Pastor Michael's Blog

New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-29T15:16:00.000-06:00

Funny how having a baby can totally change your life. I was looking at the last day I updated my blog and I was shocked at how quickly time has passed. It seems just like yesterday that I wrote my last update...but I think that is because I have not really slept since Eli's birth. So technically it was "yesterday." The funny thing is, several people told Melissa and I that if we could handle two kids, then having three would be a piece of cake. Right now I'm trying to remember who told me that (so I can hunt them down and tell them they gave false information) and I'm trying to remember if they actually had kids or not (typical that someone would give advice even though they had not experienced it...lol).

With all funniness aside, having children is one of the greatest life teachers God gives people. With the addition of our third, Melissa and I are experiencing a whole new set of emotions, and the growing responsibility of raising children in this world. But what does that have to do with a devotional blog and the lack of keeping up with it for 2 months? Very simply this, in life we all have to determine what is most important to us. I have found over the last several weeks that I've had to readjust my priorities to keep life in balance as a pastor, friend, husband and father. To do so requires that some things take a backseat to the more imporant things in life. Yes, I still keep office hours, prepare sermons, counsel, and am still available to see you if you want to take me to lunch...ha ha...or if you want to just drop by. But what I've learned is that life will bring you certain reminders that some experiences are more important than others. Dropping some details of life in order to maintain ultimate priorities is wise...and often times down right necessary.

You're probably thinking...ok you just gave a lame excuse for not keeping up with details...way to go. Ha ha, but not really if you think about what is about to happen in the lives of millions of people over the next few days. As a New Year approaches and with it all the countless possibilities, people from all walks of life will make resolutions with great intentions. Yet most will struggle to keep them. Some people will even avoid making resolutions because they know they will break them sooner than they are made. Here is the secret...drop something! If there are important priorities in your life, but other things are consuming your time and resources, then create some margin to put your focus back on the most important items. For me it meant cutting out some areas for a season to be able to be a good father as my wife and I adjusted to 3 young lives around us. Then as I readjusted I'm able to learn to balance more and keep up with more. It is the same for you.

As I prepare for this Sunday and our New Year at Calvary, I want to get you to begin to think on what is most important in your life. This Sunday I'm going to give you one of the most important challenges you could receive as a Christ follower. It is one of the most overlooked opportunities in our busy lives. But if we had to drop something to keep up with this one thing, I would guarantee you that this one thing is worth dropping all else for. Lining up our priorities with God's ultimate priorities creates the opportunity to be most effective and successful in life. Look forward to sharing one with you on Sunday.

~Michael~

What Motivates Us?

2009-10-18T07:18:00.001-05:00

After watching one of the greatest miracles this last week, the birth of my third child, I am so motivated by the awesomeness of God and His incredible love for us. There is no more prevalent everyday miracle than the birth of a child. From the miracle of their growth inside the womb, to the moment they struggle out into this world for their first breath, it reminds all of us who witness it of the fragile nature of life and our true lack of control over it.

As I have sat in awe holding my newborn son over the last week, I have pondered many things about the Lord and His purpose for our lives. It seems right that in His creating life for us He would design it to be a statement of His glory and useful for His kingdom. I watch Eli as he sleeps, wakes, squirms, and wrestles to discover this new world he is in, and I realize that He is totally dependent on his mother and I for his existence. No pressure right? And so it is in our relationship to our Heavenly Father...we are totally dependent on Him for our very existence.

You see, something has to motivate us each day. As a parent, I am motivated to give my children the best I can, and to prepare them for the life ahead. As a church leader, I am motivated to move the congregations I serve to become everyday Christ followers that make a difference in this world. But as a child of God, a son of His through Jesus Christ, I am motivated by a Father that daily cares for me, shows me His love, and guides my path...my existence in this world.

Today as I prepare to preach, I am motivated by Jesus Christ. He is the author of all good gifts. He is the only one worthy to open the doors of heaven to us. He is the only one who takes our sins away and makes them no more. He is the only one empowering His followers to be His light in this dark world. He is the only one worthy of worship.

