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Dear church family/friends,   

Due to copyright restrictions we currently cannot publish the song lyrics referenced by Larry. We are in the process of securing permission to publish those lyrics. If we are able to secure permission to publish those lyrics you will find them here or at www.hebronchurch.org

You may certainly listen to the song again on our website. The archive should be available late Monday afternoon (8/23).

Vacation Bible Camp 2010 was great.  We had an average of 1821 in attendance each day and we saw 70 children give their lives to Christ.  I had the opportunity several days to walk the campus and observe the kids in various settings…wow…made me want to be a kid again!  I want to thank each person who volunteered their time to serve. Without you, VBC would not have been possible. The memories made over this 4-day period will last a lifetime.  I can’t think of a better way to invest my time or resources than in our children - they are the future.

Twins first Vacation Bible Camp

I wanted to share this precious picture of my grandbabies. I can't believe they are already a year old.

Many parents around the country are experiencing the mixed emotions that this time of year brings as they prepare to see their child graduate high school.  There is such a sense of
pride in the accomplishments of our children.  At the same time, there is a touch of sadness.  Graduation means many things.  It’s the realization that one of our primary roles as parents, instilling values and principles that will follow our children for the rest of their lives, is almost over.  In one sense that continues even after graduation, but for the most part our children will now make their own decisions and choose their own paths in life. 

We, as parents, now take on a new role.  Our children need our love, encouragement and support as much as always.  The world they are entering is a rapidly changing place. 
There are stresses and challenges far beyond anything we had to face at the same time in our lives.  We must continue to make our homes a safe haven when the going gets tough.
Our role also includes faith.  The faith that we have given our children will provide a launching pad for a bright and successful future. We must also trust they can make wise choices.  They won’t be perfect, but neither are we.  In fact, we must have confidence that they will overcome any mistakes we have made in bringing them up. 

To every parent and graduate, I wish you the very best.  Parents, I identify with you as you watch the child you have reared become an adult.  Graduates, I pray that this time in your
life will be the beginning of a great future.  May God bless you as you seek to honor Him in
all that you do.

This past Saturday, many from our church family joined together to blitz neighborhoods within a 3-mile radius of Hebron, visiting each home, inviting them to our Easter service on Sunday.
I can’t wait to see how God uses the obedience of these folks to bring many to worship with us this week.

What a joyous day for Christians as we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  If you haven’t yet invited someone to come and worship with you, it’s not too late.  Phone a friend you haven’t seen in a while, or maybe a co-worker or family member who doesn’t know Christ. 

This weekend is also a special time for our family as we celebrate the one-year old birthday of our twin grandchildren, Ryleigh and Avery.  They are so cute…they look just like their Granddaddy!  Seriously, they have brought a amazing amount of joy and laughter into our lives.  We are truly blessed. 

On Sunday I wrapped up an 8-week marriage series, The Honeymooner’s.  We talked about the importance of leaving a spiritual legacy for your children.  Part of our job as parents is to make God look good for future generations.  How do you go about making your children want to know God?  Be real!  Your children watch you and if your Christianity isn’t real at home, it is impossible to create a godly legacy for future generations.

Truth must be taught in a natural way.  We, as parents and grandparents, must be flexible not rigid in our thinking.  We tend to get locked into the generation we grew up in. We expect the next generation to learn the same way we did, and to enjoy the same styles we enjoyed.  My grandchildren helped me drive this point home on Sunday morning. As I held my grandchildren, one on each arm, I explained they may not choose to worship the same way I worship.  They may not sing the same hymns that I grew up with and the beat to the music they prefer may not be my favorite. Is that a bad thing?  Absolutely not!  As long as they are worshiping my God, and attending a church where His word is being taught, then I should be eternally thankful.

Be positive and remember that truth is truth and the presentation of this truth will most likely change with each generation.     

Thanks to Brian Hume, our Media Director here at Hebron, I have a new hobby - photography.

Seriously, I’ve had my camera for six years and didn’t have any idea how to use it until I began attending the photography classes offered through Life University on Wednesday nights. I have learned so much about taking pictures of God’s creation.

The classes will be repeated through Life University on Wednesday nights, April 14 – May 12. Maybe you have a camera and would like to learn how to use it, or just want to enjoy building a relationship with other photographers.  I hope you will consider joining us.

Here are a few pictures I took of the grandbabies.

