Don't Worry. God is able. Trust HIm. You can.

Okay.  How are you doing with the new old back to school routine?  Hopefully everyone is adjusting well, getting up a little earlier, being better organized, and looking forward to the weekend.  With all the “busyness” in our lives, may we always put God first in our thinking, speech, and in our decisions.  Jesus spoke about such things in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6:33:  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things (food, clothing, shelter, and our daily needs) shall be added to you.”

It was a great joy this past Sunday (16^th) to meet a new member at Watterson Trail, Brother Harold Long of J’Town.  Brother Long came before God and the church to rededicate his life to Christ and begin again to work and worship with His church.  We are so very happy to have him with us at Watterson Trail.

Our Sunday morning lesson series “More Than Conquerors” continues this week (23^rd).  We are asking ourselves three very important questions: Who am I?  Who am I trying to please? and Where am I going?  Jesus knew who He was.  When I know who I am; a Christian and a child of God, people, circumstances, and things cannot change me into someone else.  This week we will focus on the second question: Who am I trying to please?  Jesus knew who to please; His Father, always His Father, God.  When I don’t know who to please, I fall prey to three negatives:  criticism, competition, and conflict.  When I aim to please God, people may like me or not, circumstances may be positive or negative, and life may get tough, but these things cannot move me from pleasing the heavenly Father.  On Sunday afternoon we are looking at God’s ability to help us every day.  He is strong.  He is Master of everything.  He is our Father.  He is able.

Our Summer Series “The Christian’s Confidence” has been a great success this year and comes to a close this Tuesday evening (25^th) at 7:00 p.m. with our final preacher, Brother Dean Beard preaching on the subject “Christ is.”  Christ is revealed, verified, declared, believed, known, followed, loved, obeyed, honored, imitated, and exalted.  He is eternal.  He IS.  It is my hope and prayer that we have all increased in our faith and confidence in Christ Jesus through this series of lessons.

We are currently in the process of appointing additional elders and additional deacons to serve Christ and His church at Watterson Trail.  Our elders are carefully and prayerfully considering our recommendations and will soon announce a list of those men of the congregation who are qualified and ready to serve.  Please be in prayer for our elders, for those who will be announced, and for the church as a whole that we will continue in faith and unity as we endeavor to further the gospel of Christ in Jeffersontown and in the surrounding community.  May God bless us.

Growing in Gladness on Sunday...

David was a man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22).  He wrote, “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord’” (Psalm 122:1).  What about you and me?  Do you enjoy meeting with your fellow Christians for Bible study, worship, and fellowship?  What about Sunday afternoon and Wednesday evening?  What about other events and activities when we meet?

Many Christians just “go to church.”  They find no real joy and meaning in meeting with their fellow Christian brothers and sisters.  Others start out well enough, but quit before long.  Some people won’t even try.

God expects His children to come together.  Do we not realized just how blessed we are?  Are we not encouraged and challenged when we gather together?  What can we do to help ourselves and others to find joy and meaning through worship?

When you read Hebrews 10:23-25 in the Bible you find that; 1) God commands that His church meet regularly,  2) Meeting together keeps us spiritually healthy, 3) Meeting together keeps us strong and encouraged, 4) Every church meeting has its purpose: encouragement and the strengthening of our faith, and 5) We honor God when we meet together.

So how can we learn to enjoy our assembling together and reap the wonderful benefits of Bible study, worship, and fellowship?  I’ll share a few of suggestions that I hope will help us all.  First, we must PREPARE FOR WORSHIP.  Sunday mornings can be rushed and stressful or planned and peaceful.  When we prepare for the day ahead, we find that the Lord’s Day can be a blessing to us and to God.  I remember my mother preparing our family for worship.  Our preparation began on Saturday evening before bedtime.  She came into our room and had us lay out the clothes we were going to wear to church the next day.  She had us place our personal Bibles next to our clothes.  On Sunday morning she allowed us to sleep in later than usual.  This allowed her time to prepare a light breakfast for our family and ready herself for worship in peace before 3 boys and an older sister…well let’s say, made life a little more complicated.  Children need breakfast in order to learn and grow.  I remember my mom, dressed already and my dad sitting in his chair reading as I walked into the kitchen to eat breakfast on Sunday morning.  After breakfast we would get dressed and after a motherly inspection leave the house for Bible class and worship.  Cindi and I chose to follow a similar Sunday morning pattern for our family.  I have found that my children, now grown are following a similar pattern for their family.

