Awesome August was AWESOME!!!

Yesterday was an awesome conclusion to "Awesome August." Thank you Salem family for praying, inviting and welcoming guests to our fellowship this past month. Together we were able to see 601 in Sunday School for the month of August! Way to Go! Praise the LORD!!

Wow! I thank the Lord for the blessed worship service we had yesterday. The choir opened up with a song that stirred our hearts, put a smile on our face, and drew us into worship. Thank you choir for being used of the Lord to lead us in worship. What a joy to focus our hearts on our "New Home" and to share communion as a part of our worship service. Even communion focuses us on our coming home as Jesus said:

^"I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matthew 26:29 ESV)

There is coming a day when we will fellowship together with the Lord in our "New Home." What a GLORIOUS day that will be. Looking forward to THAT day will enable us to live better each day the Lord gives us now. What C. S. Lewis said reminds us of this truth:

“If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.” – C. S. Lewis

As citizens of Heaven, let's live in this world so as to make a difference in light of the world to come.

What a blessing to also hear the testimony of a young person who placed their faith and trust in Christ as their Savior. May we rejoice and give thanks to God for His saving work in the life of a young child! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Last night was an AWESOME wrap up to the entire month. We truly had an awesome time of fellowship at the park together. We experienced true fellowship as we ate together, laughed together, played together and just enjoyed an evening with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Aren't you glad that you are a part of the family of God?

Thanks for the food you prepared and brought. Thanks to those who came out early to set up and cook the burgers and hot dogs. Thanks to those who brought the games for us to play. Thanks to all who came out for the family picnic. And thanks be unto God for an Awesome August!!

I beginning to believe that September will be SUPER. Let's pray up, show up and look up and see what God will do as we continue to seek Him and trust Him to lead, guide and direct us.

August was awesome because God is AWESOME!!!

Pastor Mike

It's In a Box Somewhere?!?!

Thanks for stopping by to see if I have posted anything. I have missed most of this week because we have been in the process of moving. If you have ever moved you understand the title of this post: "It's in a box somewhere." Some things are in their place and others have no place and I do not have a clue where some things have gone. I am grateful to be in our new place and I will be very happy when we are unpacked and settled.

I plan to get back to a regular schedule of posting next week.

On Sunday, I will be preaching on our "New Home" and I am so glad we don't have to "pack up" to go there. While we don't pack up we can "lay up" for ourselves "treasures in heaven" (Matt. 6:19-20). Laying up treasure in Heaven is important because "where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matt. 6:21).

I am reminded of that old song; "This world is not my home, I'm just a passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from Heaven's open door, and I can't feel at home in this world anymore." I LIKE that!



I am Heaven Bound,
Pastor Mike

A New Household and a New Harmony

"Awesome August" was certainly Awesome on Sunday! We are only 127 away from our goal of 600 in Sunday school for the month. So let's all do our part to invite friends, relatives, associates, and neighbors to come and join us next Sunday for one more Awesome August service.

So what made yesterday so Awesome?

Our Sunday School classes provided great fellowship and practical Bible study for all ages. Our lesson was entitled: "Return to the Task." We learned that we can trust that God is at work on our behalf. If you want to read a brief summary of the lesson just click HERE.

At our 11:00AM worship service we looked at the "New Household" we are a part of as believers. In Ephesians we discover that we are no longer "strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;" (Eph. 2:18-19) by the grace of God and through the work of Jesus we can be a part of God's household.

As members of His Household we have ...

1. A New Father

"For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” (Romans 8:14-15 ESV).

As believers we are both BORN into God's family and ADOPTED as His children! This is a glorious truth that is captured in the words of the song; "A Child of the King"

"I once was an outcast stranger on earth,
A sinner by choice, an alien by birth,
But I've been adopted,
my name's written down,
An heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown."

Not only do we have a "New Father" but we are now members of ...

2. A New Family

We are now a part "of the household of God;"

As members of this "New Family" we should
a. Stick together (Rom. 12:4-5)
b. Serve together (Gal. 5:13)
c. Share together (Acts 2)
e. Study together (Acts 2:42)
f. Sacrifice together
g. Smile and Struggle together (Rom. 12:15)

We also have ....