On Sunday we continued our series on marriage looking at the importance of communication.  Effective communication is a huge challenge for couples today.  In James 1: 19 - 20, we are given a very clear formula for healthy communication; everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak and slow to become angry.

It takes two people to sustain a healthy marriage and two people to have healthy communication.  Marriage counselors agree there are certain common characteristics in healthy marriages:
1 - Time together
2 - A spiritual emphasis
3 - Maturity
4 - Humor and play
5 - Intimacy
6 - Commitment
7 - Communication

We must make communication a priority.  In marriage, talking effectively requires an investment of time, interest and commitment.  Get to know your partner, learn how they communicate.  Learn to accept and embrace each other’s differences, which, by the way, is not easy.  Strive to make the first five minutes together positive ones, and remember how important non-verbal communication is.

Every message has 3 parts, 7% is content, 38% is tone and 55% is the non-verbal message.  You can encourage or discourage without ever saying a word.  The most effective body language, however, is touch.  Studies have shown that men and women need 8-10 meaningful touches a day. It was also estimated if some ”Type A” driven people would hug their spouses several times a day, it could increase their life by almost two years.  Wow!

No matter how you look at it, marriage is work, but I can’t think of a more worthwhile cause. 

On Sunday morning, Kevin talked about expectations we have in regards to our marriages. Many of these expectations, good and bad, we bring in to our own marriage as a result of observing other married couples that we were exposed to growing up. 

All marriages face challenges and as Christians we are not exempt from struggles and trials.  In Romans 3: 23 we read “for all have sinned.”  That’s right.  There is no perfect spouse.  Marriage is a work in progress…a commitment that we must work at daily.

It was very clear within the first weeks of marriage, Kevin and his wife, Darla, each brought their own expectations into the relationship.  He grew up in a home where his shirts were ironed for him; therefore, all he needed to do was to let Darla know, "My shirt needs ironing." She, however, grew up in a home where her father did his own ironing, thus her reply was, "Yes.  It does, doesn't it?"  Kevin found out quickly, that he was going to be ironing his own shirts!

One solution to the “expectation let down” is to move the target of expectations from your spouse to yourself.  We need to see our spouse for who God created him or her to be.  Stop comparing your spouse with others, and learn to talk about your expectations.  What do you want your marriage to look like and what are you willing to do to help it move in that direction?

Below is a daily checklist to help you through this process.

• Am I a partner or a competitor?
• Am I helping my spouse connect with God?
• Am I depending on the externals or the eternals?
• Am I working to understand my spouse better?
• Am I sensitive to my spouse's feelings and ideas?
• Am I taking my spouse for granted?
• Am I loving my spouse unconditionally today?
  
  

I believe that today, more than ever, marriages are under attack.  In I Peter 5:8, we are told to, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour,” and it is very evident that he has turned his focus to our families.  Statistics tell us that 50% of all marriage ends in divorce.

On Sunday we kicked-off an 8-week sermon series, The Honeymooners, focusing on this important institution. This series is designed to help you build and maintain a strong, healthy marriage. If you want to really understand how something should work, you should go straight to the designer.  In Matthew 19: 4 - 6, God reminds us of His purpose in creating marriage.  To understand God’s formula for a healthy marriage,  1 + 1 = 1, you have to understand the way God engineered you.  The Bible teaches man is a body, soul, and spirit.  God fused you together perfectly.  He also intended that you and your spouse be soul mates.  In other words, your best friend, other than Christ, should be your soul mate.

A healthy marriage is where two people who are vastly different, learn to be one.  This is not always easy, however spiritual maturity says, “I will always work, and do whatever is necessary, to keep my marriage healthy.”

Over the next 7 weeks we will look at such topics as: expectations in marriage, communication, parenting, finances, rekindling romance, blended families, the legacy of a great marriage and many more.  I am so excited to see how God will be at work, mending broken relationships during this time.

Maybe you have a healthy marriage, but we all know that the marriage relationship takes work.  What can you do to make your good marriage even better?  Join us Sunday as we take a look at expectations in marriage….this should be fun!

What an awesome day we had Sunday.  Despite the weather, we had over 350 first-time visitors and 35 salvations!

As I shared “the greatest story ever told”, the birth of Jesus, we saw that the greatest gift that has ever been given came to us wrapped in a manger.  The manger that we see in nativity scenes today, in reality, is not an accurate depiction of the place Jesus was born. Instead of a stable, the manger was most likely a dug out cave.  The cradle was probably a chiseled out piece of stone that was used to water cattle.

