Messages form Rev. Wayne Marcus, Pastor of Tom's Creek

Today's Message

Tue, 7 Sep 2010 11:14:11 -0400

Homecoming, what a great tradition, Homecoming has been set aside as a time for all of those who have moved to other churches or other areas to come back home to the Church where their faith journey was begun. So today we want to welcome everyone to their Church home. The word home says so much, when we think of home we think of a place where we know people and we can simply be ourselves, a place of love and warmth. When I go home the refrigerator and pantry is open to me, the faces are familiar and the fellowship is sweet. Today we will enjoy a time of reminiscing over the past and over how things have changed, but we will also worship our God who has never changed and is always there ready to welcome us home in the event that we may have drifted away. At Toms Creek our goal is that God would always be lifted up in His Church, we feel that we should never meet together and fellowship with each other only. We are deeply committed and convicted to making sure that our fellowship is based upon the one common thread that bring us all to this place, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Today as we fellowship what holds us together and keeps our fellowship strong, our attention focused and our hands busy with labor is the love that we have experienced from our Father through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is our goal that Jesus will be exalted in everything that we do here at Toms Creek both now and forever. Welcome Home!

Today's Message

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:36:09 -0400

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, wither thou goest." Ecclesiastes 9: 10

"As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent Me. Night is coming when no one can work." -Jesus

If you listen closely you can hear the sound of time fleeing away from us, it may sound like the ticking of a watch, or the chiming of a clock, but if you listen, or look you can see that time is not standing still. When we look around we see it everywhere, babies that have turned into young adults, cars that were once new and shiny are now outdated and worn. Nothing stands still and nothing stays the same, time affects everything. Yes, I said everything even us, each day of our life is spent or invested in something, if we will consider the truth we have to admit that even our life on earth is quickly passing by. Therefore it behooves us to do as the previous scripture teaches and do all that we find to do with all of our might; there is coming a day when we don’t have the strength, energy or time to do what needs to be done. As Charles Spurgeon said, “If you cut your works open and cannot find your heart in them, they are good for nothing, and their objective shall never be accomplished.” So how about it, will you join me in committing to serve the Lord with all of your heart, soul and might?

Today's Message

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:27:50 -0400

This is the last week of the Church year and as we conclude this year I would like to say thanks to everyone who has served this last year. I would also like to express my gratitude to the deacons that are rolling off their three year rotation, these men are, Barry Adams, Mark Adams, Lewis Bray, Doug Guest and Mark South. The Bible says “For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus” 1 Tim 3:13 (KJV) These men have served through some very difficult times and have done a great job. As a Church you are very blessed to have so many good qualified men to serve as deacons of the Church. They will now have at least a year to recuperate from the three years of service before they become eligible to serve as deacons again. Please join me in thanking them and the Lord for their faithful service throughout these last three years. I would also like to ask you to be praying for the active deacons, you can start by praying for your family deacon, as well as our chairman of deacons for the upcoming year which is Kenny Waters and the Assistant Chairman which is Bruce Adams. The last three years had some very difficult times as well as some good times and there is no doubt that the days to come will have its fair share of both good and bad seasons. As you serve the Lord this upcoming year keep in mind that God sacrificed and gave His all to us and as you serve you will be required to sacrifice and give your best to Him. May we be faithful until He comes again is my prayer.

Today's Message

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:29:25 -0400

Now that summer is coming to an end and school is starting back it would be a great time for you to get plugged into a Sunday school class. The new Church year starts in September; this is when the newly elected officers begin to serve and we encourage people to move up to the next class if applicable. If you are not currently in a Sunday school class please get started, this is the way you meet new people, learn and study the Bible together as well and receive a more personal level of accountability. Sunday school is a very important tool to be used in your spiritual development. Sunday school allows you to use your spiritual gifts and be ministered to by others in your class. In a church the size of Toms Creek it is nearly impossible to get to know everyone, but you can get to know everyone in your Sunday school class. So if you do not have a class or do not know where to go to be a part of a class let us know we would love to be able to help you get plugged into a great class. If you have been gifted to sing, and would like to join the choir it is a great time to join up, as well as getting your children involved in GA, RA, Youth and Children’s Choir on Wednesday nights. We don’t want you to just be a member of Toms Creek we want you to be Toms Creek Baptist Church. Remember God saved you unto good works that you might bring honor and glory to His name through your servant ministry. I am looking forward to working along side of you this upcoming year as we serve the Lord together.

Today's Message

Mon, 9 Aug 2010 09:35:06 -0400

The Lord’s Day is a day that is set aside to worship the Lord, a time to give glory to God. As we gather together collectively to worship the Lord we should always keep in mind that it is to be about the worship of God. God is worthy of our worship and praise for throughout the week we serve Him, and are carried through struggles, given blessing, and carried all the day long by His amazing power and provision. So on Sundays we meet together to give the Lord thanks and praise for all that He has done. The reason I remind you of this are because the Devil would like for you to think that church should be about you, that you should be recognized, catered to, and that the services should revolve around us. That is the not the purpose of meeting on the Lords day. Our meeting together should be about Him, a time when we pray to the Lord, sing to the Lord, preach about the Lord, and give to the Lord, a time when we put the focus of our life where it ought to be on Him. If we can come together and lift Christ up, He will draw us to Himself and we in turn will be changed, our life will be fuller, it will be brought back to the real purpose of our creation. The recipe for a miserable life is a self centered life; there is no one more miserable than the person who thinks that everything must revolve around them. As we gather to worship let us resign our will and search to align our life with that perfect will of God. As we do this we will find a real peace that surpasses all understanding in Christ Jesus our Lord. Please don’t try to make Church about you, don’t try to steal the Lord’s glory, but rather give yourself to Him as a living sacrifice which is your reasonable service.

Today's Message

Mon, 2 Aug 2010 08:23:07 -0400

The summer is coming to a conclusion as schools are preparing for classes and kids are buying their book bags and school clothes. The big first day of school is approaching as another summer break is almost in the books. As vacations come to an end and life resume somewhat of a normalcy it is time to get back in Sunday school and to work at Church. There is so much to do before the Lord comes back, during our VBS visitation we made contact with scores of people who had no church affiliation what so ever. We will be planning a Saturday visitation blitz at which time we will go out and identify these people, invite them to church and work to develop a mailing list which will allows us to send out invites, and encouragements. As we make preparations for the new church year there are several things that you can do to help us, first of all you can make a commitment to be faithful to church and the ministries that you are a part of. Second, look for new ministry opportunities to get involved with, ways that you can do more for the Lord than you ever have. Thirdly invite your family and friends to Church and offer to meet them in the parking lot to walk in with them and make them feel at home as they come to the Church. This is a great day to be serving the Lord and a great opportunity for you to lay up treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not corrupt. Join us as we serve the Lord together.

Today's Message

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:39:57 -0400

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; 3 John 1:5 (KJV)

The scriptures teach us that we are to be faithful in our walk with the Lord; we are to do what we do for the Lord and for others to the best of our ability. When you think about his passage and so many others like it, there is a real emphasis placed on doing your work with all of your heart. Second best is not good enough for God, half hearted service or apathetic living is just not what God has called us to. When I think of what God ask of me, I am some what ashamed considering what He has so graciously given me. God is good to me all the time; therefore it is only reasonable for me to give my very best in service for Him. It is the time of the year when we are placing officers, committee’s and workers in place for the new church year, please remember when you are ask to do something that you are being ask to do with your whole heart as unto the Lord. It is our desire to see people take jobs that they are passionate about doing, and that they might commit themselves to doing it as if the Lord were looking over their shoulder all the time. The Church will only be as faithful and committed as we the workers are so say yes, to service and fulfill your obligations to the best of your ability, so that Toms Creek might bring honor and glory to God in all that we do.

Today's Message

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:06:42 -0400

It is the time of the year when we will prayerfully start selecting our deacons for the next three year term. I cannot express how important this selection is, we need always remember that the church will never exceed the spiritual leadership in which we select. The qualifications for a deacon are listed for us in I Timothy 3:8-13 “Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; 9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. 10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. 11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. 12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. 13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” It is important to remember that Toms Creek Baptist Church does not belong to us but rather we belong to it. This church like each one of us belongs to the Lord, He purchased it with His blood and therefore we ought to be very careful to do things according to His Word. Please do not turn the church into a political platform, or this selection into a popularity contest. Our responsibility is to prayerfully seek out men of a good reputation that meets the above qualifications, if you cannot find five men from the list that meet these qualifications then select only the ones that you can with a clear consciences. The men that you select will have to make some hard, spiritual decisions within the next three years and therefore need to be men who live their life full of the Holy Spirit with a deep concern for the things of God. Please be in fervent prayer for direction in your selection for deacons in this upcoming three year rotation.

Today's Message

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:08:02 -0400

We have had a great week of VBS and now that it is behind us we need to remember that a seed sown is not a seed that is gone. If we are not careful we have a tendency to think that what we have accomplished is only to be measured by the results of those who came forward or made a commitment throughout the week, but that is far from the truth. As we share the gospel with people it may take days, months, years or even a lifetime to see the result of what has been accomplished by our labor. Back several months ago I took some time and plowed up a small garden spot, laid off some rows and planted some seed, now months later I am reaping the benefit of that labor in the way of a harvest of tomatoes, corn, squash, and cucumbers. Had I measured my success the day I planted the garden or even the week after, I would have thought that nothing good had been accomplished. The gospel is perfect seed that once it is placed in the soil will accomplish that in which it was sent forth to accomplish. Please remember that the more you sow the more you reap, and the reaping may not come in one season or even in your life time, we sow by faith and the harvest is in the hands of the Lord. If you have been obedient in sowing, already there has been a great result from the seed, the seed has given you an opportunity to be obedient to the Lord and has helped you to do that for which you have been called. He that sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly, so sow with everything that is within you and by faith look forward to a great harvest from your labor. Thank you for all of your hard work, I consider myself a blessed man to be able to labor along side of you.

