

2008-04-24T23:57:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe the week is almost complete. It has been a wonderful experience. God has blessed in so many ways. He has opened many doors for us to bring Him glory.

We have completed the columns with the forms around them and poured concrete in the forms. It was a beautiful sight to behold. I must admit that I do not want to see concrete for a while.

We are praying for our new brothers and sisters in Moroleon. We encourage you to join us as well as pray for the Lord's blessings upon them.

The ladies completed the door-to-door visitation today. I will post the full report from their ministry hopefully tomorrow. I am excited to write that there are 8 new believers as a result of this week. We pray that the Lord will mature them, and the church will minister to them in the future.

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

In Christ,
Luke

4th day in Moroleon

2008-04-23T22:46:00.000-05:00

Hello all,

Things are going great. It has once again been a long but very productive day. We erected all of the steel columns in concrete. God has blessed us with strength and safety. Thank you for your prayers.

We will work again tomorrow (Thursday) pouring more concrete around the columns. It is very rewarding to be a part of the beginning of this church building. We are praying that the Lord will use La Joya Church to reach many souls for Him.

The ladies once again went door-to-door this morning. I am not sure how many Bibles they distributed. I know they discovered some prospects for future Bible studies, and this afternoon they worked with 56 children. The ladies have done a remarkable job working with the children and going door-to-door throughout the community.

I have a message for Mike from Pastor Roberto. He says, "Mike I am praying for your health, and that God will bless you."

Thank you all for your support during this campaign. God has blessed us in so many ways. May He bless you as you seek to serve Him.

See you soon.

Tuesday in Moroleon, Mexico

2008-04-22T20:03:00.000-05:00

The day has been a long but productive one. It began at 5:30 am with Joe and me accompanying Pastor Roberto to participate in his radio program. He does a weekly radio program from 6:00 - 7:00. It is an AM station and the format consists of the pastor reading and expounding on a passage of Scripture with some music and then people call with prayer requests. Joe and I had the privilege of speaking for a few minutes on the program with Nahum (Pastor's son) translating for us. I shared Matthew 6:33, and the Lord used His Word to impact the host and the people listening. It was a good experience.

After the radio program, we were off to the construction site in Moroleon which is an hour away from Morelia where the pastor lives. We arrived at the construction site, and we began preparing the footings for concrete. We assembled the steel forms for the columns by hand and then began mixing concrete by hand. It was extremely hard work.

We had a dedication service for the property before the concrete was poured on the first footing. The service consisted of the pastor reading Scripture, praying and then placing a Bible in a plastic bag at the base of the footing and concrete was poured for the footing. It was a wonderful symbol of our faith and reminder that God's Word is what we stand on as believers. At the end of the day, we had finished seven forms and placed them in concrete. It was difficult work but worth it.

The ladies once again went door-to-door in the community distributing the Gospel of John and attempting to discover prospects for the mission (La Joya). I think the distribution went well. In the afternoon, they worked with the children at the church in Moroleon. I believe they had 53 children today. They made another craft with a Bible verse on them and also played some games.

Needless to say, there is no rest for the weary but the Lord has blessed us with strength and good health.

Thank you for your prayers.

Second Day in Mexico

2008-04-21T20:37:00.000-05:00

The day was long. We began construction on the building. We helped prepare the footings for the foundations to be poured tomorrow. It was hard work, but it was worth it. Ramon (74 years of age) worked circles around all of the "Gringos" all day long. As we prepared the footings, we would shovel dirt, rocks, and other things out of the holes. Everyone worked extremely hard. Tomorrow we should actually begin pouring cement, let us all hope.

In the morning some of the team went door-to-door distributing the gospel of John, and they discovered a person who was willing to host a Bible study. It was a great success. In the afternoon, the ladies worked with children doing crafts, took pictures of the kids with a digital camera and then printed the pictures which the children loved.

One of the pastors from Scott County (Chris) had the privilege of preaching at the mission church which is the one we are helping to construct their future building. It was a beautiful sight to behold. There were probably 15 people meeting in Raphael Diaz's home. He is 80 years old, blind and he loves the Lord Jesus Christ. They are extremely faithful.

