Many things have burdened my heart these past few weeks. Being in Haiti affected me greatly. My heart was broken in ways it has never been broken before. It wasn’t the poverty of the Haitians as much as my own poverty I discovered there. I realized anew that the securities of life are not found in financial freedom, but the freedom found only in Christ. I learned anew that the goal of life is not have more, but to give more. My heart was broken by God to remind me that all I need is Him, not more stuff. I am also greatly burdened for the beautiful people of Haiti as the Cholera outbreak continues to spread. As I write this, the death count is over 900 men, women, and children and rising. Join with me in praying every time you drink a glass of clean water and eat non-contaminated food. I pray that God will break our hearts today as we encounter numerous people all around us in desperate need of His grace and mercy.
Looking ahead, I am excited that IMB missionaries Joshua and Amy Bowman will be sharing with us on Sunday, December 12 during our Missions Celebration. The Bowman’s recently finished up eight years in Africa and will leave for South-East Asia in April 2011. They will share some of their missionary stories during the Sunday School hour and Joshua will preach during morning worship. Be in prayer for the Bowman’s and all our missionaries spreading the gospel across the world. Be praying how you will give to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering this year to support their mission.
This past Sunday, I shared a message on Christian Stewardship. We saw in the first chapter of Ephesians that we were adopted into God’s family through the blood of Jesus Christ – We are His! All that we are and all that we have belongs to Him. In the sixth chapter of 1 Corinthians, Paul wrote that we do not belong to ourselves – Christ bought us with His blood. This Sunday I will share how this truth should affect how we use what God has given us. I hope to see then!

Bad News, Good News

This past Sunday evening, I preached from Micah concerning the announcement of judgment on the people of Judah and Israel due to their continual sin against God. Micah did not come to warn them to stop this sin, but to tell them it was too late – judgment was imminent. Then, in chapter five, Micah shared some great news about the One who was to come years later. This One, Micah shared, was “from everlasting” and this “One shall be peace.” While he was proclaiming impending doom and gloom, Micah also shared about the coming of Jesus Messiah. Grace is the good news that comes after the bad. The bad news is we are sinners who deserve death and everlasting judgment in hell. The good news is Jesus died on a cross in our place to forgive our sins and rose again to give us eternal life in Him. To be a Christian, one must face the bad news through repentance before salvation comes through the good news of His grace.

In His Grace,
Russell

A Lasting Impression

I grew up in a parsonage right next to the church my dad served as pastor. While most other people had to drive to church, we only had to walk about fifty yards. I have many memories of growing up in that house. I guess I was around nine when the church decided to expand the house. A new bedroom was added for my parents, a family room, and a cement patio were also added. After the patio was poured, I took a stick and wrote my initials in the wet cement. Long after we moved from that house, my initials remained as a reminder of me. I made a lasting impression on that patio. How are you impacting your world? Wherever you go, whatever you do or say, you are making a lasting impression. Look around. There are people you know, like wet cement, who are waiting for someone to make a lasting impression in their lives. I pray that we leave the impression of love, compassion, grace, forgiveness, and mercy on the lives of others. Above all, I pray that we leave the life transforming impression of Jesus Christ.

In His Grace,
Russell

Being the Church

All around the Southern Baptist Convention, churches are being challenged to be on mission in the communities where God has placed them. This has largely been in response to a gradual decline in recent years in church membership, attendance and baptisms throughout our denomination. Sadly, it should not take a decline to awaken us to what Christ has called His church to do. Our desire must always be to make the name of Jesus known in our families, friendships, communities, nation, and into the world. I once heard a pastor say that, “anybody can go to church - Christ has called us to be the church.” I pray that Southern Baptist churches will be more engaged in the sharing of the good news of Jesus Christ, but more specifically I pray this for Ocean Park Baptist Church.

In His Grace,
Russell

Total Surrender

As I study and preach through Philippians, Paul's determination for the Gospel amazes me. Already he has suffered much loss in his life due to due preaching the offensive message of the cross. In fact he is chained to a Roman prison guard as he writes this powerful letter to the church in Philippi. Paul writes in the first chapter, "For to me to live is Christ." In Colossians Paul also wrote, "When Christ who is our life appears, then you will appear with Him in glory." Paul's life was wrapped up in Christ. He understood and lived out total surrender.

When we come to Christ we are to leave behind our old lives and follow Him, much like Peter, Andrew, James, and John as they left their nets to become fishers of men. We are to surrender all of who we are to Christ and look to Him alone as our provider. No one has ever partially surrendered, it's all or nothing. How can we say we have trusted Christ as our Savior if we haven't surrendered to Christ as our Lord? He must be both.

In His Grace,
Russell

On Being Missional

This past Saturday, several of us PrayerWalked the communities around Ocean Park. We prayed for the spiritual, physical, financial, relational, and emotional needs of those who live all around us. It was a powerful experience for all of us. What impacted me the most was when we were able to hold conversations with people as they worked in their yards. I told one man in particular that I was pastor of Ocean Park Baptist Church. He had no clue where the church was. I had to use a local car wash as a landmark before he recognized our location. This man lives less than two miles from the church.

Being missional means we see ourselves as missionaries where God has placed us. We are to live sent. Sent to our families. Sent to our neighborhoods. Sent to our jobs. Sent to our schools. Jesus has called us all to impact our worlds with His gospel. He has called Ocean Park to impact South Jacksonville Beach. I pray that as we live sent, the people around us will no longer need a landmark to recall where Ocean Park is. I pray that Jesus is proclaimed here and throughout the world. Let us make His name known!

In His Grace,
Russell

Talk is Cheap!

There was a TV commercial several years ago that used the phrase, “Put your money where your mouth is.” I later learned that phrase basically means talk is cheap, back up what you say with actions. Jesus put it this way, “If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed.” (John 8:31) He also said “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) The only way we prove to be Jesus’ disciples and demonstrate our love for Him is by doing what He says. James challenged us to “be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22) Having a thorough knowledge of Scripture is important, but without application and obedience, Bible knowledge alone is useless. Remember, talk is cheap. There is a world out there waiting for us to put our money where our mouth is. Let us be people of the Book who live out its truth and point others to its Author.

In His Grace,
Russell