LAUGH OUT LOUD

Bloopers, people making mistakes, and of course we would never laugh at their expense, right? Or would we….
From the Yeovil, England, Western Gazette: "The first swallow has arrived at Devizes. It was spotted by Police Constable John Cooke, of Seend, whose hobby is bird watching, sitting wet and bedraggled on telephone wires." (How does that constable do that while he’s all wet, I tried it and fell off three times?)
Classified ad: Man wanted to work in dynamite factory; must be willing to travel. (How far up?)
From the Tulsa, Oklahoma, World: "It is permissible to spank a child if one has a definite end in view." (Always keep your eyes open!)
The Harrah, Oklahoma, News ran an article about the Folderol String Band, which was to entertain at a barbecue. The story explained, "These true sons of the Southwest have twanged their music all over Oklahoma and have been asked more than once to leave the state." (And don’t come back!!)
Society note in the Denver, Colorado, Rocky Mountain News: "She looked like the belle of a court ball with the gown and her hair piled high on her head." (Someone should tell her that the dress goes lower)
Sign spotted in Jacksonville, Florida: Pool is open 24 hours. Please do not enter the pool at any other time. (Like during the 25th hour?)
In a letter from a summer camp director: Dear parents: We are pleased to announce the opening of registration. We are working hard and looking forward to the ultimate bummer experience for everyone. (I think I’ve been to that camp)
A classic of its kind was this sign in an army mess hall in Britain. Printed in big black letters across the exit, it read: Kindly Let Those Who Are Going Out First.
That sentence drove us crazy, and I thought it would never be topped. But it was, in a San Francisco bar. I overheard a guy who was being pestered to death by a frightful bore snap, "If you don't get out of here and leave me alone, I'll find somebody who can!" (So there, if that didn't make you laugh I’ll find someone else who did.)
Did you have a good laugh? These are all things that I found, and no I was not in a bar, really!

SPECTATORS OR PARTICIPATORS

How would you say our spiritual maturity, godliness and commitment as a church compares to other churches? Paul compared the Macedonia church’s commitment to Corinth and challenged them to MATCH it. Corinthians 8:1-8. 2 Corinthians 8:8 says I want to test the sincerity of your love by comparing it with the earnestness of others. (NIV) Rick Warren says that he challenges any church in America to match the spiritual maturity, godliness and commitment of any 500 members of Saddleback Church. How do you think we would match up? Whatever excuse we could use comes back on us. I personally don’t know about their spiritual maturity, godliness and commitment but I do know that they have had over 10,000 Saddleback members serve on missions overseas. How have they done this and how have they grown like they have? They have turned spectators into participators, consumers into contributors and an audience into an army. All too often we think that if we come to church it is enough, or if we serve on a committee or teach a class, don’t get me wrong, those are good, but can we do more? Are we spectators or participators, consumers or contributors; are we an audience or an army? One way for you to get to the point of being participators, contributors and an army is for me to turn more things over to those who are willing to take responsibility for them and then do something with them. I have turned our outreach, Connect, over to Jimmy, Jerry H. and Tommy and I am expecting great things from them in our outreach department. But the only way that this can happen is when God leads them into areas of outreach; we must get behind them and be part of it. I want our W.M.U. and Brotherhood to be active, not inside the church but outside, I want our teachers on Sunday morning and Wednesday night to decide what they want out of their class, how much they want it to grow and then get out and work it and make it grow. It’s time that we the people of Carey Baptist took the responsibility for the growth of our church and not just leave it up to the paid staff. It’s time that we stepped out into the community and made a difference, it’s time that you stopped just reading and listening to my words and started asking God what He wants us as a church to be doing; and then do it!!

ONE DAY

“One day spent in your house, this beautiful place of worship, beats thousands spent on Greek island beaches. I'd rather scrub floors in the house of my God than be honored as a guest in the palace of sin. 11 All sunshine and sovereign is God, generous in gifts and glory. He doesn't scrimp with his traveling companions. 12 It's smooth sailing all the way with God of the Angel Armies.” Psalms 84:10-12 (MSG)
Dr. J. Vernon McGee says, “He says, "A day in Thy courts is better than a thousand days anywhere else. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness,'' and that's what the sons of Korah were -- doorkeepers. He says, "I would rather have my job than to be a rich man living far from God.'' There are some folk who look at their watches on Sunday morning to see if the preacher is going overtime. The psalmist says, "I'd rather spend one day in God's house than a thousand anywhere else.'' What a glorious psalm this is, and what a rebuke it is to many of us.”
How often do we come to church and then think about being somewhere else? Or, how often do we just go somewhere else instead of coming to church, but the psalmist is saying that one day in God’s house is better than a thousand days anywhere else, wow, what a way to look at being in God’s house. Oh that we would have that same attitude, just one day in your house in your presence is better than a thousand days at the lake, or race track, or park or game or anywhere else you can think of. When we learn to worship God that way it will enhance every area of our life. When we choose to really put God first, when we choose to serve God with our whole heart not holding anything back, the when the enemy attacks, when the enemy does us harm, God can turn it around and use it for good. What Satan meant for harm God means for good means that God is still on His throne and no one can remove Him. God may not do it the way that we want it done, but then, He is God and we aren’t. We may not understand it all, but we must trust Him and have faith. When we can come to this point in our life, then we will truly understand why one day in His house is better than a thousand anywhere else.

