April 3, 2010

Don't Wake Me Up (Part 2)

If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and completely without limits, then why do we limit our dreams and our visions for the church today? God is looking for leaders and churches who will not limit what He can do or what He is willing to do to the size of a shoe box.

The church has unlimited potential, so don't wake me up until I see some of that potential in action.

I'm dreaming of a church...

• Where the real issues of life and culture are seriously addressed, where answers from God's Word are applied to questions people are asking.
• Where friendships and relationships are models of acceptance, love, and forgiveness.
• Where God's people are the church in practice as well as in word.
• That is constantly and consistently reaching out to those who need to know the joy of Christ, not as a project or a ministry, but because we really do love our neighbors.
• Where we can serve as a spiritual trauma center where the hurting and broken can come and be changed forever.
• That practices The Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39), The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20), and The Great Commitment (John 10:10).
• That is willing to go against the grain of religion and traditions of men to meet the needs of our day.
• Where God is so active and alive in the worship service that people in the community will come to see what God is doing.

Remember! The dream can become a reality. That is my hope! That is my prayer! Not only for SouthPointe Church, but for your church as well.

It is sad today that many of our churches are dead or are dying, and they are proud of it. It is sad that many churches are a far cry from what the church should be. Preaching is boring and unrelated to real life and preachers are answering questions no one is asking.

The worship seems to be on auto-pilot dominated by ritual, formality, and traditions of men. Anything outside of the norm rarely happens. If it did, it would probably scare the living daylights out of most church members. Religious people seem to be content with the statue-quo. The miraculous seems to be an out-dated notion.

Most churches today have become isolationists, wondering why it is ignored in the community and unappreciated.

I wonder... How would we feel in an Acts 2 kind of church? The church does belong to God. It was His plan. He is the one building it (Matthew 16:18).

Some people say it won't work today. I don't believe that for a minute. God wants His church not just to survive, but to flourish. After all, He has a greater investment in it than we do.

Dick Alexander talked about the church meeting the 'raw' needs of this culture..."Raw. It's a word I have never liked. Raw carrots. Too hard; raw oysters, too slimy; raw humor, too dirty; raw skin, too painful. In fact, raw applied to anything human sounds painful. But we live in a world of raw human need. It's all around us. With the raw human need touching everyone one of us every day, the church can scarcely afford business as usual. In practice, many churches view their mission as holding services, satisfying the members, and doing good here and there. Such churches are on the way out. Within a few years, they will be dinosaurs, not because their doctrine is bad, but because they have lost their mission. Only churches serious about reaching and rescuing the helpless and the hurting will survive and make a difference in the real world."

What a time for the church to be the church. There has never been an opportunity in history like this. Let the church 'shine as the stars of the universe' as Paul put it in Philippians 2:15 "holding out the Word of life".

That makes me want to keep on dreaming... Sweet dreams!

Pastor Ron McCurry

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April 1, 2010

Don't Wake Me Up! (Part 1)

One of the great things to me about sleeping is that sometimes I find myself dreaming. What makes it even better is when you wake up the next morning and remember every detail of the dream throughout the day.

I must add that sometimes that does freak me out totally!

When it comes to the church of Jesus Christ, I find myself dreaming all the time... even during the day time.

The problem is that people try to wake me up all the time by telling me that the best days of the church have passed us by or that God is really not doing anything in these modern days because we all are just a bunch of compromisers who have not held on to certain finer points of the old paths.

What they mean is that we don't do church like it is supposed to be done (like it was done 50 or 100 years ago) whatever that means. Call me whatever you want to call me, but I firmly believe we are living in the greatest days possible relating to the church. This is our greatest time! This is our greatest hour. It is time for the church to be the church, and not apologize for it.

The last time I checked the Word of God, it said that God hasn't changed at all. He is still God. He is still sovereign, and He is still on His throne.

The problem in our churches is that we teach that truth, we preach that truth, we tell our people to embrace that truth, but we live and act as if it is not the truth.

When it comes to the church, I am dreaming, so please don't wake me up!

I'm dreaming of a church...

• That believes that God's plans for the church and for us are bigger than we could possibly imagine.
• That believes that the church can change a town, a city, a region, and the world.
• That believes the gospel of Jesus Christ is sufficient, where grace is embraced, valued, and extended to others.
• That believes the Word of God is alive, where it is exalted, taught, obeyed, studied, and honored with reverence.
• Where people's lives are changed by the transforming power of God.
• Where the out- of- the- norm miraculous still happens, where what is happening cannot always be explained.
• Where members are so moved that they act like magnets to attract other family members and friends to the saving power of Jesus Christ who alone can make the difference.
• Where members function like the salt and light of the earth to a rotten society and a darkened world.

More next time... Remember! Don't wake me yet.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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March 27, 2010

Billy Graham's Suit

Recently I came across a very interesting story involving Evangelist Billy Graham. I thought it was well worth passing on. Mr. Graham is now 92 years old and still resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.

In January 2000, leaders in Charlotte, North Carolina, invited their favorite son, Billy Graham to a luncheon in his honor.

Billy initially hesitated to accept the invitation because he suffers from Parkinson's disease. But the Charlotte leaders said, "We don't expect a major address. Just come and let us honor you", so he agreed.

After wonderful things were said about him, Dr. Graham stepped to the rostrum, looked at the crowd and said, "I'm reminded today of Albert Einstein, the great physicist, who this month is being honored by Time magazine as the man of the Century. Einstein was traveling from Princeton on a train when the conductor came down the aisle punching the tickets of every passenger. When he came to Einstein, Einstein reached in his vest pocket. He couldn't find his ticket, so he reached in his trouser pockets. It wasn't there, so he looked in his briefcase but couldn't find it. Then he looked in the seat beside him. He still couldn't find it.

The conductor said, 'Mr. Einstein, I know who you are. We all know who you are. I'm sure you bought a ticket. Don't worry about it'.

Einstein nodded appreciatively. The conductor continued down the aisle punching tickets. As he was ready to move to the next car, he turned around and saw the great physicist down on his hands and knees looking under his sear for his ticket.

The conductor rushed back and said, 'Dr. Einstein, Dr. Einstein, don't worry. I know who you are. It's no problem. You don't need a ticket. I'm sure you bought one.' Einstein looked at the conductor and said, 'Young man, I too know who I am. What I don't know is where I am going.'