3. A New Focus

Our desire is to propagate the name of Christ. We want the knowledge of God to be greater and His family to be larger.

So that is the "New Household" part of our worship. On Sunday evening we enjoyed a "New Harmony" in that we had a wonderful "Singspiration." Every singer, every musician and every song just led our hearts in praise to the Lord! Together we offered "up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." (Heb 13:15).

Over two hours of praise and worship! You may read this and think "Wow, that was a long time." But if you were there you were saying; "Wow, the time sure did fly by!" It was an AWESOME night of praise and worship and everyone there was truly blessed by the music and the message of the songs.

Grateful to be a part of His "New Household" and to lift our hearts in praise with some "New Harmony,"

Pastor Mike

Welcome to The Family!

On Sunday, we will continue our "New" series by learning that we have a "New Household." As believers, we are adopted into the family of God and we are brothers and sisters together. I love the words of the Gaither song that captures this truth so well.

I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God.

You will notice we say "brother and sister" 'round here,
It's because we're a family and these are so near;
When one has a heartache, we all share the tears,
And rejoice in each victory in this family so dear.

I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God.

From the door of an orphanage to the house of the King,
No longer an outcast, a new song I sing;
From rags unto riches, from the weak to the strong,
I'm not worthy to be here, but praise God I belong!

I'm so glad I'm a part of the Family of God,
I've been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His Blood!
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
For I'm part of the family,
The Family of God

Let's pray for God to draw our hearts even closer together and let's enjoy the time we have together this Sunday with our Salem Baptist Family.

We will continue to enjoy our family gathering on Sunday evening with a church wide picnic at 6:00. Invite some friends and family to join us. We will have good food, outdoor games and a great time together as a FAMILY.

Glad to be a part of the Salem Family,
Pastor Mike

When It is NOT what you Planned

 

It wasn't the plan to go down the river as pictured above - but sometimes things don't go the way you had planned. Thankfully those who flew out of the raft were able to get back in and no one was hurt. When things don't go as planned there are a few things to help you navigate the unexpected changes, adjust, adapt and get back at it as soon as possible.

1. EQUIPMENT is Important.

On the dry land a life vest seems a bit uncomfortable. A Helmet? "Really, I don't need a helmet." A paddle can do more than just help you paddle down river; it may also be a means to pull somebody back to the raft or to get the raft over to them. The point is that the equipment is important. The life jacket to keep you afloat and a helmet to protect your head suddenly became vital pieces of equipment when your rafting trip is turned upside down in an instant. Thankfully we have some "spiritual equipment" to help us navigate the challenges of life. Our equipment is the armor of God. Ephesians 6 records all the pieces that are designed to protect us from head to toe. Read about it HERE. One shouldn't go down the river without the right equipment and you should not try to live your life without appropriating the equipment God has provided for you.

2. EVERYONE works together.

For a rafting trip to be successful everyone must work together. If the guide says, "Give me two forward." Everyone needs to give two forward strokes together. If six people each paddle how they want and when they want you will find a raft of people going nowhere on purpose. Everyone working together is also important when there is a "man overboard." You have to know what to do and how to do it. Where do you grab his life vest and how do you leverage yourself to pull him back into the raft. The other four or five in the raft need to listen to the guide to keep the raft in place until everyone is back in the raft. Teamwork is vital to a good trip down the river. Teamwork is also vital to being all that we can be as a church. God has gifted and placed each of us in the body according to His will. As we each do our part we will be able to move forward and accomplish all that God has for us to do to be all that He wants us to be.

3. ENJOY the ride.

Thankfully the "man overboard" picture above happened at the beginning of the trip. Everyone was pulled back into the raft and the journey continued without any other incidents. Likewise, in life, we sometimes "fall overboard" but thankfully we can be pulled back into the raft and we can enjoy the rest of the journey. By God's grace and with the help of others we can still enjoy the ride. It may be rough at times, we may feel a bit of fear because of what we have already gone through but if we will stay in the raft, work together and keep our focus it is possible to enjoy the ride.

