The Design of the Family comes from the Mindset of God.

This morning we welcome ROGER “SING” OLDHAM to our pulpit. Sing is the Vice President for Convention Communications and Relations of the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention. Previously, he was the long time Pastor of First Baptist Church, Martin, Tennessee. We look forward to hearing God’s Word shared through him.

God’s call on the church in America after September 11 is to rebuild our spiritual Christian walls for God’s glory and for our protection. God tells us how to do that through his prophet-statesman Nehemiah and the revival and rebuilding by God’s people in a spiritually needy time.

King David was singing a new song of praise for all God had done in his life. In the Lord, David was happy and free. A loving Lord had delivered David from destruction and disaster numerous times. Whether from the giant Goliath, an envious King Saul, or the rebellion of an ungrateful Absalom, David had been protected and dwelt under the shadow of the Almighty all during his life. With his whole heart, David said, “I will sing a new song unto Thee, O God; upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto Thee.” (Psalm 144:9) We, too, should sing a new song unto the Lord for all He has done for us. Meditate upon and practice all the reasons for praise you learn in this Psalm.

Doxa Worship

Psalm 103 is David’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote, “There is too much in this psalm for a thousand pens to write. It is a Bible in itself . . . and could be the hymn book of the church.” Matthew Henry’s words on Psalm 103 are, “This psalm calls more for devotion than exposition.” When we read Psalm 103, we feel like falling on our knees in praise before our God of mercy and loving kindness, which is the meaning of, “Bless the Lord, O my soul.” Let us look at this psalm on our knees and praise our Creator, Redeemer, and Coming King.

Doxa Worship

Psalm 101 is a Coronation Psalm written by newly crowned King David. Psalm 101 is his praise to God for the nation Israel and his place of leadership. Psalm 101 is David’s recognition of the need for divine guidance and help to do the best work needed for his high position. Have you learned your need for God’s help each day? You cannot succeed without Him! “The Lord reigns” (Psalm 93:1, 97:1, 99:1) is a theme of the Coronation Psalms. He reigns over your soul. Give Him the glory!

Doxa Worship

Happiness and holiness go together. A holy man will be a happy man. “Blessed” means to be a man governed by a single hearted devotion to God. That is what the Psalmist discovers and shares with us in this magnificent spiritual treasure chest in Psalm 119. The longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119 is spiritual poetry with alliterative design using all twenty-tw0 letters of the Hebrew alphabet with every verse in each of the twenty-two stanzas beginning with the same Hebrew letter. Matthew Henry calls Psalm 119 a treasure chest of gold written with a skill that is beyond our understanding. The “Mount Everest” of the Psalms, it joins Psalm 1 and 19 in exalting the Word of God.

Doxa Worship

The background of this Psalm is II Kings 18-19 where God mightily and miraculously delivered Israel and Jerusalem in one night from a 185,000 soldier Assyrian army. (II Kings 19:14-35) America’s only refuge is God and in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Psalm 51 is a beautiful passage dealing with God's abundant forgiveness poured out on the one who is truly penitent.  Along with Psalm 32, it was written by David after his affair with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah.  In this Psalm, David fully recognizes how horrendous his sin was against God, blamed no one but himself, and begged for divine forgiveness.

When I was . . . 4 years old: My Daddy can do anything. 7 years old: My Dad knows a lot, a whole lot. 10 years old: My father doesn’t quite know everything. 12 years old: Oh well, naturally my father doesn’t know it all. 14 years old: Dad? Hopelessly out of touch 20 years old: Oh, that man is out of date. What did you expect? 25 years old: He knows a little bit about it, but not much. 30 years old: It’s amazing how wise he has become in the last few years. 35 years old: We need to find out what Dad thinks about it. 40 years old: What would Dad have thought about this? 45 years old: My Dad knew everything. 50 years old: I wish I could talk it over with Dad one more time.

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible.” President George Washington “I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good of the Saviour of the world is communicated to us through the Book.” Abraham Lincoln “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.” Jerome of Bethlehem “There is a book worth all other books which were ever printed.” Patrick Henry What will the Bible help you do and also do for you?

