Pastor’s Ponderings

 “Blessed”

One of the new responses I have heard in recent years is: “How are you doing?” “Blessed.”

If you ask me right now how I am doing, I would also reply, “Blessed!”

Thanks to the kindness and generosity of Calvary Baptist Church, my wife and I will be flying to Israel this month. We have been researching (my wife has done more than I have), purchasing (just ask Amazon and the delivery services), getting advice (thanks Darlene!), and figuring out exactly how many suitcases we can take.

The trip is led by Quentin Road Baptist Church in Illinois, and Dr. Carl Baugh will be the main guide. We are excited to be joined by some of our church members and a few from Grandview. I will be vlogging (amazingly spell check accepted that word). That means “Video Logging,” and I will make many live videos through my Facebook page, beginning a day or so before we leave through a few days after we get back (so you can see the effect of jet lag).

We will visit the Sea of Galilee, including a boat ride, the Dead Sea, the Jordan River, the Garden Tomb & Calvary, the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane, and of course, Jerusalem. Betty and I will stay over one more day to see Petra which is in Jordan.

We are very excited, and I again want to say thanks to all who have given toward it. We are BLESSED!

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We are also blessed as we finish the book of Titus in our Sunday morning messages. In this great book the Apostle Paul shared some great truths with young Titus. We found the main theme to be “Good Works.”

But he also wrote of the coming of Christ, salvation by grace alone, leadership, and many other topics. We only have two weeks left, and we hope you will be here at 10:30 AM to hear Paul’s conclusion to Titus!

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Better yet, why don’t you come at 9:30 and join us for Sunday school and adult Bible study. Bro. Donnie presented a challenge to our teachers, and we have a new Sunday School Campaign that runs from March 8 to April 12.

April 12 is Easter Sunday. Begin inviting people NOW to our 10:30 service. The adult choir, with a little help from the children’s choir, will present the cantata, “Worthy.” It is filled with music that will touch your heart and help you realize anew what a great God we serve.

We also have our annual Easter Egg Hunt immediately after the morning service. Let’s pray now for God’s hand to be upon that service and on Calvary Baptist Church.

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My wife’s article goes into more detail, but we want to encourage you to attend the Sunday evening services in March as we celebrate Missions Month. We will have a different missionary each night and look forward to hearing how God is working around the world. We will also hand out the Faith Promise Missions cards and look forward to an amazing month.

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I am tremendously blessed to direct our Calvary Singers each week. I heard a pastor once say, “It is an insult to only mention a musicians talent. A lot of hard work goes into anyone who is successful in that field.”

Our choir works hard! We meet every Sunday at 4:30PM for practice, We try to sing music that blesses not just the hearer, but God Almighty. If God has blessed you with singing abilities, why not try us out this Sunday at 4:30?

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I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have:

1) Courage

2) Wisdom

3) Strength

4) Victory

5) Vision

 Pastor’s Ponderings

 “Greater Love”

My first glimpse of Arlington Cemetery wasn’t quite as emotional since Betty and I were on a Tourmobile in the open air as we were driven through the national memorial. As the tour guide pointed out graves of famous individuals, I noticed a Bible verse on many of the headstones: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”

(John 15:13). While these words of Jesus Christ are so familiar, don’t miss the beginning of the next verse: “Ye are my friends.”

We can speak of love all day long, but until we see that the greatest love of all time was the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ as He hung on the cross, we will never understand true it. True love gives, and the supreme love was God sending His Son into the world to die for the sins of mankind. Thank you, Father, for your love!

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We’ve got some great services coming up in February. On the 9th, all ladies will receive a gift for Heart Sunday. Our monthly Outreach follows on Tuesday the 11th, and the next Sunday Dr. Allen Hatch will be in our evening service singing and preaching. He will also be our special guest for Golden Agers on the 18th. We plan to have a couple of baptism services on the 9th and 23rd in the evening services to follow up on over forty children and teens who were saved at the David Corn rally last month. The month will end on “Leap Day”, the 29th with our monthly Men’s Prayer Breakfast and Bible study.

