2010: No Resolutions ... Simply A Prayer

How many times have you made New Year’s resolutions? How many times have they fallen by the wayside, say, by Groundhog Day? I know ... I’ve been there.

I saw statistics that showed 40 to 45 percent of Americans make resolutions each year. Of course, some of the most common resolutions are: eat better, lose weight, begin exercising, stop smoking, get organized, get out of debt, etc. Intentions are great and then you slip just a little and ... a well-intentioned diet is hijacked, like this one:

Breakfast: 1 half grapefruit, 1 piece of whole wheat toast (no butter), 8 ounces of skim milk, coffee (black)
Lunch: 4 ounces of lean broiled chicken breast (skin removed), 1 cup of steamed zucchini, herb tea (no sugar), 1 Oreo cookie
Afternoon snack: the rest of the package of the Oreo cookies, 1 quart Rocky Road ice cream, 1 jar of hot fudge
Dinner: 2 loaves of garlic bread (heavy on the butter), 1 large sausage & pepperoni pizza (extra cheese), 2 large milkshakes with whip cream, and for dessert 3 Milky Way candy bars and an entire frozen cheese cake

The impact of one Oreo cookie! Amazing...So, the treadmill becomes a place to hang clothes on, the clutter begins to pile up again and out come the credit cards. Yikes!

In resolution-keeping, I read that 75 percent of folks make it past the first week and about 46 percent make it past the first six months. So, maybe these resolutions aren’t important enough to us? Maybe we think we can continue to get by living however it was we were living that led us to make the resolution in the first place? Maybe we’re letting one little cookie divert our commitment?

I don’t have resolutions this year, really. Ever since my cancer diagnosis and healing, I’ve been eating better and staying fit. I have to say, I feel great! But I do have a prayer for this year...I pray that I will be faithful...faithful to my Lord and Savior and His Word. I pray for a clear, uncompromised obedience to the Word of God; I pray for a courageous, confident faith in the Son of God; I pray for the complete surrender to the Spirit of God.

And I pray that you will make it your prayer as well.

Happy New Year!

Another National Title

Congratulations to the Prestonwood Christian Academy’s Competitive Cheerleading Team for winning its sixth national championship!

What a great way to cap off the decade, having won titles in 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Prestonwood Move in D Magazine 35th Anniversary

Prestonwood is in D Magazine! In the newsstands now is an issue celebrating the magazine’s 35th anniversary.

The cover story is “The 35 Biggest Moments in Modern Dallas History.” And the magazine's editors selected Prestonwood's move to Plano as one of those moments. So a few weeks ago I was asked to write about that watershed moment in the history of Prestonwood.

Here’s an excerpt, and a link to the magazine above, but go pick up a copy!

I shudder to think what would have happened had we stayed where we were. We would have limited the church’s potential and the possibilities for it to fulfill the Great Commission. The Prestonwood family didn’t resist—we believed, we trusted, and God provided for us every step of the way.

I am grateful for the privilege of being the pastor of this great church and to be blessed with the opportunity to reach this region and the world for Christ. God is not finished with Prestonwood. He brought us to Hebron Road for a reason. In the Bible, the word Hebron means “face to face with God.” I’ve sensed that we’ve come face to face with God in this place.

Christmas at Prestonwood

We experienced a lovely Christmas Eve with wonderful Candlelight Services at Prestonwood.

What a beautiful sight it is to see thousands of candles aglow! (Included is a photo of my beautiful wife, Deb, singing “A Thousand Candles.”)

And to make it even more special, snow began falling on Christmas Eve so we woke up to a White Christmas...

Truly a Christmas to remember...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

From my family and the PowerPoint family, we pray that you and yours will enjoy a Christmas like never before, one where you deeply experience the true meaning of this blessed season...celebrating the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. A baby born in a manger so long ago is God's gift to me and you--His very presence among us. I pray that you will share this gift so that the miracle of Christmas will be realized in the lives of many, many more. Merry Christmas!

GLORIA

We recently experienced our annual Christmas presentation at Prestonwood, which drew more than 20,000 folks from throughout the area. Like last year's Gloria, it was a gorgeous celebration. In fact, if you'd like to see what I'm talking about, you can catch last year's presentation on a station near you... I've listed the dates below:

December 24, 2009
Church Channel … 6:30a - 7:00a CT
CW Waco, TX … 7:00a - 8:00a CT
Family Net … 7:00p - 8:00p CT
KONG Seattle-Tacoma, WA … 10:30p - 11:30p PT
Daystar … 11:00a - 12:00p CT
Daystar … 8:00p - 9:00p CT
KBTX-CBS Bryan, TX … 11:30a - 12:30p CT
KMOV-CBS St. Louis, MO …11:30a - 12:30p CT
KYTX-CBS - Tyler, TX … 11:30p - 12:30a CT