I met Jose an employee at the hotel where the team is staying. He is 35 and has an 8 year old son. He wants me to give him a Bible. It was a joy to share with him. I hope to have an opportunity to share the gospel with him this week. Please pray for Jose and his salvation.

I will update more tomorrow.

May the Lord be glorified.

First Day

2008-04-20T22:19:00.001-05:00

We just completed our first day. It was a wonderful day. We were so blessed to participate in two worship services in Moroleon. I had the privilege of preaching with an interpreter. Our team sang two songs (first time in English and the second time in Spanish). We did pretty well. The believers love the Lord Jesus Christ so much. It is such a privilege to worship with other brothers and sisters in another country.

We had a great Mexican lunch. The chicken was unbelievable. We even ate some cactus (very good). After lunch, we had a prayer walk in the community surrounding the mission where we will begin construction on Monday morning at 8:00 am. After the prayer walk, we had another service with one of the pastors from Scott County preaching and the same brother interpreting for him. Once this service concluded, Joe Pugh and I went with the pastor and his family to Morelia (an hour away) and had another service. I had the privilege of preaching in this service with the pastor's son interpreting for me. The pastor is extremely busy (three services a day in two different cities).

After the service, we went to the Mexican version of Wal-Mart to purchase dinner items. Mimi (pastor's wife) prepared homemade quesadillas. They were delicious. We finished dinner at 10:00 pm. It has been a long day. I am going to attempt to get some sleep now.

We appreciate your prayers. We encourage you to pray for our strength as we begin construction tomorrow. I will update again tomorrow evening.

We are here!

2008-04-19T22:34:00.000-05:00

We made it. We arrived at 8:00 pm, and we all made it through customs fine. We had three cars transport the bags and all of the people from the airport. It truly was the beginning of the mission trip. The bags were packed extremely high on the back of the truck and packed tightly in the two vans. The team were packed in the three vehicles nice and tight.

We will be attending the worship service at the mission in the morning. We will be constructing the building for this mission. I will be preaching with an interpreter translating. We will attend their service in the afternoon and also have a prayer walk.

Thank you for praying for our safe arrival. I will keep you updated as often as possible.

Waiting in Houston

2008-04-19T15:06:00.000-05:00

I am presently in the Houston - Bush International Airport awaiting the arrival of the rest of the mission team to meet me. There are 21 of us who will be leaving Houston (Sat Apr 19th) for a week in Mexico. I will attempt to blog as often as possible to update the mission.

We would appreciate your prayers as we seek to bring glory to God this week. We also request you to pray for our families as we will be separated from them for a week. This week will be the longest time Jennifer and I have been apart. I know the Lord will take care of her and the kids. I miss you guys, and I will see you in seven days.

Next post will be in Mexico!

Father and Son

2008-04-10T16:11:00.001-05:00

This video is absolutely powerful. What love that is displayed by this father!

GodTube.com - My Redeemer Lives - Team Hoyt

God the Creator and Sustainer

2008-04-10T16:01:00.001-05:00

This video is amazing. You will want to take the time to view it and then share it. God is the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.
GodTube.com - Louie Giglio - Laminin

Mexico Mission Trip

2008-04-08T15:50:00.001-05:00

I would like to ask you all to pray for our upcoming Mission Trip to Moroleon, Mexico. There are 21 people from Newton/Scott Baptist Associations who will be going. The dates of the trip are April 19-26.

Our main objective is to begin construction on a church building. We are uncertain how much construction will take place that week. We are praying for opportunities to share the gospel within the surrounding communities. We will have numerous opportunities to minister for our Lord Jesus Christ.

I will attempt to blog as often as possible during that week.

Service

2008-04-08T15:32:00.001-05:00

What does it mean to be in service to our Lord Jesus Christ? That is the message for this upcoming Sunday morning. We are going to study about the importance of serving Jesus Christ. We are going to be reminded in Scripture that God has gifted us to build His kingdom.

