Pastor Jon Cannon

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TIM HAWKINS - CLETUS TAKE THE REEL!

Go10Walk - Walk for the World

Make plans now to experience a life-changing commitment to missions through a three month (April - July 2010), 2500 mile walk for the world!  

What is the Go10Walk?  The purpose is to challenge young people to consider their role in reaching the nations with the Gospel in their generation. The year 2010 is the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the Free Will Baptist missions program. Laura Belle Barnard was sent out as our first missionary to India in 1935.

To commemorate this event, we are challenging Free Will Baptist young people to a life-changing commitment. They will be asked to commit to walk a 10-mile segment of a 2,500-mile course. Teens will also commit to a 40-day prayer and devotional journey in preparation for the walk.

Go to the Go10 website and pick your day to walk! For more information click here.

LET NO ONE LOOK DOWN ON YOU!

 No one should despise your youth; instead, you should be an example to the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.—1 Timothy 4:12

Timothy was a sincere young man who earnestly desired to serve the Lord. Yet certain weaknesses in Timothy's life hindered him from serving God confidently.

1. Timothy was very young to be a religious leader, and apparently some doubted his abilities.

2. Timothy had a tender nature and was sickly (1 Tim. 5:23).

His was an unfavorable beginning for a young minister of the Gospel in an age of persecution!

Therefore, Paul urged Timothy not to allow his youthful insecurity to blunt his zeal and faithfulness in doing what God had told him.

Rather than arguing with those who criticized Timothy, Paul urged him to live as an example of godliness.  Paul advised Timothy to live a life that was so spotless in word, conduct, love, spirit, faith, and purity that his life could serve as a model for others in the church to follow. Timothy's life was to be the evidence that God had called him.

God looked beyond Timothy's youth, timidity, and physical weakness and saw his sincere heart.

As you seek to follow God's will, you may identify with Timothy. Perhaps some things about you seem to disqualify you from serving the Lord effectively. You may be sensitive because you are a new Christian or because you come from a sinful past. Perhaps you have little education or money or social status. You may have previously experienced failure in your service for God.

Don't allow this to intimidate you from following God's will. Your area of weakness may be God's means of demonstrating His strength (2 Cor. 12:9). Allow God to demonstrate His call upon you by transforming your life into a model of Godliness.

D6 FAMILY TAKE HOME STUDY

 
The D6 family theme for week 11/01 through 11/07 is "hope."

Each Sunday at Victory Church I will be sending families home with a "D6 Family Take Home Study" which correlates with the D6 theme of the week and the weekly message I share.  This is a great way for families to interact together spiritually, thus helping you to become D6 families! (For those who may not be familiar with D6 - click here.)

Below is this week's D6 Family Take Home Study:

1.  As a family, share some stories this week of seemingly "hopeless" situations you have found yourself in.  Also, share how the Lord answered your prayers and brought you through that particular situation.  KEY: Christian hope grows out of faith.

2. As a family, explain the purpose of anchors to your children.  Then share that by placing our faith in Christ we have "anchored" our life in Him.  Therefore, we are safe and secure in Him!  When the storms come on the sea, the sailors are safe because they have their anchors secure in the rocks.  Reassure your family that when the storms of life come your way, you are safe because you have placed your "hope" in Christ and He is our anchor!  KEY: Christian hope is an Anchor.

3. As a family, read the words of the old hymn "My Hope Is Built." KEY: Christian hope is a Person - Jesus Christ.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

Refrain

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Refrain

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

Refrain

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

Refrain

Sing-a-long! Now click here and "sing" together as a family this old hymn.

PMM - LEADERSHIP SEMINAR - NOV. 13-14 - HICKORY, NC

 

The final pieces of the puzzle are coming together!  The PMM - Strengthening His Church Leadership Seminar is just two weeks away!

Let's see...

• seminar developed - check!
• brochures made - check!
• workbooks made - check!
• lanyards made - check!
• registration forms made - check!
• mp3 order form cards made - check!
• propresenter slide show made - check!
• videos inserted - check!
• worship songs inserted - check!
• final pieces of sound equipment purchased - check!
• pmm gifts made - check!
• credit/debit card machine - check!
• prayer - check! - check! - check! - check! - check! - check! (Can never have enough prayer!)

If you are in the Hickory, NC are in two weeks plan on coming out to the seminar.  (Click here for details of seminar.)

I've had people ask me if this was open to all denominations?  The answer is YES!  This is open to anyone who cares about the leadership of their church or ministry.  For your convenience, we will have a credit/debit card machine at the registration table for those who have not preregistered.  Walk ins are welcome!!!!

If you know of any church in the area please let them know about this conference. If you have any questions please shoot me an email.

See you in two weeks!

VICTORY LEADERSHIP TEAM STRATEGIC MEETING

  Last evening the Victory Church Leadership Team had our first of two strategic planning meetings. The strategic plan is a tool we put in place to help us reach our vision. You may be asking, "What is our vision?" Good question! Below are our vision and mission statements. I will be sharing more concerning this in the future.

VISION STATEMENT:

"Building D6 families to carry out the great commission and the great commandment."

MISSION STATEMENT:

"Promoting radically transformed lives!" (In short: RTL's!)

We are in the process of evaluating everything and every ministry at Victory in light of our vision and mission statements. Please pray for our leadership team as we complete this process.