Why did God allow His son to be born in such conditions?  If Jesus had been insulated from the harsh realities of life, he never could have related to us.  There is no human emotion that we have experienced, or ever will experience, that He Himself hasn’t known.

Today, so many people are hurting, and the holidays have a way of escalating that pain. People are searching for hope, a hope that can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ.  God knew from the beginning what our greatest need would be.  Had it been information, He would have sent us an educator; technology, He would have sent a scientist; money, He would have sent us economist; pleasure, He would have sent an entertainer.  But God knew our greatest need was a savior.  He met that need many years ago when He allowed His son to be born in Bethlehem.  This Christmas, my prayer for you is that you will allow Jesus to be a part of your life.  Remember to share “the greatest story ever told” with those who may not know Him.  There is no greater gift! 

I am so excited about this coming Sunday as we invite our friends, family, co-workers and people in our community to come and hear the greatest story ever told.  Over the past weeks, I have invited some folks to join us for this special time, and a couple of them have attended already – some even bringing guests of their own!  There is an excitement in the air as we look forward to all that God has in store for us this week.

I know that lifestyles are hectic, and we are all busy, but this week, let’s all try to be more intentional to invite those who God places in our path.  I personally would like to challenge each of you to make a special effort to invite at least one person to come with you this Sunday as your special guest.  I look forward to God doing incredible things this Sunday. Don't miss it!

On Sunday we wrapped up our study on the 10 Commandments.  The last commandment
“Ye Shall Not Covet”, seemed to be the hardest one for most to overcome.

Coveting is not in saying, "I would like a new house."  It turns to sin when you become consumed by the desire for a new house.  The dictionary defines coveting this way: "To desire earnestly or to lust after."

Today, when we see something we want, we simply find a way to get it no matter the cost.  Many people are finding themselves in major financial strains due to coveting things that someone else has or something they have become obsessed with having.

How can you overcome coveting?  Don't compare yourself, or your lifestyle, with others.  Learn that true joy in life cannot be found in things.

We did a survey at the beginning of this series during the morning services, where we texted the commandment number that we struggled with the most.  This past Sunday in wrapping up the series, we repeated the survey.  Here are the results:

Beginning of series:

Commandment 1 - No other gods - 10%
Commandment 2 - Make no idols - 14%
Commandment 3 - Not using God's name in vain - 11%
Commandment 4 - Keeping the Sabbath holy - 9 %
Commandment 5 - Honoring your parents - 11%
Commandment 6 - Not murdering 1%
Commandment 7 - Not commiting adultery - 3%
Commandment 8 - Not stealing - 1%
Commandment 9 - Not lying - 10%
Commandment 10 - Not coveting - 31%

End of series:

Commandment 1 - No other gods - 7%
Commandment 2 - Make no idols - 7%
Commandment 3 - Not using God's name in vain - 7%
Commandment 4 - Keeping the Sabbath holy - 8%
Commandment 5 - Honoring your parents - 12%
Commandment 6 - Not murdering - 5%
Commandment 7 - Not commiting adultery - 6%
Commandment 8 - Not stealing - 4%
Commandment 9 - Not lying - 11%
Commandment 10 - Not coveting - 35%

It seems that we, as a nation, have a huge problem today with truth.  The Institute of Behavior Motivation has found that 97 out of 100 people tell lies, and they do so about 1000 times a year. In asking, “To whom have you lied”, 86% was to parents, 75% to friends, 73% to siblings and 69% to spouses.  God’s desire is for us to be truthful.  In Exodus 20:16, the ninth commandment tells us “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”  To bear false witness is to give false information about another, or to lie. Satan is the originator and father of lies and when we lie, we are in collusion with satan because all lies originate with him.  There are many reasons people lie.  You can lie for revenge against another, for personal gain, for convenience sake or maybe just to escape something.  The next time you are tempted to lie; stop!  Think before you speak.  Practice telling the truth in small things, and the more you speak the truth, the easier it is to be truthful in all areas of your life.

This Sunday, November 15, I will wrap up the sermon series surrounding the Ten Commandments.  When we began this series, we did a survey, via telephone texting, during each morning worship service.  We posed the question, “Which commandment do you struggle with most”?  As we have taken a more in depth look at each commandment over the past nine weeks, I would like to repeat the survey – so remember those cell phones on Sunday!

As I prepared for yesterday's message on #7 of the Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt not commit adultery," I was struck by how culturally accepting many are of adulterous relationships. Daily, we are bombarded with advertisements and television shows that exhibit this as normal behavior to the point we have become desensitized to that which God calls sin.