Life doesn't always go the way you planned, but that is what makes life exciting and that is also what keeps us on our knees in prayer.

We need to remember the importance of the EQUIPMENT God has provided  for us (Eph. 6:10-20), the value of EVERYONE working together and that no matter what happens we can get back up (or back into the raft) and ENJOY the rest of the ride.

Still Paddling by the Grace of God,
Pastor Mike

A Partner in Praise

 

We will continue our series on "The Power of Praise" tonight at 7:00pm. We will discover the good company we keep as we are intentional in our praise. You will leave with a list of several reasons to "Praise the Lord."

Here is a good passage to think on as you think about praising the Lord.

Psalm 148:1-14 (ESV)
¹  Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights!
²  Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his hosts!
³  Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!
⁴  Praise him, you highest heavens, and you waters above the heavens!
⁵  Let them praise the name of the LORD! For he commanded and they were created.
⁶  And he established them forever and ever; he gave a decree, and it shall not pass away.
⁷  Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps,
⁸  fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word!
⁹  Mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!
¹⁰  Beasts and all livestock, creeping things and flying birds!
¹¹  Kings of the earth and all peoples, princes and all rulers of the earth!
¹²  Young men and maidens together, old men and children!
¹³  Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven.
¹⁴  He has raised up a horn for his people, praise for all his saints, for the people of Israel who are near to him. Praise the LORD!

Praising the Lord,
Pastor Mike

A Great Guide - A Great Ride!

Twenty-nine of us had a great time, on Saturday, as we enjoyed white water rafting on the Ocoee River. You can tell from the expressions in the picture above that we are enjoying the trip! One of the reasons the trip was so enjoyable is because we had a GREAT Guide! With a great guide you can have a great ride. This is true on the river and it is true in life as well.

So what makes for a great guide?

1. He is PASSIONATE about what he does.

Our guide had been leading groups for 3 or 4 years. It was obvious he enjoyed the time on the river and interacting with his "crew." Another guide with our group had been at it for 22 years! (That is some long term passion) Our guide drives each weekend from Murfreesboro, TN to the Ocoee because he is passionate about what he does. A guide who is passionate about what He does is a great guide!

2. He gives CLEAR DIRECTIONS.

Giving clear directions is important. Matt began before we ever put our raft in the river. He walked us through the basics of holding the paddle, what commands he would be giving and what to do should we find ourselves overboard. His directions were clear and concise. His directions were interesting on the land and IMPORTANT on the water. If we wanted to enjoy a good trip down the river it would be vital for us to hear and respond to our guides directions.

3. He is always looking AHEAD.

In the picture above you will notice that we are caught up in the moment. We are enjoying where we are on the river at that minute. But look at Matt. Where is his gaze? He is looking down river. He is looking ahead to what is coming up. We are enjoying the moment because our guide is looking ahead and preparing for what is to come. A great guide is always looking ahead.

4. He knows the DANGERS to avoid.

Matt knew where the rocks were. He knew the shallow spots and the rough spots. He knew the dangers ahead because he had already encountered them. He mentioned that over the years he had been stuck on just about every rock in the river that you can get stuck on. That experience enabled him to know first hand what dangers to avoid. He had gone down the river many times prior to leading us. His experience with the dangers allowed us to navigate them successfully.

5. He gives POSITIVE feedback.

Several times we would thank Matt for how he navigated us through the white water rapids around the rocks and over the most thrilling parts of the river. Each time he would compliment us on our paddling skills and how well we followed his directions. He was generous in his positive feedback and it just made us want to follow his leadership all the more.

So of you want to have a great ride on a river or in life you need to have a great guide! As a believer, we have the guidance of the Holy Spirit, of Scripture and of Spiritual mentors God places in our lives. Look over the five points above and think how the Holy Spirit, Scriptures or a Spiritual Mentor does the same as they guide you through the challenges of life.

Thank God for the great guides He has given you in your life. All guides were also at one time just riders in a raft. Maybe it is time for you to move from being a rider to being a guide for someone in your life. You can do it and these five practical points will help you as you guide someone along life's journey.