Having said that, Mr Graham continued. 'See the suit I'm wearing? It is a brand new suit. My children and my grandchildren tell me I've gotten a little slovenly in my old age. I use to be a bit more fastidious. So I went out and bought a new suit for this luncheon and for one more occasion.

You know what that occasion is? This is the suit in which I will be buried. But when you hear that I am dead, I don't want you to immediately remember the suit I am wearing. I want you to remember this: I not only know who I am... I know where I am going'."

Pastor Ron McCurry

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March 22, 2010

More Thoughts On The Church In Acts That are Disturbing

How you do church is your business as long as you meet the foundational principles of being a true New Testament Church that are described in the Book of Acts. The more I read about the church in Acts, the more sleep I lose. What does a Acts 2 church look like?

Consider these disturbing things...

• The driving passion behind all churches must be to take the good news of the gospel to people everywhere (Acts 1:8). Most churches talk about this but do little about it.
• Preaching was at the very center of the worship service. Some of the longest recorded sermons in the Bible are in the Book of Acts. Preachers will love this point.
• The church was lead by the Holy Spirit. They didn't know what to do without Him.
• Something powerful happened every time the church prayed.
• The church seemed comfortable in making people feel uncomfortable (Acts 10).
• The church was never obsessed with the people who opposed them. They were obsessed with the joy of knowing Jesus Christ. They never embraced a 'get even' attitude.
• After one church service, the number of believers went from 120 to 3000. Evidently, He loves crowds.
• The leaders in the church were always willing to take risks for the cause of Christ, even if it meant going to jail. What's up with that?
• The church flourished, thrived, and grew without a building. On top of that, no one cared.
• The church of Acts had no professional experts and no pattern to follow to be successful. All they knew to do was to listen to and follow the voice of God.
• The church grew greater as the persecution increased. Ouch!
• The church of Acts targeted the comfortable and those who loved the status-quo.
• No one can stop God when He decides to move in a great way. It is useless.
• The church knew the reason for their existence - For God and for others.
• The church constantly put God on the spot to perform what He said He would or could do.
• God constantly put the church on the spot to trust Him completely in all things. That is dangerous and uncomfortable to religious people.

Because Jesus had ascended to heaven, the only evidence the church could give to people that Christ was indeed alive and seated at the right hand of the father in heaven was changed lives. That is the greatest need in the church today.

Do these things disturb you as much as they do me? Can your church live up to these things?

Pastor Ron McCurry

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March 11, 2010

Thoughts On The Church In Acts

At some point, all of us have gotten off track in our spiritual lives. That is also true with the church. Problems arise when Christians and churches and even pastors are unwilling to admit that. But... we've ALL done It!

Over the years, and even today, churches have taken great pride in proclaiming to the masses of people that they in fact are a New Testament Church. That is the gold standard statement for churches today. If you have ever said that, I would like to ask several questions:

What in God's name does that mean? If you ask ten different preachers, you will probably get ten different answers.

I believe the best way to answer that question is to read the Book of Acts. When you finish, go back and read it again, and again, and again. That must be our starting point.

Let me go ahead and put a controversial statement out there for you to think about. I believe the church as it is described in the Book of Acts is a pattern, a blueprint for the church today. With that said, I don't believe the church of Acts is something we should be seeking to go back to. While it is true that we must maintain the foundational principles of the first church as described in Acts, it is not true that we are to emulate them in every detail of their worship. Today, we don't even have church services like Spurgeon, Wesley, or Whitefield. It just seems to me like we have forgotten the important foundational principles of the church in Acts and have held on to the status-quo and the traditions of religion during the last 75 years. Anything outside of that is not acceptable today.

Foundational Principles of the Church in Acts: Read these things for yourself. It is there in black and white.

1. The church operating in the Book of Acts was not perfect. They faced challenges and problems just like all of us. They were not afraid of that.

2. The church gathered around the Apostles Teaching. They loved, honored, and respected the Word of God.

3. The church loved Fellowship. The word literally means "joint participation". They had all things in common.

4. The church celebrated the "Breaking of Bread " together. I believe this was Communion or The Lord's Supper.

5. The church was devoted to Prayer. They knew the source of their power.

6. Members of that first church had to give evidence that they were believers. They were then baptized, and met together on a regular basis.

7. Believers gathered on the first day of the week to value Christ corporately and to display His glory throughout the week. Church was important to them.

8. The church was guided and directed by the Holy Spirit. If you are doing those things, you are a local Lord's church. Period!

One Last Thought and I will shut up.

It is no accident that the Book of Acts does not give us a formula on what a typical church service should look like or what the approved kind of music should be. Just something to mull over.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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March 4, 2010

I Love the Church... But!

Beginning this Sunday, I get to do what I enjoy doing more than anything in the world. Even more than eating chocolate covered almonds (my absolute favorite snack at night with a class of cold Mayfield milk). I get to talk about "Our Church" for the next four Sundays. That is Awesome!

Not "your church", or "their church", or the other church down the road. Just "Our Church". I do this every year around this time.

I love the church. The church dominates my thinking. It moves me. It motivates me to be all that I can be. I love talking about it, preaching about it, and reading about it. I love to study what God is doing in other churches across America and around the world.

But... My greatest discouragement in ministry is related to the church. What is it? What continually blows me out of the water regarding the church?

Well, here it goes. The way people view the church. The way people act towards the church. The way people treat the church. (Yes - even professing Christians and church members) I constantly hear people say that the Church is really not that important. They can take it or leave it. That bothers me to no end.

IF IT IS TRUE THAT...

• The Church was God's idea.
• Christ is building His Church today (Matthew 16:18). Would God spend the time to build something that was useless? I think not.
• Christ is the sole Head of the Church (Ephesians 1:22 & Colossians 1:18). Would Christ choose to be the Head of something unimportant?
• Christ reveals His truth through the ministry gifts of the church (Ephesians 3:10). God has chosen to reveal much of the truth about Himself through the church.
• The Church is about people, not buildings. He died for people.

IF ALL OF THAT IS TRUE, AND IT IS - Then we must understand and embrace the fact that there is nothing in all the world more important than the Church of Jesus Christ. It matters to God, so it should matter to us as well.

Whatever the size of your church may be, your Church matters to God. Stand tall, throw your shoulders back, and let-er-rip this Sunday!