Today's Message

Tue, 6 Jul 2010 09:59:44 -0400

Living life on purpose, what is the purpose of your life? Why did God place you on the face of this earth and what are you doing about it? So many in today’s society live life with no purpose or confused about the real purpose of their life. It has been said that one must be careful while trying to climb the ladder of success, or else they will get to the last rung on the ladder and discover that it was leaned against the wrong building all the time. I think this describe what many people in life are doing, they are working hard to achieve success but have no idea what success is. This would lead us to ask ourselves a very important question; what is your definition of success? Jesus asked the question, if a man gain the whole world and lose his own soul what has this man profited? It seems that our desire should not be to spend our life on this world, but rather to invest it on eternity. How is this done, according the scripture it is done by dying out to self and allowing your life to be lived as a living sacrifice to the Lord. This would mean that today you put your definition of success in the garbage can and recollect that Jesus taught us to live according the will of the Father. So find your God given gift and with passion get busy investing your life in doing the work or business of the Father. When we waste time we waste the most valuable gift that God has given us, so use your time wisely and live your life with purpose and passion. Live life on purpose!

Today's Message

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 09:58:22 -0400

This week we will celebrate our independence which was fought for and signed into declaration on July 2, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. This is the reason we celebrate our independence on July the 4th instead of the 2nd. Although there has been a great battle and a document of declaration stating our independence please keep in mind that independence is not a one time battle or a forever settled state of being. As Americans and more importantly as Christians we must forever be vigilant that we don’t give our freedom away or sell it for convenience. It has come to my attention over the past few years that we may not be as independent as we would like to think. When our economy totters on the price of a barrel of foreign oil, and the value of our dollar on the rise and fall of the Euro can we really claim independence as a Nation? As Christians we boast of being free to serve the Lord and yet we decide what we can and are going to do depending upon the money we have or the economical state in which we live. True independence should be defined as a total dependence on God and no other. As you seek to live for Christ seek His face and direction in life; may we as a country and as Christians return to life that is dependent upon no other than God. May our decisions be made only after conferring with our Lord and be in following His perfect will.

Today's Message

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:37:38 -0400

Who is in charge of your life anyway?

So often we see changes that could be made in our lives that would truly be beneficial to us becoming a better people. It seems so simple when you write down what needs to happen to become a better person. You see a need to change a behavior or practice in your life. You began making the change. You change the behavior completely and thus have a different result. How simple that is, yet we know that most of the time it is not that simple, we struggle with change and especially the effort that it takes to do things different than what we have become accustom to doing them. Our greatest enemy is our own stubborn self; we have known needs, a real need to change but struggle with putting forth the effort to do so. My question is who is in charge of your life, are you really in charge of the way you live and the things that you do. If you are not in charge then who is? Of course you are in charge but even the power to change yourself is not within your power it is in your weakness. You see in order for us to overcome the bondage of self we must die to self and live under the power of the Holy Spirit of God. The power of God must be requested and released in our lives for us to become what God has called us to be. Jesus said that without Him we can do nothing, which means absolutely nothing can be accomplished without Christ. The Bible also teaches us that through Christ we can do all things. So what about it are you tired of trying to be in charge of your life? If so turn the reins over to Christ, He can do amazing things with your life.

Today's Message

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:36:57 -0400

Happy Father's Day
A Dad is a person
who is loving and kind,
And often he knows
what you have on your mind.
He's someone who listens,
suggests, and defends.
A dad can be one
of your very best friends!
He's proud of your triumphs,
but when things go wrong,
A dad can be patient
and helpful and strong
In all that you do,
a dad's love plays a part.
There's always a place for him
deep in your heart.
And each year that passes,
you're even more glad,
More grateful and proud
just to call him your dad!
Thank you, Dad...
for listening and caring,
for giving and sharing,
but, especially, for just being you!
Happy Father's Day
Author: Unknown
Keep up the good work men.

Today's Message

Mon, 7 Jun 2010 10:24:03 -0400

As you read this article, Tammy and I are enjoying some vacation time. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for allowing us the time to get away, unwind and enjoy each others company. I love Toms Creek and am very thankful that God has allowed me to serve as your Pastor for almost 12 years, and yet over the past twelve years we have spent a lot of time, sweat and tears in laboring for the Lord and it is always good to have a little down time. Please pray for us this week that we will be safe as we travel, and that God will refresh our minds and spirits as we see some beautiful sites, and enjoy some leisure time. If anything should arise while we are gone Chris, Shawn, and of course all of your deacons are there and will serve you faithfully and can get a hold of us if we are needed. We are praying for you today as you meet and worship that God will bless you and use my dear brother in the Lord, Ricky McFarlin to bring a message that will both inspire and challenge you to walk faithfully with Christ. Remember to keep on keeping on in the Lord and tell somebody about Jesus this week.

Today's Message

Tue, 1 Jun 2010 10:27:23 -0400

“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes" Song 2:15(KJV)
The Song of Solomon teaches us that it is the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the grapes. What does this mysterious teaching say to you and me as the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ? It teaches us that there are little pest, little destroyers that are walking about seeking to steal that which brings joy to our life. So often we look out for big enemies, for people who would come and bring pain and suffering to our lives but we neglect the little foxes, the little sins in our lives, the little hang ups, the smaller but still important things that need to be taken care of in life. The Lord reminds us that the things that seem so small can cause very big problems if not dealt with. This is a wonderful time of the year to understand this verse. I have been working to keep the deer out of my garden, my cabbage is getting big and pretty and looks like it would be a delicious meal for any four legged beast, but while looking for deer the bugs and worms have snuck in and devoured my awaited crop. It was not the big beast but the small unseen or undetected pest that destroyed that which was prized. Our lives can be the same, while we are watching for enemies that would seem so obvious it is often the enemy of neglect that causes us the most harm. We neglect to maintain a prayer life, a faithful Bible study, and commitment to service, and before long we have become accustomed to neglecting the very things that nourish our lives and keep us hot hearted for God. Watch the little foxes they are the ones that are working to destroy your joy.

Today's Message

Mon, 24 May 2010 08:54:11 -0400

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee. This day is a day to remember those who died sacrificing their life for the life of others. As Christians we remember one like this through the Lords Supper, a time set aside to remember Christ. His body is remembered by the bread that is taken and His blood sacrifice through the fruit of the vine that is poured. As we worship let us remember that His death was for our life, He died in a raging battle for our souls. The battle was not won through His death but rather through His glorious resurrection over death. Now we have become more than victors through His death, burial and resurrection.

Today's Message

Mon, 17 May 2010 09:36:02 -0400

There are a lot of excuses as to why people don’t get involved or go to church. Most of the time they are just that; excuses, attempts at justifying a wrong attitude or behavior. It is very important that we as Christians practice behaviors or exercises that help us grow in our faith and service for the Lord. Although church attendance is not the act of working for the Lord but rather the act of worshiping the Lord the Bible does place a great emphasis on assembling together. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Heb 10:24-25 (KJV)

The Bible also teaches us that “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.” 1 Peter 2:2-3 (KJV) If a person has tasted that the Lord is good then they will desire the sincere milk of the Word that they may grow. Hearing the Word of God taught, preached, and sung about will help us mature and grow in the Lord. If we do not attend Church regularly then we will certainly stunt our growth as Christians. I want to share this little parable with you:

I don't eat any more because:

1. I was forced to eat as a child.
2. People who eat all the time are hypocrites; they aren't really hungry.
3. There are so many different kinds of food, I can't decide what to eat.
4. I used to eat, but I got bored and stopped.
5. I only eat on special occasions, like Christmas and Easter.
6. None of my friends will eat with me.
7. I'll start eating when I get older.
8. I don't really have time to eat.
9. I don't believe that eating does anybody any good. It's just a crutch.
10. Restaurants and grocery stores are only after your money.

Giving a lame excuse for not attending church or for not getting involved in ministry is just as silly as giving up eating. Church attendance for the Christian is as important as regular, balanced meals.

Today's Message

Mon, 10 May 2010 11:08:12 -0400

What is the secret to having a powerful, vibrant, effective prayer life? God makes some very heavy statements in His word about us being able to pray and move mountains; He tells us that we have not because we ask not. There is verse after verse in the Bible that talk about the privilege and power of prayer. Honestly when I read through the Bible I am almost convinced that the most untapped resource in the Christian Church is that of prayer. I think we plan, worry, work, and complain much more than we pray. Prayer is the true channel to our success and power therefore we ought to be praying more fervently. In the book of John 15 Jesus identifies Himself as the true vine, and God the Father as the Husbandman or farmer over the Vine. He identifies Christians as the branches of that vine, and teaches that God is working on us that we may produce much fruit. He teaches us that we are to allow or let the Word of God clean us, as we abide in Christ the True Vine, which is the only way we can produce real Christian fruit from our lives. Then Jesus tells us in verse 7 that if we abide in Him and His word abides in us we can ask what we will and it will be done. What a promise, the answer to having a powerful prayer life is outlined in that verse. We are to abide, walk close to Him, let His Word the Word of God have a guiding place in our lives and then we are to ask in prayer and it will be done. Look at the very next verse not so we will be exalted or even be happy but so the Father will be glorified. You see when we abide in Him and His Word abides in us, our desire becomes one with the Fathers, and we ask His will not our wants. God answers prayer when it is in accordance to His will for our lives.

Today's Message

Mon, 3 May 2010 16:29:48 -0400

From Your Minister of Youth & Children

“Do Good Things for Your Mother”

“For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and mother’; and ‘He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him surely die.” Mark 7:10

Our Mothers are the final defense between a chaotic world of sin and the righteousness of God. They are the last guardians of faith. Without faithful mothers our world would be lost. That is why the apostle Paul writes with a tone of shock and disappointment that “even the women did change the natural use into that which is against nature (Romans 1:26).” He knew that when the women exchange Godly morals for unrighteousness the world is in a sad shape. Mothers safe guard our souls against the blast of ungodliness by their womanly disposition and tender care. This position often overlooked, undervalued, and overwhelmingly hard at times needs a day like Mother’s day to Honor that most sacred of institutions, motherhood. My Mom prayed for me, loved me, and counseled me through the temptations and trials of life. Our mothers are the best friend we’ve got as we pass through this veil of tears.