Thanking God for the Guide and the Ride,
Pastor Mike

Sunday Summary (August 16, 2015)

Let's join together in thanking the Lord for another blessed day of Bible Study and Worship at Salem Baptist Church. I believe we are well on our way to seeing 600 in Bible Study for the month of August. Let's work and pray together to surpass our goal of 120 in Bible Study for the remaining two Sunday's of August. I believe we have a record setting Sunday before us. As we do our part to invite, I believe we will see God send the folks our way!

What a blessing to be reminded of the power of "unity" as we focused on "Return To Unity" in our study of Acts 4 in our Adult Sunday School classes. As we are committed to walking with Christ we will be brought together in unity and purpose. Let's pray for and seek after unity among one another

At 11:00 we focused on the "New Helper" every believer has.

John 14:16 (ESV)
^"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,"

John 14:26 (ESV)
^"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."


The Holy Spirit is a "Helper" who brings great power in the lives of those He fills.


 He are six areas of power that relate to the person and work of the Holy Spirit.

1. The Power to Convert (John 3:3-5, 8)

As a believer, you have been born of the Spirit. We may also pray for the Spirit to move in the lives of our lost loved ones so they too can know the forgiveness of sins and the joy of being a child of God.

2. The Power to Communicate

a. He communicates from God to us (John 14:26,2 Peter 1:21, & Rev. 2:7)
b. He communicates from us to God (Rom. 8:26-27. The blessed intercession of the Spirit on our behalf)

3. He has Power to Comfort (John 14:16 & 26)

What comfort the Holy Spirit can bring to us in times of need. The Holy Spirit is all to us that Jesus was to His disciples.

4. He has Power to Calm (John 14:27)

Jesus said "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27). The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, PEACE.... The spirit can give peace and calm to troubled hearts.

5. He has Power to Control (Eph. 5:18, Acts 2:4, Acts 4:31)

To be "filled with the Spirit" is all about being controlled by Him. The issues is not "how much" of the Spirit you have but rather "how much" of YOU does He have. As we yield our lives to Him He will control what we do for our good and God's glory!

6. He has Power to Convict (John 16:8-11)

The convicting work of the Spirit is a blessing. He loves us enough to confront us and convict us of our sin. Don't run from His convicting work but allow it to cause you to run to the arms of the Savior who is ready and able to forgive you and to restore you to a right relationship with the Father.

May the words of the hymn be the words of our heart.

Spirit of the living God,
fall fresh on me;
Spirit of the living God,
fall afresh on me.
Melt me, mold me, fill me, use me.
Spirit of the living God,
fall fresh on me. 

Praying for the Power of the Spirit to be evident in all of our lives,

Pastor Mike

 

The Power of Praise

We will begin a series tonight on "The Power of Praise."

Casting Crowns recorded a song several years ago entitled: "Praise You In The Storm." It is a powerful song and reminds us that we can and we should praise the Lord at all times, especially in the storms of life.

The chorus of the song is powerful! I remember too well the impact of these words as our daughter faced a very serious health situation and the need for surgery.

May these words speak to you.

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Tonight, we will discover five life lessons about "Praise." I hope you can join us at 7:00

Learning to Praise the Lord,
Pastor Mike

Read What Over 94,000 People Have Read and Over 57 Million Will Never Read

Ann Voskamp has written a powerful post that will be worth your time to read. Here is an excerpt from that post.

"The abortion debate offers that a woman is ultimately responsible alone for her child; the Gospel offers that no woman is ever alone and the Body of Christ is response-able to both woman and child.

The abortion debate is not so much about how we can somehow change the law, but how we can rise up and change how we show Gospel love. 

To have any credibility in lobbying for laws against the abortion of babies, we must have the dependability of being the ones who open our doors for the welcoming of both hurting women and vulnerable children.

If the compassion of the world is “We do not want unwanted human beings born into the world” —- then the compassion of the Gospel has to be far more powerful. 

The compassion of Christ-followers needs to literally and practically and sacrificially be: “We will not rest until all humans beings get to be born, because they are wanted.” 

We will not rest until every single person in the church is stirred en masse to personally support one woman in need, one child in need, one family in need. Be it as a family for a woman who needs a safety net, or becoming a support for a fostering family, or becoming an adoptive family for a child."