My mission is to nurture, develop, and use everything He has given me to serve Him and advance His kingdom. Sometimes it takes the birth of a child to remind us of our mission, and to motivate us afresh. My prayer for you is that He allows circumstances in your life to motivate you toward Him so that you may be on mission for Him.

~Michael~

People People?

2009-09-28T09:03:00.000-05:00

Ever meet someone who makes engages you from the very first moment? It's as if they have known you their entire life and consider you one of their closest friends. Sometimes we encounter those people who never seem to meet a stranger. But then there are others of us who are more reserved, quiet, shy, and who are not comfortable with people beyond their immediate circle of influence. In the kingdom of God both are vital.

In considering Jesus, we find that @ times he was outgoing to crowds and strangers, and then @ others he was more reserved and withdrawn with a select few. But in all cases, He used His life to connect people to His Father! As we discussed yesterday in the sermon, Jesus connected with people from all walks of life, and He used whatever opportunity He had to meet their greatest need, the need for a living relationship with His Father!

In case you missed it, I encourage you to go back and look at how Jesus dealt with people. There is deep meaning for us today as modern day Christ Followers @ Calvary! Look again below at the lives we discussed yesterday, and you can see how Jesus turned them around! Why? For God so loved the world, that He gave His only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life! (John 3:16)

1. Wedding @ Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11) – Celebration of being with Christ

2. Samaritan Woman (John 4:7-42) – The Kingdom of God has No Boundaries

3. Healing the Royal Officials Son (John 4:46-53) – Faith In Christ Leads To Life

4. Healing of the Lame Man (John 5:5-9) – Christ Has the Power over Life

5. Feeding the Multitudes (John 6:5-14) – Jesus is the Bread of Life

6. Forgiving the Adulteress (John 8:1-11) – Jesus is the Truth that Sets People Free

7. Sight Given to the Blind Man (John 9:1-7) – Jesus is the Light of the World

8. Raising Lazarus from the Dead (John 11:1-45) – Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life

9. The Greatest Fishing Trip (John 21:1-11) – Jesus Makes us Fishers of Men

As you can see, we are all in the business of being Christ followers. We are all people people, even if we may not think of ourselves as a people person. The point is, we must use whatever moments and influence we have to draw those around us to the only one who can change their lives. WE VALUE PEOPLE BECAUSE JESUS VALUES PEOPLE!

~Michael~

BIG Days @ Calvary!

2009-09-12T23:13:00.000-05:00

I'm pumped about tomorrow @ Calvary. We launch into 2 awesome discipleship ministries to help everyone connected with the Calvary family begin a deliberate growth process in their walk with Christ. Tomorrow morning is the beginning of JUMPSTART! That is our worship and growth ministry for children that will be going on while all the adults are in "Big Church." There is an incredible team of talented individuals who will be leading all children through some awesome small group lessons and a high energy worship experience with their friends. Be sure to get the kids checked in by 10:30! They will not want to miss a moment.

Also we begin our Life Groups! We are pulling out all stops (and excuses...lol) to provide an opportunity for every adult of every age to connect with other adults in walking the Christ Life. We will begin a jouney through the book Crazy Love that will challenge each of us to understand the power of God's love. The groups meet in a variety of time frames and venues, so it should be easy to find the opportunity that best helps you connect with other people for growth and ministry. No one of us can walk the Christian life alone, so make sure to find your place with a Life Group.

P.S. Speaking of family...way to go Jimbo and Audrea! They now have a new member in their house...Mr. Charles Cash Stewart. He was born on 9-9-09, and he is a great looking baby! I'm thinking we need to go ahead and start recruiting him for LSU football...he is a big boy...and they could use all the help they can get...lol. Love you guys!