It is so important to honor our mothers and fathers that a verse like Mark 7:10 is given to us. Let me share with you a few things that stand out to me about this verse. First of all to “speak evil” means to “curse” in the KJV but this is not curse in terms of casting a spell. It means to speak bad about or to your mother and father. Then the consequence of insulting your parents is death. For he said, “let him surely die.” This must not be translated permit him to die or one day he will die. Rather, it means he must be put to death! In the Old Testament God was really serious about the parent-child relationship. He still is today. Only Christ has taken our punishment away and left us to discipline. As I see the way children talk to their parents today I am scared for the generation because God still commands us to honor our mother and father. It is the commandment with promise of life. “Honor” is in this context primarily is 'love' and 'respect’. In some languages the equivalent is 'do good for'. Have you done something good for your parents lately? Honor is the present active imperative, which means we are commanded to have the ongoing action of honoring or doing good for our parents active throughout our lives. To violate this sacred trust God hates! He knows when we do we have completely gone away from him. If you are estranged from your parents reconcile quickly. We won’t have them here forever to do good for. Remember, even up to Jesus’ last moment with His mom he provided for her.

Rev. Shawn Croninger

Today's Message

Mon, 26 Apr 2010 15:37:03 -0400

What does it mean to be a faithful person? This is a question that will be asked more and more if our society continues to go in the direction that it is headed. There used to be a time when a person’s word was their bond, but now the commitments that people make are nothing more than words spoken to temporarily appease another. Commitments seem to mean nothing in the day in which we live, people borrow money with no plans to pay it back, they enter into marriage speaking great vows of life long commitment with the thought in the back of their mind that if it doesn’t work out I will just get a divorce. People accept positions, offices, jobs, and roles that they have no intention of sacrificing and working to fulfill. Needless to say the church has not escaped the effects of this apathetic half-hearted generation of people. It is not at all uncommon for people to speak of doing great things in the church and for the Church only to have them soon find something that is more entertaining or exciting that requires less effort to spend their time on. They will leave their post at the Church without a moments notice to chase the dream of filling their own lustful ambitions. This is not the type of character that Jesus fosters in a persons life. Jesus taught us that faithfulness is a key to achieving spiritual stewardship. In a parable on faithfulness and stewardship Jesus taught that a man must be faithful over what he has been given before he will be given more. Jesus said it like this “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” Matt 25:21 (KJV)
People who spend their lives with no regard to their responsibilities and commitments often wonder why it is that God does not bless them; the scripture says that until we are faithful over a few things we will not be made ruler over many things. Please don’t let the faithless culture we live in affect your faithfulness to the commitments of your life.

Today's Message

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 09:34:13 -0400

Have you noticed lately that life can be very hard? It can be very tiring to get up every day and work to earn a living and work to serve the Lord, just the daily grind of life can get you down but with every added day there seems to be a new ache, and new pain or another burden that seems to need bearing. I don’t consider myself to be an old person but neither do I feel young any more. In the book of Isaiah 40:28-31 the Bible says “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. The Bible teaches us in verse 30 that even youth and the young men shall lose their strength and fall, this means that no matter whom we are or how strong we may be that life can knock the wind out of us. Bottom line is that life can be tough, it can bring you down. So what do we do? How do we withstand the pressures of life and rise above the trials that we face? We do it by waiting, by patiently and prayerful waiting on the Lord to give us strength, the Bible teaches us that those who wait upon the Lord shall rise up with eagle’s wings that they may run and not faint. The Lord who never wearies, the one who never faints will give us the strength to run and not faint as we trust in His power and provision for life. So in reality the hardest things we have to do as God’s people, is learn to wait on Him. Enjoy your wait!

Today's Message

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:29:25 -0400

Why become a member of the Church? Have you ever wondered what the big deal is about uniting with the Church? There are several reasons that this is important and there are several things that one should know about church membership. First of all we must point out that one will never get to heaven just because they are a member of a Church. Secondly, know that it is very important to know that you can be a part of the Church without being a member of a church. For instance when a person is saved by the grace of God they are at that point a member of The Church of the Lord. So this begs the question as to why should a person go through the process of joining a local church? The answer to this question is simply commitment. When you join up at Toms Creek you are making a commitment to be an active part of this fellowship, a commitment to work for the Lord in and through this body of believers. One should join the church for much of the same reason a baseball player joins a baseball team. If a person can and is playing baseball he is a baseball player, but when he actually joins a team he is committing to play with that specific team, he therefore trains with them, cooperates with them and either wins or loses with them. He has identification with that specific team. Another reason is because of the commitment of the Church, the church or body of believers at Toms Creek has the responsibility to hold you accountable, to encourage you in your Christian growth and to help you develop and use your God given abilities to bring honor and glory to God. In other words you need to be a part of a church so that there will be expectations and checks and balances in your life. You can do more through a team than you can by yourself. This Sunday would be a great day for you to join the team at Toms Creek.

Today's Message

Mon, 5 Apr 2010 09:37:32 -0400

Have you ever had the devil tell you that you are insignificant to God and that He really doesn’t care about you? Most of us have heard that lie over and over again from Satan as he tries to draw us away from knowing the love that God has for us. Lucifer knows that we are a people who have a tendency to think based upon our feelings therefore when circumstances get tough he begins at once to tell us these ridiculous lies. The way God wants us to live is by faith, He wants us to feel based upon what we think and to think based upon what He says in His Word. So here is something to think about today. God’s love for us is greater than we can comprehend; He loves every one of us with a love that is so deep, so authentic, and so real, that it can only be explained in terms of cost or sacrifice. Look at what the scripture teaches us about the love of God for us. “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (KJV) The scripture teaches us that we while we were at our worse God sent His love toward us, in Christ dying for our sins. Dear friend that is how much you are loved, you are loved based upon God not performance. Now that you know how you are loved understand that if Christ would give His Son for you is there any good thing that He would not freely give you? So remember today that you have every reason to feel love because you are special to God.

Today's Message

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 10:59:54 -0400

As Christians we celebrate and live in the power of the resurrection every day, but this weekend we place special emphasis on The Resurrection. In truth instead of saying The Resurrection, I should just say resurrection as a whole; for you see the Resurrection of Christ provided the promise of resurrection for all of us who accept Christ by faith. What a promise we have to hold on to, we are well aware of the grim reality that some day we are going to die, but we can also rejoice in the blessed fact that death has been defeated and swallowed up in life through the resurrection of Christ. When Christ shook off the chains of death, walked out of the sepulcher, He did so with victory over death for Himself and for every one of us.

As with most all people I dread the process of death, the thought of hurting, the fear of the unknown, the whole process is very morbid, but I have to admit I do look forward to that which lies just on the other side of the valley of death. While death is the unknown that I dread, there is also the unknown of heaven that I look forward to with great anticipation. God has given me just a glimpse of what heaven will be like and it looks good. I suppose that if God had of shown us all that heaven is going to be that we would loose all desire to live here on this earth, we would act like we do prior to a great vacation, we would spend all of our time packing and accomplish none of the work that He has called us to do. Look at this verse. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. 1 Cor 2:9-10 (KJV)

The Promise of resurrection and knowing that even though you go through death and yet will never die, really does take the sting out of death doesn’t it? The worst thing that we will ever go through has the best thing we will ever experience just on the other side of it. God is so good!

Today's Message

Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:06:51 -0400

Resurrection Sunday will be here soon and I am already excited about what the Lord is going to do. Can you imagine the emotions and excitement that must have been felt that first Easter Sunday when the disciples finally understood that Jesus, who was crucified, wrapped in grave clothes and buried had defeated death and was alive. At the death of Christ there was a sense of defeat and discouragement that had filled the air, these Christ followers had placed their faith in Jesus thinking that He would be their leader, King, guide, and provider for all of life’s many needs. Then they stand by and watch as He is brutally put to death, when Jesus died their hopes and dreams also died. Yet now the news has come that Jesus who was dead is alive, this is better than it has ever been, not only is He alive He has overcome the worst thing that man can do to one another. He has taken the ultimate blow and has overcome it. The resurrection means that we are not defeated and even greater than that it means that we are more than conquers through Christ Jesus our Lord. Please remember that Easter is not about hunting eggs, dressing up or eating a meal together, while all of that is fun and good fellowship, remember that Easter is about victory, it is about the Resurrection of Christ. Easter is about our hope of Resurrection, for you see had Christ not been resurrected then all of us would be without hope. “Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain." 1 Cor 15:12-14 (KJV)

Today's Message

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:44:34 -0400

What are your dreams and desires for Toms Creek Baptist Church? When you think about the group of people that you meet with here at Toms Creek what you do dream of God doing within this body of believers? God has given me a heart to see our Church family grow in many different ways, obviously I want to see numerical growth but my greatest desire is to see spiritual growth. I want see our hearts turned more too reaching people than pleasing self, to see us sacrifice for the causes that Christ has so plainly instructed us to live for, such as lifting Him up, expressing His love to people, and winning the Nations through the Gospel. What are your dreams for the Church, I realize that many people in today’s Churches want more entertainment, more time off from Church, shorter sermons, and of course more meals. This reflects the spiritual condition of this generation, the Apostle Paul warned about this generation as he wrote to Timothy:“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” 2 Tim 4:3-4 (KJV)
Do you realize that the Church will eventually become what the people of the Church want it to be? God has a track record of giving us or should I say allowing us to create our own environment, if the church wants a form of religion without the power of God then God will allow us to have a facade of Church. Of course we want more than that, we want to be authentic and real with God, we want to experience the power and presence of the Lord weekly as we meet together. Therefore we have to work at denying self and seeking the Lord, looking for and obeying His call on our lives. The power and peace that comes from walking with the Lord is worth the effort and time it takes. Today deny self and seek the Lord with all of your heart, and you will find Him.

Today's Message

Mon, 8 Mar 2010 09:15:25 -0500

The branches on the trees are starting to get tender as the sap begins to fill them and the buds will be shooting forth which tells us that spring is near. Over the next three weeks winters brown dead look will come to life with colors of green, highlighted with a splash of every vibrant color the mind can imagine. It will be as if the world around us has been resurrected from a months of death, this will all happen because the sun is coming closer to earth and warming the surface. When the surface gets closer to sun and warms up it changes the whole appearance of it. Even the sounds around us will change as the birds begin to scurry around singing and looking for twigs to build them a new nest to raise their chicks. Let’s face it the sun changes things when it gets close to the earth, the radiant power is amazing, it even helps us deal with depression as it give us vitamins that are needed and raise our serotonin levels.