The next month will begin with a bang as we celebrate Missions Month and have a different missionary every Sunday night of March. Also, on March 1, we will have our annual business meeting at 5:00pm Sunday night.

We will also begin a new Sunday School campaign, “Open Our Eyes”, which begins March 8 and concludes Easter Sunday morning, April 12. We will have a teacher’s meeting the night of February 23 to explain it and motivate our teachers to “bring them in.”

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My wife writes about our upcoming trip to Israel, but I want to express my gratefulness to all who have given and continue to give towards this special gift. I want to return a changed pastor as I walk where Jesus walked.

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The past several weeks have been especially difficult for our church. In just a few weeks we had several church members or family of members go to be with the Lord. I’ve never been in a church that had two funerals on two consecutive days. The sorrow was, at times, overwhelming, but the hope was even stronger. Tears flowed, but we all remembered that “joy comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).

As we move through the book of Titus on Sunday morning we are reminded of our great God and Savior who will come for us soon. Paul calls it the “Blessed Hope.” What a great description for that event in which the Lord returns to earth to receive us up to heaven to live with Him forever. I pray that we will all be ready for that glorious day of rapture and reunion!

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I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have:

1) Courage

2) Wisdom

3) Strength

4) Victory

5) Vision

Pastor’s Ponderings

“Salt and Light”

The Sermon on the Mount is the single greatest sermon ever preached. When Jesus finished, “the people were astonished at his doctrine” because Jesus “taught them as one having authority” (Matthew 7:28-29).

The message begins with the “Beatitudes”, a series of verses beginning with the word Blessed. Jesus explains who is REALLY blessed, and His conclusions don’t always match with ours.

Then He uses two illustrations of what all true believers should be. First, He states, “Ye are the salt of the earth . . .” This is followed by a warning that if salt loses its flavor, it is useless.

The second image used by our Lord is light. “Ye are the light of the world.” You cannot hide a city on a hill, and you should never hide your light under a bushel.

Our Savior then explains why our light should shine. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

That’s the Key!!! Our shining light is our good works. When others see our good works, they glorify God!

That’s why we begin 2020 with a series through the book of Titus. Good works are a constant theme in this small book. I truly believe when we understand the need for good works it will change not only our lives, but the lives of those around us as they see the example we set and glorify the Lord.

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We are excited to have Illusionist David Corn with us again. He will be in Sunday School and Children’s Church the morning of January 19. He will have the entire evening service that night. After blessing our students at our Wednesday On Track service, he will have a big rally Thursday night at Calvary.

Expect great things, for the last time he was here over 30 children were saved in the Thursday night rally. His unique show plus his gospel presentation make this a presentation you do NOT want to miss.

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I want to express again my thanks for all who made the Christmas season a blessed time at Calvary. The decorated auditorium set the mood for the entire month. The congregation made a great effort to be at every service, and it showed. The Memorial Service was so moving. The children’s play was fabulous, and the Christmas party was a great success. The choir outdid themselves during the Christmas cantata, and the Lord’s Supper was a beautiful, solemn service.

I count it a privilege and an honor to be pastor of this great church, and I look forward to what God will do for us, in us, and through us in 2020.

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The first several Sunday nights of January, I will emphasize the role of prayer in the growth of our church. The series, entitled, “Pray and Go” will present a straightforward method of praying for our town and using those prayers as a springboard for reaching our town.

From time to time I will ask the entire church to pray for something specific, and in January I want all of us to pray for our Outreach on January 14. We need you there!

We have a variety of methods to reach our community. Some will “canvas”, going door-to-door. Others will visit church members we have missed. Recent visitors will also be contacted. Some will write cards, and others will pray during the time. We meet Tuesday, January 14, at 10:00am and at 6:00pm. See You There!

