April 19, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Wednesday, April 19.
On this day, in 1964, John Lennon, just 24 years old, did an amazing thing. The Beatles were finishing their first movie, “A Hard Day’s Night,” but there was a problem, there was no title song. After a long day in the studio, the director asked John if he would write one. He came back - the next morning - with a song that would rise to number one in the world. Genius.
April 18, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, April 18.
Did you grow up reading a daily newspaper? I pose that question in the past tense because, for the majority of Americans, a daily newspaper, delivered to their home, is a thing of the past. I grew up in Houston where there was once three major dailies. The Herald and the Post are gone now, only the Chronicle survives, in a reduced format.
April 17, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, April 17.
Yesterday our pastor began a sermon series on the armor of God. He preached from the famous passage in the sixth chapter of Ephesians that mentions the breastplate of righteousness, the helmet of salvation, the shield of faith.
Most of these tools of spiritual warfare are defensive in nature, but his message centered on an offensive weapon - the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, the Bible. Here are some verses of promise, protection, and power, that are great weapons for your spiritual battles.
Apri 14, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Friday, April 14.
The inspiring power of music. The healing power of song.
Once a month, the adult choir of First Baptist Church of Center goes out into the community, goes out to sing at the homes of shut-ins. This past Wednesday evening they shared gospel music on the patio of a brother who is facing incredible health challenges. And we left him with a smile on his face and a song in his heart.
April 13, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Thursday, April 13.
On Easter Sunday we placed a large cross in our sanctuary, with a royal purple drape and a crown of flowers. Yesterday I was preparing the worship center for this coming Sunday, and was in the process of taking the Easter cross down, when I had a moment of reflection.
April 11, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, April 11.
Here’s one of the most famous phrases from one of the most famous documents in history -
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
April 10, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Monday, April 10.
The Bible is a book that is dominated by stories about men. I challenge you to name more than ten significant female characters from God’s Word. Why is this? Perhaps it’s because the Bible was written in a culture dominated by men. Whatever your conclusion, we must agree that women of the Word, although few in number, are often great in faith. Women like Queen Esther, Deborah the Judge, Ruth, of the Book of Ruth, Priscilla, protege of Paul, and Mary, the mother of Christ.
April 7, 2023 - Good Morning! It’s Friday, April 7 - Good Friday.
Have you ever wondered why the adjective "good" is applied to the day that Jesus died? It goes to the changing definitions of words over time. At one time "good" was a synonym of "holy" - and we can certainly see the appropriateness of that adjective for this sacred day.