Obviously you know that I am not talking just about the sun, but trying to point out that it is very important for us to draw nigh to the Son. If we hope for a vibrant life and desire new growth being fruit producing Christians we must draw strength from the Son. The Bible teaches us; “I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:1-5 (KJV)

Your ability to be a productive Christian is based upon how close you are to the Son. So without hesitation draw nigh to God today and He will draw nigh to you.

Today's Message

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 16:11:13 -0500

March is here and it seems as if it going to be a windy one, not only does the wind come with March but at Toms Creek March also ushers in opportunity. There are a lot of events taking place this March at Toms Creek, this weekend we will have both the Youth D Now weekend, and the Upward Celebration Service. The D Now is a time for the Youth to come together and experience some serious in depth Christian growth. It will be hosted here at Toms Creek but is an effort of several of our Tugalo Associational Churches. The Upward Celebration is the climax of Upward, there will be a special acrobat here who will be performing to get the kids attention and then the gospel presentation and invitation will be given. Please be praying that God will save and work in lives this weekend at Toms Creek. With March there also comes the Wild Game Supper, we are gearing up for a really big one this year and already we have had a lot of tickets reserved. Wayne Robertson will be the featured speaker so begin praying that God will use him and that many men will come to know Christ as Savior. The week after the Wild Game Supper we will be hosting a Hunter Safety Course that will be taught by the Department of Natural Resources, this will give us as a Church an opportunity to meet some people in our area and simply minister to them. Please be praying that March will be a time when many come to know Christ as we seek to labor for the Lord here at Toms Creek.

Today's Message

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:19:43 -0500

Have you ever thought about how attached to this world you and I might be? The story of Lot and his family in Sodom just blows me away; as I read it I cannot help but be critical of Lot and his leadership. It just blows me away that Sodom being the sinful city it was would be such a comfortable home to Lot and his family. I encourage you to read Genesis 19 and think about how wicked this place had become, it was a city that had turned almost totally to homosexuality, God was so disgusted with their sinfulness that He was about to destroy the city and Lot and his family had been given ample warning to leave. Lot went and talked to his sons in laws and the Bible said that he seems to them as one that mocked. Then the next morning the angel of the Lord had to take Lot and his family by the hand and lead them out of the city. This is what I don’t understand, instead of Lot taking his family by the hand and leading them the angels had to assume that responsibility. Please understand they practically had to drag Lot and His family from a place that was so sinful that God was about to destroy it. It seems to me that there might be a spiritual problem when God’s people get so comfortable in a world sold out to sin that we don’t want to leave it. Lot’s family was not willing to follow him, most likely because he was not eager about following the Lord; he was hesitant at best and had to be led by the hand. I write this as a leader to leaders, if we want to lead people out of this world to a godly life we have to be willing to follow God while taking others by the hand and leading them. This world is not our home and we need to set our affection on the things above.

Today's Message

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:25:15 -0500

As Christians what can we do to insure that we are growing closer to the Lord and becoming more like Him each and everyday? Most Christians live their life on a roller coaster ride of Christianity, they are hot and cold, on and off, up and down, their service for the Lord goes in spurts and there is no consistency in their walk with the Lord. If this describes you what can you do to stabilize your walk with the Lord? There is a verse of scripture in the book of Hebrews that gives us some pretty simple and yet powerful instruction as to how we can keep our life on the right track to Christian growth. “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Heb 10:22-25 (KJV)

Simple instruction, step one, let us draw near to God understanding that we have been forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ and our bodies washed from the past defilement. Step two, let us hold fast our commitment, trusting in the promises of God, (in other words) don’t try to do it your way. Step three, come to Church faithfully so that you can encourage others to serve and so you can be encouraged by others to do good works, you and I need the body of Christ to help spur us on to good works. As we practice these three simple steps we will see God do a great work in our Church as we grow together in Christ Jesus.

Today's Message

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 09:30:17 -0500

Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Phil 4:5-7 (KJV)

Have you ever wondered why God allows us to get into situations in life that challenges our faith? First of all let me remind you that it is not because God likes to see us squirm, nor does He take pleasure in our lack of pleasure. God wants us to be strong, confident and restful in life. Jesus told us to take no thought of tomorrow that tomorrow would have evil sufficient for that day. In Philippians 4:5-7 the Apostle Paul under the inspiration of God shares some amazing words of encouragement and advice with us as God’s people. He says for us to let all people know that the Lord is present; in other words let people know that you realize that God is with us through all that we face and go through in life. Then he tells us not to fret over the struggles of life but rather to pray, let God know the fears of your heart, the needs of your life, and remember to thank Him for all things. In closing I want to remind you of the promise that the Apostle Paul leaves with us, he says that when we remember the presence of the Lord and proclaim it to others, and pray, that God provides a peace for us to live in. That’s right a peace that surpasses the understanding of the world, a peace that allows you to have sanity in the midst of the worse of storms. This is not a promise to keep you out of trials but a promise to give you a peace in the midst of storms, this is a promise to make you be a bright shining lighthouse in the midst of dark ravaging storm, a light so bright that people who do not know Christ will strive to understand the calmness in which you possess through the power of Jesus Christ. This is God’s disaster relief plan for our lives.

Today's Message

Wed, 3 Feb 2010 12:46:22 -0500

In the Bible we are introduced to a man known as the Rich Young Ruler, he seemed to have a lot of money, but in reality money had him. He wanted eternal life, and was willing to work for it, but was not willing to die out to self or to give up the wealth that had given him his identity and self worth in life. This is a sad story, one that is so played out day after day all around us, people who see their worth in things, habits, and hobbies or see no worth in themselves at all. God sees all of humanity with great value, the greatest of His creation, created to have fellowship with God almighty. God does not love us because of what we have, nor does He value our estates, the truth is, if we had possession of the whole world we would still be paupers in comparison to God. As strange as it is God loves us because He is God, and understands that the purpose of us being created was so He could love us. Friend your love for God does not change His love for you; it only changes your destiny in eternity. The secret to being able to love others is found in understanding that you are loved, God loves you and wants you to allow Him to get close to you. Will you respond to His love by placing Him as number one in your life, today will you give up everything that you know is unpleasing to Him and surrender your will to the perfect will of God? God so loved you that He surrendered His son for you; will you surrender your will to Him?

Today's Message

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:05:29 -0500

How often do you express your love to your spouse? Maybe the more excellent question would be how often has your spouse received expressions of your love? So often we struggle with insecurities in life that make us feel unlovable and therefore we reject certain types of love but are receptive to other specific forms of affection. If while reading this you are thinking that telling your spouse you love them is really complicated, in a way you are right. Love is good and anything good takes work, it is not enough to just say I love you, your spouse may be deaf to words of affirmation, the way you say I love you to your spouse may be by works, or by giving thoughtful gifts, or by spending quality time with them, or maybe even touching or holding them. All people are different and to say that anyone of these love language is definitely what makes your spouse feel loved would be a grasp in the dark. Your spouse needs to know that more than anything you want him/her to realize the effort of you trying to understand how to speak their love language. In the Song of Songs the love of Solomon’s life gave him some information about herself and how she felt, “ I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. Song 1:5-6 (KJV)

What does Solomon do with this wisdom of her insecurities? He immediately starts building her up in these same areas’, her feelings of inferiority are evidence of her love language. She needs to be told how beautiful she is. Solomon’s words to her were “If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents. I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots. Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold. We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver. Song 1:8-11 (KJV)

To use this sounds silly but in the culture in which this was written Solomon was saying you are more beautiful than any of the women and I want to meet you. Her insecurities were met and mastered by Solomon’s affirmation. Before a person can be loved they have to know that they are lovable. Let your spouse know that they are worth your love and they will most likely accept your love.

Today's Message

Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:24:39 -0500

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. Song 1:2 (KJV)

This verse of scripture in the Song of Songs are words spoken by a woman in love with her man, she has a burning desire to be with him. She verbalizes her desire to kiss this man and says that his love is better than the finest drink that she has ever had, it taste good, and it is somewhat intoxicating to her. Does the love you have for your husband still excite you in this way, after a long day of working do you still get excited about coming home to see your spouse, are date nights still something that you look forward to? Love should be something that grows as time goes forward, it ought to be that the more time you have to work on your marriage the better your marriage becomes. I do want to remind you that Marriage takes work; a good marriage is not something that just happens based upon the chemistry of two people. I have to work at getting over my own selfish desires and learn how to edify my wife, as I work to meet her needs my need to be wanted is better satisfied. In Revelations 2:4 Jesus was writing to His bride the Church at Ephesus and He said these Words to them: “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love” Rev 2:4 (KJV) Could it be today that you have left your first love, that you have lost the passion, the drive and the zeal that you once had to love your mate? If so return to your first love, start working to rekindle the love that you had when you were dating, and doting over each other. Love is not a feeling it is a commitment to sacrifice self in order to edify another.

Today's Message

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 10:08:00 -0500

We are told to honor our father and mother, to honor those who have the rule over us, and most of all to honor God with our lives. The question of the day is what is honor, what does it mean to honor someone? Honor means to hold someone in high esteem, to hold them in respect, and place importance upon their opinions and thoughts. There are a lot of people who want honor and who honor themselves, but from a biblical perception it is not comely to honor all people. Honoring the wrong people can be very misleading in your life; there are times when it is more profitable to disregard what a person says or the advice that they so freely give due to the lack of thought and wisdom that is found in it. Opinions and advice are given in abundance and for the most part advice is free, but taking it from the wrong person may still be very costly. The Bible teaches us in the book of Proverbs 26:1 “As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not seemly for a fool.” There are some things that a fool does not have or that is very uncommon for them to posses and honor is one of those things, before you receive instruction or place credibility upon advice that is freely given look carefully to see where it is coming from. Wise counsel will always originate and be backed by the Word of God. All wisdom comes from God therefore the Word of God is the standard in which we can identify truth.

