Friday night, a large group of us traveled to Savannah, Georgia, to worship with Pastor Matthew Odom and the Temple of Glory Community Church. It was great bus ride with our members. Our choir really showed out! And I finally got to preach a sermon that has been on my heart for several weeks now. Note: Whenever someone reads a long bio about me before I preach, I feel like at sitting in my own funeral as someone is readying my obituary. I am just waiting for them to say, “He lives behind to mourn his passing… and a host...

It has been a long weekend for me. And I am not just talking about my hectic schedule over the past several days. I am referring to my consuming thoughts about my father. My father was funeralized Father’s Day weekend, 1989 – twenty-two years ago. I trust I will see my father again in glory. This is a comforting assurance for me. Yet there are still times when I still grieve his passing. It happened to me again this weekend. I think being at my grandmother’s funeral this week did it to me. There was a slide show at the...

I attended my grandmother’s funeral yesterday in Oklahoma City. I was in town for less than 24 hours. And it felt like I was in the air – coming and going – longer than I was on the ground. But I am grateful that I had the opportunity to attend and be with my family during this important time. Eula B. Sheffield, my mother’s mom, lived a long, rich, and full life. She was a free spirit, a straight talker, and a relentless lover of her family and friends. She had a tough exterior. I cannot remember one occasion when...

I am happy. I came home from work, there was a package on the porch waiting for me. I knew what it was. And I had been waiting on it. It was my copy of the new biography written by Iain Murray and published by Banner of Truth: “John MacArthur: Servant of the Word and Flock.” I was introduced to the ministry of John F. MacArthur Jr. early in my pastoral ministry. I was being confronted with claims of Charismatic experiences in my congregation. And I needed a better understanding of the matter. Somehow – I think it was through...

Great day of worship at Shiloh yesterday. God be praised for all of our volunteers who serve in various ways during our Lord’s Day services. You make it happen. Thank you. We celebrated the Lord’s Table in both of our worship services, which is always a special time in the life of our congregation. Grateful for the guests who joined us for worship. Our choir sung a song called, “I Never Lost My Praise,” before I preached. It blessed us in both services. I am convinced that if you can praise God in the midst of whatever you are going...

I am in Oklahoma City. I am preaching for Pastor John A. Reed, Jr. and the Fairview Baptist Church. Dr. Reed and my father were great, longtime friends. And my father preached this meeting for some years. I remember my dad preaching three times on Easter Sunday morning and then we would change clothes and hit the road. He would drive to Oklahoma City and we would arrive in time for him to preach Monday night. When my father passed, “Uncle John” became “Pop” to me. I was invited to preach this meeting the year after my father’s death. And...

I thank you, Lord Jesus, for becoming a human being so I do not have to pretend or try to be God. I thank you, Lord Jesus, for becoming finite and limited so I do not have to pretend that I am infinite and limitless. I thank you, crucified God, for becoming mortal so I do not have to try to make myself immortal. I thank you, Lord Jesus, for becoming inferior so I do not have to pretend that I am superior to anyone. I thank you for being crucified outside the walls, for being expelled and excluded like...

This Sunday is Ministry Emphasis Day at the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church. And I can’t wait! One of the key factors in my spiritual growth over the years has been the responsibility to serve others that I have been entrusted with. The fact that I am called to serve has been a God-given and built-in means of accountability in my spiritual walk. And I do not want my congregation to miss this important means of spiritual growth. Mark it down. To come to church and be ministered to week-after-week without ministering to others stunts your growth. What happens if you...

Today is my 38th birthday. And I praise God for all his undeserved goodness to me. I am speechless with gratitude for the Lord's favor in my life. He has saved me. He has called me to preach. He has blessed me to marry way out of my league. He has blessed me with three wonderful children. He has given me the privilege to serve the saints of a great congregation. These blessings are more than I deserve and enough to thank God for the rest of my days. Yet the Lord continually pours blessings and blessing into my life....

Pastor, I am having an issue with my mate – or a relative or friend or coworker or fellow church member or whoever. Should I be taking Communion? Should a church in conflict be taking Communion? I did not take Communion today because I knew there were things in my heart that are not right. God understands, doesn’t he? After receiving a series of questions like these, I decided that I should teach on this an after the question officially. And that’s what I did. I called the message, “When Should I Not Take Communion?” I will give you my...

This Sunday, God willing, I will resume my verse-by-verse exposition of the Epistle of James. This past week was Prayer Emphasis Week here at Shiloh. And I have preached on prayer the past two Sundays. I am now heading back to James. This Sunday’s message will be on James 2:1-13 – The Sin of Partiality. It will be the first of two sermons on James chapter 2, the second will be on verses 14-26. Interestingly, it took me nine sermons to get through chapter 1. But I plan to get through chapter 2 in two sermons. The two passages in...

Part of my devotional reading this morning was the following prayer on how to receive reproofs with a godly attitude. It was an "accident of providence" that my reading landing on this prayer this morning. May you find it to be as convicting and encouraging as i have. When I hear of disagreeable things among Christians, It brings an additional weight and burden on my spirit;I come to thee in my distress and make lamentable complaint; Teach me how to take reproofs from friends, Even though I think I do not deserve them; Use them to make me tenderly afraid...