by Ryan Smith | Jul 3, 2018
Our church family recently gave me a sabbatical to refresh, focus on education and training, and invest time in activities that will enhance my ministerial capabilities.
One of the activities I was greatly anticipating was visiting other churches on Sundays. As a pastor, my time on Sunday morning is highly logistically concerned and executed from a unique perspective. I am constantly at work to ensure the time the church spends together is edifying, glorifying to Christ, and free from unnecessary disturbance or distraction. Without these responsibilities, I assumed my time with the church would be easy. I was wrong.
It was great to worship alongside other local church families and not have to worry about the processes involved. Hearing from other teachers of the Word and singing songs familiar to others was refreshing and helpful. Sitting with my family was a joy. I anticipated those things.
What I did not anticipate was my struggling mindset going into worship each week.
The enemy has a stocked quiver to use against God’s church, and I believe a large number of arrows are shot on Sunday mornings. Whether it’s the struggle of getting kids ready (mentally and physically) for church, a malfunctioning appliance, the unexpected scheduling hiccup that arises, etc., it is incredibly easy to walk into the worship center not refreshed and open to what God has, but distracted, out of breath and certainly not in the place of mind you hoped.
The Sunday morning struggle is real. So how do we fight it?
I want to offer three questions to ask each week in order to fight the Sunday morning struggle before it begins.
1. Do I know the real battle?
There is no time during the week Satan wants you more distracted, temperamental and tired than when you are gathering with the people of God under the Word of God. His attacks against you are subtle, yet strong.
It is not your kids you are fighting. It is not the music that is distracting you. It is not just coincidence that adds five minutes here and there to your Sunday morning routine. You are a target. Prepare to fight for your time and attention spiritually, mentally and physically.
2. Am I preparing well?
If Sunday morning is the first time we have thought about the church that week, we are disadvantaged. If the sermon is the first time we think about the passage for that Sunday, we are behind. If Sunday church attendance is dependent on the way things go that morning, we have already prepared to fail.
Sunday morning decisions should not be dependent on Saturday night realities. Saturday night decisions should be dependent on Sunday morning realities.
3. Am I asking the right questions?
Sunday mornings are full of questions. We need to make sure we are asking the right ones.
It can be tempting to ask about ways we will be served at the church gathering. But how would our Sunday morning be different if, instead of asking how we will be served, we asked whom we will serve? What if we asked not if the preaching will be on something we like, but on something we need?
Let’s examine our questions. What do they say about the way we mentally and spiritually approach the Sunday morning church gathering?
The time gathered with our church families is sacred. We should be grateful to God for the opportunity to meet freely and hear God’s Word proclaimed unapologetically. But what seems innocently easy can be easily taken for granted. Take the time this week to invest early in what you will do Sunday morning and with whom you will do it. Pray for your pastors. Plan for your time. Pour into your church.
May our time together on Sunday mornings not just be with the church, but for the church.
by Michael Cox | Jun 7, 2018
The Real Issues
Oklahomans will be called upon to vote on the legalization of medical marijuana on Tues. June 26. Make no mistake about it, this vote is not just about the legalization of medical marijuana. It is about the legalization of the THC in the marijuana and is about taking the first step toward the eventual legalization of marijuana and its THC for recreational use with no medical restrictions.
This is not the day to have the “Blue Flu.” Voting “No” on State Question 788 is the proper moral response to the proposed legalization of anything which will prove to be a scourge to the social well-being of the citizens of the state of enactment. Oklahomans are banding together in opposition to SQ 788, and you need to be one of them. Here are some of the reasons why:
The Dangers of THC
THC stands for Tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis. In other words, it targets the mind, producing both psychological and physiological effects. The THC bonds with receptors in the brain which help stimulate release of dopamine, creating a “high.”
The THC then “over activates” functions which, up to now, were naturally regulated by the body, such as mood, appetite, cognition and perception, thus compromising all of these, including one’s immune system. You might have been told that cannabis is an excellent treatment for cancer. But the reality is that it’s more likely to be prescribed, where legal, for the harsh side effects of cancer treatment than for the cancer itself.