THOUGHT- If most of us loved our wives the way we love the church, most of the wives would be filing for divorce on Monday morning (See Ephesians 5).

Pastor Ron McCurry 

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May 23, 2009

My Commencement Address

On Friday, May 22, 2009, I had the distinct privilege of delivering the keynote address at the commencement exercises of Heritage Christian School in Sharpsburg Georgia. The general theme of the speech was the same as it has been for the past two or three speeches I have given at such events - "Young people, don't waste your life". The sad reality is that it is possible for a person to waste their entire life. I remember seeing a plague on a wall as a boy that summarized life really well: "Only one life will soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last". If we were all created to glorify God with our lives, then any life lived outside of Christ is wasted.

During the last half of my speech, I gave the graduates some "Words of wisdom from Pastor Ron that no one else will tell you". Below is a list of thoughts that I have accumulated over the years. Some are my own and many are from others I gathered from reading other speeches. I consider these to be the best of the best.

1. Always respect your elders. You're never too old to get a whipping.

2. Don't expect anyone else in life to support you financially but yourself.

3. Enjoy the time of your youth as long as you can. It won't last long.

4. Don't spend time watching reality shows. They're not real.

5. Don't subscribe to beauty magazines. You will never measure up.

6. Thank people who have helped you along the way.

7. Remember compliments and forget insults.

8. You never have the right to be right all the time.

9. Learn to get over "it" whatever "it" is.

10. The tassel is always worth the hassle.

11. It takes courage to grow up and become who you are supposed to be.

12. If at first you don't succeed, go back and do it like your mother said to do it in the first place.

13. Never live down to expectations. Go out and do something significant with your life.

14. The future lies before you like a field of driven snow. Be careful how you tread it, for every step will show.

15. High school is the mouse race to prepare you for the rat race.

16. As long as there are tests, there will be prayer in schools.

17. Your mother and father are a hundred times smarter than you are regardless of their education.

18. Choose your life mate carefully. It will result in either 95% of your happiness or 95% of your misery.

19. You are not as smart as you think you are. Learn to admit it.

20. Never, ever settle for "average" or "the norm".

21. Protect your name. It's the only one you will ever have.

22. Having your whole life in front of you doesn't mean what you think it does. Live each day as if it were your last.

23. Don't come back from college thinking your smarter than everyone else.

24. Learning to do right and actually doing right is a process learned over time. Shock your parents by doing right sooner than they expected.

25. Learn to say "I'm sorry" before you get caught.

26. Spend more time with your grand parents. You will not find greater wisdom anyplace else on earth.

27. Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

28. It's far more important to make a life rather than a living.

29. A true friend will never encourage you to do wrong.

30. Don't make a habit of having to repeat life lessons. They're hard enough the first time around.

31. Make the decision before the crisis comes.

32. Remember in the dark what God taught you in the light.


Pastor Ron McCurry

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May 15, 2009

Wisdom From Noah's Ark

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark. ...

One : Don't miss the boat.
Two : Remember that we are all in the same boat.
Three : Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.
Four : Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
Five : Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
Six : Build your future on high ground.
Seven : For safety sake, travel in pairs.
Eight : Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
Nine : When you're stressed, float a while.
Ten : Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals!
Eleven : No matter the storm, when you are with God, there's always a rainbow waiting...

Pastor Ron McCurry

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May 12, 2009

Some Famous Oxymorons

According to Wikipedia, a oxymoron is a "figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory words". Even the word "oxymoron" is itself an oxymoron because it contains two Greek words: "oxy" which means "sharp" and "pointed" and "moros" which means "dull". Below is a list of some of the more famous oxymorons as well as some of my favorites:

Ill Health                                      Constant Change                          Boneless Ribs

Pretty Ugly                                   Good Grief                                  Hot Ice

Half Dead                                     Loud Whisper                              Cold Sweat

Jumbo Shrimp                              Tough Love                                 Freezer Burn

Black Light                                   Top Floor                                    Live Recording
      
Turkey Ham                                 Timeless Moment                         Small Crowd

Almost Everything                         Terribly Good                              Safety Hazard

Smart Bomb                                  Steel Wool                                  United Nations

Instant Replay                                A Little Big                                 True Story

Just for fun, check out the following web sites: oxymorons.info and wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxymoron.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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May 2, 2009

Graduation Day - Congrats Are In Order!

The month of May brings not only flowers after the April showers, it brings graduation for thousands of high school and college students across the country. Today, I had the privilege of attending my youngest (Andrea - age 25) child's college graduation for the second time in two years - this time with her Master's degree from Augusta State University. She also graduated with honors. She must have gotten that ability from her mother. Pam and I are so proud of everything she has accomplished thus far in her short life. As we sat there waiting for the ceremony to begin, I could not help but think, "what happened to my baby girl?" Where did the years go? You know you are getting old when you start making those kind of statements. Still, looking back on it, I really have no idea how I cannot account for much of the last 25 years. It happened so fast.

I despise the word "graduation". The word itself suggests some kind of ending to something. I assure you that graduation is not the end of anything. I prefer the word, "commencement" because it suggests a beginning of sorts. Those who complete their course of studies will get a strong dose of reality after leaving the high school or college campus. It will not take long for them to discover that outside of those walls lies a real and a cruel world just waiting to swallow another victim. As I sat there in the audience, I felt a fresh new keen awareness of the limitations I now have as a father in sheltering my daughter from the world. I will now be forced to rely upon everything we have put in her during the past 25 years concerning faith, decency, kindness to others, generosity, and a billion others things. Turning loose and trusting what you have done in the past as a parent to get your children through to the future is not easy.

Although Pam and I were not perfect parents, we did our very best to raise all of our children in the fear of the Lord. When it comes down to it, that is really all God expects any of us to do. No more and no less. When we were imperfect, we know God was perfect. When we made mistakes and did or said the wrong thing, God's grace graciously overruled our shortcomings. Our prayer for our daughter is that she will continue to allow God to lead and guide her life to become all that she can be in Christ.

Andrea, we love you more than words could ever express. We thank you for the invaluable contribution you have made in our lives and are looking forward to seeing God's hand on your life.

Love always,
Ron and Pam (Dad and Mom)

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April 28, 2009

Northern Lights - God's Simple Reminders

God uses everything at His disposal to display the infinite value of Himself to the world. He constantly and consistently does that because He knows that all of us have a natural tendency to think about the value of ourselves more than the value of Him.