The 57 million who will never read this are those whose lives were cut short by an abortion. This is a heart breaking tragedy.

You can read the complete post HERE.

With a Heavy Heart for those who Hurt,
Pastor Mike

Sunday Summary (August 9, 2015)

We have a guest here at home with us today, Marilyn is off; so the smell of bacon fills the air, the biscuits are in the oven and the eggs will soon be scrambled. Mmm, my stomach is growling as I write these words and smell the smells of breakfast. But wait, you thought this was a summary of what happened on Sunday not a menu review. Well it is.

Some mornings I wake up hungry. Do you? When the smell of bacon fills the air... I wake up real HUNGRY. Do I wake up hungry for the Lord? Is there a hunger for the Word in my soul? There should be.

Yesterday we learned that when we have a New Heart we will also have a New Hunger. Matthew 5:16 tells us "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied." 1 Peter 2:2 tells us we are to be like new born babes who hunger for the pure milk of the Word. We also need to be aware of things that can ruin our appetite for the Word (1 Peter 2:1). It is true that "Sin will keep you from the Bible or the Bible will keep you from Sin."

Some appetites develop over time. Your appetite for the Word will grow as you "feast" on the Word. So how do you feast on the Word? It is actually very simple ... you READ it! Here are some ideas that will help you as you read it.


READ it.....

RELATIONALLY: The Bible is a letter from God to you. What a blessing that we can read a letter from God that will build and deepen our relationship with one another.

EXPECTANTLY: When you read, it is appropriate to expect God to speak to you. Read with a sense of expectation that you will encounter the living God in the pages of the Bible.

ATTENTIVELY: Pay attention to what is going on in the passage you are reading. Ask questions as you read; Who is speaking? Where are they? What is going on? Does this passage reveal a sin to confess; a promise to claim; an example to follow; or a command to obey? Read attentively and you will discover some exciting truths!

DAILY: We eat every day for the sake of our physical health so it seems to make sense that daily Bible reading will benefit our spiritual health. The children's song reminds us of a great truth when it says..."Read you Bible, pray everyday and you will grow, GROW, GROW!"

There are Bible reading journals that will help you read the Word. You can find many Bible reading plans online. One of the best to get you into the Word is YouVersion. Check it out and download it to your phone, iPad, or tablet. There are numerous Bible reading plans to choose from with YouVersion. Pick one and READ.

Right now I am reading through the book of Psalms. It really speaks to the issues of the heart and the realities of life. I read 5 chapters a day. Since today is the 10th I will read Psalm 10, 40, 70, 100, and 130. Just read the Psalm that corresponds with the day and then add thirty to it and then read that Psalm. Tomorrow I will read Psalm 11, 41, 71, 101, and 131.

Well, the Bacon, eggs, and biscuits are ready; so I need to wrap this up and go enjoy breakfast. Psalm 10 is also ready and I also need to spend a little time feasting on the Word.

I'd be glad to hear about what you are reading in the Word this week. Send me a text message, e-mail or note and let me know what you are reading; we will all be better for it.

Feasting on the Word,
Pastor Mike

What Are You Hungry For?

I am sure you have asked that question as you got in the car ready to head out to eat ... but you had no idea where to go. The choices are many. The restaurants line the main road; which one will it be tonight? The question is not "If" I will eat; but "Where" will I eat. So one of us asks the other "What are you hungry for?"

As we head toward Sunday let's ask ourselves that same question; "What are you hungry for?" No doubt many people attend church with a hunger. Some hunger for acceptance. Others desire approval. Some have a strong desire for fellowship. Is it possible to leave church on Sunday dissatisfied because we came with the wrong appetite? If I really wanted Chinese food I would not be satisfied after a meal at Pizza Hut.

So, what if we gathered at Church on Sunday with a hunger for the presence of the Lord and for the life changing power of His Word to be made real to us. Maybe if we gathered with an appetite for Him we would leave satisfied. That's something to think about.

As we prepare for Sunday let's think about our "Spiritual Appetite." Once we have a "New Heart" we will then have a "New Hunger." We will hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6). Our "Spiritual Appetite" is an indicator of the strength or weakness of our spiritual health.