Also, if you have not signed up for SPLINK, then do so today! It's FREE! Maybe you did not understand me ... it's FREE! :)

Go to this website to sign up: http://www.d6family.com/splink/week/2009-10-25

PRIORITIES MATTER MINISTRIES

After a season of prayer, I feel the Lord has led me to begin a new ministry called "PRIORITIES MATTER MINISTRIES (PMM)." 

I am a Free Will Baptist pastor and former church planter, and one of my greatest desires is to be an encouragement to the local church pastor and congregation.  The purpose of PMM is to first and foremost assist the local church in fulfilling their God-given mission.

Through PMM, I am able to come along side the local church and minister in a variety of ways: 

• Revivals / Camp Meetings / Bible Conferences / Mission Conferences
• Stewardship Seminars / Discipleship Training Seminars
• Marriage Retreats or Seminars
• Men’s and Ladies’ Retreats
• Youth Camps, Retreats or Rally’s
• Parenting Conferences or Seminars
• Leadership Seminars, Conferences or Retreats
• Local Church Leadership Team Strategic Planning Retreats

To learn more about me personally and PMM, please take time to visit www.PrioritiesMatterMinistries.org. 

If you have questions about this ministry please give me a call; I would love to speak with you about ways we can serve you and your church.  I am scheduling now into 2010, but I do have some openings for the remainder of 2009. 

Just contact me and I would be thrilled to travel and speak in whatever venue you feel is needed.  May God richly bless you and your ministry!

THE WORD OF GOD - IT IS YOUR LIFE!

“For they are not meaningless words to you but they are your life, and by them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”—Deuteronomy 32:47

It's puzzling that so many Christians try to live the Christian life without reading their Bible, except for sporadic readings of God's Word, seeking a pithy thought for the day.

The Word of God is not merely a source of helpful suggestions, preventative warnings, or inspirational thoughts: It is life itself!

God gathered the children of Israel at the edge of the Promised Land to review their pilgrimage with Him. They had spent forty years in a desert because their parents had not trusted God's word. Their parents died without seeing the Promised Land because they had not believed God's word. Even the revered Moses was soon to leave them because he had not shown proper reverence for God's word. Many of them knew those who had been put to death as a consequence of their disobedience to God's word. Over the years God's word had become the most important thing in the life of the Israelites.

God commanded His people to bind His words on their hearts, to teach them diligently to their children, and to regularly discuss them in their homes (Deut. 6:4–9). So essential was His word that it was to hold a prominent place in the daily lives of His people.

Our reverence for God's Word is revealed not only by what we say but also by what we do. Spending more time reading and studying the words of people rather than the Word of God, reveals our hearts' condition. To blatantly disregard God's Word is to reject life itself. To obey God's Word is the surest way to experience all that God has in store for us.

STRENGTHENING HIS CHURCH LEADERSHIP SEMINAR - November 13-14, 2009 - Gateway Convention Center, Hickory, NC

ATTENTION ALL CHURCH LEADERS IN THE NORTH CAROLINA AREA! 

I would like to invite you to our "Strengthening His Church Leadership Seminar"  which Priorities Matter Ministries and I will be conducting at the Gateway Convention Center in Hickory, NC on November 13-14, 2009. Bring your entire church leadership team!

Click here to learn more about this leadership seminar.  Also, register before October 15th to take advantage of the Early Bird special!  With six or more registered the Senior Pastor attends free!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email them to me; I will respond ASAP.

D6 FAMILY THEME: JUSTICE

This week's D6 family theme is "justice."

Today's Fusion fact: "It is unjust to oppress the poor."

Today's Scripture reference: Luke 20:45-47; James 5:1-7

An added thought on justice:

Justice is doing what is right for another person, or ensuring that what is right takes place. The Old Testament prophets spoke much about the need for justice, and Israel and Judah were both criticized for not treating widows and orphans justly. The prophet Micah gave this prescription for right living: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8, niv).

In a stricter sense, justice means giving a person what he deserves as a result of his actions. Scripture is very clear that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God," and that "the wages of sin is death." According to God's justice, all people deserve damnation.

Thankfully, God provided a way of atonement for those who believe.

A WORLD INTOLETANT OF GODLINESS EQUALS PERSECUTION

2 Timothy 3:12 - "In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."

FACT: Living a Godly life will not insulate you from hardship.

Paul said that the more blameless your life, the more likely you will be persecuted. According to Paul, “evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse” (2 Tim. 3:13). As the world increasingly embraces sin, worldly people are becoming increasingly intolerant of Godliness. Darkness cannot tolerate light; the more your life illuminates the presence of Christ, the more you should expect opposition from the forces of darkness.

FACT: Your Christlike nature will be offensive to those in rebellion against Christ's Lordship.

Allow me for a moment to address a new Christian, a new follower of Christ:

• You may have recently repented of your sin and taken a new step of obedience to God.
• Perhaps, in doing so you expected to experience God's blessing immediately as He demonstrated His approval of your obedience. Instead, you were met with opposition.
• The persecution you experienced may have come even from other Christians who misunderstood your motives.
• Perhaps you obeyed God, and still your actions were met with criticism instead of praise.

Here's the encouragement: If you are sincerely following the Lord's direction, don't be discouraged.

Paul warned that those who seek to live Godly lives will suffer persecution. Do not be surprised when this happens to you. If the world crucified the Son of God, surely the world will be hostile to anyone who lives by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Persecution may be the best evidence that your life is like that of Christ.

Jesus warned that the world hated Him, the Savior, and so it would certainly misunderstand and mistreat His disciples (John 15:18).