In order to avoid this in one's life, you must first realize your vulnerability. The greatest danger is to say, "It can't happen to me." We are all vulnerable due to the very human, sinful nature of our heart. Jeremiah 17: 9 states, "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?" When you disregard high risk areas in your life, you are setting yourself up to fail. Only you know the areas in which you struggle. James 1: 14 - 15 states, "But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it give birth to sin; and sin when it is full grown, brings forth death."

Remember, it is never a good idea to confide in a friend or co-worker of the opposite sex when you are having relational problems with your spouse. Issues which are intimate in nature should always be shared with a friend of the same gender, someone who you can trust to be truthful and objective.

If you are one that has failed in this area, get honest. Confess and come clean.
Psalm 51: 2 - 3 states, "Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin." Seek help and constantly be on guard. This is not a sin you will be able to conquer on your own.

You may ask, "How do I avoid committing this sin?" Look beyond the pleasurable feelings of the moment and set boundaries that will keep you from finding yourself in a compromising situation. And if you do, at some point, find youself in this situation, follow God's advice - run!

Armed and Dangerous! Sounds like the headline from a modern day movie, doesn't it? Actually the title seemed very fitting as we looked at number six of the Ten Commandments, "You shall not kill." The word for kill in this verse means taking the life of another person. This type of wrongful killing is usually defined as murder. Today there is a very culturally acceptable violation of this commandment, termed "abortion", which by definition means, "any of various surgical methods for terminating a pregnancy." Many believe this to be a viable option. Jesus taught that murder is more than the physical taking of a person's life, it can be done verbally as seen in Matthew 5: 21 - 22. We also see in Leviticus 19: 16 that slander is also a form of murder. Slanderers kill friendships, disrupt a community and harm the work of God.
Titus 3: 10 - 11 tells us to "Reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition, knowing that such a person is warped and sinning, being self-condemed." If you find yourself in any of these categories, take heart, there is good news. You can come clean before God and "let old things pass away and all things become new!"

For those of you who may be dealing with the guilt associated with abortion, Hebron is beginning a post abortion support group, "Forgiven and Set Free." For more information, contact us @ worthyofforgiveness @gmail.com or call 770.277.6030.

Yesterday morning, I preached a message focusing on how to pray for unsaved friends or family members, using Romans 10:1 as a scripture reference.  The main points of my sermon were:  

1. You must pray with urgency.

Paul tells us in Romans 10:1 that his desire and prayer to God is that Israel may be saved.

2. Pray with a clean heart.

James tells us in James 5:16 that "the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much". We also need to confess our sin as unconfessed sin will hinder our prayer life.

3. Pray specifically.

We need to pray for receptive hearts, open eyes, and rescue.

4. Pray with confidence.

I Timothy 2:4 says that "God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of truth".
God is capable of softening the most hardened heart.

5. Pray obediently.

Luke 10:2 says "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

We all have people in our lives, whether they are acquaintances, friends, or family members who need Christ. Let's be faithful in praying for these individuals.  Ask the Lord to show you ways in which you can build a relationship with these people, thus giving you the opportunity to share how they too can have a personal relationship with Him.

It was so great to be back with all of you yesterday after a great time of vacationing with my family, camping, and scuba diving.

I mentioned in my sermon that I would post the 10 Commandments for Knowing the Will of God. I've listed them below. The scripture reference was Proverbs 3: 1 - 6.

1. Accept the fact God has a plan for your life.

2. Search for His will in His word.

3. Avoid taking Bible verses out of context.

4. Say "I will" to God.

5. Be willing to accept God's will before you know God's will.

6. Accept each day as a new day.

7. Avoid the micro-management syndrome.

8. Don't confuse our preferences with His will.

9. Relax in God's will.

10. Do God's will once you know it.

If you would like to hear the message, you can go to our Media page on the website and click on "Video on Demand". Click on yesterday's sermon title and you can hear the service again.

Hey Guys,

I just wanted to give you an exciting update from our group in Memphis. A team of approximately 90 folks are working in Memphis this week on mission tour. Yesterday 28 people gave their lives to Christ!  What an awesome update and I encourage you to pray for our students and their leaders that God would continue to bless them and their work.  Also pray specifically for them, as we have seen over the years, that God will use this trip to change their lives. Many folks active in our church today share testimonies of how God used mission tour as a major influence in their walk with Christ.