December 25, 2009
WFAA-ABC Dallas, TX … 12:00a - 1:00a CT
Daystar … 12:00a - 1:00a CT
KREM-CBS Spokane, WA … 12:30a - 1:00a PT
KWTX-CBS Waco, TX … 1:00a - 2:00a CT
KTVB-NBC Boise, ID … 5:00a - 6:00a MT
Family Net … 1:00p - 2:00p CT
KTVB-NBC Boise, ID … 2:00p - 3:00p MT
Church Channel … 3:00p - 3:30p CT
MYTX - Tyler, TX … 7:00p - 8:00p CT
KCEN-NBC – Waco … 2:00a - 3:00a CT
KCEN-NBC – Waco … 6:00a - 7:00a CT
KBMT-ABC Beaumont … 6:00a - 7:00a CT
KJAC-NBC Beaumont … 6:00a - 7:00a CT
Daystar … 5:00p - 6:00p CT

December 26, 2009
Inspiration … 8:00p - 9:00p ET

A Trip of a Lifetime

During the wonderful Christmas season, my thoughts always turn to the birthplace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Deb and I have been blessed to visit Israel various times. And I can tell you that I have come away feeling incredibly grateful for the spiritual heritage we discover each time we visit. I’ve always said that a trip to the Holy Land is like a front row seat to the Bible.

We’re taking this journey once again June 17–27, and we’d love for you to join us. We’ll walk where Jesus and His Disciples walked. We’ll taste, smell and experience this amazing place in ways that will transform the way you read and study the Bible. This is truly a remarkable time of growth and spiritual renewal.

On this visit, we’ll visit the land of the Bible east of the Jordan River. We’ll travel to Petra, the rose-colored city carved out of red sandstone and considered one by many as of one the eight wonders of the ancient world. Did you know it was lost to civilization for centuries until rediscovered in 1812?

This is truly a trip of a lifetime!

I’ve included a couple of links that will help (Marriott Dead Sea Resort in Jordan and www.bibleplaces.com.) To register, visit discoveryministries.com/ministry.

Friendly Rivalry

I know what you’re thinking, “Jack, this is sounding an awful lot like a sports blog.” Well, I know...But, let me blog just one more item! I mentioned during services last weekend that we have an incredibly talented boys basketball team at Prestonwood Christian Academy. The cool thing is, many of our members have children who attend Trinity Christian Academy, another fine Christian school about five miles south of us.

Trinity has long had a great sports program, and last year PCA and TCA squared off in the boys basketball state championship. It was a great game and TCA captured the title...

So, everybody around these parts was pumped yesterday when the two teams met up again here. It was standing-room-only. I was excited to able to attend and watch these young guys play so hard. This is for bragging rights, you know! Anyway, PCA pulled out a squeaker, 38-37.

I’m looking forward to watching these two great teams continue this friendly rivalry in the coming years.

PCA FOOTBALL RECOGNITION

This past weekend in our services, we recognized the PCA football team, state champs for the second time! I hope you'll take a moment to view the clip below.

Early Christmas Present

Merry Christmas to me and all other Texas Rangers fans! Nolan Ryan's group gets exclusive negotioning rights to buy the team... Whew! Tom Hicks sure dragged out the process... I'm just glad he made the right decision not to alienate all of Rangers Nation by picking one of the other groups that likely would have meant the end of Nolan's tenure in the front office. So now we wait for MLB to put its stamp of approval on this new ownership group.

And then ... we'll anxiously await the greatest player ever to put on a Rangers uniform to work his magic off the field as the owner...

Glorious Christmas Season

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. --Matthew 1:21

In the busyness of the season, it’s easy to lose sight of how truly incredible the miracle of Christmas really is

Think about it. Jesus bridged the gulf of sin between God and mankind (you, if you’re a believer) by taking the form of man.

The story of Christmas is the Greatest Story Ever Told because Jesus came to bear the devastation and pain of our sins. It’s unimaginable, but true!

Christmas is about redemption. It’s about hope. As the verse above says, “He will save his people from their sins.”

When you get a glimpse of what Jesus came to do, you can recapture the wonder and awe of this Christmas season.

Because Christ came, we can be filled with joy, hope, and peace! And that is Good News worth celebrating!

Special Friends...Special Night

One of the greatest ministries we have at Prestonwood is the Special Needs Ministry. This, along with our Prestonwood Pregnancy Center, is what I call a “Jesus Ministry.” Last night I was blessed to attend the annual Special Needs Ministry Dinner. This is the fourth time we’ve held this and we had our greatest turnout with nearly 350 in attendance.

I’ll tell you, I was so honored to be there. I met families who said how much this ministry has meant to them. And just seeing the joy on their faces touched my heart.

On any given Sunday, we have about 100 families taking part in the Special Needs Ministry. It is a great joy to welcome with open arms special needs children and adults who many times have been turned away at churches that were not able to meet their needs.

This truly is a special ministry.

LIONS TAKE STATE!

Congratulations to our Prestonwood Christian Academy football team for winning the TAPPS Division II State Championship! Our boys saved the best for last, playing a great game to defeat Argyle Liberty Christian 35-17 this afternoon in Killeen.

PCA wasn’t expected to win; but our team showed the heart of a lion, never slowing down, never giving up.

I am so proud of Coach Chris Cunningham and the entire staff and team for their perseverance and hard work the entire season, but especially for playing the game the right way … and giving all glory and honor to God.

What a wonderful way to end the season and what a great example this team has set for our younger kids. Thank you, Lions, for an amazing season!

