The Journey

New Church Directory In The Works

Farmersville Free Will Baptist Church is working together with LifeTouch to publish a new Church Directory. We will be taking family portraits the week of April 8th and would love for you to participate. Each family will receive a free 8x10 portrait and of course you will be able to order other prints if you choose. Click on the following link to schedule your portait setting...

Farmersville Free Will Baptist Church Directory

The Value Of Integrity

Don't you hate being lied to? I've been wrestling with my thoughts in this area lately, reading, praying, and searching for the best way to deal with friends and acquaintances who have compromised their integrity for one reason or another. We do have a responsibility to our brothers and sisters to seek to restore them when they are overtaken in a transgression.

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. (Galatians 6:1 ESV)

But today, the words "Keep watch on yourself" seemed to jump off the page and pin the thoughts I had been wrestling with to the mat. The Holy Spirit changed my focus from others' lapses in integrity to examining my own integrity. It's very easy to spot flaws in others' character, and far more comfortable than examining our own hearts. As a leader, my integrity is extremely important. I want my wife, my children, my church, and my colleagues to be able to trust me.

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. (Proverbs 22:1 ESV)

My integrity is worth far more than whatever gain may be achieved by compromising my integrity. My integrity is worth more than I could ever gain by cheating on my taxes. It's worth more than I could gain by scheming to raise funds. My integrity is worth far more than any recognition I might gain by misrepresenting who I am on a resume or school application. It's worth more than a grade on a term paper that I might improve through plagiarism. There are so many ways that we might be tempted to compromise our integrity but it's never worth it.

God, help me be a man, not just of the Word, but also of my word.

 

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God Leads His Dear Children Along

Some through the waters, some through the flood,
Some through the fire, but all through the blood;
Some through great sorrow, but God gives a song,
In the night season and all the day long.

God is omniscient and omnipresent, all knowing and all places. With that in mind, take a few moments to look around you today, and remember that He not only knows where you are, He is there with you. His beautiful handiwork surrounds us as a glorious reminder of how very close He is and how much He loves and cares for us. Don't let the busyness of your day rob you of the joy of His presence. Whatever you face today, know this, God Leads His Dear Children Along!

"For You Are My Rock And My Fortress; And For Your Name's Sake

You Lead Me And Guide Me"  ~  Psalm 31:3

Marriage ~ Are You Committed To Happiness?

The Dutch have several interesting wedding traditions. One such tradition is that of planting Lilly Of The Valley flowers around the bride and groom's home. The flowers serve as a reminder that happiness is renewed year after year just like the flowers.

Commitment is a huge part of success in marriage and among the commitments we make, maybe we ought to make a commitment to just being happy, and doing everything we can to make our marriages happy. Marriage is a gift from God intended to make our lives more enjoyable.

Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him." So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. Then the man said, "This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. (Genesis 2:18, 21-25 ESV)

Maybe it's time to make some fresh new commitments as we close out the year.

Praying that you've had a great Thanksgiving weekend! We're getting ready to celebrate that birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for the next several weeks. Come join us!

 

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Thankful For Peaceful Moments

 “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.” (Psalm 9:1, ESV)

After a very busy Monday and Tuesday I took a morning run up to Mineral King, one of my favorite places to take in the amazing artistry of our wonderful Lord. The view from the Mineral King bridge is always beautiful regardless of the time of year. Today, Fall colors were pretty dominant. The sound of the water was soothing. Thank you Lord, for providing us with so much beauty in such close proximity.

Happy Thanksgiving 2012!

Soul Thirst ~ Find A Place To Meet The Lord

“As a deer pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1–2, ESV)

The Beauty Of Age

Don't miss the beauty of age. New things are nice and shiny, but there's a unique beauty to those things that have stood the test of time. Maybe it's the color that accumulates over time, or the thoughts of countless and amazing stories that could be told from a long history. Time is sometimes a testimony of success, a measure of proof that someone, somewhere, did something right and that it has lasted. In our world that seems obsessed with the new, let's not forget the value of old. May we never forget we're headed swiftly in the same direction regardless of how young we are.

Proverbs 20:29

"The glory of young men is their strength, but the splendor of old men is their gray hair."

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Yugo Lessons

Psalm 139 "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"

Kathy and I purchased a Yugo in 1985. Don't laugh! It was shiny red, brand new, cheap, and we drove it pretty much problem free for 165,000 miles. When I finally sold it, it had blown a hole in the engine killing one of it's four cylinders. It was still running, and drivable...barely.

Today, I was thinking that there are times when we, like my 85 Yugo, are still running...barely. Not running on all cylinders, but still moving. It's at times like this we need to stop and let God do some work in our lives. Maintenance is important, and sometimes overhaul is necessary.

We need The Lord to keep us moving effectively. Praying you have a great Saturday and Lord's Day this week.

 

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