Practical Pointers for Parents

Parenting is not easy but it is worthwhile. It is a joy to see your children grow, learn, and walk in the faith. Your children are a gift from God entrusted to your care so that you would "bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." (Eph. 6:4).

Children are instructed to "obey" their parents (Eph. 6:1). We, as parents, need to help them learn the importance and priority of obedience. John Piper has written a powerful article that reminds us how important obedience is for the parent and the child.

You will certainly benefit from a thoughtful reading of what he has written. You can read it HERE.

I pray that you will find his counsel to be helpful and encouraging. Obedience in the life of a child is vitally important. It involves more than doing the right thing at the right time - it is an issue that may well affect their eternal destiny.

May God help us to raise children who know and understand what "obedience" means.

Praying for you as you raise your sons and daughters to live in obedience.
Pastor Mike

Parenting Without Regrets

I don't think it is possible to truly parent without regrets. We all say and do things that we come to regret. Some of the regrets come upon us immediately, some seem to develop over time.

Is it possible to parent from this day forward with LESS regrets? I think so. I want you to think so too. You will be helped by reading the balance of this article. It will probably only take you five minutes to read it, longer than that to think through its implications and the balance of your time as a parent to implement some of its truths. But the payoff in less regrets will be worth every minute you invest in reading.

Here is the opening paragraph to get you started.

"Like most parents, I have those moments where guilt and regret comes over me like a wave. I consider then how much of my parenting time has already passed by and how little remains. My oldest child, my son, is thirteen. He is already a teenager, just one year away from high school, just eight years from the age I was when I left home to get married. My girls are following close behind him. When that wave rises up, when I feel like I could drown beneath all that regret, I sometimes consider those things I will never regret.

Here are 18 things I know I will not regret doing with my kids."

Click HERE to Continue Reading

Back to School

It is Monday morning and I am off to school. I am teaching the Bible Class, for the Junior class, at Unity Christian School. This week we will begin a section on "The Creation of Man." I will cover two chapters in Grudem's Systematic Theology: 1) The Creation of Man (Chapter 21) and 2) Man as Male and Female (Chapter 22). It is ALWAYS a blessing to teach students the truths of God's Word. The students at Unity Christian are an awesome group and I always enjoy the time together with them.

What about you? It is Monday for you too. Are you off to school? No, you don't have to get up and go anywhere but you can and should be a student. What will you learn this week? What truth will God make clear to you as you read His Word?

I came across an article that will give you a resource for your own Bible reading and will equip you to be a better student of Scripture. This article will help you to better understand the Bible and know how to apply it to your life.

Take a few minutes and read "7 Arrows for Bible Reading" you will be glad you did.

Learning and Growing with you,
Pastor Mike

Ladies Fall Brunch 2013

Our Ladies Fall Brunch was one week ago today. The ladies of our church and community enjoyed a great time of fellowship.

Here are a few pictures of some of the tables.

Table by Juanita Green and Marilyn Ellis

A Christmas Table

Another Christmas Table that was given away at the Brunch

Table by Savannah Haney and Marilyn Ellis

Southern Elegance by WyDeene Webb

A Cowboy table by Christy Downs

It's Christmas by Ann Miller

A Walk in the Woods by Melanie Miller

Thanks to all who decorated a table!

Thanks for inviting your friends.

Thanks for doing your part to make Everett Springs a "Refreshing Place."

Are you connected?

Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and other social websites seem to focus on one's connections. Who are you connected to; who is in your network; are my friends your friends; who do you know that I do not know? What if in our pursuit of social connections we missed out on the most important connection we could make?

On Sunday (October 27), we will discover how "Prayer connects us to unbelievable power that enables us to stand." This will conclude our series "I am Victorious" from Ephesians 6:10-24.

In this series we have discovered:

1. The Exhortation to be strong, to suit up in the whole armor of God and to stand.

2. The Enemy we face.
Our enemy is not "flesh and blood" but we are to stand against "the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places."

3. The Equipment we wear.
We must be clothed in the "whole armor of God" (Eph 6:11 & 13).

4. The Energy to stand.
We have been exhorted to "stand". We know our "enemy". We have all the equipment we need to be victorious by putting on the "whole armor of God" BUT there is one final and crucial element we must utilize of we want to know victory. We are challenged to be "praying at all times" (Eph. 6:18). What we will discover on Sunday is that Prayer connects us to the power that enables us to stand.

I am excited about all we will learn on Sunday! I hope you will be with us! I think you will discover the power of prayer in a new and exciting way.

Just this morning I came across an article on prayer that reinforced the importance of prayer in the life of a believer. Perhaps reading this article will prepare your heart for what the Lord wants to teach you on Sunday.

Take a few moments to read the article HERE.

Then take time to pray for our service on Sunday. Pray that God will use me to clearly proclaim His Word. Pray that you will hear from Him as you listen to the preaching of the Word. Pray for others to hear what they need to hear. Pray for lives to be changed. Pray for our church to be changed as we discover how prayer connects us to unbelievable power that enables us to stand.

Praying I will see YOU on Sunday,

Pastor Mike

Partners in Praise

Last night, in our Wednesday night Bible Study, we discovered three exciting truths about our praise.

1. Praise puts us in good COMPANY
2. Praise is best done in COMMUNITY
3. Praise is filled with CONTENT

Think about it; when you "Praise the Lord" you are in the company of the Angels in heaven (Rev. 5:11-12), the Saints "that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages" and you join your voice with ALL of creation (Psalm 148). That's a great group to be associated with - wouldn't you agree?

This Sunday you will have the opportunity to join together with the community of believers to praise the Lord through times of fellowship, through the singing of songs, through your giving and by engaging in the message from the His Word. I trust you are planning to be gather with us for Bible Study and Worship this Sunday. It will be a great way for you to praise the Lord!

Between now and then take a few moments each morning to Praise the Lord for who He is and what he has done and will do in you and through you.

Let's be Partners in Praise with the angels in Heaven, the saints gathered around the throne and all of creation.

It's Amazing what Praising will do.

Give it a try.

Pastor Mike

Empowered by Praise

On Wednesday night, we will continue our study on "Praise." I hope you will make plans to be with us as we look at who we are "Partners in Praise" with.

In our study, you will learn...
1. Praise put us in good COMPANY
2. Praise is best done in COMMUNITY
3. Praise is filled with CONTENT

Our students will meet at 6:00 for a Hamburger cookout and everyone else will arrive at 7:00 for our Bible study.

There will be no choir practice following the Bible study.

See you Wednesday!

Pastor Mike