Powerful PowerLunch Fall Season

This week we closed another great season of PowerLunch at Prestonwood. For those of you who live in the Dallas area and have never attended, I’m giving you ample notice ... mark your calendar and come out next season because we got a great lineup of speakers already!

We’ve been hosting PowerLunch as long as I’ve been the pastor of Prestonwood. It’s a lunchtime gathering we have every Tuesday in the Student Ministry Building. I invite guest speakers who have a powerful message. And I’m telling you, during our 12 gatherings from September to December, we had some amazing speakers that drew nearly 8,000 people. The great thing was that so many of the people on any given Tuesday were first-time attendees.

We heard the amazing story behind the I Am Second campaign from Nathan Sheets and Norm Miller. Michelle Aguilar, the winner of the The Biggest Loser: Families (sixth season) talked about the great challenge she endured, both physically and emotionally. Nearly 1,500 came out to hear Anne Graham Lotz, Billy’s daughter, who blessed us with an incredible message. Emmy-Award winning broadcaster Deborah Norville talked to us about “respect.” And then there was Ron Hall and Denver Moore, who were returning to PowerLunch for the third time... They were just as great this time around. It was just a remarkable season ... and I can’t wait for the next one, which kicks off Jan. 12.

Do me a favor, click here to check out the lineup of speakers so far... And, if you scroll down a little, click on “Replay Fall 2009” and you can read what our speakers had to say.

A Thanksgiving Greeting

Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!
—Psalm 106:1

The Manhattan Declaration

As the pastor of a large church, I’m often asked to sign petitions or declarations. I generally do not take part in many of them. But The Manhattan Declaration was one that hits so squarely on the foundational beliefs that I hold so dear, that I couldn’t not sign it.

About 150 evangelical, Orthodox and Catholic leaders signed the statement, which was released to the media last Friday. You can click here to read the nearly 5,000-word declaration in its entirety, but basically it defends three core issues—the sanctity of human life, biblical marriage and uncompromising religious liberty. All three are issues that, unfortunately, are in grave danger in our great country today. I am providing just a few words here on what the declaration states:

Because we honor justice and the common good, we will not comply with any edict that purports to compel our institutions to participate in abortions, embryo destructive research, assisted suicide and euthanasia, or any other anti-life act; nor will we bend to any rule purporting to force us to bless immoral sexual partnerships, treat them as marriages or the equivalent, or refrain from proclaiming the truth, as we know it, about morality and immorality and marriage and the family. We will fully and ungrudgingly render to Caesar what is Caesar’s. But under no circumstances will we render to Caesar what is God’s.

We cannot stand by and do nothing as religious organizations are asked to do what goes completely against their foundational beliefs and convictions. I urge you to read the document, stand steadfastly by your convictions and pray that the Lord will protect this great country and the beliefs it was founded upon.

Sondra Saunders 30th Anniversary

I remember meeting Sondra Saunders for the first time when I came to Prestonwood in 1989. Two things were obvious: her passion for reaching others for Christ and her love of children. Sondra had been at Prestonwood for 10 years when I arrived—her legacy as our Children’s Minister already cemented. And, yet, here we are 20 years later and Sondra is just as steadfast in her commitment to Christ and this church as she was in those early years.

Sondra has been a true blessing in the life of this church. In the three decades that she’s been here, she’s seen about 28,000 children come through here. I can’t imagine our Children’s Ministry without her. And I know our church family can’t either. I’m always so touched to see little kids running over to Ms. Sondra and giving her a big hug. There’s a reason why this church has named only one building—the Saunders Children’s Building—for a person. And, frankly, I can’t imagine we’d ever do it again.

Sondra Saunders is special. And I am so blessed to call her co-laborer and my friend. She has a special place in the heart of my family. My youngest son, Josh, now 26, grew up in the Children’s Ministry and loved it and now my grandson, Ian, just adores Ms. Sondra.

So as we celebrate her 30th anniversary at Prestonwood this weekend, I want to thank Sondra for loving our Lord and for loving our children.

OUR VISION

When I come to Prestonwood on Sundays and see people streaming in, it’s an amazing thing. I never come to this corner and look at this property when I don’t remember that God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we could ask or think. And that’s been a key Scripture passage for us as a church. I never take for granted the amazing work that God has given us to do here, and the opportunity to make a difference in the world.

I thought I’d share with you the vision God has provided for His Church here on this hill. At Prestonwood, our vision is:

1. To engage in worship of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is life-transforming

2. To boldly preach and teach God’s inerrant Word without compromise, with compassion

3. To share the Good News of salvation with as many people as possible by every means possible

4. To provide a church in which people are cared for, nurtured, and blessed

5. To equip families to live in godly, wholesome relationships

6. To help Christians grow in their faith and apply biblical principles to their lives

7. To provide ministry opportunities that enable Christians to discover their spiritual gifts and use them in Christian service

8. To send and support ministries to the nations and to our neighbors

FIT FOR LIFE

We had our first annual PowerPoint Fit for Life Family Fun Run and 5K this morning. And, I'll tell you, it was fun! For a first-time run we had an incredible turnout with more than 600 people (and a couple of beagles)... The folks I spoke to said they had a great time, and I was so happy to hear it because we're already pumped about next year!