Today's Message

Mon, 4 Jan 2010 10:47:13 -0500

The days that we are living in are described by some as lean days, days in which money can be hard to come across and even harder to hang on to. During times like these people are really put to the test, they are not tested to see how much they can make but rather how faithful they will be to causes in which they have committed their lives. During days of recession our faith is often tested, the way we give, will speak volumes as to what we really believe about stewardship and being beneficiaries of God’s benevolent nature. We often say in a tongue and cheek manner that all that we have comes from God and that it is impossible to out give the Lord. These are things that I really believe, they are facts that the Bible teaches with great clarity. If these are things that we really believe then our giving would determine our receiving, instead of our receiving determining our giving. What if God gives to us based upon our faithfulness to give to Him, listen to what the Word of God says : “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days” Eccl 11:1 (KJV), “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;” 2 Cor 9:6-10 (KJV) The Bible teaches us that it is God that gives us the seed to sow; therefore, we know that if we are only going to do a little sowing then we will only need a small amount of seed. God gives to those who are willing to give. Are you a cheerful giver or a fearful giver?

Today's Message

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:51:22 -0500

Christmas has come and gone. What now? That must be the thought of so many as another Christmas has been placed in the books, wrapping paper is strewn all around, the trees are coming down and we are making preparations to get back to work. Things really aren’t much different than they were the day before Christmas. That is not the way it was on the first Christmas morning, the Christmas story didn’t simply end with the birth of Christ it started with the birth of Christ. You see after Christ was born there were many reactions to the action of God loving the world so much that He sent His only begotten son. After Christ was born Herod began a search and destroy mission, he wanted the prophesied King of the Jews dead, and Herod wanted no threat to his position of authority. You know things have really not changed a lot have they? There are still those who would like to think that Christ was born and died, end of story. We know that this is not the case, He was born, and He did die but that all changed with the resurrection. Christ is alive forever more and has two very important places of authority. One is the right hand of the Father, where He makes intercessions for me and you. The other place is in my life and the life of every born again Christian. The day I accepted the Lord He took residence in my life and is there as the supreme authority in my life. The world can work with all of its might to rid itself of Christ, but they can never take me out of Christ or Christ out of me, He is the King of my life for all of time and eternity.

Today's Message

Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:15:31 -0500

It is totally amazing to me how many people celebrate the birth of Christ. The reason it is so amazing is because we are never told in scripture to celebrate the birth of Christ, we are told to remember the sacrificial death of Christ through communion and the Lord’s Supper but not the birth of Christ. Does this mean that we are wrong in celebrating the birth of Christ, only if the wise men and the shepherds were wrong? My point is this there are some things that as Christians we can’t help but do, how could we not celebrate such a wonderful occasion, we don’t have to be told to do what we can’t help but do. To know the gift of God is so powerful you have to celebrate, you have to give thanks, you have to rejoice when you think of how awesome it is that God became flesh and dwelt among us. The wise men were compelled to travel from a far to the see the wisest among men as a baby. The shepherds left their flocks and came to see the good shepherd swaddled in a manger as a new born baby, but He would be their shepherd. The stars of heaven pierced through the darkness of the night just to get a glimpse of the light of the world. The creator made His appearance in His own creation so that He could redeem or purchase back that which was rightfully His. Yes we celebrate Christmas because when we realize the miracle of God’s grace that was birthed on that Christmas morning 2000 years ago we can not restrain the joy that swells up within us as the redeemed of God. I pray you will have a Merry Christmas as you celebrate the anniversary of God coming to earth so that we could go to heaven.
Merry Christmas, Rev. Wayne Marcus

Today's Message

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:50:02 -0500

Lottie Moon - the namesake of the international missions offering - has become something of a legend to us. But in her time Lottie was anything but an untouchable hero. In fact, she was like today's missionaries. She was a hard-working, deep-loving Southern Baptist who labored tirelessly so her people group could know Jesus. Read this letter that was sent home from her seeking more help to reach China.

Feb. 9, 1889

Recently, on a Sunday which I was spending in a village near Pingtu city, two men came to me with the request that I would conduct the general services. They wished me to read and explain, to a mixed audience of men and women, the parable of the prodigal son. I replied that no one should undertake to speak without preparation, and that I had made none. (I had been busy all the morning teaching the women and girls.) After awhile they came again to know my decision. I said, "It is not the custom of the Ancient church that women preach to men." I could not, however, hinder their calling upon me to lead in prayer. Need I say that, as I tried to lead their devotions, it was hard to keep back the tears of pity for those sheep not having a shepherd. Men asking to be taught and no one to teach them. We read of one who came forth and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd. "And how did he show his compassion?" He began to teach them many things. "Brethren, ministers and students for the ministry, who may read these lines, does there dwell in your hearts none of that divine compassion which stirred the heart of Jesus Christ, and which led him to 'teach' the multitude many things"?

Thirty miles from Pingtu city is a gold mine. Nestled close among low-lying hills are two foreign houses and the buildings over the mine. Several American miners are there in the employ of the Chinese government. These men are living a hard, dull, isolated life, in a remote region, far from home and friends, with the sole purpose of worldly gain. So much for the devotees of Mammon. One cannot help asking sadly, why is love of gold more potent than love of souls? The number of men mining and prospecting for gold in Shantung is more than double the number of men representing Southern Baptists! What a lesson for Southern Baptists to ponder.

The heart of mission is still alive and well, maybe God is calling you to go, or maybe God is calling you to give, My prayer is that you will obey His call on your life.

Today's Message

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 10:02:39 -0500

OPEN HOUSE

We would like to thank you as a church for allowing us the opportunity to build our own home.

This coming Saturday, December 12, 2009 we would like to invite you to come see our home. We are having an open house from 3:00-6:00 and everyone is invited to come and view our new home. We are thankful to the Lord that He blessed us with our own place and we would like for you as our family to come and see it. Light refreshments will be served.

Our address is 62 Gooseway Rd, Eastanollee 30538

Directions: From the church take Hwy 145 to Ridge Rd, go to the end of Ridge Rd and cross Akins Bridge Rd onto Pulliam Rd, go to the end of Pulliam Rd and take a left onto North Broad River Rd. stay on North Broad River Rd pass the Go cart track which is on the left, you will then turn right onto Gooseneck Rd, go approximately ½ mile then take a right onto Gooseway Rd and we are the second house on the right.

From Hwy 106 turn right at the entrance of the old MX 106 dirt track onto the dirt rd which will turn into Gooseneck Rd as you enter back into Stephens County, when the road turns back to Asphalt look for the next paved rd on the left which will be Gooseway Rd and we will be the second house on the right.

Today's Message

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:08:42 -0500

It has been prophesied that in the latter days people will lose interest in things of God, that they will grow cold in their faith, listen to what the Apostle Paul told young Timothy. “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Tim 3:1-5 (KJV)

Think about what Paul said in the last day there are going to be terrible times, this is how the people will be characterized, Men will be lovers of themselves, in other words narcissism will be ramped, people will be full of pride, blasphemers, unholy. Notice as you read that he says that they will lose natural affection, and will be plagued with unrest in their spirit (incontinent). Then He describes our generation with great precision by saying high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. That my friend describes this generation very well, people spend hours on top of hours watching movies, but if a sermon goes 5 minutes over, the preacher is too long winded, they spend hours in freezing temperatures watching ball games but if the heat or air is not perfect in the Church they grip. Even the Church has fallen in love with this mistress called pleasure; we have committed adultery against the God of heaven with a mistress named entertainment. Therefore we have lost our power and too often only have a form of godliness. Jesus asks this question that I would like you to ask yourself in a time of personal soul searching. “Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Luke 18:8 (KJV), In your life will Jesus find real Biblical faith when He comes back?

Today's Message

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:30:05 -0500

This week many of us will gather with our families and enjoy a time of fellowship and giving of thanks for all that God has done. This is always both a hectic and refreshing time, a time to enjoying each other’s presence and reminiscing about the past. My prayer for you is that you have an especially good Thanksgiving Holiday and that it will be a time filled with laughter, love and praise to our wonderful heavenly Father. When I think of this time of gathering around the table in fellowship and praise my mind does not go back to the past but rather it races forward to a time that is to come. It is recorded in Revelation 19:5-10 the Bible says; And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” Rev 19:9 (KJV) As you put this passage in context you realize this is taking place at the conclusion of all the worlds conflicts, the great whore who has filled the earth with her corruption has been defeated and the Satan is about to be bound and cast into the bottomless pit. Now we come to a time when all of Gods people have been gathered together as a big loving family around the table to feast in celebration as the Bridegroom receives His bride which is the Church. Can you imagine the fellowship that will take place on this day? There will be Old Testament saints fellowshipping with New Testament saints, there will be families reunited who were ripped apart by the cold hand of death, there will be generations of families together around the same table. Think about it great-great-great-great- grandparents meeting their descendants and having one common thread, a love for Christ. You talk about a family tree being discovered, what a day this will be, and what a time of praising and glorifying the Lord. I can hardly wait for this day of thanksgiving but I know that it is coming, what a blessing to look forward to.

Today's Message

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:41:04 -0500

An Attitude of Gratitude-
Where does an attitude of gratitude come from? It comes from understanding that if we receive what we deserve we would all be tormenting in the eternal flames of hell. The Bible and history both teach us that mankind is very deprived and full of sin. If righteous judgment were to be passed out, all of us would be found as guilty sinners doomed for a devils hell. To put it another way, any thing we receive that is better than hell is a gift from God. Instead of giving us what we deserve, God gave us His only begotten Son, through mercy and grace God blessed us with the gift that gives eternal life. Sure there are tough times in life, there are times when people don’t agree and you and I feel hurt, forsaken, and let down, but we all have much to be thankful for. So the next time you start feeling as though you have been cheated or that you deserve much more than you are receiving remember that you really do not want what you deserve. We are much better off being recipients of God’s amazing grace than we would be with what is fair. This is the day that the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Today's Message

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 10:34:53 -0500

What if we lived a world where everyone thought more of others than they did themselves? What if when we made decisions or lived out our life we did with the best interest of others as a priority over our own desires? If we lived in a world like this it would be a world that was living as Christ by His example taught us to live. It would be a world where people brought honor and glory to God, because this is God’s will for us. The Bible teaches us that we are to; “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Phil 2:3-5 (KJV)

You see in this passage that often seeking ones own will and way is the cause of strive and vainglory, but when a people humble themselves and looks at others as having value and wisdom great harmony and unity can be accomplished. Jesus taught us this when He humbled himself and subjected Himself even to the cross as He focused on the value of others. If Jesus who created all things, saw value in others surely little ole you and me can esteem others better than ourselves and serve as Christ taught us to.