COUNTDOWN 2 CRAZINESS!

 

Friday, October 16th begins the excitement of Duke Blue Devils Basketball!  It marks the 70th year of basketball in Cameron Indoor Stadium and the 30th season of head coach Mike Krzyzewski manning the sidelines of one of the greatest venues in sports history.

The first exhibition game for Duke is Saturday, October 24th!  Let the 2009-2010 season begin! Go Duke!

DANCING WITH JESUS - VICTORY YOUTH SKIT

Today was youth Sunday at Victory Church.  Below is a video of some of the teens performing the skit "Dancing with Jesus."  This is a great visual illustration of the battle that rages with our teenagers everyday.  Please take time to lift a prayer to our Lord on behalf of every teenager you know! 

Steve 411 - Hotel, Conference Center, Parking, and Registration at the D6 Conference

WHEN OUR HEART GROWS COLD, HIS LOVE REMAINS!

“Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember the loyalty of your youth, your love as a bride—how you followed Me in the wilderness,in a land not sown.”—Jeremiah 2:2

Even when our hearts grow cold toward God and our devotion to Him weakens, His love remains steadfast.

We may forget God, but He remembers us.

God was concerned because the people of Judah had allowed their hearts to drift far from Him. In a powerful moment, God shared His heart with His people, recalling what it was like when they first began loving Him. He remembered how they had loved Him, as a new bride loves her husband, with excitement and enthusiasm for the future. He recalled the kindness they had expressed as they willingly followed Him wherever He led them. God reminded them of the love they had once had for Him, so that the memory might rekindle feelings of devotion and their hearts might return to Him.

If you do not guard our heart, you will grow cold in your love for Christ. A time may come when He approaches you and reminds you what your relationship was once like.

• Do you recollect the joy that permeated your life when you first became a Christian?
• Do you recall the youthful commitments you made to Him, pledging to do anything He told you to do?
• Do you remember the thrill you experienced each time you came to understand a new dimension of His nature?

Spiritual memory is important. You may not realize how far you have drifted from God until you contrast the love you are expressing to Him now with that of earlier days.

God has not changed. He is the same Person you gave your heart to when you became a Christian (Mal. 3:6–7). If your love for God is not as intense as it once was, return to Him. He will restore the intimate fellowship you once shared with Him.

DON'T GIVE UP ON GOD'S PEOPLE!

“As for me, I vow that I will not sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you. I will teach you the good and right way.”—1 Samuel 12:23

It can be tempting at times to give up on God's people! They are so imperfect and can be so sinful, yet they are His people. Samuel had thoroughly warned the Israelites of the dangers in appointing a king over Israel. Yet they wanted to be like the nations around them, insisting that they were willing to pay any price. Almost as soon as the people were granted their desire, they recognized their sin. But it was too late. What was Samuel to do? They had ignored his warnings. Now they wanted him to continue to minister to them. It would seem appropriate for Samuel to abandon them and allow them to suffer the consequences of their actions.

Samuel knew, as Jesus knew, that God sends His servants to the sick, not the healthy (Matt. 9:12). Samuel did not take the people's response as a rejection of him but as an indication of their walk with God. Samuel was serving God, not the Israelites. When God commanded him to minister to them, he could do nothing else, despite their resistance to his message.

At times people will not respond as they should to the message God speaks through you. Don't become discouraged; it is a reflection of their relationship with God. You are God's servant; if Jesus spent His time with the spiritually needy, you can expect Him to ask you to do the same. Don't lose your patience with God's people. Keep in mind that God loves them as much as He loves you.

D6 THEME: ENDURANCE - BE A FINISHER!

Hurt, bleeding and bandaged John Stephen Akhwari finishes the race in the 1968 Olympic marathon.  When asked why he had not quit, injured as he was and having no chance of winning a medal, he answered, "My country did not send me to Mexico City to start the race, they sent me to finish the race."

What a great illustration for Hebrews 12:1-3 (HCSB) "Therefore since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne."

Don't quit!  Be a finisher! 

REGISTER FOR D6 CONFERENCE BY 09/08 AND SAVE!

Come on, let's keep connecting the church and home!

Almost 1,350 people have registered for the D6 Conference , September 23-25, 2009 in Dallas, Texas.  The exciting to thing to know is there are more and more groups registering each day.

To make it as easy as possible on those who missed all of the early bird opportunities, the D6 Conference would like to extend a promotion to everyone who has not yet registered.  This will help you save a little extra. 

In order to take advantage of this offer, do the following:

1. Go to the D6 Conference website (click here)
2. Register by Tuesday, September 8th (click here)
3. Use the discount code SEPTD6 and groups of 2 - 9 will save $25 per person!!! (Individuals will save $30. Groups of 10+ will save $15 per person.)

See you in Dallas!!

FORMULA FOR FRUITFULNESS

In his book Be All You Can Be, John Maxwell shares the formula for fruitfulness taught by Jesus. 

Jesus gives us a three-word formula for fruitfulness in John 15. These three words are the ones I want you to remember, because they are the key to fruitful living.

1. REMAIN - The first word is remain. Throughout John 15 Jesus tells us to remain. In fact, the word abide in the original language can be translated "remain." "Remain in Me," Jesus says. He's talking about our willingness to take time with Him in prayer and in study of the Word. We need to let Him begin to be part of our lives and work on our lives.

