The Greatest Sacrifice

On this Memorial Day weekend, I want us to reflect on the incredible sacrifice made by the brave men and women who risk their lives daily to protect our great country and our inalienable rights. As the war continues in Iraq, we must be diligent in praying for their safety and for their families. Let us also remember the veterans of earlier wars who fought and died for our country.

Unfortunately, far too many people view this simply as the three-day weekend that marks the beginning of summer. I want us always to remember the reason behind this special day. It’s been 142 years since this national observance began when the head of a veterans’ organization established it as “Decoration Day”—a time to show gratitude by decorating the graves of soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a federal holiday honoring all who died in American wars.

As we show our gratitude and appreciation to the people who provide our earthly freedom, may we continually praise the One who gained our eternal freedom.

There has never been a greater sacrifice in the history of the world than when our Lord and Savior died on the Cross for our sins. Galatians 5:1 says: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”

REFUEL

There are times when every minister needs to refuel. You need to refresh, restore and renew your soul to fulfill the call in your life to preach God’s Word. I’m doing just that the next couple of days at Refuel, the InnovateChurch Conference at Thomas Road Baptist Church.

My good friend, Jonathan Falwell, has brought together a great group of speakers including Chuck Swindoll, Jim Cymbala, Ed Stetzer, Mark Batterson, Phil Cooke and more...

If you live in the Virginia area, come and check it out.... Refuel is also live streaming and you can follow on Twitter @InnovateChurch.

I’ll be speaking on Wednesday, but I’ll tell you, I’m looking forward to hearing all those guys.

Yogi-isms

Yogi Berra celebrated a birthday this week. So in honor of Yogi (the baseball great...not my dog), here are some of my favorite Yogi-isms...Let me know what some of your faves are...

• It ain’t over ‘til it’s over!
• It’s like déjà vu all over again.
• The future ain’t what it used to be.
• Ninety percent of this game is half mental.
• A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.
• Slump? I ain’t in no slump... I just ain’t hitting.
• You can observe a lot by watching.
• If the world were perfect, it wouldn’t be.
• Pair up in threes.
• I didn’t say half the things I said.

On TBN Tonight

Last night, I had the opportunity to be a guest on Praise the Lord on TBN. Check it out tonight...it airs at 9:00 p.m. (CST).

Host Dwight Thompson and I talked a little about everything, from my Powering Up book to engaging the culture to the impact PowerPoint Ministries is having around the world. We also talked about my call to Prestonwood in 1989, the relocation to Plano from North Dallas...a watershed moment in the life of our church. And, I’ve always said we have the best choir in the world, and it seems to always be a topic of conversation ... so we talked about Todd Bell and the 500-voice Prestonwood Choir & Orchestra.

I always appreciate the opportunity to speak to the masses, through programs such as those on TBN, about what’s going on at our church and through PowerPoint Ministries. God has had His hand on both ministries...and I am grateful for all He has done and will continue to do.

So, tell your friends ... set your DVR ... and remember, we’re on TBN sharing the Good News of Christ every Sunday at noon (CST).

Random Greatness ...

We wrapped up another great Prestonwood Golf Classic yesterday...It was a little windy, but a beautiful day none the less. We had nearly 200 golfers participating and we raised thousands to go toward scholarships for summer camps here at Prestonwood for students and children. I’ve talked in the past about the summer camps I used to attend at Sagamore Hill Baptist Church. When I was 16, my dad was out of work that whole year, and we couldn’t afford to pay for summer camp. Someone paid my way that year, I don’t know who it was, but that person’s generosity allowed me to go, and it impacted my entire life.
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Our state champion basketball team at Prestonwood Christian Academy presented me with a signed basketball today. Over the years, friends have given me autographed memorabilia from professional athletes as gifts. I am always so grateful for the thought that goes into it. But, I’ll tell you, the autographed memorabilia from the PCA teams I’ve received hold a special place in my heart. I love these students and am so proud of them, not just because of their athletic accomplishments, but because of the Kingdom Education they’ve embraced here.
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The Rangers are on a roll ... looking forward to the showdown here at home against the Oakland A’s... (And looking forward to that sale going through and giving #34 his rightful place as owner. Bud Selig needs to just pull the trigger already.)
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The North Texas White Sox are also on a roll...That’s my grandson, Ian’s team. By the way, #5 is crushing the ball...and, boy, he can slide (whether he needs to or not!)....

LIFEBOOK

The Preaching Team and I have been going through the series Straight Up, addressing some tough questions in life. Today and Sunday, we’re answering the question “Can a Person Really Change?”

But as a follow-up to the message preached last weekend—“Can You Trust The Bible?”—I thought I’d pull an excerpt from my new booklet Lifebook: The Authority, Authenticity, and Accuracy of God's Word.

View the Bible as authoritative, submitting yourself to it without reservation. Come with questions if need be, but stay until you allow God to answer them. John 7:17 says, “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God...”. Trust God to reveal his unique voice to you through his Word.

View the Bible as authentic, remembering that if God inspired any of the Bible, then he inspired all of it. Each time you approach the Bible, ask God to show you what he would like for you to learn from the passage you are reading. In the well-written words of Psalm 119:18, ask God, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”

View the Bible as accurate, believing that if Jesus Christ trusted in the accuracy of all that is written in the Bible, we may too. Rest assured that the Bible can withstand your scrutiny. Be like the Bereans of old who studied the Scriptures daily to verify the accuracy of what the apostle Paul was teaching them. If you find something you don’t understand or can’t resolve, get help from your pastor or from a good Bible study resource. Keep in mind that just as the earth reveals its gold and silver treasures to the diligent, according to Proverbs 2:3-5, so does the Word of God.

View yourself as a “welcomer of the Word.” Make it a lifelong quest to prove to yourself what an amazing book the Bible is. In James 1:21 we read: “Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.” We are humbly to welcome the Word because it is by the Word—God’s truth—that we are made free. Some are in bondage, some have errant habits, some have addictions, and those in these chains wonder why. Jesus said in John 8:32, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” It is only by truth that we become free.

GENERATION NEXT

I know I keep posting worship videos, but I also know that you will enjoy them as much as I do! This past Sunday, our Student Choir led us in worship. And I have to say, we have the greatest, and I think, the largest student choir around with nearly 350 voices. I am blessed every time I see students worshipping our Lord and Savior. It truly is a beautiful sight.

Growing up in Fort Worth, I know what a critical role the student ministry played in my life, and have always counted it a great responsibility to minister to our next generation. We are committed to the students here, whether through the choir or the Student Ministry and the summer camps and various mission trips and local outreach events.

I’ll be blogging more about our students in the coming months... For now, I pray you’ll enjoy listening to their voices and their hearts through this song...

"HE IS"

This past weekend we continued the series Straight Up—answering the question “Can You Trust the Bible?” I thought I would share with you a beautiful song that portrays Jesus through the Bible so wonderfully. Michael Chenoweth and Darren Miller, a couple of our incredible praise team members, are the voices you’ll hear singing “He Is.”

The stained glass you see in the video is from the windows displayed in a 300-foot band of vibrant colors in the Atrium, above the main entrance of our church. Each of the 70 windows is 6 feet high and 4 feet wide.