Great posts at Dr. Mohler's BLOG

Check out Dr. Mohler's blog today and read the last two posts he has made. Redeem the time, for the days are evil.

Compassion Sunday

God blessed this Sunday as around 20 children were sponsored with compassion international. Above and beyond this, I believe we all may have a better understanding of how God has called us to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves. Look for opportunities this week where you can provide care and assistance in Jesus name. Pray for those opportunities. May God find us faithful as He presents those opportunities before us.

The Gospel and Social Action

This Sunday we will have a Compassion Sunday at Shiloh Baptist. We will have a speaker from compassion international at the church and will spend our time in the service thinking about serving the least of these.
As I have prepared this week it was glaringly apparent that this is not a typical sermon that I would preach, or for that matter most other conservative evangelicals. We have for far too long left mercy ministry and compassion to those who would call themselves liberals or for the government, while we have concentrated on making sure the gospel was understood correctly. This in my estimation is a great task, but we must be balanced. We can't be afraid to talk and think about mercy ministries in the church because someone might mistake us for liberal. The gospel clearly taught and understood produces gospel centered lives and those lives should constantly be about the purpose of the glory of the father; who seems to say in Matthew 25 that he is glorified when we take part in ministries of mercy.
Please pray for me and for our church as we try to move out of our comfort zone and be actively involved in mercy ministries in our community and world.

Ephesians 4:11-16

God has really opened my eyes the last few weeks to the grand design of the church. He, according to our text, has placed us together that we may grow the body. You are an integral part of this body. We need you to be exercising the gifts that God has given you if we are to grow up into maturity. Remember the goal is to become like Christ, we are not there yet, and we will never get there this side of eternity. So, that tells me that we must continue to strive toward the goal of the upward call. We must all exercise our gifts in a way that brings glory to our king and builds up not only Shiloh Baptist, but the church universal. I am blessed to be a part of this body, and I commit afresh and anew to use the gifts God has given to me in order to instruct you for the work of service for the building up of this body. God bless.

Temptation Island

What a blessing it was to travel with eight of my brothers in Christ down to First Baptist Woodstock for their annual men's conference this past weekend. Our God is always at work and I thank Him for His work in my life and the lives of these men. May we not be foolish and only look forward to another mountain top experience this time next year, but let us be steadfast in our work for the King here and now, making disciples and growing up as a body together.

Study in Ephesians

Paul began chapter 4 by urging us to walk worthy of the calling. He pointed us back to chapters 1-3 to show us what that calling was. Praise God that we are not supposed to live out our faith in our own strength. We are daily to preach the gospel to ourselves, remembering who we are in Christ. Just think of the statements he makes in the first 3 chapters. We are blessed with every spiritual blessing, we are chosen, we are adopted, we are redeemed, we are given an inheritance, we are reconciled to God and to other men, and the list could go on and on. Is this your strength for the living out of your faith, or do you continually try to earn God's favor.
Paul continued in chapter 4 going into specific ways we walk worthy in the church. The buzzword there was humility. Do you consider others better than yourself? Do you love those who even hurt you? This is the practicality of walking out our faith.
This past Sunday we looked at the gifts of grace that Christ gives for the building up of the church. Did you realize that you were given a gift upon your salvation, a means of building up the church by an ability that Christ gave you? What is your gift? Are you using it for the glory of God, or are you sitting on it?
May God continue to bless our study of His word.

A Busy Couple of Weeks

It has been a very busy time here of late at Shiloh and you notice that by the lack of blogging that has been going on.
First off, let us all praise God for the life of our brother in Christ, Mayford Johnson. Mayford was one of the kindest men I have ever know and I am so thankful that he lived his life in such a way as to point people to the savior. Please be praying for Ruby and his family.
There are also many in the hospital with major things going on. Please continue to pray for Grace Johnson, Bob Sutton, Bobby Atchley, Duane Rulapaugh, and Carl "Monk" Plemmons.
God's grace is sufficient to handle all these things, along with some icy roads that we have been experiencing as well. May we be faithful to Him, who while we were yet sinners sent Christ to die for us.