Who's your shepherd? I have chosen Jesus Christ!

Hello from J’town, Kentucky, your friend, Mickey Burleson, and the Watterson Trail Church of Christ.  I’m glad you’re checking out “Proclaiming His Praises.”  I am so very happy to share my thoughts about life and living with you.  I pray that you will come to believe in Jesus Christ.  And you will when you decide to open the Bible and your mind and heart to God’s direction for you.  Regardless of your Bible knowledge, you probably can quote at least part of Psalm 23.  “The Lord is my Shepherd.  I shall not want.”  You may need to look into the Bible to be remind yourself of just what this psalm says.  Psalm 23 is written in beautiful literary language.  It is actually a song that we sing. 

Ever see cattle lying down in the field?  They are full, at peace, and secure.  Ever walked beside still waters?  Can you remember how peaceful you felt as you looked out over the water, maybe a lake or a place in the river?  Maybe you stopped, looked out over the water, and took a deep, deep breath, then sighed and smiled.  Ever felt down and out? Maybe disappointed or depressed?  When the Lord is my Shepherd, He promises to restore my soul.  Of course, I must follow Him to restoration. 

How about those “paths of righteousness”?  We all have walked in the paths of sin.  Know that God did not lead us down those paths.  We walked down those paths under the direction of one who only seeks to kill, steal, and destroy, the enemy, the thief (John 10:9-10).  Sin always takes us farther than we ever wanted to go.  Sin always costs us more than we ever wanted to spend.  Sin always keeps us longer than we ever wanted to stay.  When we are ready to let go of sin, sin is never ready to let go of us.  When we look at sin, we may see fun or pleasure or excitement or an attempt to prove to someone else that we are in control.  When God looks at sin, He sees His One and Only Son, dying on the cross.  When I decide to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, He promises to lead me in the paths of righteousness.  He came to give us an abundant life, a good life, real life, a righteous life. 

When someone we know dies, maybe a member of our family or a friend, fear and confusion can invade our thinking, but when the Lord is the Shepherd of our lives, He is with us and so we have peace and comfort in the fact that the Lord knows, cares, and provides for us all. 

The Shepherd, the Lord has a rod and a staff.  A shepherd uses his rod and staff to correct and discipline his flock and as a weapon of protection to drive away any predator who would want to attack the flock.  We do not look at the Lord’s rod and staff in fear.  We actually find comfort in our Shepherd’s rod and staff.  There is nothing to fear as we follow our Shepherd, the Lord. 

Do you have enemies?  Everyone does, whether we know it or not.  When Jesus walked the earth He certainly had enemies.  As we follow the Lord, our Shepherd He promises provision even in the presence of any enemy. 

Back in Bible times, having your head anointed was a good thing.  Having your head anointed with oil meant that you were chosen, special, accepted.  The Lord our Shepherd anoints our head with oil.  He chooses us.  We are special.  We are accepted by the Shepherd.  

Ever felt like or said, “Life just can’t get any better than this”?  These moments in life are reminders of the cup of blessing or happiness that every Christian has been given.  It is true that sometimes we feel down and out, like our cup has been drained down even to emptiness.  Sin certainly does this to us.  Just living life sometimes drains us of our happiness.  Sometimes we feel like the cup is empty even when it isn’t.  When we follow the Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ He promises that our cups will run over. 

What will like be like under the leadership and care of the Lord, our Shepherd?  Goodness and mercy is ours every day we live.  When we die, we have a home prepared for us in heaven, forever.  Amen.

Who is your shepherd?  Who are you following?  I have chosen Jesus Christ as my Lord, my Savior, my Friend, my Advocate, my Helper, my Shepherd.  You can too.  The Watterson Trail Church of Christ is entirely and completely focused on the Shepherd.

SNOW! Mickey Burleson, welcome to Kentucky!