2. RECEIVE - The second word in the formula is receive. Jesus says in John 15 that if we remain in Him, we will begin to receive certain things. What we'll receive is good, fruitful living.

3. REPRODUCE - The third word is reproduce. If we remain in Him, we're going to receive what He has for us, then and only then will we begin to reproduce in our lives.

Spend some time reading John chapter 15 from God's Word and then I encourage you to apply these principles to you life.  Decide today you are going to be fruitful!

IS YOUR SCHEDULE YOUR MASTER?

So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things. Mark 6:34 (HCSB)

Wise leaders will always have a schedule, a plan to use time most productively.  But the wisest leader never makes it his master!

Important but unplanned moments periodically occur that should not be lost, even though they disrupt a planned schedule.  One of the tensions of leadership is finding the proper balance between adhering to a well-planned schedule and being flexible enough not to lose those spontaneous opportunities that cross our paths.  This is not easy! I have seen both extremes.

Some leaders seem to stroll from one unplanned event to another, their schedules meaning nothing.  At the other extreme, I have seen leaders who rarely deviate from a planned schedule, resulting in many missed opportunities.  Both extremes are examples of ineffective leadership.

How do we find balance?

DEFINING YOUR MISSION STATEMENT

Disregarding the command of God, you keep the tradition of men. (Mark 7:8)

Effective leaders see beyond the traditional way of doing things and look for better ways.  They do this, however, realizing that some things are so sacred they are untouchable, and they always keep the ultimate goal in mind.

This is why it is so important to have a well-thought out, closely defined, easily understood mission statement.  Without this, even the most compelling and charismatic leaders get off track and go astray.  A mission statement is essential to quality leadership.  Otherwise, personality, pride, and the demands of the moment will be diverting.

For Jesus, "the command of God," doing His Father's will, constituted His mission statement. And the "tradition of men" was never going to sidetrack Him from His goal.  He was not to be diverted.

Again, the point to notice in Mark 7:8 is not that the Pharisees were holding on to the traditions of men.  We all do that to some extent becasue tradition helps to take the best of the past as a guide while we walk into the future.  Jesus might be wrongly seen here as attacking all tradition.  Instead, He criticized the Pharisees for having let go of the commands of God. When you place your own traditions underneath God's will, they will serve as a positive guide, but, when the order is reversed, you will end up exactly like the Pharisees - abandoning God's will for your own personal agenda.

Note the specific example Jesus gave in the following passage, verses 9-13.

SEVEN VIEWS ON APOSTASY FROM HEBREWS 6:1-6

This Sunday's D6 Family Theme is FAITHFULNESS. The text passage of Scripture is Hebrews 6:1-12 from which I will be preaching tomorrow.

I have been mediating on this passage of Scripture all week.  I have spent time praying over it, reading a variety of commentaries on it, wrestling with it, and doing word studies through the passage.  I'm mentally exhausted, but spiritually revived!

Let me explain.  I was raised Southern Baptist, educated at an Independent Baptist College, and ordained a Free Will Baptist.  Twenty years ago when I felt the Lord calling me into ministry I had to make a decision on which denomination I was going to spend the rest of my life serving.  Yes, you guessed it! It all came down to this passage of Scripture and others like it.

Well, I made my choice. I could not reason away what I was discovering in this particular passage, therefore, I identified with the Armenian group, the Free Will Baptist.  And with no regrets I might add!

I was reading this week in the Randall House Commentary by Dr. Stanley Outlaw.  Dr Outlaw shares seven different views on Hebrews 6:1-6:

1. Those described are “professors” of salvation in Christ, but not genuine “possessors” of that salvation.
2. Those described were “regenerate”, but not “elect”.
3. Those described are genuinely saved people who receive a serious warning about apostasy as a preventive measure, but the whole thing is “hypothetical” since believers are eternally secure.
4. Those described are saved people, but the writer is speaking about “loss of rewards” and not “loss of salvation”.
5. The sin of apostasy spoken of here involves a special situation which could not be repeated today.
6. Those described are saved people who are on the verge of apostasy, but even if they proceed into apostasy, they could come back to God, not through any human effort, but only by the power of the Holy Spirit.
7. Those described are saved people who are seriously backslidden in their spiritual lives, and if they continue to the point of apostasy, they will be eternally lost since they have sinned against the Holy Spirit.

(The seventh view is the one I seem to believe fits the best within the context of the Scripture.  Therefore, this is the view for which I adhere.)

Many have asked me through the years about the "unpardonable sin" the sin of unbelief, the sin against the Holy Spirit.

I believe the sin against the Holy Spirit can be committed by both unsaved people - who constantly and willfully reject the obvious truth of the Gospel, and by saved people who also constantly and willfully turn their back on Christ to the point of final apostasy.

One final thought: You may be wondering if you have committed apostasy.  Well, just the fact you are questioning, pondering, and thinking about your relationship with God is a sure sign you have not committed apostasy.  Once you do, there is no coming back.  Whey? Because those who commit apostasy:

• Have turned off their consciences long enough that they no longer feel guilt.
• No longer feel sorry for their sin — they are enjoying it too much. 
• Have ears that have become dull to the voice of God. 
• Have eyes that have become blind to his goodness and mercy. 
• Have hearts that have become so calloused that they could no longer respond to the love of God.

Apostasy is a willful decision, and a deliberate choice, an abandonment to the things of God which are made with your own conscious.

NEW VICTORY CHURCH WEBSITE

After several weeks of work, it is ready! 

