It is kind of interesting this thing with language. We hear constantly that people want to worship in their heart language. If you follow American Idol there is a Puerto Rican singer that whenever he gets excited he breaks into Spanish. That’s fine with me, when I get excited I break into a little “redneck” sometimes having been raised in Smyrna.

The thing that I’m really wondering about is this return to “Hebrew” among some of the younger generation. It is interesting to me because Hebrew was most likely not the language of Jesus, at least not on a daily basis. His spoken language was most likely Aramaic. And the language of most of the middle east at the time was Greek. The New Testament was mainly Greek and Aramaic. So if you want to return to Jesus, you return to his “heart” language. If you want to return to the law, then Hebrew is it.

Now here is the interesting thing to me. Most of the guys wanting to return to Hebrew are the guys that want the most “freedom” of their personal lives. Most of you that read this know my routes are deep Southern Baptist. If it smelled of feeling good, tasting good, or making you feel good then it must be sin. But now the floodgates of freedom are open. I don’t have a problem for most of the new found freedom. But to me if you’re going to be consistent then if Hebrew is the heart language you better start learning a whole lot more of the law. Just wondering?

Steve Whipple connected to a blog on Monday Morning Insight, “What if were your last” or something like that. Talking about the pastor that was killed this past Sunday. I must confess I’ve preached many a sermon that I wish I could take back. It is hard to hit a home run every time you stand before your people. But we ought to give our all to at least try. After all Andruw Jones still gets paid (at least until the end of spring training) to swing at the ball whether he hits it or not.

Here’s the deal. The reason I love church planting so much is because new and different people will try a church plant that will never walk inside an established church. If you are one of the guys that are reaching people that won’t go anywhere else, then your burden is even heavier.

What do you say if this is the end? The last sermon you’ll ever preach, the last message you’ll ever stand and deliver. Will you deliver? The temptation is to be clever and cool, but the need is to get the message out. If you can do both then God bless you, but if you have to chose one over the other you better get the message out. People are still dying and going to hell. Sometimes we in the modern church forget that. I know I am guilty.

So guys, Stand and Deliver, it may be your last or their last. Don’t let anyone stand before God and say, “I never heard the gospel.” I don’t care what kind of message it is, at some point it ought to point people to Jesus and His promise of eternal life. If it doesn’t someone may not make it.

I’m praying right now for Dr. Winters’ wife and daughters. Why don’t you do the same?

I have this series of books that I got addicted to a few years ago when someone gave me one as a joke. It’s called the Bathroom Reader. It is full of fun facts, stories, and articles about stupid stuff, historical stuff, and just general information. Anyway this morning I ran across this article about dumb warnings. Here’s a couple.

On an acetylene torch: “do not use while sleeping.” On a laser pointer: “do not point directly into remaining eye.” I especially like this one on a rat poison box: “has been shown to cause cancer in mice.” On a baby carriage: “do not fold while child is still in seat”

Now I don’t know about you but I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t use a torch while sleeping, or point a laser into my “remaining” eye, nor do I care much about whether rat poison causes cancer in mice, but now that baby thing…

I am reminded that God has given us wise warnings about many simple things in life. The Proverbs are full of them. Neat little things about staying away from “wayword” women (and men), avoiding debt, avoiding strong drink, working for a living, lust, greed, envy. Which one do you struggle with?

Here’s one that I struggle with that some of you will exclaim, “DUH” “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious, but little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are in the depths of the grave.” I now hate the Proverbs. Food eaten in secret is delicious. Can you remember ever sneaking in the fridge and getting a taste of something mom had cooked and trying to make it look undisturbed? Maybe that’s just for large guys like me. Even eaten something and had your wife say, “honey, do you know where the ice cream I saved for the kids went?” and your response was, “I didn’t know we had ice cream.” (there’s that other Proverb about God hating liars, I’m in trouble here, somebody help me out) And then that part about death hanging around the corner…

I am constantly reminded that “there is a way that seems right, but its end is destruction…” That Proverb is true in every area of our lives. Church Planters what’s destroying you? Is it a foolish habit, is it refusing to listen to wisdom, is it a “way that just seems right”?

Now where is that snickers I hid last week…oops!

I asked the questioin last week. How do you define holiness? In my day it was behavior. All the don’ts: don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t chew, etc, etc.

As I have matured as a believer I think this is how I begin to define holiness and maturity as a believer: Galatians 2:22 “For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control, against these things there is no law.” So here is how I answer my own question. Holiness is the sincere desire to pursue God and is exhibited by increasing “fruit” in your life as evidenced by an increasing amount of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control.

Here’s the maturity test: Are you more loving than you were last year? Are you more joyful than last year? Do you have more peace in your life than before? Are you more patient (at Wal-Mart or in traffic) than last year? Do you exhibit more goodness than before you were a believer? Is there more kindness in your life than in the past? Are you more gentle with people than in the past? and here is the big one, Do you have more self-control than in your former “way of life” as Paul would say?

Too often we define “fruit” as an evangelistic notch on our belt, or growth in the church. I love these things don’t mistake what I am saying. But the “fruit of the Spirit” has little to do with numbers and everything to do with maturity and holiness. And here’s the real good news. If you are living like that and leading your people to live like that you won’t have any trouble getting people to come to church on Sunday, because they will want what you’ve got.

Dave Cole, Family Pastor at WRC, and one of the original Four Horsemen here at WRC just returned from sabbitical after 11 years of service. Dave visited churches in several places around the country during his time away. He visited some churches with huge names out there that if I were to call them you would know them. Here is what Dave reported to the management team yesterday. “By far the best church I visited while on sabbitical was Oakleaf Church.” Michael Lukaszewski is doing a great job up in Cartersville! Congratulations Michael!

Michael has made some mistakes but mostly he has led with integrity, he has sought wise counsel, he has stayed focused on Oakleaf and is not running around the country trying to make a name for himself, he leads through people, he knows his skills, he is way too creative for a pastor, he does things with excellence and asks that of others, and he has a great heart for God. (and I hear a pretty mean poker player)

Church Planters if you are looking for a model of successful church planting Oakleaf is a great place to start.

I have been so busy lately that I find myself flitting from one thing to another and sometimes not getting anything accomplished. For instance trying to write on the blog, getting sidelined by a phone conversation that is interrupted by an impromptu meeting to…

I try to stay focused and usually do pretty well. I do a daily list but then a call comes in and gets me off the game. So the question is how to stay focused when you are super busy.

The calendar is an easy one, but crisis in people’s lives do not always fit my schedule. You know they don’t understand that I only have from 3 – 5 on Monday to talk to people on the phone. Oh yeah, I’m behind on my report to the Management Team. I have to learn to be more discerning about how I take calls. I hate doing that but if I don’t I get in long conversations that keep me from my goals for the day.

The administrative assistant, but then she calls in a panic and someone needs to talk to you right away. Or I need something signed or… How mean can we be in ministry?

I don’t know that I have the answer but I sure know I’ve got to get better because the last few weeks have driven me crazy. I cannot stand being undisciplined. I need ORDER! There’s my rant.