How about you and your family?  Create your own pattern of preparation and see if your Sunday mornings can be a wonderful experience for your family.

Now that we have considered preparation as a key to a better worship experience, what else can we do?  We should BE MINDFUL OF OTHERS who are present with us in the assembly.  We are not alone.  When someone arrives late or leaves early (especially during the hymn of invitation) or when someone fails to silence their phone, these distractions often hinder worship.  Of course, there are times when arriving late or leaving early is our only option.  And certainly forgetting to silence our phones before worship is just a sign of being a human being.  However, these distractions should be the exception and not the rule for us.  Jesus taught every Christian to love one another as He loves (John 13:34-15).  And so we understand when a fellow brother or sister in Christ shows their humanity.  And when we show our humanity, we hope that our fellow Christians understand us.  Decide now that you will do everything within your power to arrive early for worship and stay until the final “amen” is said, that you will even stay a few minutes longer to meet and greet your Christian brethren and our guests.  Decide that you will make it a habit to silence your phone long before the service begins.  Let’s not be in such of a hurry in worship and fellowship.  Let’s relax, breathe slowly and deeply, and take the time that is needed for God’s rich blessings to flow over us, around us, through us, and from us.  Try something different this Sunday.  Prepare.  Consider others.  Slow down.  Stop and smell the roses.  See how it goes.

More suggestions to follow…

 

All is well in my old Kentucky home...

Hello from beautiful Louisville, Kentucky and your friend Mickey Burleson and the Watterson Trail Church of Christ.  We’re having a wonderful summer, busy as always showing and sharing the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ.  God is blessing us.  We’re thankful.

Our Tuesday Summer Series is going very well.  Brother Luke Ashby came over from the New Harmony congregation last night (16^th) to share a sermon on “Christ is Declared” as we celebrate “The Christian’s Confidence” and a study of the book of First John.  Think about all that John the Beloved felt, heard, and saw as Jesus walked on the earth.  John was there, right there when Jesus stilled the storm, right there when Lazarus came out of the tomb still clothed in his grave clothes, right there when Bartimaeus called out for mercy and received his sight, right there when Jesus spoke with Moses and Elijah, right there when Jesus was tortured and murdered, right there when Jesus asked him to take care of His mother, right there when Jesus arose and showed His wounds, right there.  Then John writes about it and so much more in his letters in the Bible.  He says in First John 1:3-4; “that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.  And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”  One of these days, maybe soon, maybe later we’ll feel, hear, and see that what John wrote is indeed true.  Now I know through faith.  Then, faith will not be required.  And what a day that will be!

This Sunday (21^st) my sermon will be taken from only one verse, Romans 15:4.  Paul teaches us about the strong (fathers) and the weak (children).  He says that the strong should take care of the weak.  Jesus did.  God gave us His word, the Bible to help us live the way we should.  Fathers are to be teachers.  We should be patient, comforting, and hopeful.  I want to be like Jesus.  Do you?

On Sunday afternoon at 1:30 I’ll be preaching the first of four lessons from Peter, Andrew, James, and John, one lesson from each of these fishermen.  If you would like to read ahead, read Acts 3:1-10.  Peter and John were walking to the temple to pray.  They spotted a lame man who was over 40 years old sitting at the beautiful gate asking for help.  He was born that way.  Peter stopped and said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have, I give you…”  Peter spoke in the name of Jesus and the lame man arose and walked.  What a sight!  What a different world we would live in if each of us would simple make it our aim to do what we can with what we have.  Too many of us dream about and talk about what we could, or would, or should do if only we had this or that.  But what are we doing with what we have? 

God is excellent.  Trust Him and obey Him.  His way is the best way and the only way to real and lasting happiness.

Summer Series at Watterson Trail begins tonight...

It’s June.  Summer is upon us and with it we welcome our Tuesday Summer Series at Watterson Trail.  Every Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. in June, July, and August we welcome 13 gospel preachers from the area who will preach to help us learn more about the confidence every Christian enjoys in Jesus Christ.  We are studying through the book of First John.  This evening (June 2^nd) Brother Alvin White from just across the bridge in Jeffersonville, Indiana will kick off our summer series in a dynamic fashion.  Then next Tuesday (June 9^th) we will welcome Brother Drew Custer from the Okolona congregation.  He will be speaking on the topic; “Christ is Verified.” I hope you will be present for every summer series session.  Our children, preteens, and teens will have classes designed especially for them.  Young adults and older adults will be meeting in the main auditorium for our special summer series.  I know that this series of lessons from God’s word will be a blessing to everyone.