I just launched the new Victory Church website.  It's not 100% complete, but it is up and functioning.  I've got several more pages to add so be sure to check back soon.  Until then, go ahead and check it out, then let me know what you think! (click here)

REGISTER BY TUESDAY, AUGUST 4TH FOR REDUCED PRICE!

D6 CONFERENCE - SEPTEMBER 23-25 - DALLAS, TX

Just give a quick reminder that the August 4 price break for the D6 Conference is quickly approaching. If you register on or before next Tuesday (August 4), it will be your last change to SAVE BIG for the D6 Conference.

Don't forget to go and check out the new Main Event speaker topics that have recently been added, as well as the PreCon Lab Schedule, topics, topic descriptions, and bios of the Lab presenters. (Click here for D6 Conference website.)

 

D6 Conference Promo (Long Version) from D6 Conference on Vimeo.

PRIORITIES MATTER MINISTRIES

After a season of prayer, I feel the Lord has led me to begin a new ministry called "PRIORITIES MATTER MINISTRIES (PMM)." 

I am a Free Will Baptist pastor and former church planter, and one of my greatest desires is to be an encouragement to the local church pastor and congregation.  The purpose of PMM is to first and foremost assist the local church in fulfilling their God-given mission.

Through PMM, I am able to come along side the local church and minister in a variety of ways: 

• Revivals / Camp Meetings / Bible Conferences / Mission Conferences
• Stewardship Seminars / Discipleship Training Seminars
• Marriage Retreats or Seminars
• Men’s and Ladies’ Retreats
• Youth Camps, Retreats or Rally’s
• Parenting Conferences or Seminars
• Leadership Seminars, Conferences or Retreats
• Local Church Leadership Team Strategic Planning Retreats

To learn more about me personally and PMM, please take time to visit my webpage at www.PrioritiesMatterMinistries.org. 

If you have questions about this ministry please give me a call; I would love to speak with you about ways we can serve you and your church.  I am scheduling now into 2010, but I do have some openings for the remainder of 2009. 

Just contact me and I would be thrilled to travel and speak in whatever venue you feel is needed.  May God richly bless you and your ministry!

DOES GOD SEEM FAR AWAY?

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!—James 4:8

There may be times when God seems far away. You may feel as if your prayers go unheard. James said there is a simple reason for this and a solution. If you are far from God, it is because your sin has separated you from Him.

God is unchanging. His character stays absolutely holy. His faithfulness remains constant; it is we who change. We allow sin into our lives. We choose our own direction. We spend less and less time with Him in Bible study and prayer. Then one day we realize that we have gradually grown distant from God. The solution, according to James, is straightforward. We are to draw near to God. As we realize our need to be closer to the Father and we begin to return to Him, He meets us even as the father hurried to greet his prodigal son (Luke 15:20).

Drawing near to God requires you to take two actions:

First, you must cleanse your hands (Isa. 1:15). You must cleanse your way of living. If you have been actively engaged in sin, you must renounce it. If you have done anything to offend or hurt someone, you must make it right.

Second, you are to purify your heart (Ps. 51:10). You must make certain your attitudes, thoughts, and motives are right in God's eyes and are in harmony with God's word. Jesus warned that you cannot serve two masters (Matt. 6:24). It is impossible to love anything else as much as you love God and still please Him.

If God seems distant, do what is necessary to cleanse your hands, purify your heart, and draw near to Him.

SBC VOTES "NO" FOR FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SUPREME COURT NOMINEE

As the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee began considering Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court last week, the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission announced its opposition, saying she is an "unpredictable wildcard" who will work to "redefine the law." (click here to read the article)

How do you feel about President Obama's nominee to the highest court in the land? Do you think she will "redefine the law"? Do you think she judges from the bench with a bias spirit? How do you feel about her views on abortion? Go ahead, leave your comments.

KNOWING GOD THROUGH YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES

Read this verse slowly and allow it to settle in your spirit.

Then God spoke to Moses, telling him, “I am Yahweh. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but I did not make My name Yahweh known to them.”—Exodus 6:2–3

As God has walked with His people through the generations, He has progressively revealed His nature according to His purposes and the needs of His people. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob knew Him as God Almighty, because they needed His mighty power to protect them from their enemies. Moses and the Israelites learned that God was Lord, Master over every nation and every thing. God not only delivered them from the most powerful ruler in the world, but also brought them into the Promised Land. They came to experience Him as Lord, preeminently powerful over the pagan gods of their day.

God will continue to reveal His character to you according to your needs and according to His purposes. You will come to know more and more about Him as you obey Him.

• When you grieve, He will come to you as Comforter.
• When you are in need, He will demonstrate that He is the Provider.
• When you face a serious challenge, He will reveal that He is God Almighty.

Your understanding of God's character ought to be greater now than when you first became a Christian. You ought to know Him today better than you did five years ago. Sadly, some Christians continue to live year after year with the same basic knowledge of God that they had when they first began walking with him.

Whatever your present situation, view it in the light of what God is teaching you, through circumstances, about Himself and you will come to know God in dimensions you have never known Him before.

LEADERSHIP AND ENDURANCE

Success is a marathon, not a sprint. The only way to truly prepare for a marathon is to train, to practice, to run. You need to get out on the road. You need to put in the miles. It takes time, it takes effort, and sometimes it hurts a lot. As the marathon runner Juma Ikanga said after winning the New York Marathon:

“The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare.” You can want to win more than anyone else in the world; yet if you do not want to put in the work to prepare, it will not matter.