~Pastor Michael~

Remembering Jim

2009-08-24T00:09:00.000-05:00

Some people in life seem to have everything, and yet they do nothing meaningful with all they've been given. Others in life are people you will never forget, who are not defined by what they have, but rather by who they are and how they impact others. Jim Miller is the latter! He is the man we remember together, not for his riches, but for the richness he brought to so many of our lives. Always smiling, always giving, always with a great sense of humor, always making sure we had our Sunday morning cup of coffee and our donut, and always willing to serve behind the scenes to make sure Calvary was the best she could be. He loved Calvary!

Today he is with Jesus! This morning he was serving many of us, this morning he was worshipping with us, this morning he told me it was the best church service he has had in 30 years, and now, this evening, Jim is gone. In a tragic accident, Jim was ushered straight to heaven to be with the God he loved and served. The world being no longer worthy to house such a great man, is now short one of God's best. Calvary will miss you. I will miss you. Thank you for being the man who brought life to so many, and who pointed us to Christ. Look forward to seeing you again!

Calvary family, as we take the time to encourage the Miller family during their loss, let's never forget the smiles Jim brought to us. Let us make the most of our days and leave a legacy on this planet that honors Christ like Jim sought to. Tonight I celebrate a great Christ Follower...Jim Miller is home.

~Michael~

Thankful for People?

2009-08-03T10:21:00.001-05:00

I have been thinking over the last week of all the people who help make Calvary a great place to worship! First, I am so grateful for the incredible staff team that God is assembling @ Calvary. They work hard, and I mean HARD, every day to make sure we are moving ahead as a church. I am very proud of them! Mark B, you rock in keeping the house clean and to high standards, and your love for the people here is awesome! Rosette, thanks for all you do to keep a pastor on task as I keep this church on the move. You go girl, we couldn't do it without you! Tammy, you are such a blessing to the church helping us all to stay wise and accountable with the resources of God. You are indeed a woman of faith! Jimbo, the creative phenom, thanks for being the hardest working part time seminary student I know. I'm proud of our student ministry and where they are headed. Our students are truly blessed! Corey O, thanks for seeing the vision in my heart and joining me in making it reality. Praying the best days are ahead, and that we have fun doing it!

Guys, I know it's alot of work to keep up with me, and I know I dream big and push hard, but you guys are God's gifts to this church and to me! Love you all, and your wonderful spouses and incredible kids!

Next, thanks for the worship leadership team that comes together each week in diligence to help connect our hearts to God. Elizabeth, you are a master of organizational brilliance, and I appreciate you doing all the details to prepare the team each week. Nuthin but luv! Go Saints huh? And all you guys in the worship team, thanks for lifting up your voices to lead us each week! Marshall, Whit, Janis, Jeff, Paul, thanks for using your instruments to make a joyful noise to the Lord! So talented! Emily, you are so faithful with the choral arrangements, and choir, thank you for lifting up your voices! I love it when you guys get to swaying and moving! Randall, Mike, Butch, Amy...you guys are the brains! You make us all sound and look good! Love 2 the techies!

I'm so blessed this morning as I think of you all...deacon leadership team, children's ministry leadership, those of you who greet and hand out information, those who work with children on Wednesday nights, life group leaders, school administration and office staff, school teachers, and every other behind the scene genius who serves THE LORD here at CALVARY...God's Blessings on YOU!

I rejoice over you this morning! What a great place to call home! Now...get contagious...who you gonna show some love today?

~Michael~

2009-07-20T04:54:00.000-05:00

Funny thing how a little kindness can influence lives far beyond a critical word. I received a note yesterday from a child that totally encouraged my heart. In a broken sentence with broken letters the young man wrote, "Pastor Michael, thank you for teaching us the word of God." Nothing fancy, just a simple note of encouragment with kind words, and I was off to the races being excited about what the Lord has for my life.