Today's Message

Mon, 2 Nov 2009 08:48:08 -0500

Sunday you honored Tammy and me by hosting a pastor appreciation meal, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for your consideration, your love, and the privilege that you have given me to serve as your Pastor over these last 11 years of my life. As I think about all that this Church means to me and my family I always go back to what it was like 11 years ago when we came. I see all the kids that have grown up and changed so much over these years, the marriages, the funerals, the counseling sessions and all the hours that we have been able to sit with you in various hospitals all over North Ga. Toms Creek has not been a job but truly my family and my life. As a family we have faced and endured many trials, enjoyed a lot of victories, and through it we have become closer together as we have grown through the adversities that we have experienced.

It is hard for me to explain the relationship I feel toward you as my Church family, but I think that Apostle Paul sums it up with his address to the Church in Philippians chapter 4. “Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.” Phil 4:1 (KJV) Paul refers to the Church as his dearly beloved, his longed for and his crown. Meaning that he dearly loves the Church, has longed to see them saved and grow. Yet he also knows that because he has labored among them that he will receive crowns in Heaven due to his ministry with them. So the more they stand fast the more Paul has to look forward to in Heaven. Toms Creek is not just a Church to me it is a Church that I, like many of you have poured my heart into in hopes of eternal rewards some day. I love you and am thankful that God has allowed me to serve as your Pastor. .

Today's Message

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:20:54 -0400

Today is a day of rejoicing for Toms Creek Baptist Church. We have had a great Judgement House so far, with over twenty people getting saved the first night. It is amazing to see how hard everyone is working to share the gospel and glorify the Lord. Toms Creek is an amazing fellowship of believers, the work that everyone has done, the co-operation, and unity that is present in our fellowship has never been more evident than it is right now as we labor together for the Lord. Please be reminded that what we do at Judgement House is not about us, it all about the Lord, everything that we see accomplished is all because of the power of God almighty.

Please join me in thanking God for all that He has and is going to do this week through His people working together to lift up and magnify His majestic name. Pray, pray and then pray some more for the cast of Judgement House and for the lost that will be going through this week. Pray for souls to be saved, for Christians to be revived and that God will be glorified through all that takes place. I love you Toms Creek and look forward to celebrating with you over the blessing of God this coming Sunday.

Today's Message

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 08:53:31 -0400

I found this story that reminds me of how God wants me to trust Him and thought I would pass it on for you to enjoy. “Several years ago, a woman and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. The Woman, Arlene, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house. The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely. As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped, and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She causally mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value. A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this? "Look at it." He said. "Read what it says." She read the words "United States of America."
"No, not that; read further."
"One cent?"
"No, keep reading."
"In God we Trust?"
"Yes!"
"And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust is in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!

Today's Message

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 10:15:56 -0400

It is important for us to stand firm in our faith, as we live in a day where any form of a standard or conviction is considered evil or discriminating. If we agree with this world, or go the way that so many have gone we will soon be a people with no security, assurance, purpose and last but certainly not least no results for our efforts. The scriptures tell us to stand firm, to be indoctrinated with the Word of God so that we can know what we believe, live by it, and if need be die for it. Standards or convictions allow us to examine ourselves, guide our lives, and are the only way to keep down the confusion that is so rampant in this world. At Toms Creek our conviction is the Bible, the Word of God directs us, and as our operating manual we take what it says literally and to heart, understanding that when placed in context it can always be used as a guiding light in our confusing world. As the church our challenge is not the obstacles of this world but rather the temptation to drift away from the Word of God. It matters not why a person goes off course, it could be the pressures of this world that blow you as a ship on the sea, or it could be personal preference that lures you as a mouse into a set trap. Regardless of the ploy that Satan uses there is always great danger at the end of a disobedient walk. Please commit your life to an unreservedly commitment to following the Word of God, one might say well on the big issues I will follow the Bible but the little things are no big deal. Remember that the first step leads to the second, and farther you walk away from the Lord the harder it becomes to hear His voice. Eating a forbidden fruit didn’t seem like a big deal, but it started a whole world of sin.

Today's Message

Mon, 5 Oct 2009 10:31:34 -0400

Please be in prayer for Shawn and Robin as they are in Haiti, on a mission trip this week. Also pray for our upcoming Judgement house, pray that there will be a lot of people saved during the week and that God will allow all of us to grow closer to Him. Please pray for me that God will give me wisdom and help me as I seek to obey Him in all my ways. Prayer is the answer to us getting the answers we need in life. The Lord has told us to pray without ceasing, to seek that we might find, to knock that it may be opened, and to ask that we might receive. So this week in all that you do for the Lord, start by doing this most important thing, which is to pray. There is power in prayer, there is a peace that comes from just knowing that the Lord of glory is in control and when you invite Him to work His perfect will in your life. The greatest thing that we can do today is to yield ourselves to the Lord and allow Him to have His will and way with us. Take my life Lord and use it, take it and use it to bring honor and glory to your name; that is my prayer today and that you will join me in praying this prayer and then without reservation let us make ourselves available to the Lord.

Today's Message

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:45:07 -0400

God has called us to be bearers of good news, to be a people who work diligently at inviting others to come to the feast that God has prepared for them. One of the hardest things to keep actively going at any Church is outreach visitation, for some reason people are timid about visiting with people that they have never known. Yet, the Word of God calls and commissions us to go to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in. Jesus commissioned us to go to the uttermost parts of the world with the gospel. There is no doubt when you read the Word of God that God’s will is that we go and so we will go. We will start our outreach visitation back up on Tuesday October 13th at 6:30. If you would be willing to obey God and come help as we in an organized effort work to reach out to those around us then please do so. We will have names, maps, phone numbers, and letter writing stations set up in order to give you an opportunity to reach out to people who may just be waiting for an invitation. God is always honored when we obey His Word, so come be a part of an important ministry. I look forward to working with you as we mobilize the Church to reach the community.

Today's Message

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:18:24 -0400

The rain of the last days is a great reminder of what Jesus said in Matt 7:24-27 as He talked about people who build their lives on the Word of God being like the man who builds on the rock. Jesus said that a man that builds his life with no regard to the Word of God is like a man who builds on the sand and when the storm come it is washed away. In this passage Jesus doesn’t say if the rain comes He says when it comes. There are no doubts as to the fact that we will face storms in our life it is not a matter of if; but rather a matter of when. I have faced storms in the past, I will face storms in the future, and so will you, it is just a matter of when. It is hard to determine when our storm will come or what it will look like when it comes, but it pays to be prepared for the torrential down pour when the clouds burst open. Jesus teaches us that the way we are to prepare is by hearing and doing what He tells us to do. It is that simple; to be prepared is to be obedient to the Lord. The question that begs for an answer today is this, are you prepared, have you been obeying the Lord in all aspects of your life? If not, allow this last weekend’s events be a stark reminder to you to make preparations for something much greater that material loss. Jesus said “and great was the fall thereof”. It is devastating to lose something for all of eternity. Please be ready for the coming storms, obey the Lord!

Today's Message

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:39:42 -0400

We had a great homecoming service Sunday, a great crowd, great preaching, great singing and some great food to follow. I would like to thank all who planned and participated in the worship service. Every year I am reminded of how great the final homecoming will be, the time when we all leave this earth headed for our eternal abode, when we are all caught up to meet the Lord in the air. What a reunion day that will be, the day when we see friends and family who have gone on before us, a time when we get to meet relatives that had passed away long before we were ever born. On that day we will re-acquaint with old friends, and rejoice in all that the Lord has taken us through here on this earth. When I think about the struggles and tribulations that we go through here on this earth I am reminded that some day we will see the reason God allowed all these things to happen, and how God allowed all of our trials and pain work for good in our lives. This homecoming will be a time of not only fellowshipping but of making sense out of what was thought to be senseless sufferings that were endured in this life. Think about it, when we get to heaven some of our most thankful experiences may be the ones that were the most painful while we were sojourning through this life. To have perfect understanding of God’s amazing plan for our life will no doubt allow us to see things from a whole different perspective, after all hind sight is 20-20. Just remember that there is coming a glad reunion day.

Today's Message

Tue, 8 Sep 2009 11:32:47 -0400

Have you ever been overwhelmed because of God’s blessings on your life? I feel that way when I look around at all that God has blessed me with, I think of my salvation, my family, and of course you, my Church family. Tammy and I have experienced an overwhelming out pouring of love as we have been working on our house, so many of you have called wanting to bring us lunch or have come by to help us work, and others have just stopped in to let us know that you were excited for us. We have a great Church and please don’t let anyone tell you different. There has never been a harder working, more loving people than you; I am so blessed of the Lord to be your Pastor.

Please remember homecoming this week, there will be no Sunday school and we will start the worship service at 10:00 am. The Nelon’s will be singing and Rev. Jerrell Beatty will be preaching. Then after the Worship service we will move down to the Family Life Center for a meal and fellowship, and please remember there will be no Sunday Night Worship Service. As I conclude, I want to thank you for your love, your labor, and for allowing me to be your Pastor.

Today's Message

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 09:55:15 -0400

Over the past few weeks we have been talking about knowing God’s call on your life. We have already established the fact that the Bible is the supreme authority on what a person is qualified to do; we also discussed that passion is a great indicator as to what area God has called you to serve in. We are created to serve the Lord which means that we are created with a great passion to do what God has called us to. This week I want to talk you about the third and final aspect of knowing God’s plans for your life. The subject this week is commitment, the level of commitment that you are willing to make will to a great extent determine what you are qualified to do. For instance it requires a greater level of commitment to teach a class than it does to serve on the historical committee. A teacher is required to prepare and teach a lesson each week, and to minister to their class, where as a person on the historical committee will only meet once a year to write a synopsis of that years events. You may be willing to commit long hours to serve the Lord or you may only be willing to commit a minimal amount of time in His service. The Bible teaches us that we are to count the cost before we make a commitment. Please remember when you consider serving the Lord that you would be better off not to take on responsibility that to take it and not be responsible in fulfilling it to the very best of your ability. The Bible also teaches us that whatever we do we are to do it as unto the Lord, we should never half heartedly serve our Lord and Savior. So count the cost, consider the commitment that is required, and do what God has called you to do with all of your heart.