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I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have:

1) Courage

2) Wisdom

3) Strength

4) Victory

5) Vision

Pastor’s Ponderings

“Good . . . Works”

Busyness is a badge of honor in America. We move from one task to the next with effortless ease and pat ourselves on the back when we check off our to-do list. But are our lives meaningful?

I am amazed that Jesus accomplished exactly what He intended in only 3 1/2 years. How did He do it? He only did exactly what needed to be done.

After being here for six years I asked myself, “Have you accomplished what you set out to do?” The answer? “Maybe, somewhat, sort of.”

As we conclude 2019 and start a new year and a new decade, I ask everyone reading this, “Are you where you want to be? Are you WHO you want to be?”

To answer that question for all of us, I sought the Lord for a church theme for 2020. In 2019 we used the phrase “Renew, Restore, Refresh.” In the coming year we will see that “Good . . . Works.”

This is a play on words, for I want all of us to see that God intends us to perform good works. Yet I also hope we will understand that “Good . . . Works.” Being good is what will change ourselves and the world around us.

We understand that from God’s perspective we are all born in sin. David even acknowledged he was a sinner in his mother’s womb (Psalm 51:5). Paul said that no good thing dwells in his flesh (Romans 7:18).

At salvation, though, we are made partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), and through Christ have the ability to perform good works that are truly pleasing to the Lord.

In 2020 we will begin a series through the book of Titus. In that short book the word “good” appears eleven times in only 46 verses. Six of those times the words “work” or “works” follow the word “good.”

If we are to have the impact on Cleburne and the world that God intended, we must perform good works. And when we demonstrate good works, we will see that good works.

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Once again we look forward to a blessed December. One of the most moving services is the December 8th Memorial Service in which we honor our loves ones and fellow church members who went to be with the Lord this past year.

That night we enjoy two special events. First, the children, under the direction of Jenny Young and Kristie Yancey will present the play “Peanut Butter Christmas.”

Immediately following the play we will move to the Family Life Center for our annual churchwide Christmas party. Please bring a new, unwrapped toy as we bless the Children’s Advocacy Center with these gifts to be distributed to local children. Also bring some finger food and we will enjoy sweet fellowship.

December 10 is our monthly Golden Agers meeting, Please bring your favorite Tex-Mex dish and/or dessert of your choice. We will enjoy a Christmas sing-along and continue to collect toys for the Children’s Advocacy Center.

Sunday morning, December 15, the Calvary Singers will present the cantata, “Christmas, Night of Angels.” The focus of this musical is the many appearances of angels during the first Christmas season.

That night, we will partake of the Lord’s Supper as we commemorate the death and soon coming of our Lord. It is truly the most wonderful time of the year.

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I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have:

1) Courage

2) Wisdom

3) Strength

4) Victory

5) Vision

Pastor Ponderings 

 “Our Holy Days” 

We are entering the holiday season. I like the word “holiday.” Its roots come from the two words “holy day.” For the Christian, Resurrection Sunday is the greatest of all “holy days” followed by Christ’s crucifixion day.

But in November/December we focus on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Every day in November, some post on Facebook a different reason to be thankful. Included are things like family, friends, employment, country, and Jesus.

Thankfulness permeates the Bible. Jesus publicly thanked the Father (Matthew 11:25; John 11:41) He also was thankful before eating (Matthew 26:27; John 6:11). On three occasions in the Book of Revelation (4:9; 7:11-12; 11:16-17) the heavenly host are worshipping and thanking the Lord.

But the two thoughts of thankfulness that jump out to me are: 1) Being thankful always (Ephesians 1:16; 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:2), and; 2) Being thankful in and for everything (2 Corinthians 9:11; Ephesians 5:20; 1 Thessalonians 5:18).

My God commands me to be thankful in every situation. I don’t always like what is happening in my life. Some of my problems come from without, but my greatest difficulties are of my own making. My most challenging opponent is the man I see in the mirror every day.

I am also charged to be thankful all the time. That is difficult!! Sometimes I simply do not WANT to be thankful. But it is easier when I remember that “all things work together for good”

(Romans 8:28). No matter my circumstance God will eventually turn it into something good!