God is blessing us here at Watterson Trail.  We are in the process of selecting additional elders and deacons to serve the congregation and our community.  I am in the midst of preaching lessons aimed at helping us to know the heart, mind, life, and legacy of a servant of God.  Our next series will help us understand the qualifications God has set in place for every elder and deacon.  You can find these qualifications in Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus.  Please pray for us as we endeavor to build on the foundation of Jesus Christ our Lord.  A larger foundation supports and larger congregation.

Words I will not say:

1.       “Can’t” – Philippians 4:13

2.       “Never” – Mark 9:23

3.       “Quit” – Galatians 6:9

4.       “Depressed” – 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

5.       “Hate” – Romans 5:5

6.       “Doubt” – Romans 10:17

7.       “Broken” – Acts 27

How about you?  Don’t say “I can’t” because you can through Christ who strengthens you.  Don’t say “I can never make it” because if you believe, all things are possible to him who believes.  Don’t say “I quit” because only those who refuse to quit will receive the good from their labors.  Don’t let depression master your life because though we are hard-pressed on every side, we are not crushed.  Though we are perplexed, we are not in despair.  Though we are persecuted, we are not forsaken.  Though we are struck down, we are not destroyed.  God will provide.  Don’t hate.  God’s love is everywhere, poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.  Don’t doubt.  Get into God’s word, the Bible.  Faith comes through reading, hearing, and meditating on His word.  Life may try to break us.  When you read about the shipwreck in Acts 27, note that Paul and the others who suffered through the storm used the broken pieces to make it to safety.

May God bless us to trust Him and obey Him.  I will.  Will you?

Where would we be without our mothers? Well...

Happy Mother’s Day this Sunday!  Our mom’s teach us many things.  I’ll name a few.  Maybe you can remember a few lessons you learned from your mother too.

Moms teach the meaning of anticipation - Just wait until your daddy gets home.

She teaches us the lesson of giving and receiving – “You’re going to get it when we get home.”

She teaches logic – “If you fall and break your neck, you’re not going with me to the store.”

We learn medical science – “If you keep crossing your eyes they’re going to freeze that way.”

She teaches us to pray – “You had better pray that this comes out of the carpet.”

She teaches us humor – “When the lawn mower cuts off your foot, don’t come running to me.”

She teaches about adulthood – “If you don’t eat your vegetables, you won’t grow up.

She teaches genetics – “You’re just like your father.”

She reminds us of our roots – “Do you think you were born in a barn?”

She teaches us the wisdom of the ages – “When you get to be my age, you’ll understand.”

Did you mother ever say, “Wash your hands young man?”  Now this request is more complicated to a boy than you might think.  Even if we said we did, there was usually an “inspection” and a “do-over.”  Mothers require the entire hand to be clean and not just the palms.  As I recall, my mom later had me return to the wash room to learn a lesson about drying “clean” hands on the freshly washed towel rather than “dirty” hands.  She also stated that actually using soap made the entire process of hand-washing easier and better.

I remember my mom saying, “Think before you speak.  Once a word has been spoken, though you might apologize over and over again, you can never take it back.”  Oh, how true this is!  How difficult this is to accomplish even today.  Have you ever gotten thinking first and speaking second out of order?  So have I.  And afterwards though we might say, “I am so sorry” we find that the word spoken ahead of thought echoes still.  We can do better.  I can do better.  I will do better.

I remember my mom saying, “Son, guard your emotions.”  These words she often spoke to me as I walked out the door on my way to pick up my date for the evening.  Isn’t it amazing how a mother knows exactly what to say at just the right time?  Her words echoed in my head for the rest of the evening.  They still do.  I’m glad. 

This Sunday (Mother's Day - 13th) we will focus on Jesus and His mother.  Jesus’ mother is not to be worshipped.  Some people do.  They shouldn't.  Our worship is reserved only for God.  We can learn from Jesus’ mother about how to love our children.  At the afternoon hour (1:30) we will take a look at just how much Jesus loved His mother.