Have you ever thought about the very first words that God ever spoke? Here they are. They may not be what you expected: "Let there be light" (Genesis 1:3). With that brief statement, God told us a lot about Himself. God is all about light. In fact, He absolutely loves light. The Bible declares that we  become Christians when God shines the light of the glorious gospel into our hearts (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Even the stars in the galaxies shine forth with the light of almighty God. For those of you who live outside of the glaring lights of major cities (like me), you have a tremendous spiritual advantage. You can walk outside of your homes at any time and look up into the sky on any clear night to see the light of the stars displayed throughout the heavens. What a sight it is. It is such a humbling thought to realize that the light we are viewing from the nearest star to the earth took two and a half years to arrive to our eyesight traveling at a speed of 186,000 miles per second.

Northern lights are natural light displays in the sky in the Northern Hemisphere that are usually observed at night. They are commonly called Aurora Borealis.

The following pictures are simple reminders to us that God is the light of the world, even at night.

Nature is amazing! The water froze the instant it broke through the ice! That's what it is like in Antarctica, where they are having the coldest temperatures in decades.
The water freezes the instant it comes in contact with the air. The temperature of the water is already some degrees below freezing. Just look at how the water froze in mid-air!

Pastor Ron McCurry

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April 23, 2009

The Church and the Airlines

A man by the name of Todd Rhoades wrote an article that made a humorous comparison between the church and the airlines. He simply asked the question, what if the church were run like an airline? This is what he said:

I travel quite a bit, and have been watching all the up-charges that the airlines have been passing on to customers. From paying for the first checked bag, to fuel surcharges, to purchasing soft drinks, they have really socked it to the consumer with all the new charges. I was thinking...particularly during this economic trying time for many churches, maybe we should take some advice from the airline world and apply it to our churches that might help get us through these trying times:

First donut free; each additional donut is 75 cents.

All aisle seats are now $10.00 per week. Back row premium seating $20.00 per week.

First ear plug is free. Additional earplugs just $5.00 each.

iPod rental with a Perry Noble sermon: $20.00 up charge.

Valet parking: $20.00 plus tip

No Bible charge: $10.00

Cell phone ringing during the service: $50.00 one time charge.

Late for service fee: $10.00

Sing that chorus one less time request: $20.00

Nursery diaper change fee: $5.00 per pound.

KJV upgrade to NKJV: $15.00

U-Pick the sermon topic fee: $250.00

Hit job on the organist: (rates vary per city/state/church)

Online tithing discount rate: 8%

Music volume Up fee: $20.00

Music volume Down fee: $50.00


This list is great, but I decided to add a few of my own:

Tell the Pastor about a problem before the service begins: $25.00

Tell the Pastor about a problem after the service: $10.00

Coffee free. Bring coffee into the sanctuary: $2.00. Spilling coffee: $25.00 one time fee.

Complaining about the length of the message: $10.00

Skipping church on Super Bowl Sunday: $50.00.

Forgetting what the message was about last week: $5.00

Leaving a service to get water: $ 1.00. Not returning: $2.00

Ignoring your crying baby during a service and hoping no one hears the child: $30.00

Telling the music director never to sing that song again: $25.00

Next time you attend a worship service, try being a blessing to someone rather than always trying to receive a blessing.


Pastor Ron McCurry

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April 14, 2009

Titanic - We Must Never Forget!

Teaching history in a Christian school for five years did me a world of good many years ago. Looking back on it, I believe it was God's way of getting even with me. You see, when I was in high school, I absolutely hated history. Didn't want any part of it. When I first came into the ministry in 1974, I found myself developing a love for books and history. I currently have more than 20,000 volumes in my personal library. They are a treasure. I'm also now a self proclaimed history fanatic.

It bothers me today that important times and dates in history mean little if not anything to most people. I can't fathom that November 22, 1963 (assassination of John F. Kennedy), April 14, 1865 ( Abraham Lincoln was shot), April 15, 1865 Abraham Lincoln died), December 7, 1941 (bombing of Pearl Harbor), June 6, 1944 (D-Day, The Invasion of Normandy), January 28, 1986 (The explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger killing seven), and many, many other important dates are unknown.

A date that fascinates me as much as any date in history is April 14, 1912. Today is the 97th anniversary of Titanic hitting an iceberg at 11:40 p.m. and sinking at 2:20 a.m. on April 15. Although none of us were alive on that fateful day, we continue to be fascinated by it.

Said by many to be the "unsinkable ship", the only thing Titanic ever did in history was to sink. Who could make an argument against such an impressive ship? The ship measured 882 feet 9 inches in length, 92 feet wide, 59 feet tall, and weighed in at 46,328 tons. It had a capacity of 3,547 people. On this fateful night, it was carrying 2,240 people including 889 crew members. Some of the world's richest and most famous and powerful people were on board for this maiden voyage. A total of 1,517 would die on this night.

The ship was equipped with 20 lifeboats with a total capacity of 1,178. Only 706 survived. Lifeboat #7 was the first to be launched at 12:20 a.m. Although it held 65 people, there were only 28 people who got in the boat. Few people today realize that Titanic was actually carrying more lifeboats than was required by law at that time.

When the massive Titanic hit the iceberg at 11:40 p.m., there were no outward signs of the ship or its passengers being in any eminent danger. Two hours and forty minutes later, it was at the bottom of the ocean.

There are so many natural and spiritual lessons that can be learned from the sinking of the Titanic. On Sunday, April 19, 2009, I will begin a three part message series entitled, "Famous Shipwrecks". The first message will deal with Titanic. The second message focuses on Paul's Shipwreck in Acts 27. The third and final message is taken from 1 Timothy 1:19 on The Danger of Making Shipwreck of Faith. These messages and message notes will be available on our web sites.

Let us all be more diligent to study history and it's impact on our lives.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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April 12, 2009

Easter - He Is Risen!