Friday, May 28, 2009

Memorial Day weekend was very special for our church.  On Sunday Stan and Lynn Johnson gave the moving testimony of their son Stephen who as a United States Marine made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation on the battle fields of Iraq.  We must never forget the bravery and sacrifice of our young men and women, like Stephen, make it possible for us to worship in freedom every Sunday.  John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  As we remember our men and women in uniform we must also remember Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind. 

The parade on Monday was awesome.  Our team of volunteers gave out over 1000 hot dogs before the parade began.  It was incredible to see the huge turnout to honor our nation and our soldiers.

Next Monday our high school mission tour leaves for Memphis, Tennessee.  They will work in homeless shelters, with local churches doing neighborhood Block Parties, and community surveys.  Please pray God will use these students in a powerful way.

Saturday, April 4, 2009 4:00 PM

Thank you all! From the Acres and Wynn family, we really are excited and thank you all for your constant blessings and prayers!
Just to let you know, Ryleigh is with her mother (and every other family member with a pair of arms) while Avery is still in care. The doctors say he will be just fine as soon as he is ready to breathe for himself.

From Larry and Ethel Wynn
Phil. 3:12-14

Today Amanda and Rando Acres became the proud parents of Ryleigh and Avery Acres.

Mom, Dad and babies are doing well. Grandma and Grandpa - well they are a mess.

update 9 PM

I. Lion Chasers are just ordinary people.

II. Lion Chasers capitalize on past experiences.

• God is strategically placing us in the right place at the right time to get us where He wants us to go.
• Your 400 lb problem maybe God’s 400 lb opportunity
• Our greatest opportunities often come in form of our Scariest Lions

III. Lion Chasers are not stopped by the Fear of Failure

• It is better to attempt great things and fail than to attempt nothing and succeed

During the sermon yesterday, I said that I would post the twelve common ingredients found in every strong relationship. They are:

1. Supportive, honest communication.
2. Significant amount of time spent together.
3. Shared religious faith and practice.
4. Agreement on key values.
5. Consideration and mutual appreciation.
6. Common interests, goals, and purpose.
7. The ability to positively negotiate solutions to crisis.
8. A commitment to a deepening relationship.
9. Parental cooperation in dealing with children.
10. Healthy physical intimacy.
11. A willingness to sacrifice personal interests and resources for the good of the relationship.
12. Behaviors that earn trust including sexual fidelity, financial integrity, and truthfulness

Below are the seven rules for spiritual growth that I mentioned during the sermon yesterday:

Seven Rules for Spiritual Growth

1. Daily Food: Take in the pure milk of the word through study and meditation.
2. Fresh Air: Pray often. Prayer is the oxygen of the soul.
3. Regular Exercise: Put into practice what you learn in God's Word
4. Adequate Rest: Rely on God at all times in simple faith.
5. Clean Surroundings: Avoid whatever will weaken you spiritually.
6. Loving Care: Be part of a church where you will benefit from teaching and fellowship.
7. Periodic Checkups: Regularly examine your spiritual health.

“Baby, it’s cold outside!”  As I look out the window in my office I notice the temperature is up to a whopping 27 degrees!  Oh, to be in the Florida Keys!  Wouldn’t that be wonderful right now?  This new year has brought some colder than average temperatures.  I thought we were suffering from “Global Warming.”  By the way, that is a topic I will deal with in a Sunday night series on “Hot topics with which Christians deal today.”  I’ll let you know when that series is beginning. 

I hope you are having a good start to the new year.  I know there is a lot of pain and fear associated with the economy right now.   We are all feeling the pressure of it.   The good news is, God is still in control, and we can trust Him.  We need, more than ever, to pray for one another and be an encouragement to one another. 

We have a new President.  Many of you, as I did, watched parts of the inauguration ceremonies yesterday.  I was reminded of my responsibility to pray for President Obama and his family as they lead our nation.  1 Timothy 2:1 says, “I urge, then, first of all, that requests, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for everyone–for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”  The most powerful tool available to our nation is prayer.  When we pray we get what God can do.

I am praying for you this year.  It is my hope we will find ways to touch many people who need a relationship with God.  There are so many around us who do not know Him.  I am asking you to join with me in prayer, seeking God’s guidance for ways to impact the 60%-70% of the people in this area who are totally unchurched.  “The fields are definitely ripe for harvest.”

