Candy Counter Culture
By Larry d. Wright

Joseph M. Stowell in Moody Monthly (December, 1989, p. 4) writes, “We were on our annual Christmas trek to Chicago. Each year we brought our family to spend time with Grandpa and Grandma and visit the museums. This year we decided to finish our Christmas shopping at suburban Woodfield Mall.


In the midst of all the fun and excitement, one of us noticed that little three-and-a-half-year-old Matthew was gone. Terror immediately struck our hearts. We had heard the horror stories: little children kidnapped in malls, rushed to a restroom, donned in different clothes and altered hairstyle, and then swiftly smuggled out, never to be seen again.

We split up, each taking an assigned location. Mine was the parking lot. I’ll never forget that night—kicking through the newly fallen snow, calling out his name at the top of my lungs. I felt like an abject fool, yet my concern for his safety outweighed all other feelings. Unsuccessful, I trudged back to our meeting point. My wife, Martie, had not found him, nor had my mother. And then my dad appeared, holding little Matthew by the hand.

Our hearts leapt for joy. Interestingly enough, Matthew was untraumatized. He hadn’t been crying. To him, there had been no problem. I asked my father where he had found him. ‘The candy counter,’ he replied. ‘You should have seen him. His eyes came just about as high as the candy. He held his little hands behind his back and moved his head back and forth, surveying all the luscious options.’

Matthew didn’t look lost. He didn’t know he was lost. He was oblivious to the phenomenal danger he was in. [We live] in a candy-counter culture, where people who don’t look lost, don’t know they’re lost and are clueless to the danger that looms around them.”

Someone must tell them. Someone must search for them. That someone is you and me.

The church of the Lord Jesus Christ is more than a lifeless organization. It is a living organism, made up of many parts, all of which are to be energized by Christ Himself, for the purpose of accomplishing God’s work on earth. The Church consists of many individuals from all walks of life, with differing personalities, talents and abilities, united under a number of common goals. Among these common goals are the worship of God, growing in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, fellowship with other saints, and the sharing of the message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. In essence, the Church does not exist for itself, but to fulfill the purposes of God. She exists to search for people who don’t know they are lost.

Unfortunately, many churches today fail to understand and fulfill their mission. Howard Hendricks said, “In the midst of a generation screaming for answers, Christians are stuttering.” Bill Bright, Founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, said, "Millions of surveys taken from Christians around the world indicate that approximately 98 percent of Christians do not regularly introduce others to the Savior."

S. Truett Cathy, Founder of Chick-fil-a, one said, “If you wish to enrich days, plant flowers; if you wish to enrich years, plant trees; if you wish to enrich Eternity, invest your life in the lives of others.”

Now is the T.I.M.E.

What A Great T.I.M.E.!

By Larry d. Wright

There is little doubt that we are currently involved in a world-wide economic crisis that is causing great FEAR (False Evidence Appearing Real) to engulf many Americans, including Christians. I am not sure that I understand what caused this crisis other than old fashioned greed and years of bad decisions, nevertheless, we find ourselves at a critical crossroads.

What a great T.I.M.E. for Christians to join hearts and hands to demonstrate their confidence in our great God. Daily we are bombarded with bad news and depressing reports from the secular news media, yet we have good news and the message of true, lasting hope. It is T.I.M.E. for God’s people to respond by sharing the good news of God’s amazing and awesome GRACE (Great Riches At Christ Expense).

What a great T.I.M.E. to walk through open doors. While the door of opportunity is still open in much of the world T.I.M.E. teams are committed to GO! Please consider becoming a ministry partner by PRAYING for those able to go or GIVING so that others can go. It is very expensive (approximately $20,000 per mission endeavor) to win others to Christ but worth every cent! Consider GOING as a team member on a future mission endeavor. Let me know if you are interested and I can make it happen!

What a great T.I.M.E. for Christians to be PRAYING...GIVING...GOING!

Remember, if we have anything to tell the world now is the T.I.M.E.

Transitions

Transition
By Larry d. Wright

“On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, ‘Let us cross over to the other side’.” Mark 4:35

By definition, transition is the passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another. It is a change involving a movement, development, or evolution from one form, stage, or style to another. The etymology of the word is Latin meaning “to go across.”

To the musician, transition is a modulation of a passage connecting two themes or sections. In genetics transition is a point mutation in which a pyrimidine is replaced by another pyrimidine, or a purine is replaced by another purine. In sports it is the process of changing from defense to offense or vice versa. In the writers world transition is a word, phrase, sentence, or series of sentences connecting one part of a discourse to another contributing to coherence. In medical terms it is a period during childbirth that precedes the final phase of labor, characterized by strong contractions. It is a period of intense pain that results in joyous birth.

In the spiritual realm it is an act of faith and obedience in which a person or people crossover into a realm of promised opportunity. As Joshua and the nation of Israel poised to enter the Promised Land, they waited for the precise moment that would end 40 years of anticipation and longing. That moment came and they waded into the swollen waters of the Jordan River with their eyes fixed on the ark, a beautiful picture of Jesus! Crossover moments in life are exciting but they can also be frightening.