Welcome to Louisville, Kentucky, Mickey Burleson!  The snow is beautiful..and deep…and cold…and still coming down as I write this blog.  Of course, if you have to be outside working or traveling, you probably have a little different “take” on 12 inches of snow.  Then again, if you live in the northeast 12 inches would just be a “dusting” of snow.  Anyway, I am thankful that the winter storm is coming through on Monday and not Sunday.  Speaking of Sunday, we had a good crowd at Watterson Trail yesterday (15^th) even though the temperature was very cold and we all had heard that “winter” was indeed on its way to J’town.  We had several guests with us including a couple of guests from my old Enola, Arkansas home (Steve and Kim Mooningham).  I am happy that they were able to make the trip to visit with us and especially thankful that they were able to get home safely before the wintery weather arrived.  Thank you to the congregation for your care and sincere love for our guests at every assembly.  God continues to bless us.  We want to grow and be what God would have us to be.

We really enjoyed visiting with the group of “seniors” at the Forum at Brookside this past Sunday at 2:00 p.m.  The Forum’s activity room was filled to capacity with residents from the complex and Christian brethren from Watterson Trail.  Brother Spencer Clark, Brother Dr. Anthony Remson, and Brother Dan Isenberg led the entire assembly in singing.  Outstanding!!  Brother Bruce Fowler led the group in prayer.  God blessed me with the privilege of preaching a lesson on the importance of small things.  I enjoyed using a few props to illustrate the points of the lesson: booster cables, water, a dollar bill, a handkerchief, and a band aide.  Think about it.  Has there been a time in your life when you really could have used one or more of these items, items that seem very small and insignificant, but at the right place and the  right time not small and insignificant at all?  I keep a supply of band aides in my wallet at all times.  I think that most grandparents do.  They come in handy in the lobby of the church building when a child scrapes a knee or when I’m doing a little “handyman” work.  Those booster cables really come in handy when someone needs a “jump.”  Not too long ago I had the privilege of using them to jump start a 2012 Chevrolet Corvette.  Just ready to serve when and where God provides the opportunity, right?  When you think about it, God gives us so many examples of the importance of small things:  a little boy in a basket, a widow with two small coins, a boy with 5 loaves and 2 fish, the boy who killed a giant with a sling and a stone, a little boy born in a manger…we could go on and on.  What about you and me?  We may think that we are small and insignificant, a maybe we are in ourselves, but in the hands and plans of our Almighty God, we can be great.  Are you in His hands and plans?  Get in there.

We have a very busy schedule this week:  Elders/ministers meeting tonight (16^th), Leaders meeting on Tuesday, Bible study on Wednesday, AHG on Thursday, Activity Night on Friday, Teacher’s Workshop on Saturday, Special Pot-luck “Sendoff” for one of our elders Brother Bruce Fowler on Sunday followed a Singing in the area followed by our Birthday and Anniversary Get-together at our house.  Whew!  What a wonderful life we live as Christians.

We have some wonderful and exciting times ahead at Watterson Trail…

Ladies Day at WT – Saturday, March 21^st

Tuesday Summer Series (June, July, August) – 12 Area Preachers coming our way to preach on our theme “The Christian’s Confidence – Christ.”

Vacation Bible School – October

Weekend Worship Event (WWE) – October - Al Simmons, Statesville , NC preaching

I just love Sunday's! Don't you? God is so good to us!

Hello my friends from beautiful Jeffersontown, Kentucky!  I just love Sunday's. Don't you?  It is so good to have the opportunity to meet together on the Lord’s Day, the first day of the week.  Sunday is the day we will study the Bible together as a congregation of the Lord's people.  When we study God’s word together our faith is stronger, our mind is sharper, and our confidence in Christ is reaffirmed after a week of life and living. 

 

We pray together on the Lord's Day.  A family that prays together stays together.  I know this sounds cliché, but true.  We want to stay together and “be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Corinthians 1:10).  