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I hope you will join us Sunday, November 10, for my sixth anniversary at Calvary Baptist Church. In the morning I will bring a special message entitled “Opportunities.” That evening Kristie and Emily Yancey will bless us with a concert of great gospel songs. See you there!

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We had a fabulous Fall Festival in October. We originally had a Trunk or Treat planned in which our folks would decorate their trunks and people would come by to get candy. Our Texas weather did not cooperate, so we moved indoors. The creativity of some of our members was incredible.

We had a fishing booth, tribbles, a circus, a ring toss, light people, angels, and much more. Thanks to all who participated, set up, cleaned, brought candy , tore down, and helped in any other way.

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December’s schedule is awesome. The 1st is the church’s 77th anniversary. We don’t have any festivities planned, but we will recognize Calvary’s birthday. Our monthly Outreach is Tuesday, December 3rd at 10am and 6pm.

Sunday, December 8, is our Memorial Service in which we honor those who passed away this year. If you get your loved one’s name to the office by November 20, we will have an ornament for you.

The evening of December 8 is the children’s play, “Peanut Butter Christmas,” and our annual churchwide Christmas party follows the play. This is always a BIG evening, and more details will follow. The Golden Agers Christmas party will be Tuesday, December, 10, at 10:30am.

The choir will present a cantata, “Christmas, Night of Angels,” in the morning service of December 15, and we will take the Lord’s Supper in the evening service.

Let’s make the rest of the year the best of the year!

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I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have:

1) Courage

2) Wisdom

3) Strength

4) Victory

5) Vision

Pastor’s Ponderings

“Habits”

Is it really possible to get “A New You in Eight Weeks?” I started that series a few weeks ago, and so far we have attempted to implement three weekly habits. First, pray three times a day, on your knees if possible. Scripture records believers praying in the morning, at noon, in the evening, a great while before the sun rises, and even at midnight. Whatever times you choose, just do it! We next looked at eating one meal a day with someone else. The Bible records much about both food and fellowship. In Genesis 2 God commanded Adam to eat from the trees in the garden. Two verses later He said it wasn’t good that man was alone. We combined these two thoughts and asked everyone to have at least one meal a day with someone else. The last Sunday of September we introduced the habit of “Bible First.” We are tempted to begin the day with everything but God. Our phones demand our attention. ESPN Sports Center has highlights from the recent game. Morning news shows remind us of important events. Yet the best use of our time is to dive into God’s Word and prepare for the coming day. I am basing this series on a book I purchased recently entitled “The Common Rule.” Written by a Christian lawyer, the book chronicles his life of intense work that began pulling him from God. He realized that his Christian life was in great danger if he didn’t take the necessary steps to stay close to the Lord. After devising eight small habits (and I am altering the habits slightly) and implementing them into his busy life, he noticed a remarkable change. He emailed his journey to many of his friends who in turn passed them along to others. It made such a difference in the lives of so many that he wrote the book. In the first few weeks of this series I have had many tell me that the habits are already making a difference! Strive to make your fellowship with God and others a priority. _{********************} I am ready for Fall! Last month was the warmest and driest September on record for DFW. No need to fear, for September, 2018, was the wettest on record with over 12 inches of rain. As I looked at the official rain chart I saw some interesting statistics. The two wettest years on record were 2015 and 2018. The two driest were 1921 and 1910. The greatest difference from one year to the next was 21.32 inches in 2014 and 62.61 inches in 2015 (over 41 inches). These numbers remind me of our spiritual lives. Sometimes the “showers of blessing” (Ezek 34:26) fall unhindered but other times we are in a “dry and thirsty land, where no water is” (Psalm 63:1). If all is well right now, continue to ask for God’s blessings and share those blessings with others. If you are in a dark place and life seems to be fighting you, remember that we all have seasons of ups and downs. We may have 21 inches of rain one year, but God is preparing us for 62 inches next year. Eventually we will all arrive where “the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). _{********************} October is Revival Month! I hope you will be present at EVERY Sunday evening service as we hear great messages from God’s chosen servants! _{********************} This year we will participate on Cleburne’s Fall Festival, “Autumn on the Square.” We will have a photo booth. Help us be a blessing to the community. _{********************} I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have: 1) Courage 2) Wisdom 3) Strength 4) Victory 5) Vision  