Ethel and I want to wish each of you a very, merry Christmas. This is a special time of the year. I was listening to a song by Faith Hill this week that captures the true meaning of Christmas. The song is "A Baby Changes Everything." It starts out with a description of Mary's dilemma when she learned she would be the mother of the Messiah. It then points to the shepherds and the angels. The words that say it all are these: "My whole life has turned around. I was lost, but now I'm found. A baby changes everything, yeah, a baby changes everything."

We hope this Christmas brings you great blessing and peace through Christ our Lord. We love you and are very honored to serve our Savior with you.

Last Thursday, we had the awesome privilege of seeing our yet to be born grandchildren. I am telling you, seeing these 3-D pictures reminded me why I am committed to a strong pro-life position. As I watched them move and suck their thumbs and wave at granddaddy I was overcome with emotion. Ok, maybe I exaggerated about the waving at granddaddy part; it may have just been a wink! These are little people developing within their mom! God is so awesome! Only He can give life like that! By the way, did I tell you, it is one boy and "probably" one girl? I got into trouble with the family, because I determined scientifically it must be, without a doubt, a girl. One picture looked as if she was whispering in her brother's ear! She was talking; it must be a girl! Just kidding!

Many of you know by now Ethel and I are going to be grandparents of twins. We go tonight to see a 3-D image of the babies. From what I am told we will be in a theater style room, and will be able to see a multiple dimensional view of the babies. How cool is that? I wonder if I get popcorn! Ethel and Amanda didn’t laugh when I said that!

I am told we may know tonight if she is having two boys, two girls, or one of each. I will be sure to let you know when I know, and I am given the go ahead to tell it! I am good at keeping secrets. Confidentiality is very important to me, but there are limits. This is probably the limit.

This Sunday kicks off the “Splash” study in adult Sunday School.  Student, children, and young singles groups will be doing this same study at various times in the week.  Why am I so excited about Splash?  It deals with Biblical material surrounding the thing Jesus talked about more than anything else in the Gospels.  It focuses on the model Jesus has given us for loving the people He created and died for on the Cross.  It has been incredible to see what God has done in the hearts and lives of our staff as we have been doing this same study on Wednesday mornings.  I promise if each of us will be serious about this study and allow God to immerse us in it, we will never look at people the same way again!  I am so honored to be part of a church whose mission is “Connecting People to Jesus Christ and His Lifestyle.”

Everybody loves good news.  As most of you know by now, we received some very good news recently.  We learned we are going to be grandparents.  We have been telling everybody we know, and many folks we don’t know about this event that will take place sometime in April.  There is not hesitation, when the moment presents itself, to share this news.  There are even times when we create the opportunity to talk about our coming grandchild!

I was thinking about this the other day, and I realized I have more great news to share with people.  That is the hope that Christ brings to the world.  While reading the book, Splash, by Ken and Paula Hemphill I ran across this statement, “Jesus had both the ability and the compassion to see a person for who they are and who they can become.”  That is my desire.  I want to have the compassion of Jesus and the ability to share Him as naturally as I talk about other good news!  Not forced or canned, but as normal as talking about a soon to be born grandchild.  That is my prayer for myself this fall.

Labor Day weekend. The last holiday of the summer. I hope you are planning something with your family. There will be no church on Sunday evening, so your worship assignment is to use this opportunity to spend some quality time with your family. Our plans are to do a birthday dinner for Rando, Dana and Adam whose birthdays all fall a few weeks apart. I am really looking forward to this time. On Monday morning I will probably do a bike ride, so I can work off the dinner from the night before. I hope you have an awesome weekend as well.

The final week of vacation.  This week four guys from the church are doing a dive trip.  We are driving to Miami to dive for four days.  I can’t wait to get into the water again.  I know the fish life will be plentiful and the coral beautiful.  Diving is so peaceful, and as I wrote in a recent newspaper article, reveals the variety of God’s creation in so many ways.  What do we anticipate seeing?  Angel fish, sting rays, maybe a Manta Ray, barracuda, lobster,  hopefully a green moray eel or two, and if we are really lucky at least one shark.   I will let you know in a future article what we actually saw.  It won’t be long before I will be back in the pulpit.  Thank you again, church family, for encouraging us to take this time each summer.  You are the most wonderful people in the world.  I love you, and I look forward to seeing you soon.  Let’s go diving.  Hey, was that Jaw’s music I am hearing?