 

On the Lord's Day we sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs together.  We sing without an organ, piano, a band, or an orchestra.  We sing together as a congregation making melody in our hearts to the Lord.  Some people don’t understand why we do not worship with instruments and think maybe we can’t afford the instruments or that we just don’t like the sound of instruments or that we are simply behind the times.  We sing because Jesus sung (Matthew 26:30).  We sing like Paul sang; with the spirit and with the understanding (1 Corinthians 14:15).  The church is to “speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).  We are to “let the word of Christ dwell in us richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in our hearts to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16).  In many churches today people gather because they enjoy the music, they enjoy hearing a good band perform, they want to entertain and be entertained.  “Worship” can become and for many has become more about us, what we want and what pleases us rather than what God wants or what pleases Him.  We must remember who the audience is in worship.  The audience is not us.  The audience is God. 

 

Every Sunday we share in the Lord’s Supper, the bread representing Jesus’ body, the fruit of the vine representing Jesus’ blood.  Many churches remember Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection only occasionally.  We have communion together every Sunday.  The church met to “break bread” on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7).  There is one "first day of the week" every week.  We are continuing steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42).  Not very difficult to understand, is it?  

 

On Sunday we will “lay something aside” giving as we have prospered as we have purposed in our hearts, not grudgingly or of necessity, but cheerfully and bountifully for the work of the church (1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 Corinthians 9:6-8). 

 

Come and let us worship God our Savior our Lord our King.

We welcome our members and our guests every Sunday at Watterson Trail.  This coming Sunday (8th) we especially welcome the American Heritage Girls and their families on “Scout Sunday.” 

 

The sermon this morning is entitled “The Power of Positive Expectation.”  Begin each day with faith, not doubt and fear.  Look for something good in everything.  Watch your words and expressions.  Associate with positive people.  Be thankful to God in advance for His blessings.

A little bit of Bible for Today! Challenging for sure!

Okay in KY.  How are you this week?  Hope all is well and that your 2015 has gotten off to a great beginning.  Proverbs 3:1-10 is one of my favorite passages from the Bible. 

Verses 1 and 2;  “My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.”

Don’t you want length of days, a long life, and peace?  I do.  So, we must not forget the laws and the commands of God.  When I fail to meet the conditions of the promises, then I fail to receive the promises.   When I remember God’s law and let my heart keep His commands, then whatever my length of days may be or whatever “long life” may mean and whatever peace can be mine, will be.  Life cannot always be measured in quantity.  A better measure of life could be in quality.

Verse 3 and 4; “Let not mercy and truth forsake you.  Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.”

What do you think it means to “let not mercy and truth forsake you?”  Can mercy and truth actually forsake us, or is it that we forsake mercy and truth?  I guess either way, we must always let mercy and truth show in and through our lives from our hearts like a necklace.  We must never “hide” such valuables from the world.  Our world desperately needs mercy and truth.  When I am merciful and truthful, Solomon says that I am truly successful in life and living.  People will see me as a light to the world and so will God.

Verse 5 and 6; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Sometimes our thoughts and feelings are pretty good.  However, at other times our thinking and what we feel about a situation cannot be trusted.  We can always trust in God, in His ways, His will, and His word, the Bible.  Those who know me know that I am directionally challenged.  I need guidance to a better understanding and on to the right path.  What about you?  When we submit to God’s leadership, to His will, way, and word, to what is right according to Him, He promises to direct our path of life in all that we can be.

Verse 7 and 8; “Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil, it will be health to your flesh, and strength to your bones.”

Occasionally I meet someone who is “wise in their own eyes.”  If you ask them, they are wise, knowledgeable, beautiful, prestigious, scholarly, healthy, and of course, humble.  Yeah??  Okay!!?  God would have us be humble, for sure, but humility is never something we can brag about.  The moment we announce our humility is the very moment we cease to be what we are announcing ourselves to be.  I’m looking at myself now and finding that too many times I have been “wise in my own eyes.”  And I am certainly sorry for this.  I want to be healthy and strong.  Therefore, I must submit myself to God, reverence Him for who He is, and never allow evil in my heart and life.