We started with the one-mile Fun Run around the Prestonwood campus. The cool thing was that because it was contained, it was safe for the whole family. And we had a lot of little kids out there, including my lightning-fast grandson, Ian! Then the 5K took us through a nice neighborhood just north of the church. I can testify that it was a bit challenging with a couple of pretty good hills, but I had a blast running with my daughter, Kelly, and I felt pretty good when we finished.

The kids had a great time in bounce houses and we had some local companies on "Sponsor Alley" giving out free food and drinks and lots of coupons. And besides providing a great event for the community, the run and 5K benefitted PowerPoint Ministries. My heart has always been in taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth, and PowerPoint allows me to do that. I'm grateful to all our PowerPoint listeners and supporters--including the new ones we met today!

Where We Started

Deb and I were married in 1970 and pastored our first church in the first year of our marriage. We were students at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas and The East Side Baptist Chapel was a weekend pastorate. I would preach on Sunday mornings and evenings and Deb would sing and play the piano. The days included Sunday lunches in member’s homes and afternoon study (and naps) on the pews. I preached the best I could at age 19-20, and cut my teeth ministering. Our little congregation grew from 13 to more than 30!

East Side Baptist Chapel, Cross Plains, TX

So indulge my little walk down memory lane and please know I am still fired up about preaching, serving, and leading all these years later, and so is Deb. As I have always quoted—I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the House of the Lord!” —Psalm 122:1

Salvation Message this Weekend

This Sunday I’ll be preaching about salvation. Don’t get me wrong, every message I preach is about salvation, but this weekend the focus is completely on salvation ... our greatest need in the world.

And since salvation is the most vital and eternal issue before any of us, we need to make sure everyone possible understands it. And we need to say it so clearly, so simply, so succinctly, that no one can miss it. That’s what I will be doing on Sunday at Prestonwood in Plano. Jarrett Stephens will preach the same message at Saturday Nights at Prestonwood, and Marc Rylander will do the same at Prestonwood North on Sunday.

There’s a lot of preaching going on around the world and in American pulpits each weekend, but very little salvation is being preached. We do a lot of theological talk, a lot of sermonizing, a lot of feel good messages, but how many will actually hear the simple plan of salvation?

If you live in the Dallas area, I invite you to come either Saturday at 6:00 p.m., Sunday at 9:15 and 11:00 a.m. in Plano, or Sunday at 9:30 p.m. at Prestonwood North. And why don’t you bring someone who needs to hear this message? Is there a friend or family member you’ve been wanting to invite? This would be a good day to do it.

If those people don’t live in the area, let them know they can live stream the message at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Just go to powerpoint.org.

Tell someone ...

Revival

Last night I was blessed to preach at the powerful Shepherd of the Hills Revival 2009. Shepherd of the Hills is a fine church led by a friend of mine Dudley C. Rutherford in Simi Valley outside Los Angeles.

I love revivals. Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved them. As a preacher now, it’s an incredible thing to witness God pouring out His Spirit... I closed out the week-long revival before a few thousand people and we saw dozens of decisions for Christ!

While in the area, I was pleased to be a guest on the Frank Pastore show at KKLA where PowerPoint airs daily at 10:00 a.m. I’m always glad to be visiting with my friends in L.A. and speaking live to our faithful PowerPoint listeners.

Not only was it a power-packed night of ministry, but a nearby In-N-Out Burger rounded out a perfect day!

GOD'S QUARTERBACKS

All eyes will be on the Cotton Bowl tomorrow for the UT–OU game. Now, I like to say I’m right down the middle on this one, neutral ... just like Dallas is the midpoint between the two schools. Still, I’m pretty torn because of the two godly young men behind center for both teams—Colt McCoy for the Longhorns and Sam Bradford for the Sooners. Football is important to them, but not as important as their relationship with Jesus Christ. Before you turn on your television tomorrow morning, listen to their stories on iamsecond.com.

There’s no quarterback who has more obviously and plainly stated his beliefs though than Tim Tebow. If you know who Tim Tebow is, then you know he’s a believer. Not only has he led his Florida Gators to the top, winning the championship, he’s also been crowned the best quarterback in the land, landing the Heisman Trophy, but most importantly, he’s led millions to consider the saving grace of our Lord and Savior. This son of missionaries made John 3:16 the #1 search term on Google when he wore it on his eye black during the BCS Championship game in January.

Months before, when the Gators lost to Ole Miss, he delivered an incredible promise, words that have been forever immortalized in Gator Land with a plaque outside the football facility. Titled “The Promise,” Tim apologizes to the fans saying they were hoping for an undefeated season. “I promise you one thing, a lot of good will come out of this. You will never see any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season, you will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season. You will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season. God Bless.”

Of course, the Gators went on to beat OU in the championship, when he told the world about John 3:16. And he’s playing hard and playing tough again this year ... wearing a different verse on his eye black every week. Florida plays Arkansas at 2:30 p.m. Tune in just to see what Tebow’s message is.

Dan-Dee-Dogs and State Fair of Texas

My family and I love the State Fair of Texas. We always go as family, and we do the same thing every year...we love to see Big Tex and say “Howdy, partner,”

we look at the new cars, ride a few rides, go to the petting zoo with Ian, and we eat some Fletcher corny dogs.