Doxa Worship

As the Lord brings hundreds of children to our church in the ministry of Vacation Bible School this week, we should let the Word of God instruct us as to “the value of one child” to God and to the world. “ . . . and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” II Timothy 3:15 A child won to Christ and living for Christ is a whole life saved and a whole world blessed.

Doxa Worship

“Marriage is the union of two good forgivers.” Nothing could be more true. “Looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled.” Hebrews 12:15 Grudges, bitterness, lack of forgiveness destroys love and trust in a marriage. Modeling forgiveness of your spouse begins with a true experience of grace in personal forgiveness from God. “Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” Luke 7:47

Doxa Worship

The Psalms are the Prayer Book of Scripture. The Psalms help us to walk rightly related to God. The Proverbs help us to live rightly related to man. A daily devotional life in the Psalms and Proverbs will lead to a strong Christian life. Prayer in the home, or a family altar, is a vital part of Christian upbringing by parents for children in the home. When the child hears the parents pray to God in Heaven for them by name, they are touched in their soul that God is real and watching over their lives.

Doxa Worship

The Holy Spirit, through King Solomon, is the author of Psalm 127. King Solomon realized by experience, the value of the family over the vanity of the world. His book of Ecclesiastes declares, “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!” (Ecclesiastes 1:2) Then Solomon concluded life’s true value was this . . . “Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13) Nothing has more value than the family and the home over the vanities of the world.

Psalm for the Family - A Mother's Day Message

Our title today, “Unleash the Power,” describes what happened in Gideon’s day to bring Israel back to God and what can happen to every believer and body of Christ today. In the follow-up message to week of preparation and to Solemn Assembly last Sunday evening, we trust God to unleash His power in our lives. Next Sunday evening, the Prayer Committee will present an “Unleash the Power” prayer emphasis based on Gideon’s ministry as follow-up to our days of Solemn Assembly.

The Holy Spirit three times in a brief space in the Psalms begins three chapters with the strong declaration, “The Lord reigns.” Psalm 93:1, 97:1, 99:1. This trinity of truth presented to us is intended to gain man’s attention to the infinite sovereignty of God and of our absolute dependence upon God for all things, which dependence should lead to humility, fear, repentance, cleansing, holiness, faith, and worship.

A Pastoral Message for the New Year

Matthew Henry, the famous Bible commentator, was once mugged and robbed. That night he wrote in his diary, “Let me be thankful first, because I was never robbed before; second, because, although they took my money, they did not take my life; third, because, although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, and not I who robbed.” That is true Thanksgiving.

Why is it so difficult for us human beings to be thankful? It must be that we are blinded by sin and pride and feel “entitled” to the best. Often God has to take away blessings for a brief time to make us thankful for our blessings. Remember, your life, breath, heart beat, brain wave, and next meal are blessings from a Loving-Creator-Redeemer Lord. Let us be thankful!

This Lord’s Day is our annual Missions Month Sunday. It is the day we celebrate what God is doing in taking the Gospel to the nations one person at a time and how God uses people like us to fulfill His Great Commission.

This Lord’s Day we conclude our Bible series on Revival based on the ten great revivals in Judah and Israel recorded in I and II Chronicles. Revival is a coming back to life that which is dying or declining. Revival is renewal to a passionate love for God, His people, and His purposes. Revival is when God’s people become desperate for a new touch from God and pray, “O, Lord, do it again!”

Guest Speaker, Don Pierson from the TBC

HOPE . . . What a wonderful blessing is hope! As we continue in our Biblical series on revival in the Old Testament, we meet one of the most hope-filled revivals in Bible history. It is a revival of King Manasseh who received a new touch from God while in prison.

King Hezekiah was a godly man, whose name means “Jehovah is mighty.” Hezekiah was a mighty man of God. His life, ministry, and influence are so mighty and so massive that we dedicate two sermons in this series on Revival to Hezekiah. Hezekiah led a Revival of prayer among the people of God.

Father’s Day is a time when we say to Christian men, “Thank you for your loving, godly leadership.” A godly man in Christ is a powerful force for the Kingdom of God. King Hezekiah was indeed a godly man, one of the greatest kings of Judah. His name means “Jehovah is mighty.” Hezekiah was a mighty man of God. His life, ministry, and influence are so mighty and so massive that we must dedicate two sermons in this series on Revival to Hezekiah. Hezekiah led a Revival of prayer among the people of God.