The second week of our vacation we are spending with the entire family.  Amanda, Rando, Dana, Adam, and my mom and dad are all here.  We are celebrating my parent’s 60th anniversary.  We are looking forward to this time together as we did our “couple” time last week.  We are somewhere on the other side of the Caribbean.   Same blue ocean, different ports!  This week will be adventuresome.  Adam wants to do a zip line through the jungle.  That should be interesting!  Can you say, “watch out for that tree!”  The girls want to sit around the pool deck!  No surprise there!  Rando will read and relax, and Ethel will enjoy one more week of her short vacation from school.  Mom and dad will enjoy touring the ship.  Boy, they stay up later than I normally do!  I can’t hang with them.  What are you doing, you ask?  I am looking for one more meal to eat!  You’ll find me in the Windjammer.  That’s where the food is to be found. 

This week Ethel and I are on the first week of our vacation.  We are somewhere in the Caribbean on a cruise ship.  Thank you, church family, so much for giving us this time away.  We are really enjoying spending time together.  We both love our ministries and do not regret any of the time given to them, but we do enjoy our time together when we have the opportunity.  We know that for ministry to be strong, our marriage must be even stronger.  I have been blessed with a wonderful wife of 35 plus years.  (I can’t help it we got married when we were 7 and 8 years old!  Just kidding!)  She has been the perfect pastor’s wife.  When we are together alone we feel like we just got married!  So actually we are on our 35th honeymoon trip!  See you when we get home.  Bon Voyage!

Happy Independence Day.  I hope your family enjoys the July 4th weekend.  This is a very important day.  I am very grateful God led courageous men and women to establish a nation based on the presence and power of God.  I know we are not perfect, and we have a lot of challenges before us, but we also have many freedoms we must not take for granted  We must be careful to give thanks for our freedom to the God who has protected us and provided for us.  Whatever way you choose to celebrate, take a moment and thank God for this wonderful country.  Ask Him to give us the wisdom to protect the freedoms we enjoy.  Have a wonderful day.

This week it has been a full moon.  The moon has been so bright it has felt like day light even in the middle of the night.  Early this morning the mocking birds were singing, and the air was crisp and cool.  As I drove to meet the men for our Thursday morning prayer group I was reminded that you don’t have to look far to see evidence of God.  His handiwork is seen in so many aspects of nature.

 It was Jim Irwin, the eighth man to walk on the moon, who said, “I could feel God’s presence on the moon in so many ways.”  This is far different from the Russian Cosmonauts who reportedly said after their early travel into space, “We saw no sign of a creator God, no evidence of creation.” 

It should not surprise us that nature reveals the presence of God.  In the New Testament it reads, “From the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what He has made.”   Remember God created the heavens and the earth to point to Himself.  The next time you see a beautiful flower or a stunning sunset let it remind you to personally worship the God of creation and to give your allegiance to Him.

Here's the outline for lesson 12. Here's the outline for lesson 13.

Last week was an incredible week at Hebron. I cannot thank enough all who worked so hard to make Vacation Bible Camp a huge success. Over 2700 children and adults made this one of the greatest week's ever experienced at Hebron. Over 600 volunteers poured their lives into the children who attended VBC. This was truly the Church being the church.

Sunday, 45 adults attended the seminar on "Parenting Elementary Children". Next Sunday morning the study will be "Parenting Middle Schoolers". This seminar will be held Sunday, June 22 , 9:30 a.m. in MC4.

Thank you, Hebron for caring so much for parents and their children. This one of the things that makes you so special.

I hope each of you had a great Memorial Day weekend. Monday was a great day as our city honored the  men and women in military  service with an awesome parade. Many from the Hebron family participated in the parade or provided flags, snow cones, hot dogs and soft drinks to those who attended. I was proud to be part of this great country, our wonderful city and awesome church  as I stood with the hundreds who applauded every time men and women from the various branches of our military passed by. The tribute given to our men and women in uniform was incredible and well deserved. At the same time we remembered those who made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. We could be here on Monday., saluting the flag, and honoring our troops because of their sacrifice. May we never forget or take for granted the price they paid.

This weekend we give honor to all those who have given their lives in service to our country.  These brave men and women made the ultimate sacrifice to defend the freedoms we enjoy and sometimes take for granted.  Let us not forget to honor the memories of these heroes, and let us not forget to express thankfulness for the freedom we have in this great nation.