I want to encourage you to pray for the Lord's leadership in service for Him. He has designed you to serve Him for His glory. He has plans for you to minister to His believers and also seek opportunities to share the gospel with the lost.

There are no places on the bench in a believer's life. The call is for us to be involved in ministry. May the Lord guide you as you seek to serve Him!

I am joining you in service to our Lord Jesus Christ.

First Baptist Church - Easter Reflections

2008-04-01T11:42:00.000-05:00

First Baptist Church - Easter Reflections

Braves Baseball

2008-03-28T15:57:00.000-05:00

The baseball season is back. Could this year be the one when the Braves return to the playoffs? I believe their chances of making the playoffs are much better this year than the previous two. The pitching should be much improved, and their offense will be extremely potent.

It all begins on Sunday evening. It should be a fun year.

Sweet Sixteen

2008-03-27T16:24:00.000-05:00

The Tourney really heats up tonight. There should be interesting games and some great match-ups.

Who do you think will come through the weekend as the Final 4? As of right now, all of my elite 8 and all of my Final 4 teams are left, but of course that change in an instant with the frenzy that is known as March Madness.

I hope you enjoy some hoops tonight.

ESPN - Men's Tournament Challenge: This Hope Group Page

2008-03-20T10:06:00.000-05:00

ESPN - Men's Tournament Challenge: This Hope Group Page

Easter Week

2008-03-17T13:07:00.000-05:00

“Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.” Isaiah 53:4-6 (NASB) This passage of Scripture that the prophet Isaiah was inspired to write prophesied about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It was written some seven hundred years before the events we celebrate actually took place.

This week we remember the Last Supper, the mockery of a trial, the Crucifixion, the Burial, and the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was abandoned and betrayed by His disciples. He was beaten, mocked, spit on, slapped, and made to carry His own cross to the “place of the skull.” He endured these atrocities for mankind’s sin. He was nailed to the cross for the entire world. “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB) His death had to take place in order for humanity’s sin to be forgiven. His blood had to be shed for mankind’s forgiveness. “…and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Hebrews 9:22 (NASB)

Praise the Lord! He is alive. He conquered death and the tomb. “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,” 1Corinthians 15:3-4 (NASB). The Lord Jesus Christ is alive. He is no longer in the tomb. He desires to transform your heart if you will trust in Him. He desires for you to be “born again” (John 3) which means to be “born from above” or to be spiritually transformed by the grace of Jesus Christ. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NASB).

If you have not been born again, my prayer is that the Holy Spirit will convict you of your sins and that you will trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. May the Lord receive the glory as we celebrate the Resurrection this Sunday.

John 3:16

2008-03-11T14:14:00.000-05:00

"For God so loved the world..." probably the most quoted and well-known biblical verses. God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, to sacrifice Himself for humanity's sin. It was the only way for God's wrath to be satisfied. Jesus Christ's death on the cross satisfied the Father's wrath toward sin.

An article I read by Dr. Charles Lawless, Dean of The Billy Graham School of Church Growth, Evangelism, and Missions at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, reflected his inability to sleep at night reflecting on the 1.7 billion in the world who have not trusted in the gospel. Some of them have never heard about Jesus and what He did on the cross or some of them have heard and have not trusted in Him. I wonder with Dr. Lawless when was the last time we were unable to sleep at night contemplating about the people who have not trusted in Jesus Christ.

I hope you join with me in praying for the lost and seeking opportunities to share John 3:16 with them.

3:16

2008-03-10T14:34:00.000-05:00

For the first two weeks of March, we have been encouraging one another at First Baptist Newton to memorize verses with the reference of 3:16 in them. The first week we memorized 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is inspired by God...", and the second week we memorized 1 Corinthians 3:16 "...you are a temple of God...". I hope you have been sharing these verses with your family and memorizing them personally.

May the Lord bless you as you hide His Word in your hearts.

Hello Everyone

2008-02-12T15:34:00.000-06:00

I am attempting my first efforts at a blog. We will see what happens with it.