As I prepare for the message on Sunday I often think of it as preparing a "Spiritual Meal" for all who gather for worship. I hope you come hungry and you leave satisfied because we have feasted together on His Word.

Preparing Food for the Spiritually Hungry,

Pastor Mike

What do Pastor's Talk About?

Every other Thursday I have the great privilege of meeting together with a group of fellow Pastor's. From 11:00 until about 12:15 we discuss a book we are reading and then we enjoy lunch together. Today, ten of us discussed chapter 6 of PREPARE: Living Your Faith in an Increasingly Hostile Culture by Dr. Paul Nyquist. Our discussions are encouraging, challenging, thought provoking and above all helpful to each of us.

The thrust of chapter 6 is that "God calls us to respond to our persecutors with compassion, not anger." Well, that is easier said than done. But it CAN be done through the power of the Spirit.

The persecutors we will encounter are of a religious nature and of a cultural or political nature. Sadly we in ministry encounter persecution from "religious" people; it is heartbreaking to deal with church members who seem intent on being "out to get" the Pastor. And yet that is the experience of every man who is serving or who has served as a Pastor. It was the religious crowd that stoned Stephen (Acts 6-7). It is Stephen who models for us how to respond with compassion instead of anger.

We also appear to be headed toward an increase in persecution from a cultural / political perspective. There are people who do not like those of us who believe in the absolutes of God's Word. Thankfully, Jesus, Stephen, Paul and Peter all show us how to respond when persecution comes our way.

The Apostle Peter shows us we are to...
1. Be Strong (1 Peter 3:14)
God is in control and there is no need to live in fear or be troubled by the persecution that comes our way.

2. Be Ready (1 Peter 3:15)
We need to be READY to give an answer for the hope that we have. Dr. Nyquist points out that peole may question us because they are either "curious or furious" and that we should be ready to give them an answer. Actually persecution can open the door to share the Gospel. "God wants us to be His witnesses - not His prosecuting attorney."

3. Be Faithful (1 Peter 3:16-17)
By being faithful to the Lord we are ultimately able to "put our opponent to shame."

Romans 12:14 tells us in no uncertain terms how we are to live in the face of persecution; we are to "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them."

Near the end of the chapter, Dr. Nyquist writes: "The natural inclination to react with anger and defensiveness contradicts God's call to respond with love and compassion. If we can obey this call, we'll have opportunity to share the good news of Christ with those outside His grace."

So now you know what a group of Pastor's talked about today. We are seeking to prepare ourselves to lead well in the coming days. We would be grateful for your prayers on our behalf as we continue to learn and grow so as to serve our churches well.

Preparing to lead and serve well in increasingly difficult days,

Pastor Mike

Pray for the Elmendorf Family Today

I will be in Rossville, Georgia today at Bible Way Baptist Church. A good man moved from the land of the dying to the land of the living on Sunday evening.

Trey Elmendorf III was a super Youth Pastor, a faithful associate pastor and minister of music, a loving husband and an awesome dad to his three children. He had battled cancer for the past five years and on Sunday cancer did not defeat him but rather proved to be the key to his eternal home.

Dr. Vince Estill, Pastor of Bible Way Baptist Church, will lead the service today at 1:00; there at the Church where Trey and his family have faithfully served for years. Pray for Dr. Estill as he conducts the service for his dear friend. Keep Trey's wife and children in your prayers as well. If you want more information on Trey just click HERE.

Marilyn and I were blessed to know and spend time with Trey and his family when we served with Word of Life Local Church Ministries. We have spent time in their home. We have been out to eat together many times. We have set in on his youth ministry. We have spent time together at various youth activities. We have planned youth ministry events together. All that is to say that I have been BLESSED by the friendship and fellowship I have enjoyed with the Elmendorf family.

Times like this bring the words of Henry Van Dyke to my mind.

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone"

Gone where?

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"

And that is dying...

Trey has sailed home, by the Grace of God. And in light of eternity it won't be long til we see him again. Praise God!


Praying for the Elmedorf's,

Pastor Mike