A great example of enduring leadership was Samuel Adams, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. From as early as 1765 Adams called for America’s split from England; a decade before the Revolutionary War started. A recent IBD article illustrates the important qualities of strength and courage that helped Adams not only endure but also succeed: “Samuel Adams’ success came from his willingness to work tirelessly for the cause of liberty. Politics was a kind of ministry for him, and that kind of dedication makes a difference.”

Like the pre-Revolutionary times in which Adams lived, succeeding in today’s world requires endurance and perseverance. Success does not come overnight; it comes after months and years of hard work. Only after pushing through the difficulties we face will we achieve true success.

STRENGTHENING HIS CHURCH LEADERSHIP SEMINAR - November 13-14, 2009 - Gateway Convention Center, Hickory, NC

Attention all church leaders! 

I would like to invite you to our "Strengthening His Church Leadership Seminar"  which Priorities Matter Ministries and I will be conducting at the Gateway Convention Center in Hickory, NC on November 13-14, 2009. Bring your entire church leadership team!

Click here to learn more about this leadership seminar.  Also, register before October 15th to take advantage of the Early Bird special!  With six or more registered the Senior Pastor attends free!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email them to me; I will respond ASAP.

"D6" CONFERENCE - SEPTEMBER 23-25 DALLAS, TX

D6 Conference Promo (Long Version) from D6 Conference on Vimeo.

It’s time to take a different look at the way we minister to children, students, and families in the church. Research shows that the kids who grow up to be spiritual champions most often have parent(s) in the home who make a considerable contribution to their spiritual influence. Unfortunately far too many parents rely on the church to be responsible for the spiritual development of their kids. According to D6 (Deuteronomy 6:5-7) this is the job of dad and mom.

The D6 Conference will equip leaders with the tools and ideas they need to influence the parents in their church to be responsible for leading their kids spiritually. There is no other ministry of the Church that is more important than ministering to children. At any cost, we must equip dad and mom to connect with their kids spiritually in the home.

ARE YOU SHOWING MERCY?

You know what I'm talking about.  You've been hurt, wronged and mistreated.  Our first reaction is to retaliate, but wait...that's the flesh speaking!  The spiritual man will be merciful! Listen to this passage of Scripture:

“‘Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’”—Matthew 18:33

Mercy is a gift. It is undeserved. Punishment and consequences are sin's just reward, but the merciful person does not demand justice for the guilty person.

• If it were not for God's mercy, we all would have faced His terrible judgment long ago.
• If not for His mercy, He would have condemned us after our first offense.
• If not for His mercy, He would punish us each time we sin. 

But rather than letting us bear the full punishment for our sin, God demonstrated His mercy when He paid the penalty for our sin Himself.

Do you find it hard to show mercy? It may be that you do not comprehend the mercy that God has shown to you. Jesus commanded His disciples to extend the same mercy to others that they had received from God. When they considered the incredible, undeserved mercy they had been granted, how could they refuse to extend the same unconditional mercy to others?

• Could anyone sin against us to the same degree that we have sinned against God?
• Could any offense committed against us be as undeserved as the abuse hurled against the sinless Son of God?
• How quickly we forget the mercy that God graciously bestowed on us, only to focus on the injustices we endure from others!

If you find it difficult to forgive others, you may need to meditate on the mercy of God that prevents you from experiencing God's justifiable wrath. Scripture describes God as “Ready to pardon, / Gracious and merciful, / Slow to anger, / Abundant in lovingkindness” (Neh. 9:17b).

Action item for today: SHOW MERCY!

FINDING THE WAY

This morning I read a great little devotional from Pastor Greg Laurie.  Enjoy!

During World War II, an American pilot who was shot down over the jungles of Burma was able to safely eject from his plane. As he landed in the deep, dense jungle, he was met by a friendly Burmese man. The man gestured for him to follow. So the American soldier followed the man through the jungle. There was no path that he could see, and ahead of him was the Burmese man, slicing away with his machete. It didn't seem like they were going in any particular direction. The American became frantic. So he yelled out to the man, "Where is the way?"

In broken English, the man told him, "I am the way. Follow me."

That is what Jesus says to us in the maze of life: "I am the way. Follow Me. I will get you to where you are supposed to go." The entire meaning of the Christian faith can be condensed into four words: "I am the way."

You might be wondering, But how do I do this? How do I find my way? First of all, the road to heaven is a toll road. It will cost, but you can't pay the toll. Jesus paid it for you. You must realize that you can't do it on your own. And you must admit that you are a sinner. The Bible says, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

Which road are you on today? Which way are you going to choose? There is only one way to find a life that is full and rich on this earth and then to know for certain you are going to heaven. It is the highway to heaven. And you can pull onto the on ramp today.

REGISTRATION NEWS FOR D6 CONFERENCE

The date for the D6 Conference in Dallas, TX is quickly coming upon us!  September 23rd will be here before you know it; and you will be beating yourself up if you miss this conference!

Also, if you register before Father's Day, June 22nd, you will get a $15.00 discount and a free D6 t-shirt. 

Just click here and enter this Father's Day special discount code D6DAD when you register.

It's going to be a great event.  I hope to see you there!  Also, if you register as a result of reading this blog, be sure to shoot me an email.  I would love to hear from you!