Today's Message

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:37:51 -0400

Are you stressed out and tired, has life become such a burden that you feel as though you can’t go on? The Lord offers a great solution to your problem, if you are really tired; learn how to find rest for your soul. Jesus gives us a great promise in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (KJV)

How could Jesus talk about being yoked in a harness, which suggests hard work and rest in the same breath? Most of us work harder trying to find rest than we would if we simply did the work we are called to do. Our problem is not work, our problem is the weight of the work and the shortcoming of the work force. Accepting the yoke of the Lord is a picture of submitting to Christ. When you yoke up with Jesus, He leads and pulls the majority of the load, you follow and reap the greatest benefit by being on the right team. To yoke up with Jesus means to learn of Him, work to be like Him and then you shall find rest for your soul. In conclusion allow your work to be a walk with Jesus, and you will find joy and peace in your labor for the Lord.

Today's Message

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:20:33 -0400

How do you know what God is calling you to do? Last week we talked about the biblical qualifications being the upmost authority as what God called you to do, another indicator is your passion. What has God given you a passion to do, what are the things that you are most interested in? People tell me all the time that they do not understand how I do what I do as a Pastor, in saying this they are indicating that they do not have a Pastors heart. They are right, they do not understand because they were not created by God with the same passion, (the call to serve as an under shepherd to God’s people). This does not make them less of person than me or me lesser of a person to them; it is simply the different call that has been placed on each of our lives. God created us with certain passions and desires to serve Him in diverse ways so that ministry would be complete. What is it that frustrates you when you see people not doing it the way it ought to be done? What is something that God has burdened you about and you would like to see people place more priority on it? You see if you are passionate about a ministry or burdened about a need God is probably directing you to use your gifts to minister in that area. Why would God burden you about a ministry that you cannot make a difference in? “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Psalms 37:4-5 (KJV)

Today's Message

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:18:21 -0400

How can you know what God has called you to do? This is one question I get often from people in the Church. There is in the heart of every born again Christian the desire to do what God has called them to do, to serve in the capacity for which God created them. Yet often there is a lot of confusion about who God called to do what jobs or hold which offices in the Church. There are some simple principles or guidelines to understanding what God has called you to do. The first principle to follow is of course the Bible, look at the biblical qualifications and make sure that you are biblically qualified to do the job that God has called you to do. Allow me to share with you several examples as to what is meant by this. In I Timothy 3 there is a list of qualifications for both Pastors, and deacons. Common sense tells us that if we do not meet these qualifications then we are not called of God to be either a Pastor or a deacon of the Church. These qualifications are spelled out and are gender specific, they discuss such things as marital status, character, testimony, and spiritual maturity. There is also a verse in I Timothy 2:12 that addresses the office of teachers, this verse is very specific in saying that a woman should not teach or usurp authority over a man. According to this very straight forward and plain spoken verse of scripture a woman should not be teaching a class that has men in it, nor serving in a position where she is usurping authority over a man in the Church. This is the first principle and as you search for God’s will and His place of service in the Church please remember the Bible is the first and foremost authority in giving the qualifications and area’s in which you can serve. In the next few weeks I will share some other principles to consider when searching for God’s call on your life.

Today's Message

Mon, 3 Aug 2009 13:07:34 -0400

Can God use you? That is the question of the day, we all know that we are not smart enough, strong enough or gifted enough to do what God has called us to do, and yet that does not mean that we can not be used of God. Sunday we talked about God’s call in the life of Moses, God called Moses a stammering, stinking shepherd to lead His choice people. Moses had the task of going to the most powerful man in the known world at that time and demanding that He let God’s people go. Then Moses was called of God to lead them, to judge them, and even to instruct and feed them. Was Moses qualified for this enormous task, not at all; Moses knew that this was a God size job and that he could not do this. That is the secret to being used of God, knowing that you are not able to do what God has called you to do. God desires a people who will bring honor and glory to Him, God wants us to be available to Him, and allow Him to work through us. God’s words to Moses were: “And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And he said, Certainly I will be with thee; “Exodus 3:11-12 (KJV)
The secret to us being used of God is to make sure that when we do a work that God is with us, that He is doing the work through us. You see, God and you, or God and Me, or just God by Himself is a majority. He is God all by Himself and does whatever He desires. Nothing is too big for God! Can God use you? The answer is yes if you will humble yourself and yield yourself to the power, wisdom and plan of God. God can use you, and will use you if you will allow Him to do so.

Today's Message

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:49:00 -0400

Sunday was a great day, I had a wonderful birthday and I want to thank each and everyone, you are such a wonderful part of my Church family. Tasha called me one day last week and asked what I wanted to do on my birthday and I told her that I wanted to preach. Preaching is what God created me to do, I love to preach, there is a never a time in my life when I feel more at peace than when I am preaching the Word of God. My prayer is that God will allow me to preach until the day that I die. By the way the day that I die is getting closer everyday, every birthday should remind us that the appointed time of our death is drawing ever closer. The Bible tells us to number our days. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” Psalms 90:12 (KJV) May I ask you to be reasonable and consider how many more days or years you could possibly have on this earth. Consider that as of right now the average life expectancy in the United States of America is 77.6 years. This does not mean that you will only live 77.6 years nor does it mean that you will live that long. This is a national average. If you take your age right now and subtract it from the national average how many more years can you estimate that you have to invest in the kingdom of God? I will use my life as an example; I am 42 years old if I subtract that from 77.6 that gives me an estimated time period of 35.6 years to invest into the kingdom of God. Having already lived 42 years, 35.6 years will go really fast. As I number my days, I have come to the conclusion that I need to close this article and go, I have a lot to do and a short time to get it done. Get the picture; numbering our days helps us stay focused on the task that we are to be about. So let’s get busy serving, the time is short.

Today's Message

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 13:49:25 -0400

The Summer is almost gone and I hope you are ready to get busy winning souls in the new Church Year. We will start the election of our new officers this coming Sunday with our first deacon election of the year. The nominating Committee will be meeting within the next few weeks, and nominations will begin. This should always be a reason to spend time in fervent prayer. God has blessed us with some wonderful capable people to serve in this Church and as always it is our desire to get them into the right place of service. I would like to ask you to pray two very specific prayers for the nominating committee and me, first pray that God will give us wisdom and bring to our mind the right people to ask for the right position so that it will be God’s appointments and not ours. Secondly, pray that if that person is you that God will impress it upon your heart and that you will by faith be willing to do whatever He asks of you. It would also be my desire to see some of you begin by getting involved in the Church, there are many ways you can serve without being in a leadership position at Toms Creek, we are always in need of people to serve and help us expand the ministries that God has called us into. Please let us know what areas you feel God is leading you to serve in so that we can get you equipped and plugged into doing the work of God.

Today's Message

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:07:45 -0400

Over the last couple of months Toms Creek has had a difficult time, this has been a tough time for many in our church as we have been tested in many directions. We have lost some great soldiers of the cross, faced conflicts within the Church and all of this has happened during a busy time of the church year. During this time of testing God has allowed us to continue to move forward but as is the case with many, I am tired and at times frustrated and yet I am also very thankful for the way God has held us together and allowed us to grow in our faith. God has continued to add to the Church and we are still seeing souls saved, lives changed and through all that Satan has thrown at us the church as a whole has matured. We had a great services Sunday and Sunday night with many being added to the Church, bringing their burdens to the altar, and sharing testimonies as to how God has blessed their lives.

Most of you have handled the conflicts of the past months very well, of course there are always a few who follow emotions rather than doctrine but for the biggest part you have searched the scripture and chose to follow the Word of God. Your spiritual discernment and maturity is encouraging to me as your Pastor and allows me time to work on the important mission of studying, preaching and praying. I have said all of this to say thank you for your love and commitment to Christ through the midst of all of Satan’s attacks. Please remember our fight is not with man or woman. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” Eph 6:12 (KJV)

Keep up the good fight and remember we win on our knees, not with our forked tongues or our fist

Today's Message

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 09:19:25 -0400

It was great to see so many unfamiliar faces last night at Vacation Bible School. There were a lot of kids, 242 of them to be exact which is a great number for the first night. I want to share some facts with you that may help you understand why we make such a big deal out of Vacation Bible School. Vacation Bible School is the single largest outreach event for most churches. Statistics show that anywhere from 25 – 28 percent of all baptisms in Southern Baptist churches are a direct result of VBS. VBS is an exciting fun-filled time of Bible study. Because the setting is more relaxed, outreach opportunities are numerous. More people will be on the church campus during VBS than at any other time. What an ideal setting for ministry. Theme generated excitement sets the stage for Bible study. Bible study leads to fun learning activities including crafts, music, missions, recreation, and of course snacks. All of which are excellent opportunities to present the gospel of Jesus Christ to those in attendance. Understanding that this is an enormous opportunity, let us be faithful to pray this week that God will do a great work and we will see a lot of kids come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. I hope to see you at Vacation Bible School this week.

Today's Message

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:41:27 -0400

Today I sit in my seat agonizing in pain and rejoicing in my heart. I am agonizing in pain because my mouth volunteered my body into activities that it is no longer willing or capable of doing. Every year I find that my abilities to play like a teenager are diminishing, yet I have to admit I had a great time Saturday water skiing, swimming and pulling others on the inter-tube. As I stated early, my body aches but my heart rejoices. I rejoice because we have such a great church family, after almost eleven years of serving along side of you as my church family I still get amazed by your love and willingness to minister to others. Last Saturday I was so thankful and proud of the turnout at the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home lake day. The kids had a blast; they were so thankful and already are asking to come back next year. Then on top of all that we did Saturday, we had our family night and VBS kickoff service Sunday evening, with a great turnout and a lot of hard work being done. It is such a blessing to serve along side of you and my prayer is that we will see a lot of kids come to know Christ during our Vacation Bible School. Tammy and I would like to say thank you for the love that you exhibit for Christ Jesus and those in whom He died for. There are a lot of people who talk about loving Jesus, but you show that you love Him through your devotion and commitment to do ministry. May God continue to bless our lives and ministry as we serve Him!