Pastor Ponderings 

“Fall is Here”

Fall is my favorite season. Among the reasons for this are: 1) The weather finally starts cooling down. Though we have not had a scorching summer this year, it was still very hot at times. 2) My favorite sport, football, resumes. I am not the fan I was years ago, but I still love watching a game or two when I have time. 3) School begins and routines are established. We get the kids up, (though I am an empty-nester) have breakfast, get them to school, then get to work. 4) Vacations are over and church attendance picks up. I am grateful for a good summer. We had our second-best attended service, behind only Easter, in July. Continue to pray for Calvary. Our Wednesday youth services have begun. We have renamed our student ministries to “On Track.” Our children are “The Express” and our teens are “The Crossing.” I am thankful for so many adults who are so willing to help this vital ministry. This month we begin a new ministry for our widows and widowers. We also want to include any of our saints who are single. We launch with a luncheon at 11:30am on Saturday, September 14. Our goal is to bless these church members by providing help around the house with repairs, light cleaning, mowing a lawn, changing light bulbs, and other practical help we can provide. We will work in conjunction with our men’s & ladies’ ministries as we pair those with a need to those who can meet that need. We have sign-up sheets in the auditorium if you want to list an area where you can help. _{********************} A Christian website recently asked pastors about any strange and funny things they were asked to do. Here are some of the best ones. “A church member asked me to put his mother’s funeral on my calendar. She wasn’t dead.” “A church member asked me to do an imitation of a character from The Princess Bride during the wedding ceremony.” “I officiated a funeral where the family did the wave and hit beach balls during the service.” “A church member called, telling me her neighbors sheep were out in the road. Of course, I was supposed to help since I was her shepherd.” “I was asked to baptize a body at a funeral.” “A lady brought a chirping bird into a worship service and asked me to ignore it.” “I was visiting a member of our church in the hospital. He insisted I hold his kidney stone. I was young, so I did.” _{********************} Sunday, September 8, we begin a series: “A New You in 8 Weeks.” We will look at eight vital habits we need to establish to be the best Christians we can be. Don’t miss it! _{********************} This year the City of Cleburne will sponsor “Autumn on the Square”, a fall festival with local non-profits providing the activities. Calvary will have a photo booth. The city allows us to place any church information (tracts, etc.) on our table for the community to take. The date is October 19 from 10am to 3pm. We will have a sign-up sheet out soon for those willing to participate. Because of the Cleburne festival, we will scale back on Calvary’s Fall Festival this year. We will still have it, but it will be a little different than in past years. _{********************} I want to wish a late happy birthday to my wife. I first met her about 40 years ago. She has been such a blessing to me, and I will always be grateful she said, “I do!” _{********************} I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have: 1) Courage 2) Wisdom 3) Strength 4) Victory 5) Vision  

Pastor’s Ponderings

“Every Member and Every Day”

“Brethren, pray for us” (1 Thessalonians 5:25). “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you” (2 Thessalonians 3:1). “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly” (Hebrews 13:18). As I read these verses, a thought came to me. What if we all took these passages seriously and sincerely prayed for the pastor and leaders of Calvary every day? “[Paul] never outgrew the need for prayer, and neither do we” (William MacDonald). As you read this, determine to be a part of the prayers lifted to God. You can remember this with a simple slogan: “Every Member, Every Day.” Join with your brothers and sisters in Christ and take me and your fellow believers into the throne room of God. _{********************} Thom Rainer wrote a short online article entitled, “Why I Attend Church.” Here are the final two reasons.

