Life Is Meaningless! Or Is It? #2

The passage which has struck the most fear into me is found in Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 click here to read. I believe church goers are living out the wrongs that v.1 talks about. Do you go to church to "listen" or to "offer sacrifices" to idols? Idols aren't just stone figures or golden calfs...they can be the love of money, power, gossip, deception, etc. V.2 speaks of the importance of being real with God in prayer and worship. God doesn't want fancy speeches to him or our outward expressions of showiness...He wants true worship and to that, it means to let our words be few and as it says in v.7, to stand in awe of God!

An Accidental New Year's Resolution

Jessica and I are not watching T.V. for a while. It's not some big resolution or anything but what happened is that our "dog ears" broke on our set and we have enjoyed the time not wasted in front of the tube. Yes, there are some people who do not have cable and use antennas to get the local stations! Anyways, we both are going to try and fast a while and spend more time with each other, exercising, reading, and whatever else! I'm looking forward to it except the few shows I do like. I'll keep you all updated as to how long we go with out t.v.

Slam It In Gear...Pedal To The Metal !

These past few days at church have been spent getting things going and finishing projects started in the past. The FUSION LAB remodeling took a back seat on my priority list and needed to get done and get done right! John from my church has worked with me all day these past few days in getting things done!
Things in our church property is getting organized, rooms cleaned out and functional for ministry, and new strategies are being planned for the betterment of how Bayshore Baptist operates.

On top of all this...The Adult Choir Christmas Cantata is this Sunday morning,the youth are having their Christmas party Saturday night, Christmas Candlelight Service is next Sunday, Christmas in Miami, New Year's Eve Lock-In with the youth at church, and Winter-Jam in January!!!

I feel God rewarded the efforts in working in the youth room because we had a record attendance of 7 youth @ FUSION (yes I celebrate those awesome numbers) I had two girls that couldn't normally come due to dance attend tonight and they said that the times are changing for Wednesdays!!! Hopefully they can come from now on! Thanks God!!!

I feel it's time for Bayshore to "SLAM IT IN GEAR AND GO PEDAL TO THE MEDAL!!!"

Stuck In The Book Of Job

Hey guys! I think I had mentioned before that I am reading the Bible straight through from cover to cover. I have studied all the books before but actually have never taken the time to read them in order. All the books aren't necessarily in chronological order but I think the reader gains a deeper understanding of the New Testament by reading the Old Testament first. After all, Jesus was the fulfillment of the O.T. so why is little emphasis given to it? I seldom hear sermons based on Old Testament passages. I try to incorporate the O.T. with the N.T. fulfillment when I preach.

For that last few weeks I have been stuck in the book of Job. Besides the fact that it is a very long book and I've read it before, I have had difficulty getting through it! This book is probably one of the vital, must read, spiritual uplift anyone can lay eyes on in the Bible and I'm just not motivated to finish it. I have had no discipline in my spiritual life lately. I hate excuses but I do have some. I have been so caught up in the events of my ministry to set aside time alone with God. for the last few weeks I had been stressed out about my cat's failing health and then dealing with putting her to sleep. Perhaps the biggest excuse is that I have been too lazy. Looking back for the past few weeks, I have spent time watching T.V. I have spent time online, reading magazines, playing Guitar Hero 2, etc. but have had no desire to dive more into God's word and finish the challenge of reading the whole Bible.

Distractions are a tool that Satan uses to tempt us to fall. Laying all excuses aside, it is time to get refocused and finish the race. Sometimes it takes something like a pet's death to make you realize how much of your time was devoted in the care of it and how little time you actually spend alone with God. Is anyone else struggling with distractions or having the desire to get into God's word? What are some things you do to keep yourself on track?

Bird Watching...Well Big Metal Bird Watching

Lately I have been taking my lunch break from the office and driving down to Sarasota\Bradenton International Airport (which is only 2 miles from my office) and watching the birds fly into town and land. You might think I'm crazy for religiously parking my Dodge Intrepid right in line with the landing strobe lights making sure the jets pass ever closely to my vehicle. Perhaps its the rumble I feel when the engines' exhaust hit my car, perhaps the noise level, perhaps the excitement and awe that I have whenever I contemplate the achievements that have been made in aviation in the last few years. Perhaps I just want to get away from the ordinary sitting in a Mcdonalds with 20 other strangers gnawing away at their dollar menu items. I enjoy, and need, for that that matter the time away from all interruptions and endless planning for church. The airport has been my place to not only think about airplanes and how I wish I took the licensing school when I had the chance, but a place I can think about God.

Do you have a place you go to when you need to be alone? Jesus went on his own to pray for others and for himself (Matthew 26:36-46). I often wonder where God would go in this world to "get away" and watch the birds. What place on earth did God set aside as his most prized piece of creation in which he finds the most pleasure by gazing on it? Some stake claim on it being their home state, while others claim it to be on a mountain top or the ocean floor.

God doesn't need to get away from it all because unlike us humans, He can handle all the pressures of the world. Perhaps He gave us wondrous things, places, views, and even airplanes to help us appreciate life a little more.

God want us to spend time with him alone as much as possible. How else can you truly get to know someone unless you do? Find that spot that no one else can bother you at, look around in creation, marvel at God's work and enjoy life to the fullest.

I'm Back and Running

Hey guys...I am back from the FOCUS conference and it was awesome! I learned alot about building relationships with youth and not youth ministries. more of that to come.

I got back Saturday to find out that i will be preaching tonight in church due to the death of the pastor's mother. I have a funeral tomorrow morning for my piano lesson teacher when i was in school, I have a meeting with the high school activities director, a choir music reading conference tuesday in Lakewood Ranch , FUSION on Wednesday, and a See You @ the Pole Rally on Saturday! ...welcome home Bill!