What a great time of year it is! Spring is in the air, Winter has just passed, the sun is shining bright, the temperature is rising, the grass is growing, the trees are turning green, and the azalea's are in full bloom in good ole' Georgia. For me personally, all of these simple things are reminders that it is time once again to celebrate the greatest of Christian days, Easter. The message that we must be proclaiming over and over again is that Jesus Christ rose from the dead on the third day, He ascended back to heaven, He is now seated at the right hand of the Father, and one day soon, He will return for His people to rule and reign with Him throughout eternity. None of those things would have been possible had it not been for the fact that hell, death, and the grave could not defeat Him and hold Him down. What a message! That is the message that we need to "Shout Out Loud". That is the title of the sermon I will be preaching today at our church. I hope and pray that someone will get halfway excited about this truth and shout it out loud.

Easter is first and foremost all about Jesus Christ. We must never forget that. Although we are never commanded or instructed to celebrate Easter as a holy day in Scripture (nor are we commanded to celebrate Christmas as a holy day), I agree with Charles Hadden Spurgeon when he basically said that since the minds of the people are already geared in that direction, I will use it to the advantage of the gospel. If you read his sermons, you will find that he did just that. Although the early Christians celebrated the true meaning of the resurrection, somehow, we as a nation have bought into pagan customs handed down from Middle Eastern and European spring festivals that have successfully been tied in with the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

These pagan festivals included eggs which symbolized new life and resurrection and rabbits, which symbolized fertility and was credited with the laying of eggs. So here we are in 2009 watching as Easter has become highly commercialized and developed into a celebration that has little to do with the true meaning of Easter. I assure you that the commercialized celebration of Easter would not miss a beat if you removed Christ from the equation.

What should we as Christians, churches, and pastors do? Should we attempt to kill the bunny and destroy every Easter egg we can find and boycott Easter?

That is certainly an option, but I think a better approach is to capitalize on the weekend and use it as a time to reflect on the truth of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a great opportunity to share the great news of the gospel. This will be our emphasis as a church this weekend in everything we do.

Remember! We as the Body of Christ gather to celebrate a victory, not to mourn a defeat.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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April 7, 2009

Man Builds Noah's Ark To Exact Scale Given In Bible

A working replica of Noah's Ark is opened in Schagen, Netherlands. The massive central door in the side of Noah's Ark was opened the first crowd of curious townsfolk to behold the wonder. Of course, it's only a replica of the biblical Ark , built by Dutch Creationist Johan Huibers as a testament to his faith in the literal truth of the Bible. The ark is 150 cubits long, 30 cubits high and 20 cubits wide. That's two-thirds the length of a football field and as high as a three-story house. Life-size models of giraffes, elephants, lions, crocodiles, zebras, bison and other animals greet visitors as they arrive in the main hold.

A contractor by trade, Huibers built the ark of cedar and pine. Biblical Scholars debate exactly what the wood used by Noah would have been. Huibers did the work mostly with his own hands, using modern tools and with occasional help from his son Roy. Construction began in May 2005. On the uncovered top deck - not quite ready in time for the opening - will come a petting zoo, with baby lambs and chickens, and goats, and one camel. Visitors on the first day were stunned. "It's past comprehension", said Mary Louise Starosciak, who happened to be bicycling by with her husband while on vacation when they saw the ark looming over the local landscape. "I knew the story of Noah, but I had no idea the boat would have been so big!" There is enough space near the keel for a 50-seat film theater where kids can watch a video that tells the story of Noah and his ark.

Huibers, a Christian man, said he hopes the project will renew interest in Christianity in the Netherlands, where church going has fallen dramatically in the past 50 years.

For more photos of the ark - Click Here.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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April 3, 2009

A Tribute To My Buddy - Mr. Dutch

Today, I am writing an article that is about as non spiritual as you could possible get. Because of the circumstances surrounding the subject, I feel somewhat compelled to do so. I'm really writing this more for myself and my immediate family than for anyone else, so please indulge me a little bit today.

I never cease to be amazed at the things that constantly affect our lives on a daily basis. People, places, circumstances, events - they all serve to mold us and make us into who we are and who we are becoming. Real life lessons are the best kind of lessons. Of all the things that have affected my everyday life over the past decade or so, there has been nothing more important and rewarding to me and my family as the raising of our two Labrador dogs from the time they were puppies. Dogs can teach you things about yourself, love, compassion, loyalty and tenderness that I don't believe you can learn from any other place. Maybe, that's why God put them on this earth.

Dutch Alexandrea McCurry (also known as "Dutch",  "The Dutch Master" and "Mr. Dutch" was born on May 31, 1996. When I went with my daughter to take a look at him seven weeks later, he was the last one in the litter. His enthusiasm and excitement for life was evident immediately by the way he was walking and running along the fence line of the enclosed front yard. It was as if he was saying to us, "I can't believe I'm the last one left. Somebody is missing out on a good thing". My daughter immediately fell in love with him and he was at our house the same day. Little did we know that he would turn out to be as hyper as he was. He could never be still. Always running, jumping, and moving. Although he could never be completely still for anyone to rub him, he was insanely jealous of attention being shown to other dogs. He would always wedge himself between you and the other dog. It was his way of being the center of attention. That distinct personality separated him from other dogs. That was who Mr. Dutch was.

Earlier, on April 2, 1996, we had purchased a female black lab puppy name Alexas Alexandrea (Lexie) who was already started changing our lives. Now with two dogs in the fold only a month apart in age, nothing would ever be the same. The world seemed to revolve around the two of them. They demanded our constant attention. In fact, I've often said it was probably easier raising my three children than it was those two dogs.

As time went on, changes were on the horizon. After several litters of beautiful black and yellow labs over the years, my daughter went off to college in August of 2001. That meant that it would now be my sole responsibility to take care of the dogs. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I was about to find out.

After several years of privately (and sometimes publicly murmuring and complaining) about how much time and money it was costing me to care for these dogs, a strange transformation was slowly taking place in me. A unique bond and friendship was taking place between me and those two dogs unlike anything I had ever experienced. I loved them dearly and they loved me in return, although I know they missed Andrea. They truly became my best friends. I looked forward to seeing them both every single day.

As the years passed and they began to get older, their needs started to change. In doggie years, they were now approaching 84 and going on 91. Constant trips to the vet, daily medicines, and vet bills almost proved to be unbearable, but I knew they were worth every penny of it, because they were my buddies. Those experiences served as a great reminder to me about the needs of people as they grow older, and the love and compassion and help they need to make it to the end. I believe that I am a more loving and compassionate person today because of lessons learned from Lexie and Dutch. Love and compassion was the only thing they knew.

