I'll be returning to the pulpit on Sunday, February 8th for the first time since my hip replacement surgery. I will be preaching in supply for Pastor John Raulerson at Raiford Road Church at 8:15am, 11am and 6:30pm. The church is located at 9201 SR121 South in Macclenny, Florida. For more information call the church at (904) 259-6015.
Please be in prayer for me as I prepare spiritually and physically for these services.
A beautiful girl calls her boyfriend and says, "Please come over here and help me. I have a killer jigsaw puzzle, and I can't figure out how to get started."
Her boyfriend asks, "What is it supposed to be when it's finished?"
The girl says, "According to the picture on the box, it's a rooster."
Her boyfriend decides to go over and help with the puzzle.
She lets him in and shows him where she has the puzzle spread all over the table.
He studies the pieces for a moment, then looks at the box, then turns to her and says, "First of all, no matter what we do, we're not going to be able to assemble these pieces into anything resembling a rooster."
He takes her hand and says, "Second, I want you to relax. Let's have a nice cup of tea, and then ...", he says with a deep sigh...
"Let's put all the Corn Flakes back in the box."
I will be participating in a Church Fair featuring exhibits about church ministries and missions on Saturday, February 21, 2009 at Clayland Baptist Church. I will have an exhibit about the JCEA Ghana, West Africa missions work and the Christmas JOY Box Ministry for nursing home residents. The event will be 10am-2pm at the church which is located at 11409 193rd. Road near Live Oak, Florida. Lunch will be available during the fair. The fair will serve as a kick-off for a revival meeting beginning the following morning. For more info call Pastor Bill Lawhon at (386) 776-2638.
[01.15.09] University of Florida (UF) star quarterback Tim Tebow not only guided his Gators to a national championship last Thursday evening, but also caused “John 3:16” to reach the “volcanic” reading on Google Trends, making it the No. 1 ranked search term on Google worldwide.
Skyrocketing past Obama, Oprah, deceased gangster John Gotti and other Top 100 trendy pop culture searches, the Bible verse about God’s love written in the two bars of eye black on Tebow’s face, took the top spot across the globe.
Read more of this story online at Charisma.
Nine weeks ago today I underwent a hip replacement revision surgery in Gainesville, Florida. The surgery was very extensive and also repaired a hair-line fracture in my femur. Yesterday my surgeon, Dr. Mark Petty, gave the go-ahead to begin placing 50% of my weight on that leg. This basically means I can begin standing straight and taking somewhat normal steps with a walker. This is "praise the Lord news"! If I have no pain with this process over the next two weeks I can go to 75% weight bearing with the aid of a cane. If this goes well, with no pain, I can begin bearing full-weight 1 to 2 weeks later and begin moving away from the cane altogether. I will also be able to drive again within the next 2-3 weeks. Did I happen to say, "praise the Lord"!!!
I want to thank you all for your prayers during my surgery, hospital stay and this recovery time. Please don't stop now. The doctor says these next four weeks will be the real test of whether the femur and all the bone grafting has healed and is working properly. If not, well, let's not think about that now. Let's pray that God's perfect will is done through this process and that His Son will receive honor and glory from it all.
During this four week "learning to walk again" time, I will also be preparing for my first two revival meetings of 2009. These will begin February 15th and February 22nd. Please pray for the preparations for these meetings.
I have had some "tough and trying" experiences since the middle of November. I know these times were not as bad as some have or are now facing, but don't they always seem worse when it's you? It is only by God's grace that I have made it through. I must confess that I'm still feeling the impact of some of these trials or tests and I ask you to continue to pray for me spiritually, emotionally, physically and financially. I also want to thank all of you that have been praying for me, sending cards & e-mails, and calling with words of encouragement. May God richly bless you for ministering to me. I know the Lord has blessed me with many friends, some of which have been so kind to listen to me when I just needed to talk or whine. 8-)
May God richly bless you all and I'll keep you posted as the recovery continues!
Previous hip surgery related posts.
The 2008 Annual Ministry Report for James Croft Evangelistic Association has now been posted online. The 2007 report has also been placed on our website.