Contrast that to another note I received from an anonymous sender (ie. I would suggest never reading a note that someone is too cowardly to sign :-). The note started very curt with the statement, "Obviously you don't know how we do things around here." With whatever intent the writer had, the credibility of their request was shot. I found myself wanting to know who the coward was and why they had to be so rude. I was hoping there was a return address at least! In my flesh I would have liked the opportunity to return their poison to them. But what I realized more than anything was that their note was merely a discouraging shot from the bleachers of a corrupted and wounded heart. And ultimately, I had a choice to make. Would I let the negative words of someone influence my entire day, or would I dismiss the comments and move on with a more contagious attitude of building up those around me? If you know me at all, then you know that I chose the latter!

Words have power. They can ruin a life, or they can build one up! One of my great mentors taught me to live by this phrase, "Be Nice." He was right. Regardless of the conflicts and hard choices you have to make, one thing you can do is to be Nice. Being an encourager is not easy. There is a shortage of it in most of the places we work and spend our time. But it is a choice we can make. By the power of your tongue you can either tear someone down, or you can give them the hope that there are still some kind Christian people in this world today. Who will you bless today with your words?

Oh, and by the way, no need to try and figure out who the anonymous person was, or to worry about how I feel. I'm not. Someone somewhere will one day penetrate their life with kindness! It could be you.

~Michael~

2009-07-13T08:17:00.000-05:00

Where does your healing begin? We all need some type of healing from the Lord, it's just a matter of where it starts. In our services yesterday we experienced healing from more than just the physical angle. To stop at only our physical needs is to sell short the healing that Christ offers to each of His children.

Are you broken? Acknowledging to the Lord our broken areas of life begins the process of healing inside you, whether physically, spiritually, or emotionally. Identifying the areas in our lives that are truly messed up opens the door for Christ to fix us. Truth is it is our brokenness that gives us the best picture of the power of Christ in us. He uses those times in our lives to get our attention and show us how close and powerful He truly is.

Are you seeking Jesus, or are you seeking a miracle? There is a big difference. Jesus is THE HEALER, but often we settle for a counterfeit and insufficient work in our lives because we are not looking for the Glory that is Christ! If it is not about the full glory of Jesus, it doesn't count! It will not last. Christ has a greater perspective for the healing of our lives and the details that we face each day. Seeking Him is the beginning of true healing. Jesus is our light, and many eyes were opened yesterday to that fact.

Healing is work! It is the work of God first, and then it is the work in you. More than an event, it is often a process of obedience to His voice leading us to break patterns. It is often more than a quick fix! My prayer for you as you read this is that the work of Christ becomes evident in you so that His name is magnified through the process of your healing.

~Michael~
John 9:1-5

2009-07-08T22:52:00.000-05:00

Have you realized that you are gifted yet? Each one of us has been given a spiritual gift that is to be uniquely used in service to Christ. Thing is, we usually spend most of our time either working outside our giftedness, or we end up being too busy to identify our gift and use it. That's where most of our personal frustration, lack of inner motivation, ministry burn out, or relational challenges with others come into play. However, when we accept what comes naturally for us in ministry, and in like manner appreciate others whose gifts are different from ours, we find a greater satisfaction with ourselves and those around us. It eliminates much of the unnecessary frustration common in our church experiences.

When you came to know God personally through Christ, the use of your life began to change. Like the metamorphosis from a catepillar to butterfly, God's intention was for your life to change to reflect His glory in you. For some that change is ever so slight over periods of time, while for others it seems more natural and quick. In either case, as His Spirit guides you from the inside out, you find yourself yearning to be more like Him. One of the best avenues to reveal His work in us is in discovering the spiritual gifts we have and using them deliberately for His kingdom. Doing so reveals His change in you, gives you purpose, begins to eliminate "meishness" (my new word), and ultimately opens the door for your church to be healthy because you are healthy.

You are gifted. Why not try taking our online test on the website? See how you fare. I'll be testing the whole congregation on it in a few weeks, so go ahead and get the jump. Pursue what you are gifted to do!

~Michael~
Eph 4:12

First Entry

2009-06-22T16:29:00.001-05:00

Thanks for checking out the blog, more to come real soon. . .