I love Fletcher dogs, probably not as much as the guy who ate 11 in 10 minutes...but I do like them...with lots of mustard. But every time I go to the fair and get a corny dog, I think about how much better my dad’s Dan-Dee-Dogs were.

My dad had a drive-in business called the Dan-Dee-Dog in Conway, Ark., the town I grew up in. It was a fun little business in small town America. Well, I hung out there a lot as a little kid, and I ate a lot of those Dan-Dee-Dogs. I always say my cholesterol was over 300 before the age of 8 because I ate so many of them!

Truly our state fair...fried butter and all...is the best state fair in the land. There’s nothing quite like Texas and Fletcher corny dogs...

But my dad’s Dan-Dee-Dogs were the best.

Light out of the Darkness

I’ve always said that a preacher should be able to preach anywhere and everywhere, under any circumstances. Prestonwood’s young preachers have gotten a taste of that, whether preaching in villages in the Amazon or Romania or in a community center in the inner city or in the clubhouse of an apartment complex in the suburbs.

And yesterday, Marc Rylander, our Prestonwood North Campus Pastor, preached in the dark. (see the very dark photo above) He didn’t let a power outage keep him from bringing a message during the service. Marc says the lights began flickering about five minutes into his message on the power of prayer....and then the lights went out completely.

So he picked up his iPhone and used his Flashlight App to see his notes, and kept right on preaching.

He brought light out of the darkness...the Gospel was preached and 21 people came forward! How awesome is that?!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY ...

GREAT THINGS HE HAS DONE AND ... IS DOING!


The 140-Acre Prestonwood and Prestonwood Christian Academy Campus in Plano

Biggest Loser a Big Winner

OK, I’ll admit I do like some reality shows. My family and I particularly like to watch The Biggest Loser. Besides the amazing weight loss by the group of people competing to win what I think is one of the best titles on TV, there are also some incredibly moving storylines. Michelle Aguilar’s story is one of those.

Yesterday I got to interview Michelle at PowerLunch the noontime gathering we host every Tuesday at Prestonwood featuring guest speakers. Michelle is a Dallas-area young woman who won Season 6 of The Biggest Loser: Families. I was touched by Michelle’s story of restoration. Yes, she shed 110 pounds, but at the same time, she gained so much more than just the title and the prize money.

During the taping of the show, Michelle’s relationship with her estranged mother (who was on the show with her) was restored, and she learned to trust God more. She told me and the 600 or so others at PowerLunch that she was ready to quit many times...until she prayed, “OK, God, I get it. If you can use me in my pain and my depression, if you’ve got me here for a bigger purpose, I’ll stay.”

She gave God control for the first time and she said the weight fell off and the stress fell away.

Listen to Michelle tell her story on iamsecond.com.

Clinging to God's Promises

Are you praying for America? Every day? You should be. We are living in increasingly volatile times. The news we learned of Thursday about foiled terrorist attacks, including one right here in Downtown Dallas, is daunting.

A 19-year-old Jordanian man was arrested for trying to bomb Fountain Place, a 60-story office tower on Ross Avenue. He told FBI undercover agents that he came to America to wage jihad, or holy war, according to reports. Also on Thursday, federal authorities in Brooklyn charged a 24-year-old native of Afghanistan with preparing explosive materials like those used in the mass transit bombings in London four years ago.

It’s a scary world. But we have a big God. I recently started a message series touching on the promises of God. And one of the great promises of God tells us that He has given us a future and a hope; plans for our good ... our welfare ... our blessing. I love what the great Bible teacher and author Warren Wiersbe said about God’s promises: “We do not live by explanations; we live by promises.”

Pray for our country, and cling to those promises.

If you don’t know Jesus, run to Him right now. To whom shall you go if you don’t know Jesus? Pray a prayer like this: Lord Jesus, I do turn to You. From my sins I turn to You and trust in You. And, right now, I receive You as my Lord and my Savior.

I promise you, He will forgive your sins; He will live in your life; and He will prepare a place in heaven for you so that you can be with Him forever.

What You Won’t Find on TV

With the new TV season comes great expectation and excitement. Every network and cable channel touts some new characters along with some old favorites. (For Deb and me, the new season doesn’t really begin until January, when Jack Bauer returns for Season 8.)

But my all-time favorite characters come right out of the Bible. Flip through and pick a book. Heroes of the faith—Abraham, David, Paul, Isaiah and Elijah—are all great men, all flawed…like any good character. And God uses these men, with all their faults, to do incredible things. Storylines you’ll only find in the Bible.

So before you check out the lineup on television today, pick up your Bible. Revisit your favorite stories. Discover someone new. Fall in love with Jesus all over again…

It’s not called The Greatest Story Ever Told for nothing.

Praying Like Jesus Prayed

I can never say or write enough about prayer. This is the Daily Word devotional that we sent out today. You can subscribe to this free devotional at powerpoint.org. Type in your e-mail address under “Daily Devotional.”

I pray you’ll take it to heart.

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” —Matthew 6:6

Many people have prayed all their lives but feel they have somehow missed the target. They don’t find their prayer life very rewarding.

So let me tell you something about prayer: It is a skill and a discipline you need to practice. And if you want to improve your prayer skills, you can start today.