Also, for those prone to psychosis or schizophrenia, cannabis can make them more vulnerable to their already existing conditions (Adam Drury, “What Is THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) And What Does It Do?”). Surprisingly, Drury, a proponent for legalization, admits the dangers. Acute psychosis, hallucinations, delusions, and a loss of the sense of personal identity are also often experienced by those who take large doses of marijuana (National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Marijuana,”).
Marijuana is a drug, the legalization of which will come at the expense of our children and grand-children, creating dependency and treatment issues. It will be a gateway to the use of other drugs, impaired health, delinquent behavior and drugged drivers of motor vehicles. Colorado is already experiencing these effects (Richard Salter, “Medical Marijuana” Fact vs. Fiction Presentation).
The Frightening Numbers
Baptist Messenger Editor Brian Hobbs has already accurately pointed out that Oklahoma has passed one form of legalized marijuana in 2015, allowing a limited-basis program in the form of cannabis oil extract for certain types of patients, such as those suffering from childhood-onset epilepsy (Brian Hobbs, “Conventional Thinking: Is ‘medical marijuana’ OK for Okla.?” Baptist Messenger, 6 April 2018).
Salter explains that this cannabidiol, aka CBD oil, cannot exceed 0.03 percent of the THC and that Epidiolex, a pharmaceutical pure cannabidiol, is in development now. Hobbs has also expressed the concerns of the Anti-SQ788 Coalition in a Word Slingers article which seeks to warn voters of the smokescreen of legalizing “Medical Marijuana” when the bill more closely resembles legalization of recreational marijuana.
Salter’s data magnify the concerns expressed in Hobbs’ article and by the Anti-SQ788 Coalition by putting hard numbers to the legal latitudes a person in possession of a state issued medical marijuana license will be able to have, and these figures have recreational use and abuse written all over them:
- Consume marijuana legally
- Legally possess up to 3 ounces of marijuana on their person = 168 joints
- Legally possess 6 mature marijuana plants = 600 pounds or 540,000 joints
- Legally possess 6 seedling plants = the next 600 pounds
- Legally possess 1 ounce of concentrated marijuana at up to 99 percent THC available
- Legally possess 72 ounces of edible marijuana = 4.5 pounds of Brownies
- Legally possess up to 8 ounces of marijuana in their residence = another 448 joints
The Impact of Legalization
Further, municipalities would be prohibited from restricting zoning laws to prevent the establishment of retail marijuana shops and marijuana plants growing in yards would not be able to be restricted – there would be no code enforcement, and there would be no discipline or oversight of doctors prescribing “Medical Marijuana,” and “No person may be unduly withheld from holding a state license, such as a Firearms Concealed Carry Permit by virtue of being a Medical Marijuana License Holder” (Salter).
So, any driver/operator can be high while on the job provided they don’t have marijuana at work or use it while on the job. This means nurses, surgeons, forklift operators, taxi cab drivers, school bus drivers, over-the-road truckers with headaches and many more will be granted a legal THC-induced high.
We’ll only wish our neighbors next door were still just growing tomatoes and okra, but where’s the fun and the money in that? Surely we can see the societal scourge legalization of medical marijuana will unleash. And once this Genie is out of the bottle, there will be no putting her back in.
Two Tragic Ironies
There is much more to consider, but space here is limited. However, I must include two tragic ironies.
First, consider the driver with a prescription for “medical marijuana” for his frequent and crippling headaches who swerves to miss an animal in the road, crosses the median and collides with a vehicle driven by your 16-year-old daughter, killing her instantly; yet he survives. He explains to the Highway Patrol Trooper that he swerved to keep from hitting a giant, polka dotted unicorn he thought he saw standing in his lane. He was, of course, hallucinating. But he didn’t realize it at the time. Now the supposed cure for his headache becomes the sanctioned cause for your heartache.
Second, consider the fact that law enforcement agencies and departments will be handcuffed when it comes to imposing consequences or regulating marijuana use and abuse.
Taking Action Now
So, what can we do between now and Tuesday June 26? Pray. But don’t stop there. Educate yourself, family, and friends; and vote!
FBC Pryor is hosting an educational presentation by Richard Salter, assistant special agent in charge, DEA Oklahoma, Sunday June 24 at 4 P.M. in our Worship Center. He will present, in full, his PowerPoint presentation, and it is vivid.