FATHER'S DAY

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!! Just in case no one has told you yet today dad, let me be the first, HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!! We are really glad that you are here for our 3rd Annual Father’s Day Cook-Out, we hope to do our best to honor you today dad. When God made the family He made man to be the head of the household, but all too often in our society dad is made out to look like an idiot. In this age of the absentee dad, the fatherless home and the abusive fathers, we tend to forget about the men out there who are good husbands and great dads. Are they without fault, no, but then neither are you. We as men and dads need to remember our role and our calling to be Godly men because we represent Christ who is the head of the Church, and the way that our kids look at us is the way they see God, our Heavenly Father. I think that is one reason that some people have tried to feminize God. In the very popular book The Shack, God is portrayed as a woman. Why, I’m not sure, but I do know that Jesus said Father, Our Father who art in Heaven… Today there are so many children being raised by mom, and dad is nowhere in the picture and this may make it hard for people to understand God as Father. But God said that He is a father to the fatherless, He has not abandoned us, He is still right here. So dad, I’m glad that you are here in church today, a day when you could be off anywhere, but you chose to be here, may God bless you richly for that.
I want to ask you something, have you taken time to honor your dad today? If you are able to, in some way, honor him today, I’m not going to tell you how to do that, but please make an effort to do it. In this day and age when all too many men think that all you have to do to be a dad is to have a kid, (even goats do that) take time to honor those who are truly fathers. A little appreciation goes a long way, it doesn’t take an expensive gift, just love. Men are simple creatures, (not simple minded), just simple and easy to please. Real fathers just want family close, to cook out or to be with friends...and look we have all three here today. So, Happy Father’s Day. Remember, God honors dads and here at Carey, so do we!

God & Country

I want to take just a moment to welcome you here on Memorial Sunday, the Sunday before Memorial Day. This day was first enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War, it was expanded after World War I. On June 28, 1968, the United States Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved three holidays from their traditional dates to a specified Monday in order to create a convenient three-day weekend. Memorial Day has been set on the last Monday in May since 1971. Memorial Day was first Remembrance Day, a day we have set aside to remember and honor those who have fought to make and keep us free and those who have died for the same cause. It was, and is still used by some to decorate the graves of those loved ones who are lost and the military men and women of our nation. All too often we just see it as a day to be off of work, a day to cook out, be with family and friends, which is good, but if were not for those who have fought and died, those who would not quit, refused to give up, continued to push on regardless of the conditions or the enemy, we might very well be living under the British flag, or the German, Japanese or Russian. But we live under the stars and strips, in the land of the free and the home of the brave. Where we are still free to go to the church of our choice, where we are still free to tell others about Jesus, where we can still have a manger scene in our front yard, where we can fly the flag, but these very freedoms may all go away if some politicians get their way. We need to be pro-active as Christians in politics, voting for God fearing men and women, voting out those who vote in an anti-Christian way, making phone calls, writing letters and e-mails to those who represent us. That is our responsibility! Did you know that the U.S. House Judiciary Committee of Congress in 1854 wrote; “Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, That Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle...In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity… That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expect it to remain the religion of their descendants.” What has happened since then?

KINGDOM & MONEY

I was watching an auction the other day, the auction took place at Christy’s in New York and they were auctioning off memorabilia from Star Trek. These were items from the very first pilot in the 60’s through all of the TV shows and movies. Uniforms, all of the gadgets that were handheld, make-up props and even 6 foot models of all of the ships used in filming. What got me was the amount people were willing to spend to have something from the show. The cheapest bid was $800 for some small something; the next lowest bid was $2800, those 6 foot ships sold for between $85,000 to $500,000; for this 6 foot thing that the buyer will have no room for. I’m sure that those who bought thought that they got something great, but I have to wonder what could have been done for the Kingdom of God with the money spent. But then I have to think about the money we waste and what could be done for the Kingdom with it. As you well know it takes money to spread the Gospel, and it takes money to keep the doors open on the church, but if these are the only reason that we give, we give for the wrong reasons. We should be giving back to God from what He has given us, we give because God said to, and when we do we will be blessed. Thank You for your giving and for being obedient. When you give tithes and offerings for VBS or missions you enable the church to go forward, thank you again.

Master Mechanic

I was walking through the park one day, in the merry merry month of May, looking at all of the flowers brought on by April showers...no wait, those are weeds, and they are all in my yard. Can you believe the way everything is growing? On Monday I worked in my yard, I ran the edger, cut tree limbs, ran the trimmer, and then worked on my riding mower, and worked and worked, and it did not want to start. I had to put the jumper cables on my truck and it still would not start. Finally I broke down and went and bought a new fuel filter, air filters and a new spark plug. Put all of this on and guess what. It started and ran better than it has in a while. The old spark plug was so gummed up that it couldn’t fire if it wanted to. I think that sometimes that’s the way we get, we go and go until we get so gummed up that we have to get a new spark plug or a fresh fire from the Lord. In our daily walk with the Lord we need that fire from the Holy Spirit everyday, but sometimes we get bogged down and need that boost. Ask God to give you that boost today, we don’t need to be just going through the motions; we need that fire that only God can give. Ask Him and He will give it to you.

P.S. The mower had to go to the hospital (shop), do you need to be in the hospital (church)? We all need to visit with the Master Mechanic, do we as often as we need to?