On Sunday, February 1st I announced my intentions to retire from the pastoral ministry after 34 years and make the transition into another exciting mission opportunity. I have accepted a position with T.I.M.E. ministries in Huntsville where I will become actively involved in enlisting, training and deploying Great Commission Christians in an Acts 1:8 strategy around the world. As a result of this decision it is necessary that I resign my position as your pastor.

You may go to www.leadesbuildingleaders.com to read my resignation. This is my personal website and the words I shared on Sunday are posted under the tab Larry’s BLOG.

Debby and I have served as a ministry team for almost 39 years! The Lord has blessed us in many ways, among them is being able to serve two churches for lengthy tenures. As a result, we have only made 3 major decisions concerning God’s direction in our lives. The decision to cross over into a new and challenging mission field is exciting but we are deeply saddened because our love for First Baptist is deep and genuine. We covet your prayers and I can assure you that we are praying for you!

We learn in the Scriptures that following Jesus involves transitions. Crossover moments require faith and obedience. Jesus “said to His disciples, Let us cross over to the other side.” Even in the midst of a storm they hear the Master of the Sea speak: “Quiet! Be still!” The storm became quiet. The sea lay calm. They reached the other side. The disciples looked at one another in wonder, “Who is [this man] that the winds and waves obey Him?”

It is my sincere prayer for Debby and me and for First Baptist that, as we all “crossover” to new dimensions of service, our dependence upon Jesus will deepen and our awe will turn to adoration.

Ride the Tide
By Larry d. Wright

The Bible talks about a number of doors, often with very different meanings. For instance, in Revelation 3:20 Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” This is the door of intimacy with Christ. Don’t miss that door!

The Scripture also mentions the door of opportunity. For instance, Paul said, “…and pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.” (Colossians 4:3) The door of opportunity is mentioned a number of times in scripture, and it refers to the way that God gives wonderful openings for the gospel message to be shared. Our awesome God has limitedness ways in which He opens doors of opportunity for His children to walk through so that they fulfill their passion and accomplish His purpose. Don’t miss that door!

In the days before modern harbors, a ship had to wait for the flood tide before it could make it safely into port. The term for this situation in Latin was ob portu, that is, a ship standing off a port, waiting for the moment when it could ride the turn of the tide into the harbor.

The English word opportunity is derived from this original meaning. The captain and the crew were ready and waiting for that one moment for they knew that if they missed it, they would have to wait for another tide to come in. Shakespeare used this background of the exact meaning of opportunity into one of his most famous passages from Julius Caesar, Act 4, Scene 3:

“There is a tide in the affairs of men,Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;
Omitted, all the voyage of their lifeIs bound in shallows and in miseries.
On such a full sea are we now afloat;
And we must take the current when it serves,Or lose our ventures.”

When a door opens in your life, ride the tide!

Concerning New Years Resolutions

Concerning New Year’s Resolutions
Larry d. Wright

Every January people make New Year’s resolutions with the most sincere intentions of keeping them. Statistics indicate that failure happens a lot more often than success. Resolutions generally rally around health issues like diet, exercise, stop smoking, etc. The problem with most New Years resolutions is that they are long on reason and short on resolve.

Allow me to take resolutions to a higher level. COMMIT YOURSELF TO FORGET YOUR FAILURES! Over 2000 years ago one the first Christian leaders, a man named Paul, gave this advice, “Forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on towards the goal for which God has called me heavenwards in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14) That advice from God’s Word has stood the test of time. I don’t know of any more relevant and practical advice than this; do not live your life imprisoned by your past. Commit yourself to forget your past failures. You cannot do this alone. You will need supernatural help so make the commitment, then ask for divine help.

MAKE A COMMITMENT TO GIVE UP YOUR GRUDGES. Again, Paul exhorts us, “Bear with each other and forgive each other whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you” (Colossians 3:13) If you think sticking to a diet is hard, try this one! A grudge is a deep ongoing resentment that is cultivated in the heart against someone else. A grudge is an unforgiving spirit that leads to unforgiving attitudes and unforgiving actions. Grudges are dangerous because they are destructive. They destroy marriages, break up families, ruin friendships, split and paralyze churches. One of the scandals of the modern day church is the grudges that Christians hold against one another. Before you tell God you can’t forgive, understand what you really mean when you say that is that you won’t forgive. If Christ can forgive you your sin despite it involving the pain of the cross then surely you can give up your grievance whatever the cost!

COMMIT YOURSELF TO RESTORE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS. Every time I turn on my computer a little windows pops up that asks if I want to run a check to see if my programs are all working properly. God’s Word issues a very similar invitation. It is the invitation to check whether our personal relationships are working properly. Here is how the Lord issues that challenge in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” COMMIT YOURSELF TO TURN YOUR BACK ON YOUR TRANSGRESSIONS. The message of the gospel is this, Christ died to set us free, the Holy Spirit has given us the power to be free, but we must choose to be His servant. “Do not let sin control the way you live, do not give in to its lustful desires … we are no longer slaves to sin.” (Romans 6:2)
Will this New Year be just a calendar changing event for you or are you willing to rise to these challenges from God’s word and make these commitments and so make it a life changing event?