In fact, I want to give you a little acrostic based on the word pray that will help you pray the way Jesus prayed:

P stands for PRAISE. God is worthy of all our praise… all the time… and in every situation that touches our lives.
R stands for REPENTANCE. When you and I pray in humility, remembering our own need to be forgiven, we are able to forgive others.
A stands for ASK. We are to ask our heavenly Father for our daily bread, that is, our daily substance, sustenance, and satisfaction.
Y stands for YIELD. Prayer is not changing God’s mind to our will, but finding his mind and doing his will.

John told us that when we come before the Lord in confidence and pray according to God’s will, he will hear us. Never doubt God’s desire to reward you with answered prayer!

PRAYER IS NOT CHANGING GOD’S MIND; IT’S FINDING GOD’S MIND AND DOING HIS WILL.

Jack is Back!

This Sunday will be my first time in the pulpit in since early June. And I’m telling you ... I’m thrilled to be back in the lineup! Twelve weeks on the DL is an awfully long time for a preacher.

I missed dearly standing and preaching God’s Word before our church family and the thousands more of you who live stream the message from places near and far. It’s all I know how to do. It’s all I want to do.

This journey my family and I have been on since April has not been easy. Unfortunately, as so many of you can attest, cancer never is. But God has been faithful through it all. And I can honestly say I am returning a better man ... a better pastor ... a better man of God.

Thank you, friends, for all your prayers. Deb and I so appreciate it and have leaned on them.

I was told that a little friend of mine, Delaney, who has been praying for my healing like so many of you, tacked this on to her prayer just the other night: “And, Lord, please let Jack is Back Day be the best weekend ever!”

That’s what I’m counting on!

THE HEART OF A LION

When the Prestonwood Christian Academy Lions kick off their football season tomorrow, they’ll do so with the memory of a little boy with "the heart of a lion." This season, the players will sport gold “CC” on the back of their blue helmets in honor of my little friend, Connor Cruse, who went to be with the Lord on July 10. Connor battled cancer for four years, fighting valiantly to the very end. As words of encouragement to others fighting cancer, Connor once said: “Have courage and believe in Jesus.” A wonderful testimony for us all...

PowerPoint On The Air

Ever since I was called to the ministry as a teenage boy, there’s nothing I love more than sharing the Gospel. I like to say I get to preach in the greatest church in the world—Prestonwood. And, thanks to the support of our PowerPoint partners, that transforming message of the Gospel goes way beyond the Prestonwood walls. Just this week, PowerPoint moved into three dynamic new radio markets:

• WYLL (1160 AM) Chicago, 8:00 p.m. (CST)
• WNIV (970 AM) Atlanta, 6:30 p.m. (EST)
• KPXQ (1360 AM) Phoenix, 4:00 p.m. (MST)

It’s exciting to be joining so many other great preachers and Christian leaders on these fine stations. Thanks to all our supporters who have made this possible! If you live in those areas, I hope you’ll tune in soon...

P.S... Click here to listen to a recent interview I did with WYLL.

I AM SECOND

When the I Am Second campaign rolled out last December, I was so happy to see the interest that it piqued. You couldn’t miss those black and white billboards, simple, with just a person’s face, the words I AM SECOND and iamsecond.com.

Since then, the website (which features video testimonies from various folks) has gotten more than 1 million visits from people all over the world. Nathan Sheets, a Prestonwood member and vice president of e3 Partners Ministry, and Norm Miller, chairman of Interstate Batteries ... the men behind the campaign ... will be guest speakers at PowerLunch at Prestonwood on Tuesday, Sept. 22.

This week, I Am Second launched a second round of billboards and videos. And my story is one of them. By providence, the billboard with my picture is in Fort Worth, less than one mile from my boyhood home. I invite you to watch my film. And if you live in the Dallas area, come to PowerLunch to hear more about this amazing campaign.

A Conversation with Tony Dungy

When high school football kicks off across the country this Friday night, many of the players will step onto the field a little differently ...having been impacted by Super Bowl-winning Coach Tony Dungy. Thousands watched his Red Zone ’09 in theaters nationwide last night, with pro players and coaches talking not only about performance and conditioning but also about integrity and character.

As I said in an earlier post, we were excited to host Coach Dungy, who taped the event here at Prestonwood on Monday night before a live audience. (Read the blog post below.)

While Coach Dungy was here, I had the opportunity to sit and talk with him. I thought I’d share the conversation with you. I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did.

Prestonwood North Anniversary

This past weekend we celebrated the Third Anniversary of our second location—Prestonwood North. I can’t tell you what an amazing journey this has been. God led us to reach those northern communities of Prosper, Celina, McKinney, Little Elm, The Colony and so many more ... and we can’t wait to see all He has in store for that region. Check out this video for a glimpse of the daily blessings that continue to unfold at Prestonwood North.

Tony Dungy’s Red Zone ‘09

Every once in a while, a coach comes along who leaves an impression on the landscape of his sport. In football, there’s been Vince Lombardi, Don Shula, Tom Landry and most recently Tony Dungy. Now, Coach Dungy might not have quite the same collection of Super Bowl championships as the others. But when it comes to character and integrity, and respect from his players and peers, Tony Dungy is in a league of his own among his contemporaries.