REMEMBER, TO RECEIVE THE DISCOUNT AND FREE D6 T-SHIRT, YOU MUST REGISTER BY JUNE 22ND!

Once again, here's the discount code: D6DAD

SHOWING GOD'S LOVE IN A PRACTICAL WAY!

Yesterday, was the first of the season Servant Evangelism outreach effort for Victory Church.  We initially were going to "wash windshields" however, it was raining.  Therefore, we went to Ace hardware to "volunteer and serve" for about an hour and a half.  We cleaned bathrooms, swept and mopped floors, stocked shelves, placed sale price tags on items, put together a gas grill, cleaned the storage room, ran scanners and did some inventory, unloaded pallets of products... all in the name of "showing God's love in a practical way!"

Mark 10:45 says that Jesus came to serve, not be served (paraphrase). That is the spirit we took into the community, a spirit of simply serving.  Our people love it! 

We will continue to do this on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 PM, so make plans to come out and join us!  It really is more of a blessing to give than to receive!  Below are a few pictures from last evening.

To see more pictures of "Victory In Action" please click link below!

TABERNACLE OFFERING AND SERVANT EVANGELISM AT VICTORY!

Yesterday at Victory Church I shared with our congregation what must take place in order to begin building on our church property.  Primarily there are two areas of focus:

1. Debt reduction on the 21 acres of land we recently purchased.

2. Average 300 in our weekend service through servant evangelism is the key.

To address the subject of debt reduction, I spoke from Exodus 35 and 35.  What a great read for anyone going through a building project. 

Moses ask the people, "whose hearts were willing" to bring an offering for the building of the Tabernacle.  Everyone "whose hearts were willing" brought an offering. Some great, some small, but the key was everyone "whose heart was willing" brought something.  Now, wouldn't you know it!  There was a problem!  What was the problem?  The offering was too large!  The people brought MORE THAN WAS NEEDED!

PRINCIPLE #1: When the hearts of the people are willing, there is always more than is needed for ministry.

Beginning next Sunday at Victory, we are having our weekly "Tabernacle Freewill Offering March."  I have asked everyone to to sacrifice either a cup of coffee, a Diet Coke, a RC Cola and a moon pie, or whatever may cost you $2.oo!  I am asking everyone to bring, at a minimum, $2.oo for our "Tabernacle Freewill Offering."  This offering is to be above the tithe, and all of the Tabernacle Offering will go directly to the land debt!

Now, addressing the second area of focus: averaging 300 in our weekly worship service we are aggressively stepping out into our community to "SERVE."  Mark 10:45 says that Jesus "...came to serve, not to be served..."  We are relaunching our "Servant Evangelism" strategy.  Every Wednesday evening at 6PM we are meeting at the church office. Everyone is to wear their Victory t-shirts and we are going out to wash windshields.  We also have several nurses in our congregation, so we are planning a "Free Health Service" week.  We also are going to business in our community and are going to offer free service for them.  The exciting thing is that we are going to have opportunities to share Christ with those we are serving.

PRINCIPLE #2: You are never closed to the heart of our Lord than when you are meeting the physical needs of people!

TIPS TO WORSHIPPING BETTER

I just read a great post by Pastor Robert J. Morgan on worship.  Below are some of his tips for worshipping better:

1. Make worship and praise a part of your quiet time each day.  Include the verse of a hymn and/or a period of true thanksgiving in your morning devotional routine.
2. Learn to visualize the throne of God above you, as described in Exodus 17, Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1, and Revelation 4, 5, and 22.
3. Don’t worry about worship “styles.”  Whatever the style, keep your eyes on the Lord.  Never say, “I didn’t like that hymn,” or “I wish we wouldn’t sing those praise songs.”  It’s not about our favorite styles; it’s about forgetting our own preferences and focusing on Him .
4. Train yourself to concentrate on the words of the hymns and prayers during church services.  Don’t let yourself sing mindlessly or aimlessly.
5. Learn to say, “Thank you, Lord,” whenever you see a beautiful cloud formation, a lovely cluster of plants, or whenever something good or bad happens.  Take it right to the Lord in praise.
6. Serve the Lord with joy.  To quote Tozer again:  “We’re here to be worshippers first and workers only second.”

Click here to read the entire article and many other great posts from Rob.

USA NOT A CHRISTIAN NATION? I DISAGREE!

President Barack Obama said in Turkey : "We do not consider ourselves a Christian nation or a Jewish nation or a Muslim nation. We consider ourselves a nation of citizens who are bound by ideals and a set of values."

I  found this very interesting. Do you know the Preamble for your state?