Over the past several months, Dutch had suffered several physical setbacks. The natural consequence of now being 12 years old plus were beginning to take their toll. Broken teeth, hip problems from arthritis, constant ear infections, a skin rash, and a host of other ailments were all signs of the inevitable. One day, after coming home from work, I noticed Dutch lying in the grass, unable to stand at all on his hind legs. Although I hate to admit it, I actually got down in the grass with him and cried for an hour or so fearing the worst. I simply could not accept the thought of having to put him down. To make matters worse, it was the middle of December, only about two weeks away from Christmas. I immediately thought of what a lousy Christmas this was going to be. I actually said, Lord, if Dutch is going to die, please don't let it be at Christmas. My mind set was already questionable because I had made the mistake of watching the movie "Marley and Me" with my wife, so I already knew that I would not be prepared to lose Mr. Dutch.

After taking him to the doctor, it was thought that he had developed a tumor on his spine that was impairing his walking and their was nothing they could do. Our goal was simply to give him a quality of life as long as we could. To our amazement, he responded miraculously to the various medicines. It was as if he had a new lease on life. I believe he even thought that he had somehow gone back in time to be a young dog again by the way he was running and jumping around with my daughters one year old lab, Addison, when they would play fetch.

By March of this year, we could tell that his condition was worsening. The doctors then recommended that we double his medication. Once again he responded well and sprung to new life showing few signs that anything was wrong. We were hoping and praying to have three to six more good months together.

Several years ago as Dutch began to age, he became very frightened by thunder storms. At the first sign of a storm that involved lightning, thunder, or rain, he would start panting and shaking all over. It was so bad that the vet actually recommended medication for him to deal with the storms. Many times, he would run to a neighbors yard or porch seeking refuge. I've received many phone calls from individuals over the past two years telling me that Dutch was at their house. Over the past several months, we had attempted to anticipate storms and put him in the house or garage.

On Thursday, April 2, 2009 (Lexie's 13th birthday) a storm approached Newnan, Georgia about 4:00 a.m. At the first crack of thunder, I knew we were in trouble. Normally, Dutch and Lexie are standing at the back door waiting on their morning prize (a large milk bone). They lived for that bone. But this morning, only Lexie was there. In my mind, I believed that someone would call and tell me that Dutch was at their house and I would go and get him, but this day was different. I looked for him for a while and then left to work. At 1:00 p.m., we received a call from Coweta Animal Control that Dutch had been picked up and had been transported to the animal hospital. At that time, they would not tell me what was wrong. As I drove to the hospital, I imagined every worse scenario possible. When I arrived, I thought I was prepared for just about anything, but I was not prepared for the news that I heard. When I walked in, the doctor said, "Mr. McCurry, we have your dog Dutch. He has been shot". As we went back to the emergency room, Dutch was lying on the table with a 22 caliber bullet in his left front shoulder. One inch to the right would have meant instant death, but he was alive. At first, the doctor was not optimistic. His front left paw was cold and they thought it had possibly shattered part of the bone and done severe nerve damage. As I stood weeping over Dutch as I was rubbing his head, I can't describe the thoughts racing through my mind. Who would do such a terrible thing?

Believe it or not, I found myself listening to the doctor, crying, rubbing Dutch's head, and actually praying that he would somehow survive. The nurses were doing a great job of drying him off from the rain and making sure he was comfortable. They even had warming fans on him. Within the hour, after taking ex rays and doing other tests, we received some good news. They believed the bullet had somehow missed the bone. They would have to wait until morning to see if he was able to put any weight on the foot to determine if there was any nerve damage. Because the vet closed at 6:30 p.m., it was suggested that we transport him to a 24 hour emergency care unit to monitor him throughout the night. We planned to pick him up the next morning about 7:30 a.m. and return him to our vet for further care.

After arriving at the emergency care hospital, they took Dutch in on a stretcher to be examined again. Later, he was brought into a holding room briefly for us to say our goodbyes for the night. After making several pictures and e-mailing them to my son Josh and my daughter Andrea, we spent some time loving on Dutch, talking to him, and rubbing that head that he liked so much. As I was leaving the room, somehow I sensed that I may never see Dutch alive again, but I immediately dispelled those thoughts. I wanted to remain as positive as possible. The doctor had said for us to feel free to call him throughout the night to check on Dutch if we so desired. He also said that he would call us if his conditioned changed, We called at 10:45 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. and everything seemed normal. As expected, I did not get any sleep that night from worrying about my buddy Dutch. At 5:30 a.m., when my phone rang, I knew it would not be good news.

The doctor explained that he became concerned during the night because Dutch seemed to be in so much pain in spite of the medications, so he decided to take another ex ray from a different angle. This new ex ray showed that the bullet was much deeper than originally thought and it had indeed shattered the bone. With his other medical problems, we knew he would not survive the necessary surgery and the rehabilitation of the leg. It was determined at 6:30 a.m. that we did not want him to suffer any more. The day that I had dreaded so much had finally come, although it was certainly not in the manner I had thought. I still can't believe that he is gone. I guess I will never get use to death, whether its a dog or human being.

When God made Mr. Dutch, He literally threw the mold away. He was one in a million. His friendship, loyalty, and companionship will be greatly missed. I close with the following article entitled "Rainbow Bridge". This is for all you dog lovers in the world. How could we get along without them. Personally, I never thought a dog could affect me so much.

                                        RAINBOW BRIDGE

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks in the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face: your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together...

Pastor Ron McCurry

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April 1, 2009

Jim Elliot - He Was No Fool

Today is April 1, 2009. All of us know this day as April Fool's Day. Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia outlines and details the history of this prankster and trickster day and gives other interesting facts and helpful information about the day that you may not be aware of. You may even enjoy a list of the Top 100 April Fool's Day hoaxes of all time. Feel free to click and enjoy.

From a Biblical perspective, the Bible has much to say about people who are fools. "...the fool has said in his heart, there is no God..." (Psalm14:1). King Saul admitted to David in 1 Samuel 26:21 that he had played the part of the fool.

Whenever I think of the word fool, I alway think of one of my heroes of the faith, Jim Elliot. He made the famous statement that said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, and gains what he cannot lose". What a powerful statement in light of who he was and what he believed God had called him to do. As a missionary, Jim attempted to make contact to earn the trust of a hostile band of savages in the Ecuadoran jungle. Jim and four other missionaries were taken by surprise and martyred with spears. Their families later went back to continue the ministry the men began, befriending the people of the tribe and leading many of them to Jesus Christ.