So I’m thrilled about hosting Tony Dungy’s Red Zone ’09, his first-ever National High School Football Kickoff, at Prestonwood on Monday at 7:00 p.m. He and some current and former coaches and players will talk to high school players about conditioning, teamwork and character. He’ll have taped interviews with great players like Tony Romo, Jason Witten, Peyton Manning … and Michael Irvin will be here live.

Then on Tuesday, the program that we tape on Monday evening will be broadcast in nearly 500 theaters across the country. Imagine the thousands of young athletes all over America who will be impacted by this great event.

The evening also includes former NFL player and motivational speaker Joe Ehrmann. If you’ve never heard of him, you need to go pick up a copy of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Season of Life by Jeffrey Marx that highlights him. He and coach Dungy will sign books after the event at 9:30 p.m. at our Prestonwood Bookstore. You can also still buy tickets at the bookstore.

Visit http://www.prestonwood.org/red-zone/ for more info.

I’ll be there. If you live in the area, drop by and join us!

GRACE

I’ve been thinking about the struggles Texas Rangers All-Star Josh Hamilton is dealing with right now stemming from the powerful tentacles of addiction ... struggles that he’ll deal with the rest of his life, but so painfully public right now because of who he is. And, really, I think it’s best to just let his wife, Katie, speak to it. She responded so articulately and honestly a couple of times to posts by readers recently on a Dallas Morning News sports blog:

Hi everyone, This is Josh's wife, Katie. I thought I would share some of my own thoughts and feelings on the subject- as you can imagine, I have a few things to say. First of all, thank you so much to those who have a forgiving spirit and for praying for and supporting our family during this whole ordeal. I honestly appreciate it and I'm very thankful to you all. Secondly, to all those who "just can't forgive" Josh for this one night- I have a question for you: Why is it that I (his wife- the one whom he hurt the most, by far through this) can forgive him, but you can't? I mean, to say something is "unforgivable" is an inaccurate statement. You can forgive- if you choose to do so. It really isn't that difficult- and I pray that you can and will, in time, forgive him. Josh is a wonderful man, father and husband who happens to be human. We are all flawed and that's why we need a Savior. I pray that you all know that he is a very sincere individual with a love for the Lord that is REAL. Again, he's not perfect- this was a night that he's certainly not proud of, but I am very proud of how he handled it. He was very honest with me and those involved and didn't try to hide anything or cover up his mistake. That has made this weekend far easier than you can imagine on me, b/c I was able to deal with it back in January. Again, thanks to all of you for praying and to those who "cant forgive" I will pray that God will soften your hearts as we are all human. In His Grip, Katie Hamilton

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Josh will always have temptation- as we all have temptation, whether he's in baseball or not. The pressure and consequences of leaving God's will for our lives based on one night of defeat, would or could be far more detrimental that staying right where God has placed us. That kind of "defeated thinking" is exactly what the devil would want....to make Josh think that he is a failure and he should just quit. Well, I know better and you won't be able to convince me otherwise.

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One day we will leave baseball...it certainly doesn't last forever. However, GOD gave Josh that talent and it's FOR HIS GLORY. There are always "what ifs" in life. And yes, it was ONE NIGHT- you can choose to believe what you want. JOsh is in no way shape or form "chasing millions" that very thought or statement sickens my stomach. This job isn't about money, fame or "being a homerun king"...none of those things bring happiness and if that's what it was all about- neither Josh nor myself would be a part of it. WHat is IS about is glorifying God through a talent that HE gave Josh- and being obedient to the call in which He has placed on our lives. Which for right now.,,,IS BASEBALL. When God takes us out of baseball- He will provide something else for us to do to bring Him glory. ( but that timeline is for HIM to decide- not us) I know without a doubt, that God did not bring Josh this far and allow him to play (after all he's been through) if that wasn't HIS plan. But I will certainly NOT encourage Josh to quit or tell Josh he should quit playing as I feel that would be direct disobedience to the Lord and if there is ONE thing I'm sure of after all of this it's this: God has absolutely equipped me to be Josh's wife- baseball included. I'm sorry that you will have to deal with us a while longer. If that upsets you, you should talk to the team about a trade. But just so you know....I love Dallas and I'm thoroughly enjoying my time with Texas Rangers. Take care, and God Bless.

As Christians, we should pray for one another on the road to redemption. Not judge each other. Who among us can throw a stone? We should lift up in prayer Josh and Katie, not because of who they are but because of whose they are.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We should give grace ... and give it freely.

Summertime ... Burgers

For those of us in Texas, there’s no doubt the dog days of summer are upon us. Whew, it’s hot! Triple digits here are as predictable as the afternoon showers in South Florida. And right about now, the only triple digits I like seeing are off the radar gun aimed at a Neftali Feliz fastball! (Texas Rangers fans, you know what I’m talking about...Feliz, which means happy in Spanish, makes us very happy.)

So summertime makes me think of grilling burgers (and a few veggies, of course) in the backyard. And that got me to thinking about my other favorite fast food burgers. Here’s my list, let me know yours:

1) In-N-Out Burger (wish we had ‘em in Texas)
The absolute best...like an old-time fresh burger you would get at a counter grill...plus Scripture including John 3:16 is printed on the cups...gotta love the Bible and burger heaven. I will send a photo of one of my stops here next week so you can see for yourself.