• Alabama 1901, Preamble We the people of the State of Alabama , invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution..
• Alaska 1956, Preamble We, the people of Alaska , grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land. 
• Arizona 1911, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arizona , grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution... 
• Arkansas 1874, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arkansas , grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government...
• California 1879, Preamble We, the People of the State of California , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom... 
• Colorado 1876, Preamble We, the people of Colorado , with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe... 
• Connecticut 1818, Preamble. The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in  permitting them to enjoy. 
• Delaware 1897, Preamble Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences...
• Florida 1885, Preamble We, the people of the State of Florida , grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution... 
• Georgia 1777, Preamble We, the people of Georgia , relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution... 
• Hawaii 1959, Preamble We , the people of Hawaii , Grateful for Divine Guidance ... Establish this Constitution. 
• Idaho 1889, Preamble We, the people of the State of Idaho , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings. 
• Illinois 1870, Preamble We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil , political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors. 
• Indiana 1851, Preamble We, the People of the State of Indiana , grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government. 
• Iowa 1857, Preamble We, the People of the St ate of Iowa , grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings, establish this Constitution. 
• Kansas 1859, Preamble We, the people of Kansas , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution. 
• Kentucky 1891, Preamble.. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties.. 
• Louisiana 1921, Preamble We, the people of the State of Louisiana , grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy. 
• Maine 1820, Preamble We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity .. And imploring His aid and direction. 
• Maryland 1776, Preamble We, the people of the state of Maryland , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty... 
• Massachusetts 1780, Preamble We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction  
• Michigan 1908, Preamble.   We, the people of the State of Michigan , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom, establish this Constitution. 
• Minnesota, 1857, Preamble We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings: 
• Mississippi 1890, Preamble We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work.. 
• Missouri 1845, Preamble We, the people of Missouri , with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness . Establish this Constitution... 
• Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution ..
• Nebraska 1875, Preamble We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom . Establish this Constitution. 
• Nevada 1864, Preamble We the people of the State of Nevada , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution... 
• New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. 
• New Jersey 1844, Preamble We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors. 
• New Mexico 1911, Preamble We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty.. 
• New York 1846, Preamble We, the people of the State of New York , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings. 
• North Carolina 1868, Preamble We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those... 
• North Dakota 1889, Preamble We , the people of North Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain... 
• Ohio 1852, Preamble We the people of the state of Ohio , grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common. 
• Oklahoma 1907, Preamble Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty, establish this 
• Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences 
• Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance.... 
• Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing... 
• South Carolina , 1778, Preamble We, the people of he State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution. 
• South Dakota 1889, Preamble We, the people of South Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberties ... 
• Tennessee 1796, Art. XI..III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience... 
• Texas 1845, Preamble We the People of the Republic of Texas , acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God. 
• Utah 1896, Preamble Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution. 
• Vermont 1777, Preamble Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man .. 
• Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other 
• Washington 1889, Preamble We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution 
• West Virginia 1872, Preamble Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God ... 
• Wisconsin 1848, Preamble We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility... 
• Wyoming 1890, Preamble We, the people of the State of Wyoming , grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties, establish this Constitution...

After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe, the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts, and President Barack Obama are wrong!

Thank you Mr. President, but I will speak for myself, "I do consider the United States of America a Christian nation!"

REJOICING IN GOD'S WORD

Your words were found, and I ate them.
Your words became a delight to me
and the joy of my heart.— Jeremiah 15:16

Yesterday, I was watching a rerun of "Everybody Loves Raymond."  The episode was about how ecstatic, how thrilled, how completely overwhelmed Ray was that he received a personal letter from Muhammad Ali.

If you were to receive a note from the President of the United States, or some other country, or someone famous, you would probably be ecstatic, thrilled, and completely overwhelmed.  You would then save it as a keepsake.

How much more precious is a message from almighty God!

Sometimes we find ourselves in circumstances that are beyond our control. This was the case for Mary and Martha as they were grieving the death of their brother Lazarus. At these times a word from Jesus can bring much rejoicing (John 11:41–45). Other times when Jesus speaks, His words bring correction. “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matt. 16:23) and “O you of little faith” (Matt. 14:31) do not seem to bring joy. Yet Jeremiah said that God's word brought him joy.

It is overwhelming to consider that holy, almighty God would speak directly to us!

What a privilege that He would care enough to challenge our destructive thoughts or practices. No matter whether His words are praising us or chastising us, we ought to consider it joy to receive life-changing words from our Master!

• Every time we prepare to worship the Lord, we ought to do so with anticipation that almighty God may have something to say to us.
• Whenever we open our Bibles, we should expect that God has something to tell us in our time with Him.
• We ought to be far more concerned with what God will say to us during our prayer times than with what we intend to tell Him.

When you receive a word from your Lord, whether it be of praise or of correction, consider it joy that almighty God would speak to you.

ARE YOU TOO COMFORTABLE IN YOUR BONDAGE?

“May the Lord take note of you and judge,” they said to them, “because you have made us reek in front of Pharaoh and his officials—putting a sword in their hand to kill us!”—Exodus 5:21

It is possible for people to become so accustomed to their bondage that they resist efforts to free them. The Hebrews had been slaves in Egypt for four hundred years. Slavery meant that they were not free to do God's will or to go where they wanted. Moses had come to tell the Israelites how they could experience freedom, yet they were more concerned about the reaction of their taskmasters than they were about pleasing God. For them to be free would mean that the pharaoh they were serving would be angry! It would mean that the Egyptians they had served all their lives might attack them. Freedom from their slavery did not seem to be worth the hardships they would inevitably endure.

When God sets out to free us, there will often be a price we will have to pay. Grief can be a terrible form of bondage, yet we can become comfortable with it. We can grow so comfortable with fear that we don't know how to live without it. As destructive as our sinful habits and lifestyle might be, we may prefer living with the familiar, rather than being freed to experience the unknown. We may recognize the harmful influence of a friend but choose to reject God's will rather than offend our friend.

As incredible as it seems, the Israelites were angry at Moses for disrupting the life of slavery to which they had grown accustomed.

• Have you been lulled into a comfortable relationship with your bondage?
• Do you fear change more than you fear God?
• Are you willing to allow God to do what is necessary in order to free you?