Then, we have put together a post-presentation discussion panel to provide reflections on the presentation and opinions on the legalization of medical marijuana. The panel will include Brett Gray, MD, Board Certified Family Physician, Medical Director, Cherokee Nation Health Services Clinic; Tom Linihan, Superintendent (Ret), Adair Public Schools; Paul Mobley, DO, Medical Director (Ret), Public Health Services, Claremore Indian Hospital; Brian Surber, First Assistant District Attorney, District 12; Dr. Don Raleigh, Superintendent, Pryor Public Schools; and me, Dr. Michael Cox, Senior Pastor, FBC Pryor.
All panel members are against SQ 788. I encourage you to put events like this together throughout the state and to urge Oklahomans to make their voices heard by voting “No” on SQ 788. Don’t let the Genie out of the bottle!
by Caleb Gordon | May 24, 2018
Every man’s ‘gotta guy’ they know who can help fix their car or build their house or guide their finances. But most men don’t ‘gotta guy’ who can help them win battles for their spiritual health. This has gotta change.
The question I have you is, do you gotta guy? If not, go find someone who can help you to see how to fight your spiritual battles. Yes, it’s that important.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day” (2 Cor. 4:16 ESV).
So often we forget that we are in the process of moving out of this place. Every day we are one day closer to leaving the planet. We tend to lose sight as to what is really happening. We get so consumed with the daily pressures and hustles that we oftentimes lose heart in our efforts. We need, more than ever, men who will help each to reach the pinnacle of spiritual healthiness.
You need to step out of your comfort zones and invest in men who are in need. What would it look like if YOU, yes I’m talking to you, stepped up and found a guy who was drowning and you threw him a life jacket?
Now, in order for that to happen, we have to invest in our spiritual well-being. We work hard with consultants and gurus to get us the pinnacles of other parts of our lives, but we neglect our spiritual lives. If you were investing in your spiritual life, just think the kind of impact you could have on the men who were around you. What would it look like if you were the guru? Just think how our churches and our cities would transform.
I’m telling you, there will be a day when we will see everything in a clear light, and we will have wished that we had gone all in when it came to our spiritual healthiness.
It is vital that our spiritual well-being be a top priority. And here is the thing: YOU are the only one who can make it a priority. I read stories in the Bible where men and women encountered by God, and what once kept their attention is now considered as rubble. Why is it that we have trouble seeing this world as rubble? The honest answer is because we are not truly beholding God as they did. If we are honest, we view God as an add-on to our week. He’s not the priority. He’s the afterthought and how we view him is going to truly impact us in the long run.
The moment we begin to see God as He truly is, that will be the moment that our attention will truly shift to what matters most.
Men, I challenge you:
- To invest in your spiritual health. Get around other men who are going to bring out the best in you.
- When you are spiritually healthy, I challenge you to be that ‘gotta guy.’ Be the guy whom other guys look to for help.
Everyone in your radius of influence will benefit when you prioritize your spiritual health and vitality. When you prioritize, you will transform the world.
by Caleb Gordon | Apr 17, 2018
The ONLY reason America is different and is exceptional is that of the principles upon which we were founded. The “Mayflower Compact” was signed on November 11, 1620 onboard the Mayflower shortly after she came to anchor off Provincetown Harbor.
Look at the REASON these men and women came here. Here are some of the opening lines from the Mayflower Compact:
“Having undertaken for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honour of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the First Colony in the Northern Parts of Virginia…”
That’s why this country was great! The moment we moved away from this, as our focus, was the moment we stopped being a great nation. And consequently, this is the moment God’s wrath began to be unleashed upon us.
George Washington said in his farewell address: “Religion and morality are necessary conditions of the preservation of free government.”
The only way the insanity of our world is reversed is repentance. And I’m not even calling the lost world to repent. I’m calling on the CHURCH to repent.
Without repentance, we are wasting our time. And no catchy political phrases or political parties are going to make any difference.
Jesus is the only One who can make the difference, and if our country refuses to walk down this path we are in deep trouble.
