It Is Not How You Start . . . It’s How You Finish!!!!

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What a wonderful first month of the year we have had as a church family. We have seen a spirit in this place I have never sensed before. We have had unbelievable numbers in worship, Sunday school and Wednesday night activities. However, that is not what is important. It is the attitude in which we are coming to worship corporately that has me so excited.

I have no doubt in my mind the things we are seeing happen in our midst are a direct result of many of you digging deeper in God’s Word and in the area of prayer. We have spent the month of January during worship focusing on our individual prayer lives and I believe God is blessing our efforts. Haven’t you heard phrase, “It’s not how you start. It is how you finish.” Well I sometimes disagree with that statement. If you never get started, then how can you expect to finish strong? So let me encourage you by saying I believe we are off to a great start. I do believe the results we are praying for is going to be a direct result of the way we finish. We are doing well now, but how sweet it will be as we begin to see the benefits of our efforts paying off by seeing people saved, unchurched people plugging in to the ministry of our church, and us as a church going deeper in our walk with the Lord! Let’s finish what we have started!!!

February will be a month focused on family. Families are vital in the life of a church. After all, we are all family. We will celebrate family and be challenged to be better family members throughout the month of February. There are a couple of very special events happening during the month I would like to make sure you know about.

First is Disciple Now, which will be taking place this weekend. DNow weekend is a time where not only teenagers’ lives are changed forever but in many cases the adults involved are impacted as well. I hope you have been praying for these 3 days, and that we will see an incredible movement of the Spirit in our community!

On February 15th, we will be having our annual Senior Adult Valentine Banquet at noon. What a special time for our seniors to enjoy a wonderful meal, fellowship and entertainment. If you are a senior adult, please call the church office and RSVP for this wonderful experience. I remind you . . . we are all family and this is a way for our church to tell you how much we love you and appreciate you!

Saturday, February 28th, we will be hosting the second of our Foundations in Faith Seminars. This month’s conference will focus on marriage. We will have a teaching time from 2pm to 5pm out of Song of Solomon followed by a dinner set up especially for you and your spouse and the showing of the movie “Fireproof.” I hope every married couple in our church will make the decision to be a part of this special afternoon and evening. Childcare will be provided! The cost of the seminar is only $10 per couple (or per book) and RSVPs are required by February 22nd. More details will be available next week. If you have questions, call the office.

We are off to a great start, but remember . . . it is not just how you start, but also how you finish. Let’s commit to one another and to our Lord, so we will finish strong!

Talk about a bad couple of days!

Boy should Hollywood be jealous of the chapters about the plagues. They could not come up with something like if they tried!!! I found myself thinking about my bad days and then thought about Pharaoh....WOW! Can you imagine the stinch from all of the dead frogs, then the gnats, flies, livestock, YUK! Then the boils come...then the hail...in the day to come we will see the locusts enter stage left...then darkness, then the children...what a terrible time for Pharaoh all because he would not listen to the mouthpiece of God!
I wonder when we are out of tune with God how much stinch we bring upon ourselves? Do we have the hard heart problem that Pharaoh had at times when God is speaking?

Word of the Week for January 25, 2009

The entire month of January has been spent focusing on developing a better prayer life for us all as individuals and as a church. My prayer has been that we will all take these challenges to heart and we will see an incredible movement of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ. Today as we wrap up our series on "Prayer that Can Change Your Life," we will have a challenge presented to us concerning next weekend's Disciple Now. My hope is we will all take the challenge to get our hearts right with the Lord in anticipation of the weekend.

God is ready to do some amazing things in our midst and I pray we will be sensitive to His leading. Let's get ready for whatever it is God leads us to do!

Have a great week!

Word of the Week for January 18, 2009

All week long I have been getting a little chuckle out of the weathermen on television. As they have anticipated the “cold” snap that came this past week, the conversation has been focused on the “ups and downs” of the temperature lately. It was humorous to me to listen to them go on and on. Do they not realize we are in Texas???

As I thought about the “ups and downs” of the temperature, I began to think about the Christian life. There are “ups and downs” to that as well. I wonder how often we simply make excuses for them rather than do something about it? We have been focused on reading God’s Word and prayer since the first of the year. When the “ups and downs” hit your spiritual life, go back to the basics of God’s Word and focus even harder on your prayer life. I believe you will find a more balanced forecast in your spiritual life!

Have a great week!

Word of the Week for January 11, 2009

What a great week it has been spiritually in the life of First Baptist Grandview! Many of you have spent some sweet time in the Word of God and prayer! As we have been spending 24 hours a day in prayer and Bible reading this week, I believe God has been pleased with us. For others who have committed to reading through the Bible this year, we are two weeks into our adventure and what a journey it has already been. It is so much fun to hear comments and read the blog online (www.fbcreaders.blogspot.com) about what God is showing to those who are reading.

My prayer is that we all begin to form habits that will be spiritually life changing in the year 2009!

Don’t forget the Disciple Now meeting today following the 11:00 worship service. D-Now is one of the most exciting times in the life of our church year and you will want to be a part in some way. Come to the meeting or get with Daniel to find out how you can become involved!!!

Have a great week!

Word of the Week for January 4, 2009

As a new year has arrived, many of you have made resolutions! You are now four days into it…how are you doing? One of the resolutions I have made is to read through the Bible this year. I made the challenge to you all and I hope you now only have 361 days to go. If you did not order a Bible, there is a list available in the hallways of the church that will tell you what passages you need to read on each day.

Today we also have begun our week of prayer and Bible reading as a church. At midnight last night Bob Brusaw began in Genesis 1. I love this idea and look forward to hearing some great stories.

If we will be a church founded on God’s Word and prayer, I believe 2009 will be the greatest year in the life of First Baptist Grandview!! Will you join in?

Happy New Year!