As many of you know I love cycling (the pedal kind). Recently we have had some new staff members who have joined our Tuesday night group ride. The newest folks who are now working to be the next Lance Armstrong’s are: Matthew Butler, Rick Milner, and Brian Hume. These guys are doing great, and we are having lots of fun spending this time together. If you would like to get into shape, lose a few pounds, or just enjoy the great outdoors come on Tuesday evenings, and join the group. We have all levels riding, from the very fast to the rookies! We meet in the parking lot behind the cemetery and leave promptly at 6:30 P.M. Brian says the cemetery is an appropriate place to begin! The route is from 14 miles to 27 miles long (your choice). No one is left behind!

If you are goal oriented, you will love this challenge. Matthew Butler has stated he wants to do a century (100 mile ride) by his 40th birthday. That’s a little over a year away. I know he will do it.

We are in a 5 week series focusing on “Defining Moments” in our lives.  Snapshots from the life of David, who is the most popular Old Testament character, form the basis for this study.  The first week we talked about “The Greatest Defining Moment.”  That is when we step across the line of faith and experience grace through Christ.  This past week was graduation Sunday.  We recognized more than 75 high school and college graduates in the two morning services.  Our study focused on “a life based on commitment rather than convenience.”  This Sunday is Mother’s Day.  Our study from the life of David will center on David’s appointment as King.  A real defining moment is when we discover “what really matters to God.”   Man looks at the outward things, but God looks at the heart.  An understanding of this truth is a great stress reducer.  I hope you will be here to celebrate the tremendous value of our moms and to participate in the next lesson in this series.  I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

Last week Ethel and I had the privilege of attending the “Mega-Metro” conference in Orlando, Florida.  The conference is held for Southern Baptist Churches, our size, from across the country.  This is the first year Ethel has been able to attend due to school obligations.  She really enjoyed the pastor’s wives sessions as well as the banquet speakers in the evening.  We heard Al Weiss,  President of World-wide Operations for Disney, and Pat Williams, founder of the Orlando Magic, speak.  Both men are very committed Christ followers and dynamic communicators. 

During one of the Pastor’s sessions some facts were given that I believe every parent needs to receive.  The discussion centered around students and the reasons so many drop out of church.  The three factors that most influence students to stay in church, as stated by students themselves, are as follows: (1) Parents discuss spiritual matters with me.  (2) Parents give me spiritual guidance.  (3) Parents pray regularly with me.

Parents this is from teenagers themselves.  Don’t think your students don’t want or need your spiritual guidance. They do.

Recently I wrote about the importance of Scripture reading and prayer to spiritual growth and victorious living. I shared with you some thoughts on a systematic approach to devotional reading. Today, I want to talk with you about the prayer aspect of your time with God. Many Believers, including myself, have found that a structured approach to prayer is very helpful when spending time with God. I have, for years, approached my devotional time using the acrostic "ACTS."

Each letter represents a very important aspect of one's prayer life.

• "A" represents adoration. Spend some time adoring and praising God for some aspect of His nature. For instance spend some time telling God how much you adore His "goodness." How has he demonstrated this goodness to you?
• "C" represents confession. 1John 1:9 teaches us the importance of regular confession of sin. List sins individually. Apply the blood of Christ to each sin as you confess it.
• "T" represents thanksgiving. List people and things for which you are thankful. Don't forget to express gratitude for things like forgiveness, life, salvation, etc.
• "S" represents supplication. This is where you pray for others and yourself. The Bible teaches us to pray for others and to bring our personal needs before Him as well. Don't forget to ask God to open doors for you to talk about Him with the people you care about.

I hope this helps you as you spend devotional time with God. It is through prayer and Scripture study that we become more fully devoted followers of Christ.

Here's the outline for our Sunday night Spiritual Treasure series on the Names of God,
Lesson 8

This past Sunday we explored why an hour a week with God is not enough. I talked about the need for personal time with God. If you and I are to face the tremendous challenges that come with each day we must have strength and wisdom beyond that which we possess as humans. Scripture reading and prayer are essentials to spiritual growth and victorious living. There are many ways to approach a devotional study of Scripture. You can choose a book and read several verses each day, or you can choose a theme (ie, love, forgiveness, etc.), or you a plan to read through the Bible in a year. Whatever plan you choose you need to ask a couple questions. What was the author saying in these verses? How does this passage apply to my life today?

There are many good devotional books and on-line devotionals available as well. The following is a list of resources I gathered from Hebron family members. This list is certainly not exhaustive. One that fits one individual's needs may or may not fit yours. Ask the Lord to guide you to the study that will most help you today.

Books:
Most of These books can now be purchased at Hebron's Oasis Bookstore.