I would highly recommend the set of 6 DVD"s to honor the life of Jim Elliot. All of these can be purchased online at visionvideo.com. They are:
   1. The End of the Spear
   2. Through Gates of Splendor
   3. Beyond Gates of Splendor
   4. Journey Into the Amazon
   5. Steve Saint: The Jungle Missionary
   6. Torchlighters: The Jim Elliot Story

Don't be a fool on this April Fool's Day! May we be willing to give what we cannot keep to gain what we cannot lose. The world is crying out for more real people like Jim Elliot.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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March 31, 2009

The Bible and the Cell Phone

A friend of mine sent me this several weeks ago. It is certainly thought provoking and worthy of our consideration.

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bibles like we do our cell phones?
What if we carried it around in our pockets or purses?
What if we flipped it opened 20 times a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we treated it like we could not live without it?
What if we gave it to our kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
If Christians treated their cell phones like they do their Bibles, every cell phone company in the world would be out of business from a lack of use.

Makes you wonder about our priorities doesn't it?

Pastor Ron McCurry

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March 24, 2009

A Great Sermon

I ran across a poem recently that I had read a number of years ago by Edgar Guest that is certainly worth our thought and reflection, especially for all those who are privileged enough to teach or preach the Word of God to others.

A Sermon

I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day;
I'd rather one should walk with me than merely show me the way.
The eye's a better pupil, and more willing than the ear;
Fine counsel is confusing, but example is always clear.
So I'd rather get my lesson by observing what you do;
It is not enough to preach it, you must live the sermon, too.
For I may misunderstand you and the high advice you give,
But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

Another poem that I remember hearing as a young boy in church, expressed the same thought this way:

We are writing a gospel, a chapter each day,
By the deeds that we do, and the words that we say.
We shall read what we write, whether faithless or true,
Say, what is the gospel, according to you.
Remember! The world doesn't read the Bible, but they do read the people that do read the Bible.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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March 17, 2009

Real Good Advice

Someone rightly said, "don't borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry, twice...".

Here is some other helpful advice to help get you through the week.

1. Pray often.
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say no to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable people.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more.
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out difficult projects and changes over time.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do about it and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about it, forget it and move on.
12. Live within your budget and don't use credit cards for ordinary things.
13. Have backups. An extra car key in your wallet; an extra house key hidden outside (not under the door mat); extra stamps etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single bit of advice will prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the kid in you everyday.
16. Get enough rest.
17. Eat right.
18. Get organized so that everything has its place.
19. Listen to a CD while driving that will challenge your mind.
20. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
21. Find time to be alone every single day.
22. Having problems? Talk to God everyday. Try to nip small things in the bud immediately.
23. Make friends with Godly people.
24. Keep a list of your favorite Scriptures handy.
25. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you, Jesus".
26. Laugh often.
27. Laugh some more.
28. Take your work seriously but not yourself all the time.
29. Develop a forgiving attitude. Most people are doing the best they can.
30. Be kind to unkind people. They probably need it the most.
31. Sit on your ego.
32. Talk less and listen more. God only gave you one mouth and two ears.
33. Slow down. Don't always be in a hurry.
34. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the entire universe.
35. Every night before going to bed, think of one thing you are grateful for that you have never been grateful for before.

Often the best advice is the most simple advice. Practice these simple things to make the world around you a better place.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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March 1, 2009

Hymn Titles By Occupation

I actually have a fear of posting this article because many people today do not know many of the songs and hymns that most of us baby boomers were raised on. While my personal choice of music is more contemporary, I do have many fond memories of some of the old classics. A friend sent the following hymn titles by occupation to me. I hope you enjoy a laugh or two.

Dentist's Hymn.......................................Crown Him with Many Crowns
Weatherman's Hymn...............................There Shall Be Showers of Blessing
Contractor's Hymn..................................The Church Has One Foundation
The Tailor's Hymn...................................Holy, Holy, Holy
The Golfers Hymn...................................There's a Green Hill Far Away
The Politician's Hymn...............................Standing On The Promises
Optometrist's Hymn..................................Open My Eyes That I May See
The IRS Agent's Hymn..............................I Surrender All
The Gossiper's Hymn................................Pass It On
The Electrician's Hymn..............................Send the Light
The Shopper's Hymn.................................Sweet Bye and Bye
The Realtor's Hymn...................................I've Got a Mansion Just Over The Hilltop
The Massage Therapist's Hymn...................He Touched Me
The Doctor's Hymn...................................The Great Physician

And for those who love to speed on the highway - a few more hymns:

At 45 mph..................................................God Will Take Care of You
At 65 mph..................................................Nearer My God To Thee
At 85 mph..................................................This World Is Not My Home
At 95 mph...................................................Lord, I'm Coming Home
At 100 mph.................................................Precious Memories

Give me a sense of humor, Lord, give the grace to see a joke, to get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other people.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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February 16, 2009

The Thrill of Victory - The Agony of Defeat!

Many of my readers may not know that in addition to my duties as Senior Pastor of SouthPointe Church, I volunteered my services at Heritage Christian School in Sharpsburg Georgia as a teacher, Principal, and Administrator since 1974. All three of my children graduated from the school. But one of the neatest things I did at the school was to coach Varsity girls and Varsity boys basketball teams. Before I officially retired from coaching in 2001, my Varsity girls teams had won two State Championships, six consecutive Region Championships, and made four final four State Championship appearances. Stepping down was hard, but I did so to be able to watch my daughter play college basketball for the next four years. It was a blast.

In 2005, the school was without an Athletic Director and had no Varsity coaches. So, once again, I volunteered to do it. In February of 2008, we found ourselves in the State Championship game again. This time we lost. When Wide World of Sports coined the phrase "the agony of defeat" during the 1970's, they hit the nail on the head. I couldn't stop thinking about the loss for months. I hate to lose at anything.

With the nucleus of the team returning in 2009, I wanted one more opportunity to win another championship. Entering the Regional finals, Sub-State and State Quarter Finals, the team peaked at the right time by reeling off 12 consecutive wins. To make a long story short, we won our third State Championship when senior Suzy Machado made both ends of a one and one with 2.1 seconds to play when we were trailing by one point.