While preaching about forgiving ones enemies, the preacher asked for a show of hands of those who were willing to forgive their enemies. About half of the congregation raised their hands. The minister continued his sermon and again asked for a show of hands. This time, 80 percent of his congregation raised their hands. Not giving up, the minister continued for fifteen more minutes. When he again asked for a show of hands, all members—except one—raised their hands.
"Mr. Jones,” asked the minster, “are you not willing to forgive your enemies?”
"I don't have any.”
Mr. Jones, that is very unusual. I know you are 86-years-old. Would you please come down to the front and explain to all of us how you have lived so long without making a single enemy in the world?”
Mr. Jones teetered to the front and briefly explained, “Its easy. Ive outlived every one of them.”
I will be speaking each day during an annual children's camp sponsored by several churches in North Central Florida June 15-18, 2009. "Camp Sunrise" will be held at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Campground near Madison, Florida. I will be leading devotions in the morning and preaching each night for the estimated 100 attendees. Please be in prayer for this opportunity.
A Baptist Pastor was walking down the street one day when he noticed a very small boy trying to press a doorbell on a house across the street. However, the boy was very small, and the doorbell was too high for him to reach.
After watching the boy’s efforts for some time, the pastor moved across the street and walked up behind the little fellow. Placing his hands kindly on the child’s shoulder, he leaned over and gave the doorbell a solid ring. Crouching down to the child’s level, the pastor smiled benevolently and asked, “And now what, my little man?”
To which the boy replied, “Now we run!”
I received great news this week that Chapel Hill Baptist Church in Tallahassee, Florida will begin serving as an ongoing financial partner in our ministry. We have a number of individuals who share in the work of this ministry with regular financial gifts, and now I am excited that an entire church body has stepped forward to participate in this ongoing way! For information on church-partnership support for JCEA, please visit the James Croft Evangelistic Association website.
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
I will be preaching revival services at Clayland Baptist Church near Live Oak, Florida in February. The meetings will begin on Sunday, February 22, 2009 at 11am and 6:30pm. The services will continue Monday-Wednesday, February 23-25, 2009 at 7pm nightly. A mission/ministry fair will be held at the church on Saturday, February 21st. This event will include an exhibit about the our Ghana, West Africa and Christmas JOY Box ministries. I'll post the time and other details as they become available.
Clayland Baptist Church is located at 11409 193rd. Road in Live Oak, Florida. For more information call Pastor Bill Lawhon at (386) 776-2638.
A Sunday school teacher asked her students to draw a picture of their favorite Old Testament story. As she moved around the class, she saw there were many wonderful drawings being done. Then she came across the drawing of one little boy. He was busy drawing a man driving an old car. In the backseat were two passengers—both scantily dressed.”
"It's a lovely picture,” prompted the teacher, “but which story does it tell?”
The little boy seemed surprised at the question. “Well,” he exclaimed, “doesn't it say in the Bible that God drove Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden?”
NOTE: The Lord really used this devotion to speak to my heart this morning. Share your thoughts by clicking "comments" below.
We know well what happens when human beings form unequal alliances: the dominant partner tends to throw his weight around and the subordinate mostly keeps quiet. But God, who has no reason to be threatened by us, invites a steady and honest flow of communication.
I sometimes wonder why God places such a high value on honesty in our prayers, even to the extent of enduring unjust outbursts. I am startled to see how many biblical prayers seem ill-tempered. Jeremiah griped about unfairness (20:7-10); Habakkuk accused God of deafness (1:2); Job conceded, “What profit do we have if we pray to Him?” (21:15). The Bible teaches us to pray with blistering honesty.
God wants us to come to Him with our complaints. If we march through life pretending to smile while inside we bleed, we dishonor the relationship. — Philip Yancey
Give Him each perplexing problem,
All your needs to Him make known;
Bring to Him your daily burdens—
Never carry them alone! —Adams
The best thermometer of your spiritual temperature is the intensity of your prayer. —Spurgeon
OK, all you hunters and wannabees here's a hunting game for you that will test your skill and patience. I must warn you in advance, it's very addictive.
A Recently Spotted Bumper Sticker:
Lord, walk beside me with your arm on my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