Verse 9 and 10:  “Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; so your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.”

What does it mean to honor God with our possessions?  I have time, talents, and treasures.  I honor God with what I have and with who I am when I use these possessions in good and worthwhile ways.  I can’t make a list for you, but I think, maybe, you know whether or not you are honoring God with what you have.  Not too long ago, a Christian brother came into my office to confess that he just could not support the church financially, that it took every dollar he had to pay his bills.  He really wanted to, but simply did not have the funds to do so.  That week he had gone bowling with his family, attended the Friday night football game to support his high school, taken his wife and family out to eat at Olive Garden, and had driven several miles over to watch his favorite college team play their rivals.  I think you get the picture.  I can only see what I can see.  God sees everything.  If I want to have plenty and have my life to be full with blessings, then I must follow God’s instructions.  I must honor Him first, THEN the blessings will be mine.

Enough.  Have a wonderful rest of your week.  I want all that God has for me.  I will honor Him and follow Him.  Will you?

A Christian (simply and only)!

We’re having a great week in J’town, Kentucky!  I am so very thankful for life, good health, my family, friends, and especially my name and place in Christ’s kingdom, His church.  We are the church; you, me, and all who have believed in Jesus as God’s Son, repented of our sins, confessed Him, and put Christ on in baptism.  The Lord Himself added us to His church (Acts 2:27) when we are saved by grace through faith.  The church belongs to Christ.  He is the Savior, the Head and we are the saved, His body.  That is the reason we call ourselves the church of Christ: the church belonging to Christ.  Of course we can also look in the Bible (Romans 16:16) and find that congregations of the Lord’s church are called “churches of Christ.”  We are Christians.  We do not choose this name by vote or because it sounds good or because this name suits us.  We are Christians because God calls the followers of Jesus Christ this name.  In Acts 11:26 we find this name.  King Agrippa used the name “Christian” when he was almost persuaded to become one (Acts 26:28).  Simon Peter wrote to us about suffering in 1 Peter 4:16, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.” 

 

I have often thought about the many and varied names that people take on when it comes to religion and wondered why people couldn’t just be Christians. I mean, I realize why a Hindu calls himself a “Hindu” or a Buddhist calls himself a “Buddhist” or Islamist calls himself a Muslim or someone who will not believe in God calls himself an atheist.  I don’t fully understand why people who believe in Jesus Christ as God’s Son and claim to follow His teachings in the New Testament call themselves any other name but “Christian.”  Not too long ago I was talking with a person and asked him if and where he went to church.  I realize that “going to church” is not the correct way to word this question, but in the world today, people understand what I mean.  He answered, “Yes, I am a __________” and went on to talk about the denominational church he was a part of.  He asked me about my church affiliation.  I stated that I am a Christian and a member of the church of Christ that meets at Watterson Trail in J’town.  After my answer his immediate response was “Well, I am a Christian too.  I’m a ___________ Christian.”  My next statement to him was, “If we believe in Jesus and follow His words, shouldn’t we call ourselves what the Bible calls us:  “Christians?” nothing before the word and nothing after the word.  I am not a “church of Christ Christian” or an anything Christian.  I am also not a member of a denominational church.  I am a Christian (simply and only) a member of the church that belongs to Christ, the church of Christ.  This church exists all around the world and regularly meets together for fellowship, Bible study, worship, and service here, there, and everywhere in small congregations made up of maybe two or three Christians and in large congregations, some into the hundreds of thousands. 

 

Yes, I am so very thankful to be a Christian, a member of God’s family, the church that Jesus established, purchased, provides for, and is coming from heaven to receive to Himself (John 14:1-6).  I hope you can read this blog, think about who you are and what the Bible says, understand what I am trying to say, and make the changes you need to make to be what you need to be.  Now this is a good question to ask ourselves; “Is the person I am, the person I need to be?”