As the final buzzer sounded, we once again were enjoying the "thrill of victory". Victory is so much better than defeat!

Although sports gives us many life lessons, I can never think about winning and losing without thinking of the Apostle Paul's words when he said, "that I may win Christ". When compared to eternity, winning basketball games simply does not matter. The more important question is, did we win at life by knowing Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior of our lives?

My team teams have a passion to win on the court, but they also want to win at knowing Christ. Those of us who work with young people at any level must keep eternity in mind. Let's remember to keep the main thing (Jesus Christ) as the main thing in all we do.

Pastor (Coach) Ron McCurry

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February 11, 2009

Your Memory - Use It or Lose It

For those of you who are not baby boomers or older, this web page will probably be of no use to you whatsoever. But for all of you my age and older, enjoy. Remember! Reflecting upon fond memories will keep you young and in good health. If you don't use your memory, you will probably lose it. See how many of these pictures you can identify with.

DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN.....

All the girls had ugly gym uniforms


It took five minutes for the TV warm up?


Nearly everyone's Mom was at home when the kids got home from school?


Nobody owned a purebred dog?


When a quarter was a decent allowance?

You'd reach into a muddy gutter for a penny?


You got your windshield cleaned, oil checked, and gas pumped, without asking, all for free, every time? And you didn't pay for air? And, you got trading stamps to boot?


Laundry detergent had free glasses, dishes or towels hidden inside the box?


It was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at a real restaurant with your parents?


When a 57 Chevy was everyone's dream car...to cruise, peel out, lay rubber or watch submarine races, and people went steady?


No one ever asked where the car keys were because they were always in the car, in the ignition, and the doors were never locked?


Lying on your back in the grass with your friends? And saying things like, "That cloud looks like a... ?"


Playing baseball with no adults to help kids with the rules of the game?


Stuff from the store came without safety caps and hermetic seals because no one had yet tried to poison a perfect stranger?


And with all our progress, don't you just wish, just once, you could slip back in time and savor the slower pace? Share it with the children of today.


When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited the student at home?


Basically we were in fear for our lives, but it wasn't because of drive-by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! But we survived because their love was greater than the threat.


Can you still remember Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys, Laurel and Hardy, Howdy Dowdy and the Peanut Gallery, the LoneRanger, The Shadow Knows, Nellie Bell , Roy and Dale, Trigger and Buttermilk?


. .as well as summers filled with bike rides, baseball games, Hula Hoops, bowling and visits to the pool, and eating Kool-Aid powder with sugar.
Didn't that feel good, just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember that?"


Remember that the perfect age is somewhere between old enough to know better and too young to care.

How many of these do you remember?

Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water inside.


Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles.


Coffee shops with tableside jukeboxes.


Blackjack, Clove and Teaberry chewing gum.


Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers.


Newsreels before the movie.

P.F. Fliers.


Telephone numbers with a word prefix...(Raymond 4-601). Party lines.


Peashooters.

Howdy Dowdy.


Hi-Fi's, 45 RPM and 78 RPM records.


Green Stamps.


Mimeograph paper.

The Fort Apache Play Set.

Do you remember a time when...

Decisions were made by going 'eeny-meeny-miney-moe'?

Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, 'Do Over!'?

'Race issue' meant arguing about who ran the fastest?


Catching the fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening?


It wasn't odd to have two or three "Best Friends"?


The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was "cooties"?


Having a weapon in school meant being caught with a slingshot.


Saturday morning cartoons weren't 30-minute commercials for action figures?


"Oly-oly-oxen-free" made perfect sense?

Spinning around, getting dizzy, and falling down was cause for giggles?

The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team?

War was a card game?


Baseball cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle?

Taking drugs meant orange-flavored chewable aspirin?

Water balloons were the ultimate weapon?


If you can remember most or all of these, then you have lived!!!!!!!

Pastor Ron McCurry

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February 6, 2009

The Soothing Power of Creation

All of us would have to admit this one thing - when God does something, He knows how to do it right. How soothing and powerful are these words? "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) With those simple words, God stated the process on earth of glorifying His own name and worth. Using creation to do that was not an afterthought of God. Creation was intended to grip our hearts with the majesty and glory of who God really is. It was as if God were saying, no one can hide from my matchless glory. No one can now dispute who I am.

God is all about His own glory. In fact, He even created us to glorify Him in everything we do and say. We are not only "image reflectors" of His awesome glory, we are also "image bearers" of that glory. What a responsibility!

Modern science has given us many grand and glorious things. One of my favorite things to do is to view never before seen photos that prove just how big and magnificent our God really is. Although we should be willing to bow before Him and worship Him because of who He is without such proof, it is certainly more fun and exciting when we do have proof. Here are just a few pics for you to enjoy.

Lenticular clouds, technically known as altocumulus standing lenticularis, are stationary lens-shaped clouds that form at high altitudes, normally aligned at right-angles to the wind direction.

These clouds are formed by so-called "mountain waves" of air created by strong winds forced over high mountains. Then they hang over the mountains like alien "motherships"... Mount Rainier in Washington produces some of the most spectacular lenticulars.

 

They have been mistaken for UFOs (or "visual cover" for UFOs) because these clouds have a characteristic lens appearance and smooth saucer-like shape. 

Wave Clouds
 
Wave clouds are formed when there are two parallel layers of air that are usually moving at different speeds and in opposite directions. The upper layer of air usually moves faster than the lower layer because there is less friction. Below is the famous photo of such special clouds over Mount Shasta, titled "Catch the wave"

 

The Witch's Brew of Bizarre Clouds
 
In the following photos (which are probably the weirdest of all weather phenomena pictures), taken from the top of local TV broadcasting tower. Both the lenticular and mammatus clouds combine in one crazy rippled texture, hanging all over the city.

Pastor Ron McCurry

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January 20, 2009

Retirement Bumper Stickers

The American economy is in shambles. We're losing 500,000 jobs per month. Our 401k's have crumbled, our retirement funds gone, our savings depleted, wages have been cut, gas prices skyrocketing, food prices are through the roof, and many of us thought we were on the verge of retiring, sitting back and enjoying the rest of your life. Most people I talked to have now completely ruled out retirement saying they will probably have to work right up to the day they die.

To help lighten your load today, I've included some humorous bumper stickers that might give you a laugh or two. Hope you enjoy.

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