2) Whataburger (a Texas original)
Born in Texas the year of my birth, 1950...will smell your car up with onions for a week. The best in Texas.

3) Krystal (glad it made its way to Texas from the Southeast)
Soft delectable you can eat by the sack full...perfect balance of roll, meat, mustard, pickle and onions...Deb and I get them and eat them on the parking lot on Sunday nights...a great date and cheap!

4) Five Guys Burgers and Fries (glad it made its way to Texas from the Northeast)
In the Galleria Mall. Very good...my buddy David McKinley’s favorite.

5) Sonic (from our neighbor, Oklahoma)
The Number 2...gotta love a good burger at a drive-in especially when you add a Dr Pepper Blended Float.

Day 211

I thought I’d pass along this entry from my devotional A Daily Encounter with God. I hope you will meditate on that Scripture and that you’ll get a glimpse of what an extraordinary God we serve!

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.—Genesis 1:1

Most Christians have read today’s verse, the first verse in the Bible. But I’m not sure many realize its simple, yet profound, message!

You see, this verse clearly states where mankind began and who created everything. God is the beginning of it all!

Yet Satan knows that if he can attempt to destroy the root of our faith among unbelievers, then he can go as far as trying to destroy the entire legacy of our faith.

This verse in Scripture signifies so many things—beginnings, generations, creation, the origin of man and woman, the family, and so on. The Bible’s first sentence is the perfect segue into discovering who God is and how He has chosen to bring us into a relationship
with Him.

Genesis 1:1 disperses all the ideas of atheism, polytheism, pantheism,
humanism, secularism, and naturalism. The Word of God deals with these theories at the outset.

The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”

Over the next several days, I want to encourage you to read through the first chapter of Genesis. And as you do, it’s my prayer that your love and understanding of God’s Word will deepen… that you will be better equipped to share the message of Christ with our post-modern culture… and that you will deepen your biblical world view!

ARE YOU LETTING GOD’S WORD INFORM YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD?

Must Read Books

I love to read. And one of the things this sabbatical has provided is time to catch up on my reading...I’m always reading a few books at a time—currently, it’s these eight:

FEARLESS, by Max Lucado
ELIJAH, by Chuck Swindoll
THE INVISIBLE WAR, by Chip Ingram
TEMPERED STEEL, by Steve Farrar
LIVING UNDER THE RAINBOW, by Edwin Young
GUARD US, GUIDE US, by J.I. Packer
BASEBALL AND THE BABY BOOMER, by Talmage Boston
SATCHEL: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF AN AMERICAN LEGEND, by Larry Tye

I’m enjoying each and every one of them... Also during these days, I have to say it’s been hard for me to stay away from Prestonwood, the church I love so dearly, so, I have been in the office a bit. I’ve worked on my files and library. And that got me to thinking about my “Must Read List” for ministers (but, actually, this goes for any believer). These are insightful, incredible, life-changing books. I hope you will take a moment to check out the list, and then go out and read a few of them...And let me know what you think of the list....Happy reading.

THE SAVING LIFE OF CHRIST, by Ian Thomas
THE KEY TO TRIUMPHANT LIVING, by Jack Taylor
SERVANTS OF GOD, by Warren Wiersbe
THE CHRISTIAN PERSUADER, by Leighton Ford
WALKING WITH GIANTS, by Warren Wiersbe
THE MAKING OF A MAN OF GOD, by Alan Redpath
HEART CRY FOR REVIVAL, by Stephen Olford
ORDERING YOUR PRIVATE WORLD, by Gordon MacDonald
THE PROBLEM WITH JESUS, by Joe Stowell
WORSHIP, by Warren Wiersbe
WHY I PREACH THE BIBLE IS LITERALLY TRUE, by W.A. Criswell
EXPOSITORY SERMONS ON REVELATION, by W.A. Criswell
LECTURES TO MY STUDENTS, by C.H. Spurgeon
A DIARY OF PRIVATE PRAYER, by John Baille
PREACHERS & PREACHING, by Martyn Lloyd Jones
KNOWING GOD, by J.I. Packer
THE CROSS OF CHRIST, by John Stott
THE CHARISMATICS, by John MacArthur
EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT, by Josh McDowell
SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP, by J. Oswald Sanders
CRUCIAL EXPERIENCES IN THE LIFE OF D.L. MOODY, by Paul Gericke
THE PARABLES & METAPHORS OF OUR LORD, by G. Campbell Morgan
THE PURSUIT OF HOLINESS, by Jerry Bridges
WORLD AFLAME, by Billy Graham
JUST AS I AM, by Billy Graham
WITH CHRIST IN THE SCHOOL OF PRAYER, by Andrew Murray
A TREASURY OF PRAYER, by Leonard Ravenhill
THE SOUL-WINNER, by C.H. Spurgeon
BETWEEN TWO WORLDS, by John Stott
TWENTY-SIX TRANSLATIONS OF THE HOLY BIBLE, by Curtis Vaughan
THE TREASURY OF SCRIPTURE KNOWLEDGE, by R.A. Torrey