This Lord’s Day we look at the revival under good King Uzziah, the King whose death Isaiah mourned in the year of Isaiah’s call to preach. Uzziah’s ministry as King is marked by spiritual preparation for spiritual warfare. God’s presence was with Uzziah and Uzziah had the wisdom to fortify Jerusalem and the Kingdom spiritually and militarily against Israel’s enemies. He led a revival of spiritual warfare. As in all these Biblical revivals, these are Old Testament examples for our profit and benefit today. “Now these things became our examples.” I Corinthians 10:6a We pray . . . “O, Lord, Do It Again!”

Our Prove the Tithe Sunday, June 6 is just like the Revival of giving under King Joash. Let’s all be obedient and see what God will do in heavenly response! “Therefore the LORD God of Israel says: for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.” I Samuel 2:30

In the aftermath of the 2010 Floods, listen as Pastor Freeman shares truth from God's Word.

Spiritual Preparation—II Chronicles 14:1-5 Preparation in the fear of the Lord—II Chronicles 14:2 Preparation in Holiness—II Chronicles 14:3-5 Preparation in Obedience—II Chronicles 14:4

In the Chronicles of the kings of Israel, you will meet Bible heroes which you would otherwise have not known. King Abijah is the man of revival for his generation and only II Chronicles 13 tells his story, a revival of faith.

We need a revival of the glory of God. We do not appreciate or are even aware of the glory of God. We have lost the glory of God. We have run from the glory of God. Glory means, “weight, honor, respect, shining, perfection of character and attributes. We need to recapture the meaning and presence of the glory of God and experience a revival of the glory of God.

Pastor Roger Freeman's first Sunday back since his January heart attack. The Holy Spirit gave us a summary of the life of David in I Chronicles as a “man after God’s own heart.” Though King David failed miserably at one point in his life, the grace and mercy of God prevailed. God chose David from the sheep fold because David had a heart for God. In the story of David we see ten ways David demonstrated his heart for the Lord.

Josh Phillips, Minister to Students

Josh Phillips, Minister to Students

“Revival is the supernatural, often immediate, continuing work of the Holy Sprit in the people of God when we are awakened and gripped in our inner most being by the absolute truth of God’s Word, the white hot holiness and righteousness of God, by our own utter depravity and sinfulness before God which leads the people of God to fear the Lord and to approach Him in a spirit of repentance and brokenness through the blood of Christ for forgiveness and empowerment with a spirit of humility and meekness which lead us to a passion for a holy, righteous lifestyle and zeal for the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to be known by the people in the earth.”

“Revival is the supernatural, often immediate, continuing work of the Holy Sprit in the people of God when we are awakened and gripped in our inner most being by the absolute truth of God’s Word, the white hot holiness and righteousness of God, by our own utter depravity and sinfulness before God which leads the people of God to fear the Lord and to approach Him in a spirit of repentance and brokenness through the blood of Christ for forgiveness and empowerment with a spirit of humility and meekness which lead us to a passion for a holy, righteous lifestyle and zeal for the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ to be known by the people in the earth.”

Give thanks to the Father that in Christ He hears your prayers and will answer them for your good and His glory. Review your life today and name the times He has rescued you from danger and destruction. Thank Him for saving your soul and for daily giving you life, health, and a future in Christ here and hereafter. Immerse your heart in gratitude for life, love, job, family, church, and His saving grace. Thank Him that you have the privilege to approach the Throne of Grace in prayer to our loving, mighty God. Now you are ready to pray and to keep praying for the glory of God and the blessing of your soul and your walk in Christ.

Desire in Prayer To fulfill covenant relationship to God— “The sons of Judah” I Chronicles 4:1; Ephesians 4:1 To develop character before God— “Jabez was made more honorable (noble) than his brethren.” I Chronicles 4:9

Prayer is the greatest unfinished work of Christ and the Church which continues today at the Father’s right hand. Hebrews 7:25 Look to Jesus. He is praying for us today and invites you to pray to the Father with Him.