Happy Birthdy America!

Happy Birthday America!
Adapted by Larry d. Wright

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! You will be 232 years old on Friday! That’s a long time for a nation to remain free, but when you examine history, you’re just an infant among the nations. Nations like Egypt, China, Japan, Rome, or even Greece had much longer histories but they were not so free.HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! You have a rich spiritual history that continues to influence the world today.

· My County, ‘Tis of Thee was written by a Baptist minister, Samuel Francis Smith.· The Pledge of Allegiance was written in 1892 by a Baptist minister, Francis Bellamy.· The words “In God We Trust” are traced to the efforts of Rev. W.R. Watkinson.

· Rev. John Witherspoon, a Presbyterian minister was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! You’re entire history has spanned only 4 generations but your impact on the world is a testimony for the freedom of every person and an appeal for human rights! When Thomas Jefferson died, Abraham Lincoln was a young man of 17. When Lincoln was assassinated, Woodrow Wilson was a boy of 8. By the time the nation mourned the death of President Wilson, Ronald Reagan was a boy of 12.Even though you have a short history, God has richly blessed you. You are the richest nation in the world. Your natural resources are still the greatest of all nations but your wealth is not your lands and resources. It is your people.HAPPY

BIRTHDAY AMERICA! I pray that you have learned valuable lessons from your past successes and mistakes. American patriots shed their blood so you can walk into the future a much wiser nation.

· You began by breaking free from British shackles.· You survived a brutal civil war that nearly cost you your national soul.· You fought and won against two foreign enemies on soil not your own because you believed that fascism was evil. · You stood against Communist aggression in Korea and Viet Nam.· You have drawn a line in the sand against militant Islamic fascism that will stop short of nothing less than world domination.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! You are a great nation with a great history. When you were very young, the famous French political philosopher, Alexis deToucqueville visited your shores to learn the secret which enabled a handful of people to defeat the mighty British Empire. He traveled across your vast land from shore to shore, looking for greatness in your harbors and rivers, your fertile fields and boundless forests. He studied your schools, your military, your Congress, your Constitution—but still he could not find the secret. It was not until he went into your churches and heard your pulpits “aflame with righteousness” that he found the answer. When he returned to Europe, he wrote this caveat: “America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! Your greatness is a result of God’s goodness and your generosity in sharing His blessings. You have given untold millions in aid to the impoverished countries of the world. You have sent missionaries to the ends of the earth to feed hungry bodies and starving souls. When tragedy or disaster strikes, you are the first to arrive with help.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! The noble lady of liberty in New York harbor, a gift from the French, stands proudly with her flame lifted high for all to see. She inspires even those of us who were born within your borders as she symbolizes freedom and democracy. The line from the poem “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus inscribed on a plaque at the base of the statue advertises your invitation to anyone who longs to be free: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! Your flag waves proudly in the free air—a symbol of all that makes you great. She may grace the sky at a ball game, political rally, concert or worship service or when she drapes the coffin of a patriot she instills pride and pleasure in the hearts of a grateful nation.

Enjoy your birthday AMERICA! I pray that you will be blessed by the Author of freedom and the Giver of redemption. And I pray that you will live to celebrate many more birthdays in the future. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

Praying In the Spirit

Praying In the Spirit
By Larry d. Wright

Prayer is both a natural and unnatural process. It is natural for a child to cry to their Father but there are times when even a child does not know what to say. Words fail to rise to the surface of our lips and even when they do, they seem inadequate.

In "Letters to Malcolm" (p.70), C.S Lewis reflects this dilemma as he quotes some anonymous lines:

“I seek in myself the things I hoped to say,
But, lo! My wells are dry.

Then, seeing me empty, you forsake
The listener’s role and through
My dumb lips breathe and into utterance wake
The thoughts I never knew.”

There are times when a prayer in our heart finds great difficulty arriving at our lips. Oh, the pain of dry wells! Good News! You do not need to articulate your needs and desires for God to know them since He knows the status and desires of your heart at every moment. Prayers that are not uttered do not go unnoticed from Him. David declared, “All my longings lie open before you, O Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.” (Psalm 38:9)

However, God is so interested that you articulate your prayers that He will help you in your weakness. Paul declared, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.” (Romans 8:26-27)

Good News! The Holy Spirit, who is God, will help you pray! However, He will not do this without complete cooperation from you. He will not overpower your flesh but work through you when you align your life with Him. Praying in the Spirit happens when your surrender is so complete that He can think His thoughts through you, express His desires through you and He can speak words through you.

Thomas R. Kelly in "A Testament of Devotion" describes this process with great eloquence:” There comes a time when prayer pours forth in volumes and originality such as we cannot create. It rolls through us like a mighty tide. Our prayers are mingled with a vaster word, a Word that at one time was made flesh. We pray, and yet it is not we who pray, but a Greater who prays in us…All we can say is, Prayer is taking place, and I am given to be in the orbit.” (p.45)

Prayer that takes you to another orbit because it is birthed and borne by the Spirit, that, friend, is Praying in the Spirit!