_{********************} We just completed a sermon series entitled “The Walk.” It was a blessing to prepare these messages and they truly touched my heart. I pray that our walk will match our talk. We learned to “Walk in Love,” Walk in Truth,” “Walk Circumspectly,” “Walk Not as the Lost,” “Walk Humbly,” “Walk by Faith,” “Walk Worthy,” “Walk in Wisdom,” “Power Walk,” and we concluded last Sunday with “Walk in Light.” I pray we were all challenged to truly live out our faith! _{********************} I am grateful and thankful for all who have joined the choir the past few weeks. We practice every Sunday from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. We are already practicing Christmas music (I know, that seems way too early), and I truly appreciate the attitude of the singers. If the Lord lays this ministry on your heart (provided you can at least sing a little bit), we would love to see you in the choir loft! _{********************} August will be a great month. We open the first Sunday by baptizing in the evening service. We had around 21 teens and children saved at camp and Vacation Bible School. As we follow up on these young people (special thanks to Bro. Eddy Carrell for contacting many of these) we also pray that the parents will get involved with Calvary. Our On Track leader training will occur August 11 after the morning service. We will have lunch prepared then meet until about 3:00pm preparing for the new year of Express (children) and The Crossing (teens). Registration for this program is Wednesday, August 21, from 6:30pm-8:00pm and we begin on August 28 at 6:30pm. We have a great year ahead and look forward to what God will do through us! Thanks to all the volunteers! _{********************} September brings some exciting blessings. On Saturday, September 14, we launch a widow/widower ministry with a free luncheon. Calvary has an abundance of members whose spouses have passed into glory. Join us for this special meal as we try to be a blessing to our folks who have endured difficult life circumstances. We also begin a new series on September 8 titled “A New You in Eight Weeks.” For these sermons we will look at eight vital habits we need to establish to be more effective for the Lord. The habits are very simple, yet Satan distracts us from what is important. Establish these eight simple routines, and God will bless us individually and as a church body! _{********************} I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have: 1) Courage 2) Wisdom 3) Strength 4) Victory 5) Vision  

Pastor’s Ponderings

“Series Finale”

Series Finale! We see those words and we know the end is near. When a television show concludes, the network will hype the final episode, and usually that chapter will have a large audience, sometimes the largest viewership of any installment. On February 28, 1983, the final show of M*A*S*H aired and set records that may never be broken. “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” was watched by 77% of the television viewing audience (by comparison, the Super Bowl is watched by about 50%). It portrayed all of the characters departing after the end of the Korean War. We have a series finale at Calvary Baptist Church. Both the Wallace and Rose families are moving on to new ministries. Please take time to read their articles. It was Shakespeare in “Romeo and Juliet” who penned the line, “Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.” This is a time of sweet sorrow. Calvary has grown to love these two families and has been greatly blessed by them. Solomon wrote, “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” We don’t enjoy times like this, but they are inevitable. What can we do now? Let me give you three recommendations. 1) Pray. Pray for the Wallace and Rose families as they get involved in new ministries. Pray for Calvary. As Paul was encouraging the Ephesian church to pray for certain people he added, “And for me!” Please keep me and my family in your prayers as I seek God’s guidance. 2) Participate. We have many holes that need to be filled. I am grateful for the huge majority who have stepped up and said, “What do you need me to do?” Sunday night, July 7, I will expound on the areas where help is needed, but so many of these jobs have already been filled by willing and able individuals. 3) Be Present. Make every service possible. Our new AM schedule begins July 7. Sunday school is at 9:30 and worship service for everyone is at 10:30. Come back on Sunday evenings! Make  Wednesday service a regular meeting time for you. Now is not the time to go wobbly. As we keep Jesus Christ in His rightful place, God will bless, and we will see many more victories here at Calvary Baptist Church. _{********************} In my ongoing series, I present two more reasons Thom Rainer gives for “Why I Attend Church.”