So my plea today is that you and I fall on our knees and repent. It’s the only thing that will matter in 10,000 years. What did you do with JESUS? That’s the question that is looming before every human being on the planet.
by Angela Sanders | Mar 28, 2018
Gotta admit, folks, I’m not feeling very Easter-y right now, and it’s frustrating because I was in a really good place just a few hours ago. At least by my estimation.
Not anymore! Someone got my goat.
Now, not only do I feel less than encouraged, but I’m having trouble even reading my Bible or praying. I need to forgive, and, truth be told, I don’t want to. Honestly? I feel justified in my anger, and self-righteousness has settled itself in the pit of my stomach like a serpent’s nest.
Of course, when I was younger, I would ride a good mad like this one until it was played out, but experience has taught me this: Anything I might gain by holding a grudge pales in comparison to what the Kingdom will gain if I submit to God and let Him do what only He can, thereby proving the Gospel true and His Holy Spirit, only present in my life as a result of my faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, powerful to transform.
So what do I do?
I suck it up and, earbuds in, let the beauty created by my brothers and sisters in their more spiritual moments calm my heart as the Holy Spirit works on me. Sort of meaning it and trusting Him to meet me more than halfway because He’s good like that, I ask God to soften my heart and change my perspective. Ever faithful, He does.
Three chords into my favorite song, He turns my attention to the cross. Freedom. Jesus died for this. Mine and theirs.
Two songs later, He indicates the empty tomb, and my defenses begin to crumble. Life. God raised Jesus for this, not only so we could enjoy eternal life in Heaven someday, but also so we could live empowered, victorious lives now.
With authority, the Master speaks my name, and I am undone. It’s time to obey.
Like Lazarus, I put one fleshy foot in front of the other and rely on His power to do what must be done, release the debt. Far smaller than the sum of my own, the slight thing bobs and dips on the swells of His grace before slipping from sight all together.
Relief.
Long moments later, I’m still not feeling particularly Easter-y, but that’s okay. I don’t need to feel redeemed, just prove to those watching I am.
by Hannah Hanzel | Mar 14, 2018
I must begin this blog by stating who I am and where I come from. I am not a teacher. I’ve never had a desire to be one. I believe it’s a calling, and while I have not been called to it, a large portion of my family has. I have aunts, uncles, siblings, cousins, grandparents and parents who were or are presently teachers, principals, school bus drivers or superintendents.
As I watch a majority of educators wrestle with everything going on in this country and specifically in this state of Oklahoma I have one question…
Teachers, why don’t you stop?
To that question, I hear the cry of a thousand people that have been loved, taught, and provided for by school personnel. The people say, “Please, don’t stop!”
Please don’t stop pushing. Keep pushing for better education for students of all ages, all races, all backgrounds, all religions, all families and all incomes. Keep pushing those same students to be better, to work harder, to love how God has made them, to respect their country, and to build hope where there is none. Keep pushing your school district to further their united efforts, to protect you as educators and to give you opportunities to grow and learn yourselves.
Please don’t stop loving. Keep loving your students through the good and hard times. They all need you. Keep loving your school whether it has 50 students or 5,000 students. Keep loving your classroom though it falls apart, though it doesn’t have the supplies you need, though it is overcrowded, and though you feel like it is a prison sometimes.
Please don’t stop knowing. Know that even though you come home late, your family still loves you. Know that even though you feel alone, God sees your diligence and kindness. Know that even though you get paid so little, we are willing to fight with you. Know that your calling is not a mistake.
Teachers, you have so much stacked against you. But please don’t stop. Please don’t leave. We need your courage, your consistency, your love, your knowledge, your steadfastness, and so much more.
As a believer I wrestle with how I may best love you. The more I examine Scripture, the more I see where I have failed in doing this and must now promise you that I will do otherwise.
I promise to pray for you (1 Tim. 2:1-2).
I promise to provide for you where others will not or cannot (Acts 4:32-35).
I promise to encourage you (1 Thess. 5:11).
I promise to stand and serve the Lord with you (Zeph. 3:9).
I promise to respect you (1 Thess. 5:12-12-13).
Teachers, these things I promise, and upon these things I stand. Forgive me for those times I failed to support you and communicate to me how I may encourage you. Why don’t you stop?
Because we need you.