I resumed my study of the Ten Commandments this past Sunday with a message on the seventh commandment. Yes, where's still counting number seven!

Here is the sermon skeleton...

Title: "Keeping Pleasure in its Place"

Text: Exodus 20:14

Series: The Ten Commandments: Loving God, Loving Your Neighbor

Theme: The sanctity of marriage and sex

Point: Do not have sex with any person you are not married to.

Outline:

I. Do not commit literal adultery: To commit adultery is to put pleasure beyond its God-designed place.

II. Do not commit moral adultery: To commit fornication is to put pleasure beyond its God-designed place.

III. Do not commit emotional adultery: To lust is to put pleasure beyond its God-designed place.

IV. Do not commit spiritual adultery: To live in sin is to put pleasure beyond its God-designed place.

Notes from Sunday - 6/27/10

What a joy it was to be in worship with the Shiloh Church family and to minister the word of God to them today.

By the way…

I had the privilege of preaching at the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education this past Tuesday in Houston. It was my first time attending the congress. I appreciate the privilege of preaching the word to this assembly.

Wednesday, I preach in Dallas for Pastor Brian Carter and the Concord Church as they celebrated their 35th anniversary.

I returned to Houston to hear President George Waddles’ address to the congress.

I also got to hear Dr. Jerry Black from Atlanta preach for the first time in a very last time. It was very encouraging.

I made it home Saturday afternoon. Hung out with the family. Prepared for Sunday.

Thank you to all of our volunteers. You make it happen!

I led our parent-child dedication for the first time today. It was a joy and privilege to lead the church in this important act of devotion.

Praise God for the one who was baptized today.

I am grateful for all of our guests in worship today, including our special guests - the Jean Ribault High School (not the William M. Raines) graduating class of 1985.

Two weeks in a row.

I continued my study of the Ten Commandments today with a message on Exodus 20:14 entitled, “Keeping Pleasure in its Place.”

I was supposed to preach this three weeks ago, but changed in the last minute. The next Sunday was Youth Sunday. And last Sunday was Father’s Day. So I am just getting to it today. Better late than never!

During lunch, H.B. told me to stop “double-looking” at his mother. Later, he asked me if my wife was my sister. At least he was listening to the sermon.

Next Sunday’s sermon: “How Did You Get That?” (Exodus 20:15)

Praise God for those who were added to the church today.

Thanks Mae for learning the tag to that song so quickly for me.

I enjoy baseball. But I am ready for football to begin. Go Cowboys!

Hung out with the kids this evening. Caught a movie. Good times.

Remember my Dad on Father's Day

My Father passed away Father’s Day weekend, 1989 – twenty-one years ago. I was 16-years-old.

I remember that day like it was just yesterday. I was young. But I think I understood what was going on. I prayed that I would be able to at least say goodbye to my day. That did not happen. But I was not angry with God at all. I did not know what was going to happen next in my life without my father. But I was not really worried.

I was numb with grief.

But I was also grateful. Very grateful.

I was immeasurably blessed to have H.B. Charles to be my father. He was not a perfect man – by no means. He made a lot of decisions that did not understand. Still don’t. But he was a good man. I am still reaping the harvest of the seeds he planted in my life. And I am still benefiting from the things he taught me over two decades ago.

It’s been a long time since that memorable last conversation with my dad. But I can still hear his voice. I can still see his smile. I smile as I remember his style, mannerisms, and idiosyncrasies. He was truly one of a kind. And I miss him.

My theology of heaven doesn’t allow me to think that he is looking down on me. I think heaven is too wonderful and Jesus Christ too glorious for him to be paying me any attention. But I hope I have become (and am becoming) the man and preaching he was praying, nurturing, and encouraging me to become.

I love my dad. I miss him greatly. And I thank God for him on this Father’s Day.

Bible Study Is Not Meant To Satisfy Our Curiosity

I think that there are people who enjoy Bible study the same way that other people enjoy filling out crossword puzzles. Get all the parts and get the thing completed – they find satisfaction. I think there are people that study the Bible that way. They can see how it relates to its context and how its details work to get across the concept. But if it never gets into your life, if it never really touches your experience, I doubt seriously that you can call it a study of biblical truth, because I think God’s truth is always designed to challenge and change us. – Haddon Robinson (Michael Duduit, Preaching with Power, pp. 155-56)

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