Today's Message

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:18:40 -0400

We had a great Father’s Day and now we turn our attention to the celebration of our Country’s Independence. As Americans we would be amiss if we did not thank God for the freedoms that we have been able to enjoy in America. Not only should we thank God but we should also pray to God that he will give us wisdom to protect our fleeing freedoms. Our freedom of religion, our freedom to bear arms, and our freedom of speech are all under attack and in great jeopardy. Why most Americans are concerned with the economy, one of the most valuable attributes of America is being destroyed; our freedom!
I would like to encourage you to read the Constitution and the Bill of Rights so that you can see how far America has already been drawn away from our freedoms. As Christians we need to understand the urgency of the moment and do all that we can to preach the Gospel before the opposition grows is strength. No matter what happens we will be determined to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, but the door of opportunity that has been opened wide is swiftly closing. Therefore, with urgency and resolve let us do all that we can to spread the gospel around the world starting here at home. As the debauchery of our generation continues to increase pray that our boldness and determination to share the good news of Jesus Christ will grow in an expediential way. May God give us grit, gumption and determination that will help us preserve the fundamental principles this country was founded on.

Today's Message

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:57:56 -0400

What a mighty God we serve! We had a great day Sunday with a great atmosphere of worship and God moved in an amazing way. When God is doing a work it makes going to Church exciting, I am already looking so forward to this coming Sunday as we celebrate Fathers Day and Worship our heavenly Father. Please continue to be in prayer for our mission teams that will be leaving for their different destinations in July and our VBS both at Church and in several of the communities where we will be doing back yard Bible Clubs. If you have not signed up to help in VBS please do so soon so we can get you all prepared and placed in the right job.
As I conclude please remember that as a Christian one of the most valuable things you have to protect is your Christian witness. God called us to be light and salt in this world therefore; we must walk in the fullness of the Spirit and not be defiled or distracted by this world, our flesh, or the principalities and powers of darkness in this world. A Christian without a good testimony is like an axe handle without an axe head, or a ink pen without ink. For you to be used as you were intended you must be a good witness of the power of God almighty to make a real difference in your life. People are watching your life more closely than they are listening to what you are saying, so walk louder than you talk. Souls hang in balance and the way you live your life makes a big difference.

Today's message

Mon, 8 Jun 2009 11:10:42 -0400

Sunday you as a church voted to allow Tammy and me to purchase a home of our own. We would like to thank you from the bottom of our heart for allowing us this privilege. Over the past ten years we have enjoyed the opportunity of living in the house that you have provided for us and are very grateful to have had such a nice home to live in. Yet, now we know it is the right time to try and purchase us a home of our own, I am 42 years old and not getting any younger and need to be buying a home of my own. I have jokingly, and yet seriously said in the past that the pastorium is nice but when I retire or get too old to pastor I know that I will not be allowed to continue to live there. It just makes sense while housing is a buyers market with a lot of tax benefits and low interest rates now is the time to work toward getting a home. We are looking forward to having a place to call our own, to work on, to relax in and yes to have some privacy. I would never have ask you as a Church to consider this if it were only going to benefit me and my family, this will allow the church the opportunity to turn the house into church offices, which will save the church money on utilities. It will be much more efficient to heat and or cool the house through the week than it is to heat and cool the second building of the church. It will also make the church offices much easier to find, and allow us the opportunity of turning the present offices into ground floor Sunday school classes which are desperately needed. This is obviously a win – win situation for both the church and Tammy and I. Of course you have already seen that which is obvious by your 93% approval vote. I just want to write this to say thank you and please know that this will not negatively effect the way I serve you in any way.

Today's Message

Tue, 26 May 2009 09:41:28 -0400

Today is a day of opportunity, although everyday has its own share of evil and adversity each day brings with it great potential for us to give honor to God. When faced with opposition today remember that opposition is opportunity in disguise, problems are platforms for us to trust God and see His mighty hand at work. Does this mean that we are excited about the turbulent times of life; not at all, but they are still going to come! Therefore, let us determine in our hearts to make the most of them, as the ole cliché says “make lemonade out of lemons”. Life has a lot of sour spots in it and those spots are as much a part of life as any other, so in order to get the most out of life we must be determined to get the most out of our problems. As you walk with God today ask Him to help you cease the opportunities that are around you, show people the love of Christ, and do all that you do as unto the Lord. I would like to challenge you to memorize this verse of scripture this week, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15 (KJV) Living out this verse will change our lives as we prepare ourselves for service to our Lord every day.

Today's Message

Mon, 18 May 2009 09:34:04 -0400

Sunday we talked about the responsibility that we as parents have to teach our children to walk with God during their childhood. Now the question is how do I train my child up in the way that he should go? This coming Sunday morning we will attempt to answer this question with the Word of God. I realize that there are a lot of people who are trying to raise their children up but they are perplexed as to how they are to teach their children biblical principles at an early age. There are so many people in the world trying to tell us how we need to raise our children, and yet so few are seeking the wisdom of the perfect Father. I encourage you to invite all of your family and friends to come this Sunday as we look into the Word of God at how we are to train our children up. We will look at how God told the Children of Israel to teach their children and learn from His instructions.
There has never been anything more important to our families, church, community, state, or nation than this one thing, that we train up our children to walk with God. Our society has become so wicked, and so evil that many people are having second thoughts about even bringing children into this world. As Christians we need to do all that we can to raise up some godly leaders to fight the good fight and lead the church through the perilous waters of the future. Please let us work together to equip the next generation to be godly leaders for heavens sake.

Today's Message

Mon, 11 May 2009 09:22:15 -0400

What does it mean when less than 10% of Christian parents think that “being Godly” or “having faith” is one of the marks of parental success? That means that over 90% of “Christians” believe they can be successful parents without passing on their faith to their own children - those whom they love more than anyone else. Research also shows that 83% of parents believe that they are the main spiritual influences on their children, but 48% (almost half) of them do not consider their own faith as an important influence in their parenting. This means they recognize their influence, but don’t see their faith as a priority in parenting. No wonder we are in such a state of confusion and failure when it comes to raising our children in the faith. Think about it, we have a real dilemma on our hands. We bring our children to church at least sporadically as long as football, basketball, baseball, band or the other 20 activities are not jeopardized, at least until they get out of high school then usually they are gone for about 4-7 years. Then they sometimes come back bringing their broken lives and hurt seeking help and the Lord and, as we ought to do, we wrap our arms around them and do our best to help them get straightened out. Why do we lose so many of our young people when they graduate high school? Why is it that they seem to turn away from their faith and fall into folly? I think it is because their belief is not theirs but rather ours; they have never owned what they believed and to be honest never really understood what they supposedly believe. I think it is safe to say if you don’t know what you believe you really don’t believe it but rather accept it until it is challenged. So over the next few weeks we will be looking at ways to help our children develop a belief system that is theirs. Therefore I challenge you to make coming to Church a priority in your life so you can learn from God’s Word how to be a better parent.

Today's Message

Mon, 4 May 2009 10:51:00 -0400

This coming Sunday we will be celebrating Mother’s Day which is a wonderful way to let women know they are honored, loved, and appreciated. The origins of Mother's Day can be traced back as far as the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The Romans would honor the goddess, Cybele, who they believed to be the mother of all the gods. The Romans would present offerings in Cybele's honor. The Greeks had a similar pattern as they would dedicate spring festivals to their goddess, Rhea, who much like the Romans goddess, was the mother of several other gods. The act of honoring mother figures spread throughout the world as Christians honored Mary, the mother of Jesus, on the fourth Sunday which occurred during the observance of Lent. The act of honoring mothers soon came to America by way of a woman named Anna Jarvis. Jarvis had a desire to better her community and as a means of doing so, instigated 'Mother's Work Day', as a time to celebrate mothers who had to work in order to provide the means of taking care of their families. After Jarvis' death, her daughter, also bearing the name Anna, carried on her mother's work. Jarvis' daughter sought to further the steps her mother had laid out and campaigned in an effort to honor the life of the elder Jarvis. Resulting from this, by 1914 Woodrow Wilson signed a bill that instated Mother's Day as an official holiday, and one to be recognized by the nation. Now, every year on the second Sunday in May, sons, daughters, and husbands, across the country honor the special women in their lives. Mother's Day is an excellent opportunity to let moms know that all their love, hard work, and self sacrifice pays off, and letting them know they are appreciated and valued, is of great importance. Join us at Church this coming Sunday as we honor our Mothers and thank God for them.

Today's Message

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 10:52:26 -0400

As the summer heat rolls in and the sun begins to shine in all of its power there is always the need to indentify what is proper attire for church. Over the last ten years I have tried faithfully to do this without offending or hurting anyone. It is my prayer that every person reading this understands that when I talk about proper church attire I am not talking about the cost of the clothing or the quality of the clothing, Church is not to be a place where people are looked down on due to the value of their clothes. When we discuss proper church attire we are talking about what is considered morally decent to wear to Church. Understanding that Toms Creek is a growing Church with new people added almost weekly it is important that we be reminded of the Church dress code; the dress code states “that no one over eight years old can wear shorts or bermuda shorts at church except when participating in athletic activities.” Now allow me to take this a step forward, as your pastor I would like to ask you to use Biblical guidelines in determining what to wear to Church. Allow me to share a verse of scripture with you that will help you understand what the Bible teaches about proper attire, and please remember this is not just for church, this is for life in general. “In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works” 1 Tim 2:9-10 (KJV) When reading this verse it is important to remember that the Apostle Paul was writing to young Timothy who was a pastor to equip him in the leading of his people to dress properly. This means that God is concerned with the way we dress and the way we present ourselves in public. Please read over this verse this week and come to Church next Sunday night as I will be preaching on this verse and explaining it in great detail. Parents you will want to have your sons and daughters there as this will help them understand why what they wear is so important to their future.