7. I attend church with frequency, not on occasion. It is my prayer to be in my church every Sunday. When I am out of town, I can find another church to attend. I pray I will never say, “I need a break from church.” I certainly don’t want God to take a break from me.
8. I attend church to set an example for my family. Couples have healthier marriages when they attend church. Children grow up with countless benefits because their parents took them to church. I need to show the importance and priority of church attendance to those I love.

_{********************} I’ve mentioned it already, but keep in mind the new church service times. Sunday school is now at 9:30 and the morning worship for all is at 10:30. I am especially grateful to the early service crowd. They will be affected the most by this, but all have said they will be there. One sweet lady (who shall remain anonymous) said with a mischievous grin, “I not sure I like this, but I’ll be there.” We are also adding an 8:45 prayer meeting beginning this Sunday morning. We will gather in the College & Career room and be finished promptly at 9:00. _{********************} What would July be without Vacation Bible School. We have special times planned for prep work on July 7. VBS is July 15-18, and we hope to see you and your children there! This month, of course, we also celebrate the birth of our nation. What a blessing it is to live in the USA and enjoy freedoms that so many do not have! _{********************} I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have: 1) Courage 2) Wisdom 3) Strength 4) Victory 5) Vision  

Pastor’s Ponderings

“Summer”

Texas Summer. Those two words strike fear into almost everyone. I lived through the 1980 summer with 42 straight days of 100° temperatures. That summer also had the hottest two days in the history of DFW, 113°, on June 26 and 27, 1980. Many churches talk of a “summer slump.” It’s vacation time and many head out for a week or two. Others become “disinterested” in church because the Wednesday program is not occuring. Some find other, more “important” things to do. Let’s be in every service this summer! I heard recently of a church’s motto: “Three to thrive!” Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night are the three times Calvary assembles together as a body of believers. Let’s thrive this summer! _{********************} In my ongoing series, I present two more reasons Thom Rainer gives for “Why I Attend Church.”

_{********************} Wednesday nights we are preaching through Hebrews 11. While most of the stories are very familiar, it is still striking what incredible faith the Old Testament saints had. Their faith was marked by action. Scripture repeats the phrase: “By faith.” By faith Abel offered. By faith Noah prepared an ark. By faith Abraham obeyed. By faith Abraham offered up Isaac. By faith Isaac blessed. By faith Jacob gave commandment. By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. By faith Israel passed through the Red Sea. While this is not the entire list of heroes, it demonstrates that faith caused these men and women to perform great deeds for God. Any faith that does not become action is not true faith. I want to challenge your faith. Is it only in your heart and mind or is it shown by your actions? This is the thought in James 2 when he says that “faith without works is dead.” _{********************} This year marks the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. The average age of the American G.I. in that battle was 21. They had to be moved across the English Channel as secretly as possible. Fake radio broadcasts were made to divert German attention. Double agents were fed false information. The allies even built a “fake” invasion company out of wood that was visible from the skies. They needed clear skies, but high winds and rain caused a delay from June 5 to June 6. Amazingly, only about 5,000 allied soldiers were killed. A foothold was gained in continental Europe, and within a year Germany surrendered. I have mentioned before that my grandfather fought in World War 1, my uncle fought in World War 2, and my father fought in the Korean War. As a nation we are all in debt to our military, past and present. _{********************} Sunday morning we are moving through a series entitled “The Walk.” Each week we look at a different Bible verse that has the word “walk” in it. We have seen the need to “walk in love.” The greatest of all is love! It is the way that people know we are Jesus’ disciples. We also saw the need to “walk in truth.” Some say truth is relative. Others say we make our own truth by the way we live. But Scripture is absolute truth that “will make you free.” We also know to “walk circumspectly.” We must be watchful because our adversary wants to devour us. Join us Sunday mornings at 8:30 and 11:00 for “The Walk.” _{********************} I have asked from the beginning for you to pray for me and my family in five areas. Thank you for doing so, and please continue to plead with God that I would have: 1) Courage 2) Wisdom 3) Strength 4) Victory 5) Vision